The American Beauty

1961 1h 44m FR

😐

6.0

MID

★6.0TMDB · 65

Comedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Marcel, a simple-minded factory worker, is tricked into buying a high-priced American convertable car by a widow determined not to let it fall into the hands of her late husband's secretary/secret lover. Once in pocession of the car, Marcel only encounters one bad luck episode after another with the excessive gasoline consumtion, his wife trying to sell it to make ammends meet, getting into traffic jams, accidently riding into a car wash with the top down, and more.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Robert Dhéry
Marcel Perrignon
Colette Brosset
Paulette Perrignon
Louis de Funès
Police station secretary / Head of personnel
Michel Serrault
Tramp
Jean Lefebvre
Chougnasse
Alfred Adam
Alfred
Robert Burnier
Houche
Pierre Dac
Colonel

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Robert Dhéry
Writers: Robert Dhéry, Alfred Adam, Pierre Tchernia
Languages: French
Countries: France

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

65 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Robert Dhéry, shot by Ghislain Cloquet. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Gérard Calvi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Albert Jurgenson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Robert Dhéry and Colette Brosset and Louis de Funès carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0054676 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 65 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Robert Dhéry directs. Ghislain Cloquet behind the camera. Gérard Calvi scores. Albert Jurgenson cuts. Produced in France. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

165 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Robert Dhéry, shot by Ghislain Cloquet. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Gérard Calvi. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Albert Jurgenson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Robert Dhéry and Colette Brosset and Louis de Funès carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0054676 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 65 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.