That Man from Rio

Jean-Paul Belmondo died recently,* so I decided to watch one of his most famous movies. What an experience! "L'homme de Rio" ("That Man from Rio" in English) has just about everything! Obviously, the movie borrowed a lot of stuff from Tintin books, but isn't all art borrowed from something or other? Philippe de Broca's Academy Award-nominated movie is a great romp from start to finish. I suspect that, had Françoise Dorléac not died a car wreck at the age of twenty-five, she would've gone on to become just as great an actress as her younger sister (Catherine Deneuve).

Anyway, a fun movie with some great shots of Rio de Janeiro. And is that soundtrack to die for or what?

*As it happened, Belmondo died right after I saw his movie "Leon Morin, Priest".

A friend recommended this film to me, as I hadn't seen it and I enjoy spoof films. I was surprised that this film was, or is not, widely known, or admired. It is the kind of film that they just don't make anymore, a film that everyone can enjoy, with a handsome hero going through all sorts of fantastic adventures for the woman he loves. It seems unbelievable that some people have given this film a low rating for it has everything that a good film should have; a personable hero, fast-pacing and excitement. It is also very funny and, at times, very suspenseful, but it is also bright and breezy, with never a dull moment. It is the perfect film for everyone.It definitely get's a ten in my book. I will watch it again and again.

I'm glad I finally searched for this movie here at IMDb. I have only seen this movie twice on TV, and that was a long time ago, but it's unforgettable. Can you buy it at any of the big retail chains? Every week older movies are restored and reissued on DVD, so hopefully this one has or will be in the future. I will be very glad when I own a copy.

If my memory serves me right, this movie had everything: foot chases, car chases, shootouts, locations around the world, a beautiful sidekick, airplane sequences, parachuting into the jungle, a massive bar fight, stolen relics leading to a mystery cave, crazy stunts and all very entertaining and fun to watch.

I was a bit flummoxed by the references to 'That Man From Rio' as a "James Bond parody", expecting it to be something like Dean Martin's Matt Helm movies or James Coburn as Flint. It's NOTHING like that. It's actually closer to some of Hitchcock's "average guy"-caught-in-a-web-of-intrigue pictures like 'The 39 Steps' or 'North By Northwest'. Anyway, however you label it it's a really entertaining romantic adventure movie that most people should enjoy. Two things really help it - the locales and the cast. Jean-Paul Belmondo ('Breathless') is one of the coolest and most charismatic leading men to ever stand in front of a movie camera, and he really makes this movie worth watching. It also doesn't hurt that the supporting cast includes the beautiful Francoise Dorleac (Polanski's 'Cul-de-sac') and 'Rififi's Jean Servais. I can't argue that this is anything but pure entertainment, but for what it is it is difficult to beat, and if you just want to have some fun then 'That Man From Rio' is highly recommended.

This movie is one of the best adventure movies I have ever seen. As a twelve-year old I used to watch it at least once a week on our (to that time) brand new VCR. I think it is the best acting of Belmondo and one of the best actings I have ever seen. An absolutely awesome movie. Pure adventure made in France. Sometimes you can see that Hollywood is not the non-plus-ultra in moviemaking!