''The Big Operator'' (french: Le Grand escogriffe) is a 1976 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

Claude Pinoteau Claude Pinoteau (25 May 1925 – 5 October 2012) was a French film director and scriptwriter. Born in Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts de Seine, Île-de-France, France. He died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, aged 87. (in French) His sister was the actress ...

and starring

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 ...

Plot

The aging villain Émile Morland talks his old friend Aristide into helping him with to kidnap the son of a millionaire. Moreover, Morland engages the young actress Amandine and borrows a child baptised Alberto from his acquaintance Tony. Morland's plan is to exchange the children and then to reveal this in order to retrieve ransom from millionaire Rifai. But to everybody's surprise Rifai prefers Alberto to his moody and wearisome own son. He refuses to pay ransom because he is now happy as it is.

Cast

- Morland *

Agostina Belli Agostina Belli (born 13 April 1949) is an Italian film actress. She has appeared in more than 50 films since 1968. Life and career Born in Milan as Agostina Maria Magnoni, Belli made her debut in 1968 with a minor part in ''Bandits in Milan'', ...

- Amandine *

Claude Brasseur Claude Brasseur (15 June 1936 – 22 December 2020) was a French actor. Life and career Claude Brasseur was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine as Claude Pierre Espinasse, the son of actor Pierre Brasseur and actress Odette Joyeux. He was the godson of E ...

- Ari *

Aldo Maccione Aldo Maccione (born 27 November 1935) is an Italian film actor and singer who is a member of the Italian comedy rock band Brutos. He has appeared in more than 50 films since 1964. He was born in Turin, Italy. Filmography * '' La Grande maffia ...

- Tony *

Adolfo Celi Adolfo Celi (; 27 July 1922 – 19 February 1986) was an Italian film actor and director. Born in Curcuraci, Messina, Sicily, Celi appeared in nearly 100 films, specialising in international villains. Although a prominent actor in Italian ...

- Rifai *

Valentina Cortese Valentina Cortese (1 January 1923 – 10 July 2019) was an Italian actress. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in François Truffaut's ''Day for Night'' (1973). Personal life Cortese was bor ...

- the widow *

Guy Marchand Guy Marchand (born 22 May 1937) is a French actor, musician and singer. He is best known for his role as fictional private detective Nestor Burma. Selected filmography * 1962: '' The Longest Day'' as an extra (Uncredited) * 1975: '' Cousin ...

- Marcel *

Ely Galleani Ely Galleani (born 24 April 1953), sometimes credited as Justine Gall and Ely Gall, is a retired Italian film actress. Born in Alassio as Federica Elisabetta De Galleani, daughter of an Italian count and of a Polish woman of Lithuanian origin, G ...

- Dorotea *

Gianni Cavina Gianni Cavina (9 December 1940 – 26 March 2022) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 40 films from 1968 to 2022. Born in Bologna, Cavina trained as a stage actor at the Teatro Stabile di Bologna, under the direction of Franco ...

- Silvio

References

External links

* 1976 films 1976 comedy films French comedy films 1970s French-language films Films scored by Georges Delerue Films about kidnapping Films directed by Claude Pinoteau Films with screenplays by Michel Audiard 1970s French films {{1970s-comedy-film-stub