''Delusions of Grandeur'' (french: La Folie des grandeurs) is a 1971 French

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

Gérard Oury Gérard Oury (born Max-Gérard Houry Tannenbaum; 29 April 1919 – 20 July 2006) was a French film director, actor and writer. Life and career Max-Gérard Houry-Tannenbaum was the only son of Serge Tannenbaum, a violinist of Russian-Jewish orig ...

. It is a comedic adaptation of the play ''

Ruy Blas ''Ruy Blas'' is a tragic drama by Victor Hugo. It was the first play presented at the Théâtre de la Renaissance and opened on November 8, 1838. Though considered by many to be Hugo’s best drama, the play was initially met with only average ...

'' by

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...

Plot

In the 17th century

Spanish Empire The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...

, Don Salluste (

Louis de Funès Louis Germain David de Funès de Galarza (; 31 July 1914 – 27 January 1983) was a French actor and comedian. He is France's favourite actor, according to a series of polls conducted since the late 1960s, having played over 150 roles in fil ...

) works as a dishonest and greedy

finance minister A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...

who is strongly disliked by the peasants. After being fired by the Queen (

Karin Schubert Karin Schubert (born 26 November 1944) is a German actress. She appeared in film roles since 1970 and became a pornographic actress in the 1980s. Cinema career Her early roles included the Spaghetti Western '' Compañeros'' (1970) and Gérard O ...

) over allegations he illegitimately fathered a child with a royal handmaid, Salluste plots to get his revenge by compromising the Queen by getting a nobleman to seduce her, which would anger the King (

Alberto de Mendoza Alberto Manuel Rodríguez-Gallego González de Mendoza (21 January 1923 – 12 December 2011) was an Argentine film actor who appeared in some 114 films between 1930 and 2005, spanning eight decades. A lifelong figure in Argentine films, De Mendo ...

). When Don César ( Gabriele Tinti), Salluste's noble relative, declines to help him, Salluste hires his valet, Blaze (

Yves Montand Ivo Livi (), better known as Yves Montand (; 13 October 1921 – 9 November 1991), was an Italian-French actor and singer. Early life Montand was born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Terme, Italy, to Giovanni Livi, a broom manufacturer, Ivo held strong ...

), who he introduces as Don César; he sells the real César into slavery in the Barbary Coast. Though the Queen is willing to enter a relationship with "César", Salluste's plans are unintentionally obstructed by Dona Juana (

Alice Sapritch Alice Sapritch (29 July 1916 – 24 March 1990) was a French film actress. She appeared in 66 films between 1950 and 1989. Partial filmography * ''Le tampon du capiston'' (1950) - La pharmacienne * ''Le crime du Bouif'' (1952) * ''If Pari ...

), an old duanna who is infatuated with Blaze, much to his chagrin. Blaze takes Salluste's former position as finance minister. However, unlike Salluste, Blaze is generous and institutes many reforms: he gives almost all of Salluste's riches to the peasants, and heavily taxes the rich instead of the poor. This makes Blaze the target of ire among the nobles, who attempt to assassinate him. Salluste learns of a plot to poison Blaze's cake at his birthday celebration in a villa and warns Blaze; the two fight their way out, evading their pursuers by trapping them in a

bullfighting Bullfighting is a physical contest that involves a bullfighter attempting to subdue, immobilize, or kill a bull, usually according to a set of rules, guidelines, or cultural expectations. There are several variations, including some forms wh ...

ring. However, upon escaping, Salluste captures Blaze. Meanwhile, in the Barbary Coast, the real César is working as a slave for a

Bedouin The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu (; , singular ) are nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The Bedouin originated in the Syrian Desert and A ...

chief, pushing a wheel alongside other slaves to water the chief's

potted plant Container gardening or pot gardening/farming is the practice of growing plants, including edible plants, exclusively in containers instead of planting them in the ground. A container in gardening is a small, enclosed and usually portable object ...

. Using the Bedouins' prayers as a distraction, César escapes and travels back to Spain, where he watches Salluste take Blaze captive. After using an uncooperative

parrot Parrots, also known as psittacines (), are birds of the roughly 398 species in 92 genera comprising the order Psittaciformes (), found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three superfamilies: the Psittacoid ...

to relay an invitation to the Queen (and also unintentionally Dona Juana), Salluste imprisons Blaze in his villa, where he explains his new plan: he will bring the Queen to the room, knock both of them out, leave them in bed together, and call the King to investigate. César locates the villa and confronts Blaze, and the two work together to thwart Salluste. Dona Juana arrives and attempts to seduce Blaze, but she drinks a laced cup of wine and falls unconscious. When the Queen arrives, Salluste knocks her out with

chloroform Chloroform, or trichloromethane, is an organic compound with chemical formula, formula Carbon, CHydrogen, HChlorine, Cl3 and a common organic solvent. It is a colorless, strong-smelling, dense liquid produced on a large scale as a precursor to ...

. After encountering several issues involving the occupants of the bed, Salluste manages to get Blaze and the Queen in bed together. The King and his guards arrive, having been called over by Salluste earlier. However, when Salluste leads the King into the bedroom, he is shocked to find that Blaze is in bed with Dona Juana; Blaze secretly helped César escape with the Queen, and the two of them fall in love. The King, angered at Salluste, orders his guards to capture him. However, he offers Blaze a choice: marry Dona Juana and remain free, or join Salluste in captivity. Blaze chooses the latter, and the two are sentenced to slavery in the Barbary Coast, under the same Bedouin chief from before. Though Salluste and Blaze are apparently content with their life as slaves, Blaze sees Dona Juana in the distance and realizes she has followed him to the Barbary Coast. The film ends with everyone laughing as Blaze flees into the desert, Dona Juana chasing after him.

Cast

- Don Salluste de Bazan *

- Blaze *

- Dona Juana - la duègne *

- La Reine / The Queen *

- Le Roi / The King * Jaime de Mora y Aragón - Un Grand d'Espagne *

Eduardo Fajardo Eduardo Martínez Fajardo (14 August 1924 – 4 July 2019) was a Spanish film actor born in Meis (Pontevedra), Spain. He appeared in 183 films, 75 plays and made 2,000 television appearances between 1947 and 2002. Biography He was born in ...

- Un Grand d'Espagne *

Antonio Pica Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Pica Serrano (21 March 1933 — 26 April 2014) was a Spanish actor. Pica died on 26 April 2014 at a hospital in El Puerto de Santa María, Spain. Filmography * ''A Fistful of Dollars'' (1964) - Rojo Gang Membe ...

- Un Grand d'Espagne * Joaquín Solís - Un Grand d'Espagne *

Venantino Venantini Venantino Venantini (17 April 1930 – 9 October 2018) was an Italian film actor.Gabriele Tinti - Don Cesar *

Paul Préboist Paul Préboist (21 February 1927 – 4 March 1997) was a French actor. He appeared in more than hundred films, mostly in supporting roles, and is best known as a comic actor. Filmography Theater References External links *Paul Préboist ...

- The mute *

Sal Borgese Sal Borgese (born 5 March 1937, in Rome) is an Italian film actor. He is sometimes credited as Salvatore Borghese or Mark Trevor. He is noted for extensive work in the Italian film industry from the 1960s to present day, and for his work as a st ...

- Le borgne

Release

The English version of the film was released by Synkronized USA.

References

External links

* * 1971 films Films directed by Gérard Oury Films shot in Barcelona Films shot in Madrid Films set in Spain 1970s French-language films Films based on works by Victor Hugo Films set in the 1690s Films shot in Almería 1970s historical comedy films French historical comedy films 1970s French films {{1970s-comedy-film-stub