I accidentally re-viewed this movie and to my surprise, it's humor worked out as a wonderful antidote to the recent painful terror we had to witness in Paris. Here too bandits with Middle East connections try to turn the French capital and its surroundings (near Oisors and Chaumont) in an unsafe place. More ironically, the film kicks off in New York, providing 7 shots of the Twin Towers. Contemporary discrimination, cultural prejudices and even corruption are ridiculed well. Main actor Louis de Funès is - even then at 58 years of age - a genuine example of an ADHD disorder. Appealing scenes with the 'almost car of the 20th century' Citroën DS helped well to get an authentic perception of France in the seventies.

If you have seen other Louis de Funes movies, and have missed on this one, you need to rectify this immediately! Louis de Funes was at his best as Rabbi Jacob, and the rest of the cast isn't bad either. Comic of situation never stops.

One thing I would mention in particular: contrary to other 70s-80s french comedy which tend to age a bit, this movie has remained unscathed by time, and is every bit as funny as the first time I watched it.

For those of you who have never seen Louis de Funes in action, check out the small, bald, eternally grumpy, over-excited comedy star that he was...no wonder my favourite comic died of a heart attack!

My grandfather, as well as my father were both of them fans of french cinema. I grew up watching this film in our Beta video (oh yes, way before VHS existed and DVD wasn't even thought of) and now, 20 years later I see it again in an anniversary edition. I can say I remember almost every gag from the film... every scene. I just watched it on DVD with my father again and was a blast from the past for both of us, he had seen it with my granddad 35 years ago in the cinema and with me and my brothers several times on video. I am saving this film to watch with my kids too in the future, they'll grow up with it too.

Such a great time...and so many memories