Les visiteurs (1993)

Director:

Jean-Marie Poiré

Writers:

Christian Clavier (writer)
Jean-Marie Poiré (writer)

Release Date:

12 July 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Comedy

Tagline:

When an 11th century knight and his loyal servant try to go back in time, only one thing will stand in their way. The 20th century.

Plot:

A medieval nobleman and his squire are accidentally transported to contemporary times by a senile sorcerer...

Plot Keywords:

Time | Sorcerer | Medieval | Deranged Woman | Noble

Awards:

1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Christian Clavier	...	Jacquouille la Fripouille / Jacquard
Jean Reno	...	Godefroy de Papincourt, Comte de Montmirail
Valérie Lemercier	...	Frénégonde de Pouille / Béatrice de Montmirail
Marie-Anne Chazel	...	Ginette la clocharde
Christian Bujeau	...	Jean-Pierre
Isabelle Nanty	...	Fabienne Morlot
Gérard Séty	...	Edgar Bernay
Didier Pain	...	Louis VI le Gros
Jean-Paul Muel	...	Marechal des Logis Gibon
Arielle Séménoff	...	Jacqueline (as Ariel Séménoff)
Michel Peyrelon	...	Edouard Bernay
Pierre Vial	...	Wizard Eusebius / Monsieur Ferdinand
François Lalande	...	Priest
Didier Bénureau	...	Intern Beauvin
Frédéric Baptiste	...	Freddy

Also Known As:

Les visiteurs - Ils ne sont pas nés d'hier (France) (alternative title)
The Visitors

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Argentina:Atp | South Korea:All | South Korea:12 (DVD rating) | Singapore:NC-16 | Denmark:11 | Australia:M | Finland:K-12/9 | France:U | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Carcassonne, Aude, France

Company:

Alpilles Productions

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Godefroy arrives at Béatrice's, he complains that "there's no longer any hectare of forest". He uses a surface area unit that was invented during the French Revolution.

Quotes:

Jacquouille la Fripouille: Don't drink it
[the potion]
Jacquouille la Fripouille: , Sire! You might turn into a frog, a bat, a goat, or a nun's arse!
Godefroy de Papincourt, Comte de Montmirail: You're right. Drink first!
Jacquouille la Fripouille: Me?
Godefroy de Papincourt, Comte de Montmirail: Let's see if you turn into a nun's arse. If you do, I'll seek revenge.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in La guerre des miss (2008)

The best comedy film I have seen this year.

The dialogue is fast at times and sometimes in olden French at that, the subtitles are in white and can't be read on a white background but I still found this excellent, (I don't speak French). Jean Reno always a favorite, plays well, though there is not the same scope as in some of his thriller roles. Christian Clavier is superb in his two roles, but for me the star was the Countess. Altogether very enjoyable.