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OSS 117 : Comment est votre second degré ?

Calmos・48 minutes read

OSS 117, a French spy created in 1949, embarked on adventures that led to success in books and film. The character, a mix of parody and pastiche, embodies French culture through comedic portrayals that highlight contradictions and historical struggles.

Insights

  • OSS 117, created in 1949, has had a varied history in books and on screen, with Hubert Bonnisseur de la Bath becoming a significant figure in French cinema.
  • The OSS 117 movies, while following a formulaic spy genre pattern, led to the production of numerous TV and cinema clones in the wake of James Bond's success.
  • OSS 117 moves beyond parody to embrace pastiche, blending different cinematic elements and styles to create a new narrative that pays homage to old cinema and French culture.

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Recent questions

  • Who is OSS 117?

    A French secret service agent created in 1949.

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Summary

00:00

French Spy OSS 117: A Cinematic Legacy

  • OSS 117, a French secret service agent, was created in 1949 by writer Jean Alexandre Brochet, also known as Jean Bruce.
  • OSS 117's adventures began in a series of 265 tongue-twisters, leading to his success in books and on the big screen.
  • Hubert Bonnisseur de la Bath, played by actors like Kerwin Matthews and Jean Dujardin, became a staple in French cinema.
  • OSS 117 faced tough competition in the 70s, leading to a decline in popularity and disappearance from the limelight.
  • Hubert returned in 2006 in a film directed by Michel Hazanavicius, with Jean Dujardin portraying the main role.
  • In the movie, set in Cairo, Hubert investigates the disappearance of a fellow spy, Jack Jefferson, under the guise of a poultry salesman.
  • The OSS 117 movies followed a formulaic spy genre pattern with colorful openings, gadgets, villains, and pretty ladies.
  • The success of OSS 117 led to the production of numerous TV and cinema clones in the wake of the James Bond franchise.
  • While not comedic in tone, spy movies like "Where The Spies Are" and "The Ipcress File" also featured humor and wit.
  • OSS 117 is considered a true heir to the legacy of slick and dandy spies like James Bond and Indiana Jones, known for seizing every opportunity for a good pun.

03:28

Spy movie parodies: a comedic twist.

  • OSS 117 showcases a hero different from James Bond, hinting at parody.
  • Parody movies imitate existing films to exaggerate and subvert their core elements.
  • Parodies like Airplane! and SpaceBalls target easily identifiable movies for ridicule.
  • Spy movies' codified nature makes them ideal for parody due to recognizable characters and patterns.
  • The 60s saw numerous spy movie parodies like Our Man Flint and Dr. Goldfoot.
  • International spy parodies like For Y'ur Height Only and From Beijing with Love added unique flavors.
  • The Italian-dominated Eurospy genre often blurred the line between parody and imitation.
  • Operation Kid Brother, starring Neil Connery, was presented as a comedy but resembled a second-rate spy film.
  • French filmmakers like Claude Chabrol and actors like Pierre Richard have mocked the spy movie myth.
  • The British spy genre created a faithful spin with Casino Royale, featuring an aging, clumsy James Bond.

05:46

Spy Parodies: Austin Powers and OSS 117

  • Spy parodies struggled to match the success of official spy movies until Mike Myers' Austin Powers trilogy in the late 90s.
  • Austin Powers' story involves a British spy frozen in the 60s who wakes up 30 years later to combat Dr. Evil.
  • The movie's time-jumped story adds comedy through nostalgic elements and homage to the 60s era.
  • OSS 117, another spy comedy, is set in 1955 and filmed using era-appropriate techniques like Technicolor.
  • The sequel, Lost in Rio, transitions to the 60s with pop culture visuals and references to classic Hollywood films.
  • Both OSS 117 movies pay homage to old cinema through visual cues and references to iconic movies and actors.
  • OSS 117 moves beyond parody to embrace pastiche, mixing and remixing various cinematic tropes and styles.
  • Pastiche, derived from the Italian pasticcio, involves blending different elements to create a new, mixed-up narrative.
  • Pastiche aims to faithfully represent and contextualize inspirations, unlike parody which often satirizes them.
  • Pastiche examples include films like La La Land and Spaghetti Westerns, mixing genres and styles to create unique narratives.

09:03

Hazanavicius: Master of Cinematic Homage

  • The movie "La Classe Américaine" is a re-dub and re-cut of various classics from Warner Studios, telling the story of Georges Abitbol, the classiest man on earth.
  • Hazanavicius, the director, has also created movies for the big screen, all centered around the idea of borrowing from other works.
  • "The Artist," a tribute to silent films, received five Academy Awards, showcasing Hazanavicius' talent for homage rather than exploitation.
  • In "OSS 117," action scenes are meticulously reproduced to mimic the style of the 1960s, with attention to detail like using the "rear projection" technique for car scenes.
  • The pastiche's strength lies in highlighting outdated elements like over-the-top acting and old-fashioned equipment, creating a comedic effect for modern audiences.
  • The spy genre, as seen in "OSS 117," is caricatured along with its era, blending fondness and mockery in a mix of humor.
  • "OSS 117" pastiches both a genre and an era, presenting a rose-tinted image of post-war France through a French spy character.
  • The OSS series is also a pastiche of a rose-tinted image of post-war France, showcasing a different take on the spy genre and the time period.
  • In the books, OSS 117 is an American spy, but Hazanavicius transforms him into an authentic Frenchman in the movie adaptations.
  • Hazanavicius' approach to filmmaking involves borrowing elements from various sources to create a unique and engaging cinematic experience.

12:55

French Stereotypes Mocked in Satirical Comedy

  • Hubert is transformed into a stereotypical Frenchman working for a French organization.
  • He embodies clichés like always wearing an undershirt, complaining, and drinking mountain bitters.
  • The character Hubert is a comedic tradition in France, mocking overly proud patriots.
  • OSS 117, like Superdupont, represents French values with a baguette and camembert-based superpowers.
  • Hubert, a colonialist, sexist, racist, and homophobic, would be seen as an unpleasant character today.
  • The movie's visual design and Hubert's character reflect a 20th-century audience's expectations.
  • The newer 117 inherits flaws and strengths from his predecessor, being a ladies' man and skilled fighter.
  • The movie is satirical, requiring viewers to use their "SECOND DEGREE" to understand the humor.
  • Comedy relies on interpretive cooperation, leaving the audience to decipher the hidden messages.
  • Second-degree humor can be misunderstood, with some viewers missing the intended satire.

16:44

French Fool: The Complex Comedy of 117

  • The challenge of using second-degree humor is to obscure the joke's core meaning while providing enough hints for the audience to understand.
  • Writers Hazanavicius and Alain utilize various tools to clarify the movie's intent, such as the reactions of supporting characters to 117's blunders.
  • 117's interactions with others depict him as foolish and endearing, with Hubert displaying childlike behavior when confronted with his faults.
  • Dujardin's acting seamlessly transitions between serious and comical expressions, enhancing the connection between the audience and the character.
  • Philosopher Léon Dumont theorized that laughter stems from someone's failure despite their confidence, highlighting the humor in arrogance being chastised by defeat.
  • 117, embodying French culture, is portrayed as a laughable yet brilliant fool, symbolizing the country's contradictions and historical struggles.
  • Hazanavicius' portrayal of France as the eternal second, lecturing the world but failing to confront its own issues, is reflected in 117's character.
  • 117 is depicted as a proud rooster ashamed of his true nature, symbolized by the metaphor of a poultry bird, showcasing his incongruity and brilliance.
  • The character's antics, like flashing his codpiece and referencing Christmas balls, add to his comedic yet complex persona, making him a unique and memorable figure.
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