Released in 1963, “Les Tontons Flingueurs” has its share of cult lines and sequences. Among them, that of the kitchen in which several characters put on full-bodied glasses. But were the actors really drinking alcohol?
The Tontons Gunslingers : idiots, that dares everything
In the 1950s, a crime fiction writer named Albert Simonin became famous by delivering a trilogy devoted to the aging mobster Max the Liar. The first part is called Don’t touch the grisbi, the second is called The Cave is fighting back and the third is called Grisbi or not Grisbi. The first two opus are found adapted on the big screen, and worn by the legendary Jean Gabin. However, it is the third part adapted to the cinema under the name of The Tontons Gunslingers who will be the most famous.
Indeed, the film directed by Georges Lautner and dialogued by Michel Audiard, moves away from the dark atmosphere of the novel. in order to become a sharp, cynical comedy. However, in The Tontons Gunslingers, Jean Gabin is not present, to everyone’s surprise. Indeed, the latter set so many requirements to play in the film that he was not selected. A phew of relief for Audiard who did not get along at all with the actor.
The Tontons Gunslingers So follows Fernand Naydin, an owner of a small tractor factory, who leads a life without mishap until the day he receives a telegram. This one informs him to go near his friend of youth, Louis known as “the Mexican”, before he does not give up the ghost. The latter then entrusts him with some shady business which will cause him a lot of trouble.
Become a cult film thanks to the dialogues of Michel Audiard, The Tontons Gunslingers is best known for its distribution of broken gules with Lino Ventura, Bernard Blier, Jean Lefebvre, Francis Blanche and Claude Rich.
A drinking scene that almost never saw the light of day
As relayed Tele Leisure, the kitchen scene was vital to Georges lautner, because he wanted to make a nod to the film Key Largo, directed by John Huston.
Remember: in order to bury the hatchet, the Tontons decide to treat themselves to “the bizarre”, a very brutal booze qui will strike hard on the skull of whoever drinks it. A scene as cult as it is hilarious.
Shot in a private mansion, this sequence takes place in a very narrow place for the actors. Indeed, the kitchen measures only 4 by 3 meters. While they look genuinely drunk in this scene, the reality is quite different. Thus, in their glasses, there is water tinted with tea.
However, some facetious like Francis Blanche and Bernard Blier took advantage of it. to add alcohol and pepper to Jean Lefebvre’s glass without him realizing it. His reaction, when he drinks the glass, is therefore perfectly real. It is also so funny that it was kept during the editing
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