My Wife Maurice

Starring:My Wife Maurice (2002)
Studio: Tla
Product Type: DVD

Description

From Jean-Marie Poire (The Visitors), comes a wild and wacky French farce with bearded drag queens, pratfalls, and vengeful women wielding powertools! Philandering husband George tries to scare off his mistress by convincing a charity worker to dress up in drag and pretend to be his spouse. This begins a roller coaster of catastrophes, blunders, and misunderstandings that begin to spin out of control! Witty dialog, perfect comic timing and a keen sense of Eurocamp make this a fun, cross-dressing romp.

Customer Reviews:

Expanding the Limits of Good Taste........2005-02-12

There's no accounting for taste... I loved this movie.

From the opening company credits - 'Comedie Star' has a grand musical score that descends into a sarcastic gargle to the end of the film, I had a blast with this movie.

Playing the unfortunate foil, Régis Laspalès, as Maurice who haplessly ends up in drag after stopping by Georges house to collect clothing for a charity - his near pathetic yet suddenly 'in character' wavering made this movie for me.

Dressed in a yellow-butterfly dress, nicked and cut from shaving too quickly, shifting from elegantly comfortable in his new role as Georges wife and back again to some really bad high-school play acting - "Beware! Beware the flies!" - Laspalès plays every moment right - which usually means playing it wrong for Georges purposes of throwing the jealous husband of his jilted mistress off of Georges trail.

Yes, the movie is slapstick and it is sloppy at moments... but in a way that just fits right in and is at home in the movie's tone and settings.

Special mention (and attention) should go to Götz Otto [aka 'Mr. Stamper' to James Bond] - the pouty German Audi salesman in France and the jealous husband plays to the fullest his sculpted face and physique: a sexual monster of a man.

Maurice resisted his advances - but you could almost see his defenses being overwhelmed and on the brink of failure at moments.

A chainsaw, a dress, and a jacuzzi..........2005-01-27

For as low of a score that this film carries, I hand to confirm that I had watched the same film. For some strange reason, I witnessed a completely different film than the one mentioned from other critics. I thoroughly enjoyed this French farce that was boldly colorful, imaginatively creative, and passionately contrived. While I did find it at times hard to read the subtitles and see the action together, I did not see it as a completely spoiled moment for the film. The comedy was quick, the plot was well rounded, and I especially loved the characters that director Jean-Marie Poiré brought to the screen. It was so wonderfully absurd that it kept me glued to the screen wondering what would happen next. I will admit that this is a rather predictable film, but what Poiré has done is taken a used story and restyled the "fun" fit in this modern day of cinema. This suddenly transformed into a zany adventure that kept my head buzzing, my mind engrossed, and my funny bones in action.

The best part of this film is simply the characters. There are two power-players in this film that each bring something unique and original to the screen and ultimately make Ma femme...s'appelle Maurice worth watching. The first is the hysterical Régis Laspalès whom nearly steals the entire film away from everyone else. He takes the role of Maurice and transforms it into a modern day Robin Williams vehicle. From the moment that I meet him in a little bread shoppe until the final climactic moments, I was captured. He controlled the screen with such brilliance and pizzazz that I was surprised that I had not encountered him in any other films. He was genuine, which is sometimes a hard asset to find in comedians today. The second character that I deeply enjoyed was Gotz Otto. He plays the possibly sexually confused Johnny that gets some drink into him and falls for the closest lady to him. That just happens to be Maurice. Together, these two play superbly well against each other. Their chemistry is better than some matches found in Hollywood today. I could feel their moments clicking from across the screen and to my delight it worked. They were extremely funny together adding an extra layer of icing to an already hysterically sugary film.

Another aspect that I truly felt compelled about in this film was the colors set against the backdrop of the whimsical adventure. I think I have been involved in too many darkly grey films lately here in America, and it was finally nice to see the bold and vibrant colors of life clearly defined on the screen. The hues of red, yellow, and orange perfectly decorated not just the surroundings, but also the characters as well. I think that is some of the reason for the amazing performances, because of the colorful environment that they had to work in. The colors brightened the sets, but also this film. At times it nearly felt like a fairy tale film (with the colors and magic castle feel that the apartment had), especially with the color of love painted in nearly every scene. Poiré knew what he was doing, and while this is definitely no Amelie, it does show the colorful cinematic technique that the French have so proudly called their own.

So, we have some very funny characters combined with some beautiful sets that seem to be used to accentuate the characters (Hollywood, you could be taking notes here), what else was there? I enjoyed the themes of this film. For anyone that enjoyed Mrs. Doubtfire and The Birdcage (and the French counterpart), this is the film for you to see. It combines the ideals of homosexuality with a farce about life. It brings these ideas of cross-dressing and gender swapping into a very colorful light that will make you think and laugh at the same time. This is not a negative aspect, but rather a very poignant element that Poiré chose to add to this film. He could have simply gone main stream, but the elements that he chose to uses were brilliant. Coupled with some random moments that make this film stand on its own two legs (the entire chainsaw scene was hysterical and very random), My Wife Maurice is a comedy that will have you laughing for a very long time.

Overall, I was very impressed. This was a gem that I had never heard about that graced my DVD player well. The overall feel of this film was happiness and whimsy, and it was exactly what I needed at the end of the day. While it is not a flawless film, the problems are so small that you probably wouldn't even notice them if you tried. Do not just look at these negative markings as a sign that this is a poor film, check it out for yourself, and you may find (like me) that this was a perfect comedy.

Grade: **** out of *****

Slapschtick rerun of a tired tale.......2005-01-26

MY WIFE MAURICE is a high budget, scenery dependent farce from the usually reliable French cinema that goes so far over the top that interest lags after about 15 minutes.

The story is a retread of the old 'dress an ugly man like a woman and he'll pass so that a misdeed won't misfire' story. This time a boorish businessman (Philippe Chevallier) is traipsing around Venice with his consort (Alice Evans)- an obvious gold digger dame tolerating the older geek for a time with his money. When the lothario must return to Paris to calm his suspicious wife (Virginie Lemoine), the babe goes ballistic (complete with chainsaw!) and demands to meet the wife she'd like to exclude form her plans. In order to provide a front the man entices another ugly gook (Regis Laspales) to shave, dress and pass as his wife. The rest is only too obvious to relate.

Much of the slapstick a la Keystone Cops meet La Cage aux folles would be tolerable if there were a single character about whom we could care. But given the absence of that, this movie just comes across as a French pastry that failed to rise. Grady Harp, January 2005.

"My feminine side is very developed.".......2005-01-13

Chinless French businessman, Georges Audefey (Philippe Chevallier) takes his Amazonian mistress, Emmanuelle (Alice Evans) to Venice for a sleazy weekend. He hopes to keep it cheap by placating her avaricious streak with cheesy souvenirs. She, however, can't wait to go on a mega-spending spree. The fun-filled weekend comes to an abrupt halt, and Georges returns to Paris to placate his suspicious wife Marion (Virginie Lemoine). Emmanuelle follows in hot pursuit. She's determined to introduce herself to Marion and break up the unhappy couple.

While Marion is away, Emmanuelle phones and announces she's heading over to spill the beans. Georges grabs itinerant, bearded part time charity worker, Maurice Lappin (Regis Laspales), and persuades him to pose as his wife. Georges hopes to pass Maurice off as Marion so that Emmanuelle will vent her spleen without causing any further domestic problems.

"My Wife Maurice" from director Jean Marie Poire is a riotous French farce complete with men dressing as women, mistaken identities, a jealous German paratrooper, Johnny Zucchini (Gotz Otto), and a set of pompous in-laws. Maurice plays a favourite stock character in French farce--the well-meaning idiot who is suddenly elevated to dizzying heights of power, influence and attention. The first 20 minutes or so of the film are both frantic and incredibly funny. The humour lost its momentum for a short period, but then charged up once more. "My Wife Maurice" lacks the originality of Poire's other--brilliant and inspired film--"The Visitors"--but it still gave me the best laugh I've had in weeks, and so it earns 5 stars. If you are a fan of French farce, give "My Wife Maurice" a try. In French with English subtitles. Let the mayhem begin...--displacedhuman

My Wife Maurice (Ma femme... s'appelle Maurice) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - France ]

Average customer rating:

My Wife Maurice (Ma femme... s'appelle Maurice) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - France ]
Director: Jean-Marie Poiré
Manufacturer: Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000FTPH3Q

Product Description

France released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. LANGUAGES: French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Arabic (Subtitles), English (Subtitles), French (Subtitles), WIDESCREEN, SYNOPSIS: In this broad farce from French director Jean-Marie Poire, a Parisian must scramble to save his house, marriage and livelihood -- all having been threatened as a result of his own dishonesty. Georges' (Philippe Chevallier) troubles began while vacationing in Italy with his hot young mistress Emmanuelle (Alice Evans) when she discovered he has a wife and his only source of income is an allowance from his mother-in-law (Stephane Audran) -- both facts Georges had gone out of his way to conceal. With the trip ruined, the pair returns home to Paris where Georges discovers his mother-in-law's intentions of selling the swanky apartment he and his wife live in. Soon, the adulterous Frenchman must fend off prospective buyers, a very vindictive Emmanuelle and her freakishly virile and extremely jealous boyfriend (Gotz Otto) -- with the unexpected assistance of Maurice (Regis Laspales), a man he ran into on the street.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Trailer(s), Scene Access, Making Of, Interactive Menu, Cast/Crew Interview(s),

Average customer rating:

A classic 60's romantic comedy with some great slapstick!
Is it just me? Or is Tony Curtis so dreamy?
Little Known Gem!!Nicely Done 60's Romantic Comedy!!

Not with My Wife, You Don't!
Starring: Tony Curtis , Virna Lisi , George C. Scott , Carroll O'Connor , and Richard Eastham
Director: Norman Panama
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00005JP4B

Amazon.com

You almost have to jump to Snakes on a Plane to find a title as much fun as 1966's Not with My Wife, You Don't. While the movie doesn't quite deliver on the promise of swinging, naughty ring-a-ding-ding, it's an entertaining example of the "mustn't, shouldn't, can't" school of sophisticated sex comedy. It's "anything goes" for Air Force pilots and best friends Tom (Tony Curtis) and Tank (George C. Scott) who vie for the affections of Juliettta (Virna Lisi), a nurse. Much like David Niven and Marlon Brando in Bedtime Story, which was released a year earlier, their reprehensible actions may try viewer sympathies. When Tank is shot down, Tom keeps the news that he survived a secret so he can marry Julietta. Fourteen years later, Tank picks up his pursuit by arranging for Tom to be shipped to the Arctic for survival training. Among the '60s touchstones include a Mancini-esque score by "Johnny" Williams (later of Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark fame), stylish graphics by Saul Bass, and a witty script co-written by Larry Gelbart. Curtis is in his element, but Scott labors a bit in a role that would have once been effortless for Cary Grant ("He doesn't have my charm," Tank disagrees when Julietta compares the two). Clever touches, including an animated prologue featuring "the green-eyed monster of jealousy" and a sequence in which Julietta fantasizes the trio acting out their romantic triangle in an Italian movie, elevate Wife beyond mere guilty pleasure. --Donald Liebenson

Description

During the Korean War, an Italian nurse (Virna Lisi) falls in love with two American fliers (Tony Curtis and George C. Scott). Lisi marries Curtis after he convinces her that Scott has been killed in a plane crash. She soon discovers Scott is alive, but remains happily married to Curtis until Scott re-enters their lives 14 years later.

Customer Reviews:

A classic 60's romantic comedy with some great slapstick!.......2006-11-11

I was only 12 years old when I first saw this movie in the theater, but yet it is one of the most memorable comedies from that era for me. It's about these two carousing super competitive Air Force pilots who go to any lengths to outdo one another when it comes to women and they have extremely jealous natures.

After a brawl in a bar, instigated by George C. Scott, Tony Curtis winds up in the hospital and his nurse is guess who? Virna Lisi! Yea, that can happen; obviously, Curtis does not want his friend to know anything about the nurse. For those not old enough to know, Virna Lisi was an astounding sex symbol of that time and it was virtually impossible to take your eyes off of her in any scene she appeared, even at the tender age of 12. She had recently been in the Jack Lemmon movie, "How To Murder Your WIfe" and is surprisingly good in this movie. She has one of the best lines when at a cocktail party, she is dancing with Tony Curtis and is irritated with him because he has been paying too much attention to his job and not to her ... she asks him to bring back a corkscrew from Copenhagen, and when he refuses, she says "just one little corkscrew: you can stick it anywhere!" I still remember the audience at that time rolling in the aisles. That was some line in the 60's!

There is also a wildly funny airplane hijacking of an arab jet so Tony Curtis can get back and save his marriage. Also, after he gets back, a hysterical fight scene with George C. Scott (who I thought was excellent for his role), where Carroll O'Connor, the Air Force General, is in the next room pounding on the walls for quiet.

I thought the direction for this movie was really crisp because timing is crucial for some of the slapstick. There are other memorable scenes, but why go on and on? I anxiously await this film coming onto DVD widescreen. If you like these kind of light comedies of this time period, this is a must have for one's collection.

Is it just me? Or is Tony Curtis so dreamy?.......2006-06-06

Maybe it's just me. But I'm so happy that she thought he was dead! That way he can be all mine! Wouldn't that be luscious? Delicious? Dreamy!!! Silly girl, don't you know that Tony just doesn't want anything to do with you? Instead, he's going to be all mine!

Little Known Gem!!Nicely Done 60's Romantic Comedy!!.......2003-05-22

A wartime Italian Nurse fall in love with 2 men(George C. Scott and Tony Curtis)and marries man after the other man is assumed dead later but reappears years later.It's a nicely done 1960's romantic comedy!!

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