Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At!
1966 · Directed by Gérard Oury
Original language: French
- comedy
- war
The story
During World War II, two French civilians and a downed British Bomber Crew set out from Paris to cross the demarcation line between Nazi-occupied Northern France and the South. From there they will be able to escape to England. First, they must avoid German troops – and the consequences of their own blunders.
What it’s like
Bright, busy studio comedy colour with a sunny, slightly theatrical sheen, the look of mid-1960s French cinema: wide Technicolor-era widescreen frames packed with farce, cars and costumed bystanders, and cuts that snap from one mishap to the next. Paris streets, railway platforms, country lanes and a château-lined countryside give the journey a summery, picturesque feel, while a jaunty, brass-and-strings score keeps the energy bouncing. The vibe is brisk, cheerful and gently absurd, a light caper with a war backdrop that never grows heavy. Pacing is quick and physical, built on escalating misunderstandings, pratfalls and bickering between an anxious little Parisian, his louder compatriot and a stiff, very proper Englishman whose uneasy friendship warms over the course of the trip. Wartime danger is present (German patrols, the odd tense checkpoint) but treated as a comic threat; violence is minimal and bloodless, with slapstick rather than gunfire. Suited to a relaxed evening, a comfort watch or a light afternoon when you want laughs without darkness, and for viewers who enjoy old-fashioned European farce and buddy-road comedy.
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