''Les Tontons flingueurs'' ('' en, Crooks in Clover'', also known as ''Monsieur Gangster'', literally ''Gun-toting Uncles'') is a

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Co ...

French-

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

West German West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Ca ...

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 ...

with French dialogue, directed by

Georges Lautner Georges Lautner (; 24 January 1926 – 22 November 2013) was a French film director and screenwriter, known primarily for his comedies created in collaboration with screenwriter Michel Audiard. Lautner's ventures into other genres were less ...

. It is an adaptation of the

Albert Simonin Albert Simonin (1905–1980) was a French novelist and scriptwriter. He was born in the La Chapelle quarter of the 18th arrondissement of Paris. His father was a florist. Albert was orphaned by the age of 16.''Paris Match'' No.3134 11–17 June 20 ...

book ''Grisbi or not grisbi''. The film is the final installment in the Max le Menteur trilogy; it was preceded by ''

Touchez pas au grisbi ''Touchez pas au grisbi'' (, French for "Don't touch the loot"), released as ''Honour Among Thieves'' in the United Kingdom and ''Grisbi'' in the United States, is a 1954 French-Italian crime film based on a novel by Albert Simonin. It was dire ...

'' and '' Le cave se rebiffe''. The film was not popular with critics upon its first release in 1963, but was popular with the public. Its reputation has grown over the years to cult status and it is now a French television classic, with snatches of dialogue and names of characters (like the prostitute Lulu la Nantaise) becoming part of popular culture. Its DVD version, released in 2002, sold 250,000 copies. One of the most famous scenes is set in a kitchen where the gangsters try to make conversation while drinking a vile and strong liquor. Screenwriter Michel Audiard considered the scene useless but director Lautner included it in homage to the film noir ''

Key Largo Key Largo ( es, Cayo Largo) is an island in the upper Florida Keys archipelago and is the largest section of the keys, at long. It is one of the northernmost of the Florida Keys in Monroe County, and the northernmost of the keys connected by ...

''..

Synopsis

Fernand is an ex-gangster with a plant hire business in

Montauban Montauban (, ; oc, Montalban ) is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department, region of Occitania, Southern France. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse. Montauban is the most populated town in Tarn-et-Garonne, ...

. His modest, quiet life is disrupted when his childhood friend, Louis "the Mexican", who has become the boss of a gangster organisation in Paris, summons him to his deathbed. Louis appoints Fernand head of his business and guardian of his teenage daughter, Patricia, who only thinks about having fun and has never lasted in any school more than six months. Protected by the loyal hitman Pascal, Fernand moves into the Mexican's suburban mansion, where he is welcomed by Maître Folace who is the organisation's lawyer, Jean the butler who is a former housebreaker and Patricia, who hopes to twist her new "uncle" around her finger. He learns that the business has four arms: a bowling alley, a brothel run by Madame Mado, a gambling den run by the brothers Raoul and Paul Volfoni and a distillery run by Théo. Both the Volfonis and Théo resent the newcomer and plan to get rid of him. Théo's first plot is to get Fernand to deliver a load of contraband liquor, which he then ambushes. However, Fernand escapes alive and makes his way home. There he finds Patricia holding a wild party for all her friends, including her boyfriend Antoine who wants to marry her. The Volfonis, having failed to blow up Fernand's car, come round for a showdown but are disarmed and invited to a conference round the kitchen table, where all get horribly drunk on illegal whisky. Next day, Théo and a henchman come round to finish the job but, as they besiege the mansion, an old gentleman walks up. He turns out to be Antoine's wealthy father, calling to arrange Patricia's marriage. While he talks to Fernand, bullets keep coming through windows. The wedding is set, but before the ceremony Fernand has to get rid of Théo. Going to the distillery, a battle rages in which all Théo's men are killed but he escapes. Fernand then rushes to the church to give away Patricia. While everybody is inside, Théo drives up with a sub-machine gun, waiting to fell the wedding party as they emerge. On guard outside, Pascal blows up the car and its blazing wreck greets the newly-weds.

Cast includes

* Lino Ventura: Fernand Naudin *

Jacques Dumesnil Jacques Dumesnil (born Marie Émile Eugène André Joly; November 9, 1903 – May 8, 1998) was a French film and television actor. Early life Jacques Dumesnil was born as Marie Émile Eugène André Joly on November 9, 1903 in Paris, France ...

: Louis "the Mexican" *

Francis Blanche François Jean Blanche, known as "Francis Blanche" (20 July 1921 – 6 July 1974) was a French actor, singer, humorist and author. He was a very popular figure on stage, radio and in films, during the 1950s and 1960s. Early life Blanche was ...

: Maître Folace, the lawyer *

Bernard Blier Bernard Blier (11 January 1916 – 29 March 1989) was a French character actor. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where his father, a researcher at the Pasteur Institute, was posted at the time. Life and career His rotund features and ...

: Raoul Volfoni, the gambling manager *

Jean Lefebvre Jean Marcel Lefebvre (3 October 1919Some sources indicate he was born in 1922. – 9 July 2004) was a French film actor. His erratic studies were interrupted by World War II. Taken prisoner and then requisitioned as a laborer, he escaped to joi ...

: Paul Volfoni, Raoul's brother * Robert Dalban: Jean, the Mexican's butler *

Venantino Venantini Venantino Venantini (17 April 1930 – 9 October 2018) was an Italian film actor.Horst Frank Horst Frank (28 May 1929 – 25 May 1999) was a German film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1955 and 1999. He was born in Lübeck, Germany and died in Heidelberg, Germany. Selected filmography * ''Der Stern von Afrika'' (19 ...

: Théo, the distillery manager *

Charles Régnier Karl Friedrich Anton Hermann 'Charles' Regnier (Régnier)"Wedekind aus Horst Kreis Neustadt am Rübenberge in Niedersachsen". In: ''Niedersächsisches Geschlechterbuch''. (Genealogical studies). Limburg an der Lahn: Verlag C. A. Starke Volume 1 ...

: Tomate, distillery worker *Mac Ronay: Bastien, gangster * Henri Cogan: Freddy, gangster *

Sabine Sinjen Sabine Sinjen (18 August 1942 – 18 May 1995) was a German film actress. She appeared in more than 50 films between 1957 and 1994. Sinjen was married to television director Peter Beauvais from 1963 to 1984. She appeared as one of 28 women ...

: Patricia, the Mexican's daughter *

Claude Rich Claude Rich (8 February 1929 – 20 July 2017) was a French stage and screen actor. He began his career in the theater before his film debut in 1955. Personal life He married actress Catherine Renaudin on 26 June 1959. They had two daughters, ...

: Antoine Delafoy, Patricia's boyfriend * Pierre Bertin: Adolphe Amédée Delafoy, Antoine's father *

Dominique Davray Dominique Davray (born Marie-Louise Gournay; 27 January 1919 in Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,4 ...

: Madame Mado, the brothel manager *

Philippe Castelli Philippe Castelli (8 June 1926 – 16 April 2006) was a French film actor. He appeared in 100 films between 1960 and 1992. Selected filmography * '' Les Bonnes Femmes'' (1960) - Le régisseur * '' Wise Guys'' (1961) - Le portier au verniss ...

: the tailor *

Paul Meurisse Paul Meurisse (; 21 December 1912 – 19 January 1979) was a French actor who appeared in over 60 films and many stage productions. Meurisse was noted for the elegance of his acting style, and for his versatility. He was equally able to pl ...

: a passer-by (Théobald Dromard " Le Monocle")

References

External links

* *
Les Tontons flingueurs at www.filmsdefrance.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tontons flingueurs, Les 1963 films Films directed by Georges Lautner French crime comedy films French gangster films German crime comedy films German gangster films Italian crime comedy films Italian gangster films 1960s French-language films Films about organized crime in France Films with screenplays by Michel Audiard 1960s Italian films 1960s French films 1960s German films