Le Magnifique (1973)

A financially strapped writer (Jean Paul Belmondo) of pulp spy novels is having trouble meeting the deadline for his new book. As he frantically tries to finish his newest book, he imagines himself and the girl (Jacqueline Bisset) upstairs as the book's two lead characters. Spy spoofs were almost as prolific as serious spy films in the 1960s and Philippe De Broca's THAT MAN FROM RIO (also with Belmondo) was one of the better entries. But by the 1970s, spy films were spoofing themselves (think Roger Moore as James Bond) so spy spoofs seemed almost redundant. De Broca's LE MAGNIFIQUE tries hard and even hits its mark a few times but most of it feels been there and done that. Not that it wasn't possible to instill some fresh life into the spy spoof genre (the very funny OSS 117 CAIRO NEST OF SPIES comes to mind) but De Broca and company can't seem to balance the laughs with the action. They go into Tarantino territory with way over the top bloodletting and violence but someone literally getting their brains shot out just isn't funny, it's gross! Fortunately, Belmondo seems to have a true clown's gift for silliness, something Bisset lacks but she makes for some delicious eye candy. The striking Mexican locations are handsomely shot by Rene Mathelin while composer Claude Bolling is less succcesful with his score. With Vittorio Caprioli, Hans Meyer and Monique Tarbes.