In this parody of James Bond movies, a dullard of a spy novelist finds himself the subject of an English sociology student's term papers. She travels to his Paris apartment to do her research and their relationship is interspliced with episodes from the writer's newest book that features his popular hero Bob St. Clair, master spy and anithesis to the writer, and his lovely assistant Tatiana, (who is of course, the lookalike of the lovely student). The spy's nemesis is in reality, his pushy publisher. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Mario David; Hubert Deschamps - The Salesman; Raymond Gerome - Pontaubert; Jean Lefebvre - Electrician; Hans Meyer - Col. Collins; Bernard Musson - Interpreter; Louis Navarre - Interpreter; Rodrigo Puebla - Benson; Jean-Pierre Rambal - The Lecturer; André Weber - Plumber; Charly Koubesserian - Guard; Rene Barrera - The Bride; Jack Berard - Interpreter
Credit
Francois de Lamothe - Art Director, Philippe de Broca - Director, Henri Lanoë - Editor, Claude Bolling - Composer (Music Score), René Mathelin - Cinematographer, Georges Dancigers - Producer, Alexandre Mnouchkine - Producer, Robert Christides - Set Designer, Leon Ortega - Special Effects, Georges Iaconelli - Special Effects, Vittorio Caprioli - Screenwriter, Philippe de Broca - Screenwriter, Jean-Paul Rappeneau - Screenwriter, Francis Veber - Screenwriter
Le Magnifique (literally The Magnificent) is a French movie released in 1973, starring Jacqueline Bisset and Jean-Paul Belmondo. Le Magnifique is a slapstick spoof of B-series espionage movies and novels.
Synopsis
François Merlin (Belmondo) is a Jean Bruce type writer of pulp espionage novels, and about half of the film plays in his imagination, where he is the world-renowned superspy Bob "Sinclare" (The name of the character is never seen written in the movie, while some people write his name "Saint-Clair" the way it is pronounced in French sounds like Sinclar.) Christine (Jacqueline Bisset) is a sociology student who is interested in the novels, but in the writer's imagination, she is Tatiana, his paramour. Her clear fascination with Bob St Clair, an irrealistic and idealized hero, begins to bother Marlin, who in real life is the very opposite of his creation: a clumsy, frustrated man who barely makes enough money to get by. As a result Marlin begins to sabotage his own hero.
UK Release
In the United Kingdom, Le Magnifique was titled "How to Destroy the Reputation of the Greatest Secret Agent", and was released as the B-Movie to the film Doc Savage in 1975.
