I guess that you really have to be French to "get" the humor in this film, but being myself American and having seen many Foreign film comidies in the last 40 years, I have seen worse French comidies than this one. Being myself a 60's Spy film fan and having seen the original OSS 117 films of the 60's, I was completely entertained by this film and found it quite funny, although not overly hilarious since the film does has it's weak spots. But it's Jean Dujardin's great comedic performance as OSS 117 that's the best thing in this movie and is truly the reason for seeing this film. That's the reason why Dujardin was nominated as Best Actor for a French Cesar Award for this film, since the French don't normally nominate Cesar Awards(the French equivalent of our American Oscars) for a comedic performance and that's the reason why Dejardin is now doing the sequel to OSS 117 Cairo Nest of Spies called OSS 117 Rio Ne Repond Pas, because the first one was so successful and a hit in Europe,. In my book, that's not bad for a film that's supposedly a bad French comedy.
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transws6am
16 years ago
Did you say SEQUEL???????? Dear Lord, make it stop.
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alanbobet
16 years ago
Well as the French say, "Chazon A Son Gout" which means To Each His Own. Which also means the French must really love OSS 117 movies so that a sequel to OSS 117 Cairo Nest Of Spies would be made! But we Americans shouldn't blame the French for this to happen, because we American got no less than 6 sequels to the "classic" Police Academy movie of the 1980's and another one is currently in production, according to Warner Bros! Now in my book, that's worse than the OSS 117 films!
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MyersHome78
16 years ago
I am really surprized to see that you didn't like this movie! I am French but I now live in California and French movies have a great reputation in America, especially I would say for horror movies. People say they are brilliant movies when they are mostly good but nothing more. But as for comedies, we really get to the point where French cinema is the best in the world. French comedies are considered by many people as being the best and OSS 117 is one of the best comedies in recent years. This movie was a huge hit in France and it really is one of the most hilarious movies I've seen in the last ten years. Apart from that, the acting, the music and the directing were brilliant.
So I am really surprized to see that Americans didn't like this movie that much. I know that it is funnier for French audiences but I would have thought it would have Americans laugh as OSS 117 makes fun of the French as being pretentious and condescendant, like they were smarter than anybody else when they are obviously not.
Sean Connery loved the first one that much that he wants to appear in the sequel.
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alanbobet
16 years ago
I really loved OSS 117 Cairo Nest Of Spies that I saw it more than once in it's theatrical release here in the US and I also got the DVD as well as the CD soundtrack of the film. I'll definetly see the sequel, OSS 117 Rio Ne Repond Pas when it comes out, especially if Jean Dejsrdin repeats his role as OSS 117! If you check the Rotten Tomatoes website, OSS 117 recived a percentage of approximately 75% favorable reviews from US critics annd that's more than GET SMART got.
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MyersHome78
16 years ago
I am away from the US right now, was OSS 117 released in a lot of theaters?
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alanbobet
16 years ago
No, it was given a limited release of at least 1 or 2 theatres in select cities in the US. Here in New York City, it was seen in four theatres for about 4 weeks, which is a decent run for a foriegn film. Normally films like this last about 1 or 2 weeks in theatres, unless it's a film like MONGOL or LA VIE EN ROSE. Even Dario Argento's new film, MOTHER OF TEARS(LA TERZA MADRE) lasted only 2 weeks here in NY in only 2 theatres. But OSS 117 has grossed about $250,000 in box office in the US for the last 8 weeks of exhibition, much more than MOTHER OF TEARS which came out at the same time and OSS 117 is still being exhibited in limited release in the US.
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MyersHome78
16 years ago
I would have loved to see it in a theater in the US with American people. Well, it lasted longer than I expected, even Rogue (australian horror movie by the guy who made Wolf Creek) was only shown in like 9 theaters in the WHOLE country and not even ONE in Los Angeles... I was really pissed because I've heard that this movie was worth seeing on a big screen. Southland Tales lasted 2 weeks I think and it's an 18 millions dollar American movie with Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Justin Timberlake and Mandy Moore... and it was show almost nowhere. So I would say that for OSS 117, it seems like they gave it a pretty good release.
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alanbobet
16 years ago
Yes, it did look great on the big screen and the two times I went to see it in the theatre, the audience laughed heartedly and even applauded at the end credits. If you want to check the box office progress of OSS 117 Cairo Nest of Spies, Go to Yahoo and check Yahoo Movies. than check the Weekend Box Office list and you will find that OSS 117 film is number 60 in their top 100 films still being seen in theatres and it is still being seen in 9 theatres in the US currently and in it's 9th continous week at almost $250,000 boxoffice. and Music Box, the film's distributor will release OSS 117 on DVD here in the US in the month of September, 2008.
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MyersHome78
16 years ago
I don't know if it will be the case for the American DVD, but in the French DVD, in the box, they included a picture of Mr. René Coty which I thought was a really clever and funny thing from them to do.
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alanbobet
16 years ago
Unfortunately the DVD I got of OSS:117 Cairo Nest of Spies was from Thailand and it doesn't have the photo of Rene Coty in it.
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Villemar
16 years ago
I don't see what's not to enjoy here. My American friends who saw it loved it. As long as the viewer is reasonably smart so as to get the cultural and historical references I'm sure they'd appreciate it. But even if not, there's something about that Childlike Archetype that's really endearing. That's why this and In Bruges (with Colin Farell's character) are two of my favorite movies thus far this year.
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vilafire
10 years ago
I'm American and I loved it. Just because YOU don't like something doesn't mean others won't or that bc it's French only French people will like it.
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