The One Man Band (1970)

Thanks for the memories!

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The acting in this movie is really good.

in essence, nice slice from "70's. atmosphere, songs, dance, relationship. at the first few, a film of Louis de Funes, not real different by many others. but this is its great virtue - a story like pretext, the little tyrannic boss and the young women with plots, secrets, charm, Olivier de Funes in middle of feelings, surprises , using teenager humor, clichés - the Sicilian family - confusion and the clear sky. all the tricks of French cinema. and the same force of seduction. because it is nice, amusing, almost lovely. and because the admiration for the work of de Funes remains at high level. this detail is the most important. and the feeling after the end of film. like delicate flavor of a lost innocent age. so, a good option for relax.

Those were the seventies, alright. (especially for those like me who only remember them vaguely) Saturated primary colors everywhere, telephones shaped like pyramids or like molten wax, easy chairs that were all but easy to sit on, catchy music, silly lyrics. This movie is as stylized as it can be (short of a Greenaway movie) and provides silly, but stylish entertainment.Louis de Funès, at 56, shows that he is not only still the explosive comedian we all love, but that he is able to sing (in his way) and that he can even play a convincing chef-de-ballet, able to hold a candle to his female co-stars when it comes to dancing...And, as another reviewer pointed out, we come to see his softer side as well, in his relationship with his nephew (actually real-life son), "his" girls, "his" babies.The film benefits much from an excellent all-female dance chorus, and the dance numbers are catchy, and top-notch in their 1970 silliness.A very uncommon movie if you expect standard LdF fare. Plot is, of course, nonexistent as any de Funès movie, but here we have abundant song and dance numbers, a Babylonian confusion of at least five languages (shadows of Tati's "Play Time", perhaps?), a dancing (!) Louis de Funès, and, as I said, plenty of 1970 design (atrocities, if you want) in brilliant colors, including the girls' costumes, which magically change between scenes.9/10 all in all. Too many plot holes for a perfect 10, and sadly Olivier de Funès's acting talents, despite his good looks, cannot hold their ground for a lead role against his father. (He wisely chose to pursue a different career after one more movie) Yet, the movie is highly entertaining, stylish and Louis de Funès's acting makes this one his finest.

It's obvious that if you're looking for plausible plots in any of Funes' movies aren't the right place to look for. Especially his film is all about the incredible camera and lighting, staging and set design. About the beautiful girls dancing and wearing classic 60ies outfits. In fact it's all about the dancing scenes. The idea having a conversation via singing is purely operatic, used to the extreme by Jacques Demy (Umbrellas of Cherbourg) and again in a different more Funesque way by Alain Resnais in On connaît la chanson!The film looks like it's shot in Technicolor though in the credits only Eastmancolor is mentioned - a film stock unfortunately not available anymore. The colors this film stock produces are to die for - check also i.e. Truffaut's Antoine Doinel series all shot too in Eastmancolor.Watch it and then watch it again;-)

I saw this film in India in the mid-70s an a dubbed English version called "One Man Band". Louis des Funes was already popular thanks to his "Fantomas" movies and this one is a very inventive comedy. Worth watching and to keep when available. I have been looking for a video of this film for years.