The Brain (1969)

This is the sort of film the critics love to label "a witless farce", and certainly for the first 30 minutes or so, this description would be fair enough. True, Gerard Oury's direction is rather inventive, but the acting tends to be so heavy-handed that it smothers the jokes (such as they are). An obviously dubbed voice for Jean-Paul Belmondo doesn't help matters. It's fortunate that the other main players – including the delightful Bourvil – speak their own English lines. In fact, the film was actually filmed in two versions. Nevertheless, it's still a bit of a pain until the introduction of super-charming Silvia Monti, at which point it definitely picks up, not only in Miss M's physical attractiveness, but in the level of the farce itself. Even the direction becomes more amusing and super-delightfully extravagant, while the budget becomes suddenly more and more expensive and expansive. In fact, some of the stunts are almost unbelievable, but we see them happening with our own eyes – and on real locations and with hundreds of extras too! Adroit film editing also adds a lot to our entertainment. In fact, it's a pleasure to see a real film director like Gerard Oury spending the producer's money so lavishly and well. True, not everyone will like this sort of crazy, super-expensively produced slapstick, but it becomes so well-timed and brilliantly directed, that – once Miss Monti enters the fray – I loved every second and minute of it! French title: Le Cerveau.

I first saw this movie in 1971. My brother and I liked it so much that we saw it twice (we still use lines from it in conversation). Wish it would be issued on DVD. When I saw it again after a lapse of over 30 years, I was delighted to see skits I had forgotten about. This movie is stuffed full of hilarious moments. I have a badly scratched VHS version (a former rental), but it's still a lot of fun to watch. Bourvil (Anatole) and Jean-Paul Belmondo (Arthur) have some memorable bits of dialog and wonderful on-screen rapport. David Niven (Colonel Matthews) is the dashing villain with the brain, and he delivers his usual polished performance. I was never much of a fan of Eli Wallach's movies, but he's pretty good here as a gangster guarding his sister's virginity.

A film me and family watched when i was a child back in the early 1980's when Video was approaching Puberty.To my knowledge it has only ever been shown on British Terrestial TV Once (unsure about satellite channels !!) Mum recorded and we 3 kids(3 more came along and they have never seen this film we older ones talk about )wore the tape out - it was played again and again and again.To this day i was still humming the theme tune and was delighted to find it on tape and bought it straight away.For me i was 12 again - i got the same feelings i got when i saw star wars I again at the cinema again a few years ago David Niven is a charm to watch as are Jean Paul Bemondo, Bourvil and Eli Wallach.To cut a long story short a Train robbery,a Beautiful lady whose brother runs the local mafia, a great car chase involving the smaller Statue et liberte and a man whose brain is so large it cause s his head to tilt at times of anxiety and 2 small time thieves who embark on the same job after stealing the plans, the support actors play their parts great and its a film full of laughsFor a plot, good story, some great comedy acting - see this movie - As the song says "they call him the brain the fabulous brain, for stealing a heart while robbing a train! One of my favourite films of all times and its a shame its never shown !

The Brain is truly a French Comedy in every sense. Although sometimes bordering on the absurd, it was done with such a subtlety that it all seems comically real. In Addition to David Niven and Eli Wallach, two very know French actor/comedians, namely Bourvil and Jean Paul Belmondo, also star in this movie, making the movie complete.The plot, A maxi Robbery by mini thieves, the many twists, the surprise ending, the Statue of liberty and a Leopard in a laundry room was all it took to make this fabulous comedy.If you can get your hands on this movie at your local video store, don't pass it by. Though made in 1969, it has become a timeless classic.Other Movies with Bourvil that are worth watching: La Grande Vadrouille and Le Corniaud (The Sucker)