MovieChat Forums > Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes (1965) Discussion > How'd this movie do in non English speak...

How'd this movie do in non English speaking countries.

posted 16 years ago by sherlock-37
11 replies | jump to latest

This movie must have done well in Great Britain and the US and Canada but how did it do in Europe etc ?

My accountant says, "1 + 1, 40% of the time, equals divorce".

[–] unicornis 15 years ago

As far as I know it was quite a success here in Germany, even in spite of - or maybe just because - the side blows to German-Prussian mannerisms. Gert Fröbe always managed to pull people off the streets and into the cinemas. In my personal opinion, he was, and still is, one of Germany's greatest actors. Sometimes crule, sometimes evil, and sometime really funny.

Anyhow, "Those Magnificent Men... " has always been a favourite among my family, as well as my friends and collegues, not just because of Gert Fröbe, but because we do see is it as one splendid comedy, always worth watching.

[–] sherlock-37 15 years ago

Good stuff. This is a one of a kind comedy. Gert Fröbe - perfect casting! Probably an equal number of sideblows to many nations, including England, or the many Englands with their class structures.

My accountant says, "1 + 1, 40% of the time, equals divorce".

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] dcourteau 15 years ago

It showing in french dubbed version right now on a french canadian history channel

[–] Locomotiva1 15 years ago

I suppose that casting Alberto Sordi helped the film in Italy for the same reason Frobe "sold" it in Germany.

Alberto Sordi gave another run of his usual "flamboyant italian" character.
Sordi was one of the greatest italian actors, and did so many comedies portraying the good and the bad of the "medium italian".

[–] Mikelito 15 years ago

Nonsense - Europeans aren't that dumb.
They don't watch a movie because there's a character in it from their own country.
Now you might very truthfully say that about Americans.
But we are not like that. Haha.

[–] Locomotiva1 14 years ago

No, of course.
But in those days Alberto Sordi did a string of films: most of them "commedia all'Italiana", comedies over some social problem in Italy.

So, having Alberto Sordi in the cast helped to bring italians to cinema. His films were funny, so this look to be funny too.
I don't know about Frobe, but seems much like the same story.

Without Sordi, the movie is: "Those magnificent men, starring nobody", as none of the british/french/whatelse actors had any appeal for italian audience.
Only if they put on flyers Terry-Thomas and his teeth someone may note him: Ah, Ok, it' that stupid englishmen, may be funny.

You may note that nowadays many movies had "with the Known Actor in" tagged on.
And you may also note that some hollywood movies with an italian in it (Favino, for example) didn't made much money.

[–] Sibyla01 10 years ago

We loved it in Czech Republic. The national stereotypes are the same as we keep: galant French, strict German, messy Italian etc.

[–] Caeradwyn 9 years ago

Well, bad manners to reply to such an old thread I guess, but Those Magnificent Men was very popular in Norway as well.

[–] sherlock-37 9 years ago

Great. No problem.

I'm from Toronto, Canada. There was a place here during WWII, called Little Norway - Flyvåpnenes Treningsleir . Apparently, it made it on to a stamp in Norway itself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Norway

[–] aleach26 9 years ago

Was Gert Frobe dubbed into English (as he couldn't speak it) by another actor as usual?

He was dubbed in Goldfinger a few years earlier - if you look closely. Most of his lines were not delivered in close-up for that reason.

Here he doesn't have so much to say so maybe he learned/delivered his lines phonetically.

Apologies as I haven't seen the film for many years, but have just acquired the bluray (at great cost...)