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OSS117: Cairo, Nest of Sies
Directed by: Michel Hazanavicius Starring: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, Aure Atika Synopsis: Cairo, 1955 – French secret agent Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, alias OSS 117 is dispatched from Paris to discover what has happened to his predecessor, Jack Jefferson, who happened to have been a very close friend. Upon arrival he meets Jack’s lovely assistant, Larmina, as well as a whole host of rogues who may or may not have been involved in Jack’s disappearance...
A loving send-up of the 60’s spy genre – in particular the original French series of OSS117 movies, but there is a lot of Connery-era Bond being poked at too – Nest of Spies is one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in a long time.
The purposely overcrowded script is full of wonderful dialogue – from Hubert’s patronising of Egyptian culture through to his outrageous double entendres to both Bejo’s Larmina and an Egyptian princess played by Aure Atika. All this wonderful dialogue would come to nought if Dujardin wasn’t so perfect with his role. Hubert truly believes he is the quintessential spy – debonair, quick witted, seductive – and he is all these things, the trouble is he’s also sexist, ignorant, narcissistic, arrogant and rabidly patriotic. He’s like Inspector Clousseau, Frank Drebin and Zap Brannigan all rolled into one, yet still infused with style. Director Hazanavicius also gets in on the act, at once evoking the technicolor style of the classic 60’s spy movie while at the same time sending it up. Watch out for a scene where Hubert seduces the princess, and the camera discreetly glides away from the bed only to catch sight of the action in the mirror and having to quickly re-focus its attention on a vase of flowers.
One of the things I liked about this movie is that it didn’t get hung up on gadgets – this is truly old-school spying. Clues are found scrawled on matchbooks, and death-defying escapes are made possible by keeping a cool head. I’d love to go on about this movie, but it is best discovered fresh. If you are a fan of early Bond movies or similar spy stuff, this is a must-see. If you want comedy which outshines Mel Brooks and Jerry Zucker at their best, this is a must-see.
Verdict: A much more subtle send-up of the 60’s spy era than the increasingly crass Austin Powers movies, OSS117 : Cairo, Nest of Spies is one of the funniest movies I’ve seen for ages. I can hardly wait for the already-in-the-works sequel. 9 Out of 10 (MikeOutWest)
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