Keswick Film Festival

Synopsis

Don't expect political correctness in this spy spoof which sends up Agent OSS-117, the ‘French Bond’ (although he actually predates 007): Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath is a supercool smug character who displays both a ridiculous hero-worship of his nation's uninspired statesman, President René Coty, and a superiority akin to that of Peter Sellers’ Clouseau. The year is 1955, and OSS-117 has been sent to Cairo to monitor the growing Suez crisis, make contact with beautiful agent Larmina (Bérénice Bejo) and promote France’s ambitions in the area – more scope for Hazanavicius’s cheeky satire. Add in the loving care devoted to the period treatment, and it’s no surprise that this has been such a box-office hit in France.