''French Fried Vacation'' (french: Les Bronzés, link=no, ) is a

cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This ...

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 Patrice Leconte. The film satirizes life resorts such as

Club Med Club Med SAS, commonly known as Club Med and previously known as Club Méditerranée SA, is a French travel and tourism operator headquartered in Paris, specializing in all-inclusive holidays. Founded in 1950, the company has been primarily o ...

. It is one of many films by the French comedy group

Le Splendid Le Splendid is a café-théâtre company founded by a collection of writers and actors in the 1970s - Christian Clavier, Michel Blanc, Gérard Jugnot, Thierry Lhermitte (four childhood friends who knew one another from the Lycée Pasteur in Neu ...

Josiane Balasko Josiane Balasko (born Josiane Balašković; 15 April 1950) is a French actress, writer, and director. She has been nominated seven times for César Awards, and won twice. Career One of Balasko's most recognized roles among English speakers is ...

Michel Blanc Michel Blanc (born 16 April 1952) is a French actor, writer and director. He is noted for his roles of losers and hypochondriacs. He is frequently associated with Le Splendid, which he co-founded, along with Thierry Lhermitte, Josiane Balasko, ...

Marie-Anne Chazel Marie-Anne France Jacqueline Chazel (born 19 September 1951) is a French actress, screenwriter and director, who has been active in both film and television since 1974. Biography Chazel was born to actress Louba Guertchikoff (birth name Lou ...

Gérard Jugnot Gérard Jugnot (; born 4 May 1951) is a French actor, film director, screenwriter and film producer. Jugnot was one of the founders of the comedy ''troupe'' Le Splendid in the 1970s, along with, among others, his high-school friends Christian Cl ...

Thierry Lhermitte Thierry Lhermitte (; born 24 November 1952) is a French actor, director, writer and producer, best known for his comedic roles. He was a founder of the comedy troupe ''Le Splendid'' in the 1970s, along with, among others, Christian Clavier, Gérar ...

and

Christian Clavier Christian Jean-Marie Clavier (; born 6 May 1952) is a French actor, screenwriter, film producer and director. He became widely popular after starring in two hit comedy series: Patrice Leconte's ''Les Bronzés'' and ''Les Visiteurs'' directed by J ...

wrote and created together the play "Amours, Coquillages et Crustacés", and drew the scenario for ''Les Bronzés'' from this café-théâtre piece.''

Paris Match ''Paris Match'' () is a French-language weekly news magazine. It covers major national and international news along with celebrity lifestyle features. History and profile A sports news magazine, ''Match l'intran'' (a play on ''L'Intransigeant' ...

'' No.2921 12–18 May 2005 The film has achieved cult status in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, where it sold 2.2 million tickets during its initial theatrical release. It was followed by two sequels, also directed by Patrice Leconte: ''

Les Bronzés font du ski ''French Fried Vacation 2'' (''Les Bronzés font du ski'') is a classic 1979 French comedy directed by Patrice Leconte. It is a sequel to ''Les Bronzés'' (1978), and it was followed by '' Les Bronzés 3 : Amis pour la vie'' (2006). Plot Th ...

'' (1979) and '' Les Bronzés 3: Amis pour la vie'' (2006)

Plot

Gigi, Jerome, Christiane, Jean-Claude, and Bernard visit a resort in the

Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...

, the

village of

Assinie Assinie-Mafia is a coastal resort town in south-eastern Ivory Coast. It is a sub-prefecture of Adiaké Department in Sud-Comoé Region, Comoé District. Geography Assinie-Mafia is located 80 kilometres east of Abidjan along the coast of th ...

. Bernard subsequently meets up with his wife, Nathalie, who has already spent a week there, and they are all welcomed by Popeye and the eccentric emcees, Bobo and Bourseault. The film follows the humorous couplings and uncouplings of the group, and especially Popeye's attempt to seduce record numbers of women and, in stark contrast, Jean-Claude's failure to seduce even one.

Cast

as Nathalie Morin *

as Bernard Morin *

as Gigi *

as Docteur Jerome Tarere *

as Jean-Claude Dusse *

as Popeye *

Luis Rego Luis Rego (born 30 May 1943) is a French actor, comedian, writer and director, of Portuguese origins. He was a founding member of music/comedy group Les Charlots which he left after a few years. Theater Filmography References Extern ...

as Bobo *

Martin Lamotte Martin Lamotte (born 2 June 1947) is a French actor, comedian and director. He participated in several films alongside Le Splendid Le Splendid is a café-théâtre company founded by a collection of writers and actors in the 1970s - Christi ...

as Miguel *

Dominique Lavanant Dominique Lavanant (born 24 May 1944) is a César Award-winning French film and theatrical actress. She is known for her comedy skills especially with posh and distinguished characters like Rosalind Russell's; characters often defined by the ...

as Christiane *

Bruno Moynot Bruno Moynot (born 20 December 1950, in Bois-Colombes, Hauts-de-Seine, France ) is a French actor and theatre director. Part of the famous French comedy group Le Splendid, he is best known for his roles in Patrice Leconte's ''Les Bronzés'' ...

as Gilbert Sellman *

Michel Creton Michel Creton (17 August 1942 in Wassy, Haute-Marne, France) is a French actor. He came to international attention with the release of ''Un homme de trop'' (''Shock Troops'') by Costa Gavras in 1967. Since then, he played in many films, appeared ...

as Bourseault * Guy Laporte as Marcus * Pascale Deneu * Marion Lanez * Sylvie Obry

Filming location

Although the movie depicts the adventures of a group of GOs and GMs at

, the shooting was made mostly at Valtur village Les Paletuviers, next to the Club Med resort.

References

External links

* * 1970s French-language films 1978 films Films directed by Patrice Leconte French comedy films Films about vacationing 1978 comedy films 1970s French films {{1970s-France-film-stub