Mieux vaut être riche et bien portant que fauché et mal foutu (1980)

User Rating:

2.5/10   

Director:

Max Pécas

Writers:

Claude Mulot (writer)
Didier Philippe-Gérard (writer)

Release Date:

29 October 1980 (France)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot Keywords:

Female Nudity | Sex

Cast

Sylvain Chamarande	...	Cri-Cri (as Sylvain Green)
Victoria Abril	...	Mercedes
Claus Obalski	...	Rudy
Ingeborg Steinbach	...	Carole (as Inge Steinbach)
Gérard Croce	...	Maître Lanzac
Michel Vocoret	...	Henri Bouvier
Alexandra Delli Colli	...	Corinne
Daniel Derval	...	Julien
Eric Legrand	...	Norbert
Olivia Dutron
Jean Vinci

Also Known As:

Más vale pájaro en mano (Spain)
Wer spritzt denn da am Mittelmeer? (West Germany)
Who Is That Splashing in the Mediterranean?

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

France | Spain | West Germany

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Certification:

West Germany:12 (nf)

Company:

Geiselgasteig Film

Simply awful

This film is hailed by fans and critics as the "best" in French director Max Pécas' career. Be that as it may, it is still shockingly far from even the lowest cinematographic standards - those of the later episodes in the POLICE ACADEMY series, for instance.

It should be noted that the film does not contain the regular quota of Pécas nudity which may come as something of disappointment for some people; however the usual revolting display of vulgarity, misogyny, homophobia and sheer visual ugliness is indeed present and even flamboyant.

Quite unusual in the Pécas tradition, the exotic setting of Tunisia for the second half of the movie does not provide enlightening insights into local culture or even pretty landscape shots, which does not really come as a surprise. The whole thing is simply pointless, actors are astonishingly bad throughout (even young Victoria Abril's efforts amount to nil), and there is not a single joke which is even remotely funny. Words fail to convey the full extent of this film's abysmal nullity.