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A box-office sensation in France, comic star Jean Dujardin stars as secret agent Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, a.k.a. OSS 117 who in the tradition of Maxwell Smart and Inspector Clouseau somehow succeeds in spite of his ineptitude. After a fellow agent and close friend is murdered, Hubert is ordered to take his place at the head of a poultry firm in Cairo. This is to be his cover while he investigates Jack s death, monitors the Suez Canal, checks up on the Brits and Soviets, burnishes France's reputation, quells a fundamentalist rebellion and brokers peace in the Middle East. A blithe and witty send-up not only of spy films of that era and the suave secret agent figure but also neo-colonialism, ethnocentrism and the very idea of Western covert action in the Middle East.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
OSS117 is bound to suffer from being subtitled but the humour is strong enough to survive the need to read. Secret Agent OSS117 is played as a very affectionate homage to Sean Connery's Bond persona. The same faintly idiot smugness when a woman is seen (well idiot when the rest of us tried to do it) and the way he moves all make one feel this is a Bond film you've seen but cannot quite remember. Add in the usual mixture of Fifties/Sixties colonialism and sexism with an unerring eye for the cars, clothes and streets and the paraphernalia of spying (the blanquette de veau password joke runs throughout the film) and one has a very funny parody without being too foolish. It is a gallic Maxwell Smart but with more heart. A funny, clever, film.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
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Throughout his career as a secret agent James Bond has had to encounter a range of ruthless villains from Dr. No, Scaramanga, Ernst Blofeld and Jaws but none have quite hit their target with the precision of the two OS117 films. Both are exceptional parodies and combine a keen eye for pastiche and embarrassingly uncomfportable non-PC humour.
The first film opens with a prologue filmed in black and white which mercilessly lampoons the dire British war films of the 1950's before jumping forward ten years to 1955 in the eve of the Suez Crisis where the suave Hubert Bonisseur De La Bath is dispatched to resolve the mystery of a missing colleague and a Soviet board full of arms. During the course of the adventure, our hero manages to trample on the toes of all the different factions involved in the plot whilst in Cairo whether it is upsetting Islamic fundementalists, his female companions, royalists and the Nasser regime. Seemingly inept, a stream of sticky situations are overcome in almost accidental fashion in a variety of amusing situations that tip their hat to films such as Indiana Jones as well as Bond. Significantly for a comedy, the plot is well contrived and fits in nicely with real historical events. As with the original films, the girls are very glamorous too.
I think it is only fare to say that Jean Dujardin is a comic actor of some genius - a kind of French Peter Sellars. His facial expressions and demeanor illustrate just how ludicrous the character of James Bond really is but this is done with some affection that I would say both of the OSS117 films are "must sees" for any Bond fan. The nuances of the old Sean Connery films are perfectly captured and attention to detail, whether it is the clothing, the cars, the music (whether on screen or incidental) and the locations make this seem like something made fifty years ago. The jokes are really funny and this is a far better and more intelligent film than any in the Austin Powers series.
Foreign language films are a turn-off for many people and what is funny in one country is often lost in translation. This film is an exception and one I would thoroughly recommend. Hopefully there will be a third in the series.
The first film opens with a prologue filmed in black and white which mercilessly lampoons the dire British war films of the 1950's before jumping forward ten years to 1955 in the eve of the Suez Crisis where the suave Hubert Bonisseur De La Bath is dispatched to resolve the mystery of a missing colleague and a Soviet board full of arms. During the course of the adventure, our hero manages to trample on the toes of all the different factions involved in the plot whilst in Cairo whether it is upsetting Islamic fundementalists, his female companions, royalists and the Nasser regime. Seemingly inept, a stream of sticky situations are overcome in almost accidental fashion in a variety of amusing situations that tip their hat to films such as Indiana Jones as well as Bond. Significantly for a comedy, the plot is well contrived and fits in nicely with real historical events. As with the original films, the girls are very glamorous too.
I think it is only fare to say that Jean Dujardin is a comic actor of some genius - a kind of French Peter Sellars. His facial expressions and demeanor illustrate just how ludicrous the character of James Bond really is but this is done with some affection that I would say both of the OSS117 films are "must sees" for any Bond fan. The nuances of the old Sean Connery films are perfectly captured and attention to detail, whether it is the clothing, the cars, the music (whether on screen or incidental) and the locations make this seem like something made fifty years ago. The jokes are really funny and this is a far better and more intelligent film than any in the Austin Powers series.
Foreign language films are a turn-off for many people and what is funny in one country is often lost in translation. This film is an exception and one I would thoroughly recommend. Hopefully there will be a third in the series.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Outrageously un"p.c" and very funny, this gem of a film may only appeal to a small minority of viewers, but a discerning minority who can appreciate a stab at political correctness and po-facedness regarding religion and politics. I was frankly surprised that the film-makers "got away" with many of the jokes,and I take my hat off to them.
Loved the lead actor, who I found annoying at the beginning, but he really grew on me. Clever film, a bit barmy, and quite refreshing to see the French laughing at themselves.
Thoroughly recommend it.
Loved the lead actor, who I found annoying at the beginning, but he really grew on me. Clever film, a bit barmy, and quite refreshing to see the French laughing at themselves.
Thoroughly recommend it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Delightful spoof of the international spy genre
An OSS (Office of Strategic Services) agent (Jean Dujardin) is sent to Cairo to investigate the disappearance of a fellow agent (Philippe Lefebvre). Read more
Published 2 months ago by The CinemaScope Cat
Fun watch
The beginning of the movie was slightly slow paced, but it picks up pretty soon. I found it funny and entertaining!
Published 2 months ago by slow coach
De la Bath. Hubert Bonnisseur de la Bath
I learned about this movie after seeing the Oscar nominated The Artist (DVD + Blu-ray Combo)also starring Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo and directed by Michel Hazanvicius. Read more
Published 3 months ago by L. Power
Not a winner
This isn't my sort of movie - it's rather dated and I suppose Jean Dujardin's character was a James Bond spoof but he fails to amuse in his ignorant attitude towards the Egyptians. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Sue Weston
Get This Movie!
I found the OSS movies after watching The Artist - as it has the same actors.
It is in French so is subtitled - but do not let that put you off. Read more
It is in French so is subtitled - but do not let that put you off. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Timbuktu Mick
The Funniest Spy Film I've Ever Seen
'OSS 117 - Cairo Nest Of Spies' is a comedy inspired by a long-running series of books and films featuring the titular secret agent - essentially France's answer to James Bond. Read more
Published 5 months ago by A. Foxley
Cool film
Very cool and funny film, a real cult classic. Order arrived promptly and without trouble. This is a Christmas present for friends and family as it deserves to be shared.
Published 6 months ago by JMDenton
Very funny take on the spy genre
This is all your favourite spy and comedy detectives rolled into one.
Tell me he doesn't look like Sean Connery but alas he has the ineptitude of Clousseu and the mojo... Read more
Tell me he doesn't look like Sean Connery but alas he has the ineptitude of Clousseu and the mojo... Read more
Published 15 months ago by SteveINtheUKok
French Comedy that's funny
This is a smart, funny film that has its tongue firmly in its cheek. The lead character has elements of David Brent mixed with James Bond and his non-PC attitudes make it a... Read more
Published on 9 Mar 2010 by Stephen Folan
Brilliantly realised spoof of Sixties spies and outdated attitudes
Taking French cinema's once much-loved 60s superspy and turning him into a politically incorrect figure of fun, a lot of the historical injokes do get lost in translation, but... Read more
Published on 14 Jun 2009 by Trevor Willsmer
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