Arthur and Anatole are two little robbers. They want to rob money, money that will travel in a special train from Paris to Bruxelles. They don't know that other people have planned to do the same thing.
Acting
Belmondo and Bourvil's bickering buddy chemistry.
Direction
Oury orchestrates three-way farce with clockwork precision.
Production
Glorious practical train sets and 1960s Euro style.
Director
Gérard Oury
Jean-Paul Belmondo
Arthur Lespinasse
Bourvil
Anatole
David Niven
Colonnel Carol Matthews, Aka 'Le Cerveau'
Eli Wallach
Frankie Scannapieco, Godfather of the Italian Mafia
Silvia Monti
Sofia Scannapieco, Frankie's Sister
Raymond Gérôme
Commissioner
Fernand Guiot
Inspector Mazurel, Assistant to the Commissioner
Jacques Balutin
Inspector Pochet
Jacques Ciron
Inspector Dubœuf
Patrick Préjean
Belgian Sergeant of the Armoured Car
Robert Dalban
Belgian Soldier of the Armored Car (With a Cold)
Raoul Delfosse
Belgian Soldier of the Armored Car
Mario David
Jean-François, Antique Dealer in Le Havre
Henri Génès
Chief Warden of Poissy Prison
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
David Niven learned his French lines phonetically and allegedly had no idea what he was saying half the time.
This was France's biggest box office hit of 1969, outgrossing even American imports—proof that Gallic audiences loved watching themselves bungle crimes.
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