Ace of Aces (1982)

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

"L'as des as" or "Ace of Aces" or "Das As der Asse" is a co-production between West German and France that resulted in a 100-minute movie from 1982, so this one has its 35th anniversary this year. The writer and director is Gérard Oury, also a prolific actor himself, but here he was in charge behind the camera. The star in here is Jean-Paul Belmondo, certainly a known name to many. And he plays a (former) boxer who is traveling to Berlin in 1936 in order to help his fighters win a (gold) medal. So yes this is a Nazi-themed movie. Actually the beginning is even a World War I reference. And Hitler is included on several occasions. However, this film should not be taken seriously from a historic perspective. As so many other times with Belmondo, it is all about the comedy. The way Hitler gets made fun of for his WWI military action and for his disapproval of Jesse Owens' successes says it all basically and it is pretty hilarious. The film apparently tries to become a bit more serious when it brings in a Jewish orphan boy that Belmondo's character has to help, so that he will not get caught by the Nazis. So yes, there are some more serious moments in there, but honestly these did not work out well and it's also not half the tear-jerk material they want it to be.I must say I like the film in the first 45 minutes perhaps, but then it got worse and worse. Had it been from start to finish, I'd have given it a 6/10 for sure, but the longer it went, the more absurd it became really Such a shame. It also feels the action moves further and further away from Belmondo. At the very end, at the Nazis headquarter and with the Führer himself very present, it just hits rock-bottom and it just isn't funny anymore, at least not to me. It was a decent watch when they were making a comedy that delivered solid jokes in the face of the historical context and not just shove it all into our faces while losing all subtlety. It seems that the drag approach to humor was pretty present in the 1980s, but it almost never works out and also not in this one here I guess. So all in all, I give this film a thumbs-down. The inclusion of Marie-France Pisier was also disappointing. I guess they wanted to come up with a female love interest under any circumstance, but they complete forgot to elaborate convincingly on her and eventually it is the same as if they had left her out completely. I suggest you watch something else or switch it off halfway into the movie because that's when it all goes south.

This is an amusing film that contains hilarious scenes , noisy action , suspense , thrills , dogfighting and may other things . Beginning in the air over the Western Front during 1916 , where ever shows up a young corporal Hitler , the picture moves from Paris to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin . It is a highly entertaining caper set in WWII Germany , where our hero , Jo (Jean Paul Belmondo), must help some pursued Jews and a little boy called Simon Rosenblum and being reluctantly supported by a journalist (Marie France Pisier) and a Nazi officer who became his friend in World War I , during their period as contender pilots . Meanwhile , Gestapo and Nazi troops on their heals . The French boxer named Jo Cavalier is charmed by a kid who asks his autograph on the train to Berlin for the Olympics in Hitler's Germany ; when he results to be a Jewish child ; as Jo attempts to save Simon and his family . Later on , there take place several adventurous escapes to Switzerland and chased by nasty Nazis until that the group arrives in a countryside mansion which turns out to be the Hitler (Gunter Meisner) refuge -Berchtesgaden- . This fun movie packs thrills , emotion , intrigue , exciting flying scenes , lively performances , spectacular WWII planes and a moving finale . The film includes documentary footage of 1936 Berlin Olympic Games and images about American sprinter Jesse Owens . In this action comedy Belmondo steals the show , as he runs , bounds and leaps ; he jumps over balcony , cars and executes his own stunts , braving impossible odds in roller coaster-style . Enjoyable acting by main star names , Jean Paul Belmondo and Marie-France Pisier as Gaby , an attractive reporter . Special mention mention to Gunter Mesneir in a double role as Adolf Hitler / Angela Hitler , he is frankly hilarious as Hitler's jealous sister . Sympathetic acting by the young boy Rachid Ferrache , he is an adorable young fan as well as a Jewish orphan in danger of persecution . But Belmondo steals the spectacle , as usual at the time , he runs , hits , bounds and leaps ; Belmondo makes as his own stunts as well as Jackie Chan , he jumps over buildings , drives rapidly automobiles and pilots planes . Because of its huge advertising campaign on bill boards and in metro stations 25 French critics called moviegoers to boycott L'As Des As . They argued that Belmondo would displace smaller, more important movies like Jacques Demy's Une Chambre in Ville. Then , Belmondo said in an interview: "Critics say that my movies won't last. Who cares? I live now." Jolly and enjoyable musical score by Vladimir Cosma , including catching leitmotif . Colorful as well as atmospheric cinematography by Xaver Schwarzenberger . The picture was successful at box office , ranking second highest grossing movie of its year in France beaten only by E.T. Broke the opening admissions record in Paris selling 463,028 tickets in its first week , a record at the time . The motion picture was well directed by Gerard Oury . He was a good actor , writer and director expert on comedy . Gérard Oury was born 1919 in Paris as Max-Gérard Houry and died in 2006 Saint-Tropez , he was married to Michèle Morgan . Being especially known for The escape (1978) , The mad adventures of Rabbi Jacob (1973), Delusions of Grandeur (1971) , The sucker (1965) , The Great Stroll (1966) and Lévy et Goliath (1986) .L'as Des as" or "Ace of Aces" resulted to be one of his best films . Worthwhile watching .

Enjoyable adventure full of fights, chases, lots of laughs and good clean fun with a resourceful hero (Jean-Paul Belmondo), trainer of the French boxing team, a beautiful journalist he fancies (Marie-France Pisier), a brave little German boy he takes a liking to (Rachid Ferrache) and a bear cub named Beethoven who just tags along. Starting in the air over the Western Front during 1916, the film moves from Paris to the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin to Berchtesgaden. There the boy's Jewish family, trying to escape to Austria, end up by mistake in the Berghof and are welcomed, if that is the word, by Hitler's grim sister (Günter Meisner in drag). Given instruments and ordered to play music for the company, they alternate with a Bavarian oompah band on the terrace. In a surreal sequence, the dancers in Alpine costume switch between the local Schuhplattler and a swooping Jewish dance. To get the family over the frontier to safety, Belmondo dresses as an SS officer and steals the Führer's car. A light-hearted romp that does not conceal the darkness of the time when it is set or the worse that was to follow.

World War I and II have always been a good setting for European cinema as different films have been made by France, Germany and Italy which speak about two major conflicts which have brought mankind close to the brink of disaster. As we discuss the portrayal of wars in cinema, we need to mention that it is the French directors who have portrayed world wars in a comic fashion as opposed to the seriousness which a war film demands. Hence, it is with immense pride can one state that a long time before Italian comedy actor/director Roberto Benigni (Life is beautiful), French cinema was the first national cinema to give comic touches to wars especially in their humorous portrayal of Nazism. For example : PAPY FAIT DE LA RESISTANCE directed by Jean-Marie Poiré. Ace of aces is one such film which recreates the magic of comedy during a war by lampooning Nazi soldiers and their leader Adolf Hitler who were in power in Germany during 11th Summer Olympic Games which were held in 1936 in Berlin. For this film, French superstar Jean-Paul Belmondo is paired with Marie-France Pisier who get rid of their differences in order to help a Jewish family. It is not only the star cast which has worked wonders for this film as Gérard Oury has added too many popular cinema elements to make his film a nice viewing experience for all types of viewers regardless of their age or taste. One gets to see an incredible chase of airplanes in the skies, a French boxing team, a bear in a car chased by Nazi soldiers, Der Fuehrer 'Adolf Hitler' and his sister and even a short documentary footage of American sprinter Jesse Owens. You would not hesitate in watching this film as it represents a true example of light comedy in cinema if you have already enjoyed and seen 'La Grande Vadrouille'.