The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob

In USA, Rabbi Jacob (Marcel Dalio) and Rabbi Zeiligman are traveling back to Paris after a long absence far from his hometown. Meanwhile the bigoted French Victor Pivert (Louis de Funès), who is the owner of a factory, is traveling by car with his Jewish driver Salomon (Henri Guybet) to France to the marriage of his daughter Antoinette Pivert (Miou-Miou). They have a car accident and Pivert fires Salomon and walks on the road looking for help. He stumbles with the Muslin rebel leader Mohamed Larbi Slimane (Claude Giraud) and unintentionally saves the Slimane from assassins that want to kill him.

Slimane abducts him and they head to the Paris airport, chased by the killers and the police. They meet with Rabbis Jacob and Zeiligman that have just arrived in France in the toilet and they impersonate them to escape from the pursuers. When they meet the Jewish community that is welcoming Rabbi Jacob in the airport, they have to proceed in the farce getting in more confusion.

"Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob" is one of the funniest comedies of cinema history, with a complex screenplay entwining the lives of several characters without coincidences but hilarious situations. The story makes fun of polemic themes, like religion and prejudice, and with government economical interests, but is never disrespectful.

Louis de Funès is fantastic with a top-notch performance, considered by fans of the French king of the comedy as his best ever. Unfortunately the studios do not make movies like this anymore. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil); "As Loucas Aventuras de Rabbi Jacob" ("The Crazy Adventures of Rabbi Jacob")