THAT MAN FROM RIO
France, 1964, 110 minutes, Colour.
Jean- Paul Belmondo, Françoise Dorléac, Jean Servais, Adolfo Celi.
Directed by Philipe de Broca.
That Man From Rio is in the vein of the James Bond films. However, it is a star vehicle for Jean- Paul Belmondo, star of a number of films for Jean-Luc? Godard including Breathless, who made a name for himself in many of the action adventures similar to this one including such titles as Chinese Adventures in China.
Belmondo also appeared as a very serious actor during the 1970s and 1980s especially in such films as Borsalino and its sequel Borsalino and Co and the period drama Stavisky. His leading lady is Françoise Dorléac, the sister of Catherine Deneuve, who was tragically killed in a car accident in the mid-60s.
Philipe de Broca had a career as making light-hearted and colourful action adventures with the comic touch.
1. How enjoyable a film was this? in its adventure, comedy, parody? How well did it use the conventions of the genres and transcend them?
2. Why do films like this appeal to audiences? Their blend of fantasy, reality, heroics? How well did this film blend these?
3. Comment on the hero and heroics: the seven days leave context, the quick thinking agile hero, his use of coincidence, his ingenuinity, his pursuing of the heroine, his avenging justice on the villains? The styles of the heroics and mock heroic? Jean Paul Belmondo's personality and style?
4. How attractive was the heroine? Did she fit in well with the style of the film? Reality and unreality, serious and comedy, a parody of the traditional heroines?
5. How well did the film utilise its Brasilian and Parisian backgrounds? The presentation of Rio and Brasilia? The jungles and the rivers, the exotic atmosphere of exploration, statues, poison darts, exotic jewels? How seriously were these presented?
6. How successfully portrayed was the adventure itself: the conventions of the robbery, the parody of robbery films, the statue, the kidnappings, the parody of car chases and plane chases? How well did the film portrgy the expedition to the caves, the rivers? the earthquakes and the parody of serious adventure films?
7. Comment on the details of parody - the utilisation of the hero of buildings, cars, bikes, planes, the shooting of crocodiles etc.?
8. How conventional was the villain? Did you suspect him? Did you suspect DeCastro? How well did the film use a poor looking villain and trick the audience?
9. How obvious was the ending and its bland irony? Was it a satisfying ending for this particular film? What is the purpose of making a film like this?
