Recently having a run of X-Mas and New Year-themed viewings, I decided to break the cycle by choosing from one of the movies which has been waiting to be viewed for ages. Finding the Cairo Nest of Spies (2006) mission an utter delight when I watched it last year,I decided to spy on OSS 117's second mission.
View on the film:
Undressing the tailor-made jokes on 60's Bond of the first film, returning co-writer/(with Jean-François Halin) director Michel Hazanavicius continues his collaboration with cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman in patterning this entry to the Euro Spy genre of the 60's in general, and to "happening"/ hippie flicks of the swinging 60's. Dotting OSS 117's introduction with criss-crossing spilt-screens,Hazanavicius spies on a slick chic atmosphere of steamed-up dissolves sinking 117 into the "Free Love" of the era. Going in more of a slap-stick rather than kitsch direction for the quick-paced jokes in this second entry,Hazanavicius sweetly plays up the clichés of the Euro Spy genre with funny gun battles where every shot the baddies take at 117 randomly misses, and gives the beautiful women agents a sparking appearance.
Loosely inspired by OSS 117: Mission for a Killer (1965), the screenplay by Hazanavicius and Halin is less defined on the goals of the mission compared to the first, but serves up a delirious mix of cheeky Euro Spy weirdness of double-dealing agents, booming CIA bosses, dirty hippies,cackling Nazis, and a wonderful final packed with Hitchcock tributes. Keeping 117's dialogue politically incorrect, the writers draw sharp one liners from 117 being completely out of step with the hippie era, via 117 stumbling in offending fellow (Jewish) agent Koulechov each time he tries to create a bond,and his straight-lace macho outlook rubbing up against the Free Love surrounding 117. Joined by a terrific, dead-pan Louise Monot as Koulechov,Jean Dujardin gives an excellent, hilarious return spin as 117,whose devilish cad charms Dujardin carries with a swagger match by a fitting look of being unaware of the hilarity when delivering one liners whilst agent OSS 177 finds himself a fish out of water lost in Rio.
View on the film:
Undressing the tailor-made jokes on 60's Bond of the first film, returning co-writer/(with Jean-François Halin) director Michel Hazanavicius continues his collaboration with cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman in patterning this entry to the Euro Spy genre of the 60's in general, and to "happening"/ hippie flicks of the swinging 60's. Dotting OSS 117's introduction with criss-crossing spilt-screens,Hazanavicius spies on a slick chic atmosphere of steamed-up dissolves sinking 117 into the "Free Love" of the era. Going in more of a slap-stick rather than kitsch direction for the quick-paced jokes in this second entry,Hazanavicius sweetly plays up the clichés of the Euro Spy genre with funny gun battles where every shot the baddies take at 117 randomly misses, and gives the beautiful women agents a sparking appearance.
Loosely inspired by OSS 117: Mission for a Killer (1965), the screenplay by Hazanavicius and Halin is less defined on the goals of the mission compared to the first, but serves up a delirious mix of cheeky Euro Spy weirdness of double-dealing agents, booming CIA bosses, dirty hippies,cackling Nazis, and a wonderful final packed with Hitchcock tributes. Keeping 117's dialogue politically incorrect, the writers draw sharp one liners from 117 being completely out of step with the hippie era, via 117 stumbling in offending fellow (Jewish) agent Koulechov each time he tries to create a bond,and his straight-lace macho outlook rubbing up against the Free Love surrounding 117. Joined by a terrific, dead-pan Louise Monot as Koulechov,Jean Dujardin gives an excellent, hilarious return spin as 117,whose devilish cad charms Dujardin carries with a swagger match by a fitting look of being unaware of the hilarity when delivering one liners whilst agent OSS 177 finds himself a fish out of water lost in Rio.