Les Malheurs d'Alfred

This is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Pierre Richard plays a character much resembling the one he portrayed in La Chevre, although drawn with much more subtlety. Very fast paced at the start the movie gradually slows down, turning into a romantic comedy. Never dull, bringing Monty Python skits to mind at times. Behind the witty plot is a French writer, Roland Topor. No sledgehammer "Naked Gun"-like humor in this one, but if you like a good laugh and a good plot you should see it.

This movie put Pierre Richard on the map and he became the biggest French comic star of the seventies ,culminating in the triumph of "La Chèvre" in 1981 ,in which he played opposite Depardieu.

Alfred is a born loser ,always down on his luck;he tries to commit suicide but happily his attempt is a failure and he meets Agathe (Anny Duperey)a lovely TV host.

The movie is essentially a marvelous precise spoof on the television games of the era and their stupidity.As they are today even more pathetic than they were yesterday ,"Les Malheurs D'Alfred " is still relevant in our times.

Not only Richard starred in it but he also directed the movie,his sophomore effort (the first one was "Le Distrait").