Takes itself way too seriously

Not even bad in a good way

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

An amusing film that has parachutes, alligators , women , killers and many more things .Look what they call a quiet in Brazil ! . An hectic action , spoof comedy which was a big hit at the boxoffice . It was one of the first and one of the best spoofs of the James Bond and Euro-spy films . It deals with a young soldier, discharged for a week , Jean Paul Belmondo with a temporary permission , who is pitched from crisis to crisis , as he sets out in pursuit of the thieves who kidnapped his sweetheart , Francoise Dorleac , Catherine Deneuve's sister, and they previously robbed a valuable figure at the Paris museum . When she is captured , he sacrifices his life to rescue her , all before his week break ends . So of course Jean Paul does some international adventuring in order to save her , as he must travel Rio, Brasilia and the Amazon heartland . Meantime , there is also kidnapped a famed professor , Jean Servais . As Belmondo faces off a suspicious enemy , Adolfo Celi , and his cohorts. Then , dangerous happenings ensue and things go awry . A fun as well as extravangant adventure full of action , farce , tongue in cheek , and a lot of thrills . A successful French film that was 4th highest grossing film of the year 1964 . Sympathetic acting by the adventurous Jean Paul Belmondo as a soldier who comes to rescue his lover who has just been abducted and coercily brought to Rio Janeiro , that's why her father led an expedition and the kidnappers think she knows how to find a treasure . Belmondo is finely accompanied by the gorgeous Francoise Dorleac -who unfortunately , a bit later on , she died by car accident- , along with two notorious secondaries , Jean Servais and Adolfo Celi. It was heavily influenced by the comic books , by the famous Belgian cartoonist Herge ; in fact , there are certain visuals and images as the museum robbing and the Amazon sculptures that are all clearly inspired by Georges Remi's work .It contains an agreeable and atmospheric musical score by the prestigious Georges Deleure , as well as an evocative cinematography , shot in Brazil locations as Rio De Janeiro , Amazons and Brasilia with its monumental buildings , newly built by Le Corbusier . This engaging adventure spoof well produced by Alexander Mnouchkine and was professionally directed by Philippe DeBroca , though , nowadays , it results to be some dated . He directed some good films , most of them comedies , action and adventures , such as Cartouche , The king of hearts , Oldest profession , Le Cavaleur , Jupiter's thigh , The green house , Louisiana . And his fetish actor was Jean Paul Belmondo . His best film was "Le Magnifique" about a novelist , Belmondo , who mixes fantasy with reality when he chases women, Jacqueline Bisset , and solves cases.

This French-Italian co-production was a big hit around the world during its initial release, and influenced a number of movies over the next few years. Seen today, some viewers might wonder why there was so much fuss about it. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a bad movie. Jean-Paul Belmondo makes a fairly engaging hero with what he's given, performing comedy and action with a lot of enthusiasm (including performing his own stunts.) Belmondo's spark helps to make a lot of the comedy amusing and the action exciting. The Brazilian backdrop is colorful as well. I just wish there had been more work on the script when it came to the characters and the story. Belmondo's character is engaging, but kind of thin - we know hardly a thing about him before he is thrust into saving his girlfriend. The relationship he has with his girlfriend is quite unconvincing - she is kind of aloof and selfish, and it's hard to see what each sees in the other. Storywise, there are a number of slow spots here and there where little to nothing is happening. And the climax, though not awful, seems to be lacking significant punch; I was expecting something bigger and wilder. Those who have an interest in 1960s European genre cinema will probably enjoy this best. Since I'm one of those people, I did find the movie worth my time. Other people, however, I would give a word of caution. This is a movie that really is a matter of taste.

In the early sixties,De Broca was to film "Tintin" .It's really too bad he could not get his wish ,cause the two Tintin which were filmed after he quit were disappointing .But when he began "L'Homme De Rio" ,De Broca had not forgotten Tintin : the beginning of his screenplay and Hergé's "L'Oreille Cassée" (the broken ear) are stupendously similar : an Amazionan statuette is stolen from a museum .And in the two stories,there are TWO statuettes.The reporter has become a private on furlough (Belmondo) and Milou his gorgeous fiancée (the late Françoise Dorléac).The movie is some kind of comic strip and is enjoyable from start to finish .After "Cartouche" and this movie ,Philippe De Broca would be a name to reckon with.

There were 2 versions of "L'homme de Rio" released in the UK in 1964,one had subtitles and the other was dubbed into English.I would urge you most strongly to go for the one with the subtitles because the characters are voiced as if it was a Walt Disney cartoon.The subsequent revelation that the plot was at least partly "borrowed" from Herge does not in any way diminish the crimes committed in the dubbing suite. Not that the plot is anything more than a convenient excuse for a series of exhilarating set-pieces with M.Belmondo sailing blithely through them all whilst searching Brazil for his kidnapped girl-friend.He is an airman doing his "Service Militaire Obligatoire" who is forced to go AWOL in the most photogenic locations near the burgeoning new city of Brasilia.Filmed in sumptuous colour "L'homme de Rio" is a feast for the eye.M.Belmondo is les nads du chien as the reluctant hero,permanently perplexed as the film develops around him.It contains one of my favourite shots in any movie,a marvellous zoom to a Big Close-up of an alligator's unblinking eye and a brilliantly staged barroom brawl that has been copied many times but never bettered.It really should be seen in the cinema to appreciate its scope,but I have no idea when or if a movie revival is planned.Those of us who were fortunate enough to see it 40 years ago on the big screen and are now queueing up to collect our pensions can perhaps be excused a secret smile at the memories it evokes.