1960s style French comedy with better than average gags and the comic timing of Funes. This diverting film deals with a stiff Principal named Charles : Louis de Funes, of a rigid boarding school. On vacation he is planning a student exchange between his son Philippe and MacFarrell's daughter : Martine Kelly, but Philip actually plans to save an amusing holiday by boat and replacing himself by the fat nerd Stephane : Maurice Rish. To be aware Charles of his true activitates, that's why he follows his son, chasing the yacht by sailing, or flying . But then his colleague : Ferdy Mayne, soon joins him and things go wrong.
This enjoyable French comedy contains amusing incidents, funny set pieces, slapstick, slapdash, simple humor and loads of fun . Of course, the central piece is Louis de Funes himself and his comic genious, while delivering a towering main performance, a prime example of a first role carrying a film . In fact this role as a strict school headmaster was particularly written for this great French comedy superstar. As it is a Louis de Funes show, giving a sympathetic acting , as usual, he is very good providing his habitual Tics, gestures , tongue twister and overacting with lots of gesticulation. Costarred by the likeable young girl Martine Kelly who also played with Funes in Hibernatus and The Band, in addition Ferdy Mayne who acted in Fearless Vampire Killers by Polanski . Here Funes is accompanied by ordinary actors who usually show up in Saint Tropez Gendarme series as Claude Gensac also playing his wife , Guy Grosso and Maurice Risch. And brief appearance by Silvia Dionisio, subsequently a star of the Italian sex comedy.
Agreeable musical score by regular Raymond Lefebre that scored Saint Tropez franchise. As well as colorful cinematography by Marcel Grignon, this notorious cameraman is considered to be one of the best of French cinema. The picture was amusingly and lively directed by Jean Girault who made the Saint Tropez series with Louis de Funes. Girault was a comedy expert, directing a lot , such as : The miser, Squek squek, Jo, The troops of St Tropez, Gendarme in balade, Gendarme in New York, Gendarme and the Gendarmettes, Gendarme and the creatures of the outer space, Les Charlots, among others. Rating 7/10. Well worth watching. The flick will appeal to Louis de Funes fans.
