OSS 117, CAIRO NEST OF SPIES /
OSS 117: Le Caire, nid d'espions
Comedy/Action • France, 2006
35mm • 2.35 • Dolby 5.1 • Color • 99 min
Directed by: Michel Hazanavicius
Written by: Jean-François Halin, Michel Hazanavicius, based on the original work of Jean Bruce
Cinematography: Guillaume Schiffman
Film Editing: Reynald Bertrand
Original Score: Ludovic Bource, Kamel Ech-Cheikh
Produced by: Éric Altmayer, Nicolas Altmayer (Mandarin Cinéma)
Cast: Jean Dujardin (Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, aka OSS 117), Bérénice Bejo (Larmina El Akmar Betouche), Aure Atika (Princess Al Tarouk), Philippe Lefèbvre (Jack), Constantin Alexandrov (Setine)
International Sales: Gaumont
US Distributor: Music Box Films • musicboxfilms.com
Those who had seen OSS 117 back in 2006 were not surprised by the phenomenal appeal of The Artist. Filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius’ easy, unpretentious, and stealthily smart comedic style found its perfect vehicle in a send-up that spoofed not just the spies, but the preposterous chauvinism of the ‘60’s. Riffing on the Jean Bruce created character OSS 117, aka Hubert Bonnisseur de la Bath – who incidentally predates Ian Fleming’s James Bond – the film is an affectionate, richly detailed period pastiche. And the irresistible, mischievous charm of actor Jean Dujardin was never put to better comic purpose as the man France dispatches to Cairo with one absurdly simplistic mission: to make the Middle East safe. If you missed the dashingly oblivious secret agent scheming, bungling, and insulting his way through the cold war, here’s your second chance.
In 1949 author Jean Bruce introduced secret agent OSS 117 to France. Over the years, his jet-setting spy would be the subject of some 250 novels and seven serious films. But it was writer/director Michel Hazanavicius and writer Jean-Francois Halin who succeeded in making OSS 117 an international star. After directing for television, Hazanavicius mined the rich comic potential of the character for his second feature, OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies (COLCOA 2008), and its sequel, OSS 117: Lost in Rio (International Premiere COLCOA 2009). Both films were worldwide hits, giving Hazanavicius enough clout to assemble a strong international cast for his subsequent film, The Artist (2012), which conquered Hollywood, and culminated in Academy Awards for both Hazanavicius and his OSS 117 star Jean Dujardin. Most recently, Hazanavicius has turned to a more serious subject with his most ambitious film, The Search (COLCOA 2015), transposing Fred Zinneman’s 1948 WWII war epic to the second Chechen war.
Quotes:
“I have developed the same kind of affection for 117 that I have for Austin Powers.”
– Roger Ebert ROGER EBERT.COM
“…makes joyous nonsense out of bad matte paintings, obvious miniature effects, unsubtle sexual innuendo, and a lead actor who plays the role to clueless, arched-eyebrow perfection.”
– Scott Foundas VILLAGE VOICE
“…consistently clever and witty, and the movie is a scream.”
– William Arnold SEATTLE PI
