Trending
    • Jasmin Mozaffari’s short film ‘Motherland, wins TIFF award
    • Poor Thing, Wins Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival
    • Toronto Film Festival 2023
    • Iranian Influential Women: Rakhshan Bani-Etemad
    • Sundance Film Festival Asia
    • Enea, review
    • French rising star, Adèle Exarchopoulos, 4 top favorite movies
    • Cinematography director Morteza Pursamadi dies at 70
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Cinema Without Borders
    • Home
    • Feature Story
    • News
    • Conversations
    • Festivals
    • Cinema Tech
    • Film Reviews
    • CinéEqual
    • Other Arts
    • Archives
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Cinema Without Borders
    You are at:Home»Film Reviews»OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies

    OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies

    0
    By Tobe R. Roberts on 07/18/2008 Film Reviews

    1955. Jean Dujardin alias French Agent 117 aka Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath is the star in “OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies, as a homage to 007, Inspector Clouseau and even Maxwell Smart along with dash of Austin Powers, you have a very funny, ridiculously wacky movie. Based on the 1949 novels by Jean Bruce, the movie brings to life the debonair yet quirky character of OSS 117.

    We begin with two OSS agents both 117 and his comrade Jack Jefferson (Philippe Lefebvre) on a airborne mission for which they are herald as heroes of the day. A mishap takes the life of Jack and it’s revenge time for Hubert. He must seek out who killed his partner.

    As a matter of fact the top brass at the agency, have a hefty new mission for him with just a few minor objectives: depart for Egypt to bring peace to the Arab world, settle the disputes amongst the Americans, Russians and divert the Suez Canal crisis. Perfect!

    Along the way, he must locate his contact while asking many times, “How’s the veal stew?” as the password. He is greeted finally by the stunning yet capable contact Larmina El Akmar Betouche (Berenice Bejo) who must show Hubert the ropes and have him assimilate into her society.

    In a hilarious scene he asks to be taught a few phrases to become like a local, so she teaches him how to count to five. Nevertheless, OSS 117 makes use of the knowledge in an even funnier comedic romp. Finding his ignorance to Arab culture deplorable, Larmina nevertheless trudges on to become a loyal companion to this clueless spy.

    In his continuing quest to blend into his surroundings which seem impossible for him, he assumes a cover of a chicken and rooster dealer in Cairo. These chickens are only quiet when the lights are off and create a ruckus when the lights are turned on.

    Throughout the film, agent 117 has a fascination with these chickens and the lights and wherever possible, plays with the lights like a youngster. His ignorance does not stop there, when the entire Arab world is appalled when he stops a muezzin from calling others to prayer. Thinking that he was just making noise, he climbs up the minaret to take the mike from the muezzin.

    Completely mindless but still suave in every shot, he maintains that taurean confidence and a penchant for perfect hair. Just watching his various stances during gunplay is enough to elicit a chuckle as well as passing off photos of President Rene Coty as good luck charms when the mood hits him.

    Agent 117 takes everything seriously especially, like Bond, amorous affairs with the ladies- especially wooing the niece of Egypt’s King Farouk (Aure Atika) who seems to be enamored with 117’s arsenal. Nevertheless, she tries to kill him at every opportunity but yet cannot resist his animal magnetism.

    What makes this movie enjoyable to watch are the secondary characters who are lively, and though limited in onscreen dialogue, through their facial expressions and dry mannerisms, are hilarious to behold. You have the loyal second hand man to Agent 117 at the Chicken dealership, the evil (that’s pronounced E- veal) informant who tracks 117 wherever he goes, even when he is told otherwise, and others who from time to time steal the show.

    With a hip, groovy soundtrack reminiscent of the action, espionage genre, the movie is never without a quickly delivered punchline in every scene. However, its 99 minutes running time can at times seem to drag endlessly.

    Funny (not uproarishly), great performances by all, nicely stylized, “OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies”, is a slick film which you can add to the list of good spy parodies out there.

    ****
    Weak: 1 Star   Average: 2 Stars   Good: 3 Stars   Very Good: 4 Stars   Excellent: 5 Stars

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Tobe R. Roberts

    Related Posts

    Enea, review

    Finally Dawn, Review

    Between Two Worlds, Review

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.



    Most donations are tax deductible.
    Latest Stories
    09/19/2023

    Jasmin Mozaffari’s short film ‘Motherland, wins TIFF award

    09/10/2023

    Poor Thing, Wins Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival

    09/07/2023

    Toronto Film Festival 2023

    09/07/2023

    Iranian Influential Women: Rakhshan Bani-Etemad

    Bridging The Border Award

    At a time when physical, religious, racial, cultural, and economic borders divide the population of our planet, efforts to bridge those borders should be appreciated. In that spirit, Cinema Without Borders presents Bridging the Borders Award to the films that are most successful in bridging and …Read More

     

    I, Immigrant, International Film Festival
    CineEqual

    CinéEqual represents filmmakers, institutions, and community members with a focus on social justice cinema. As an integrated unit of CWB, it promotes a diverse, inclusive, and equitable democratic society that values the worth of all humans…Read More

     

    About
    About

    Cinema Without Borders is a meeting place of independent cinema. Based in Los Angeles, CWB puts the spotlight on rising talent around the globe to achieve its mission, which is to serve and strengthen communities of filmmakers and film students across real and virtual borders.

    Copyright Cinema Without Borders@2018

    Popular Posts
    01/02/2001

    Cinecon 46-The 46th edition of the Classic Film Festival

    10/09/2006

    An Interview with Jonathan Wolf, Managing Director of AFM

    10/11/2006

    Film & TV production in Afghanistan

    Article Photos
    NasserFarhoudiWP
    SiggrpphSlider
    FundingCoverImage
    6-RADUSlider
    Nouredin-WP-Slider
    NOHOFestival-WP-Slider
    MiamiFF-WP-Slider
    MarkTamez-WP-Slider
    LouderThanBombs-WP-Slider
    HP-Rick-WP-Slider
    HP-Bridging-2-WP-Slider
    HP-Bridging-1-WP-Slider
    Contacts & Credits

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.