A Monkey In Winter

1962, Movie, NR, 104 mins

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Gabin is a reformed alcoholic who owns a small inn in Normandy. Belmondo visits the inn on the way to picking up his young daughter. Gabin spots Belmondo and senses that they are kindred spirits. Belmondo orders a drink, which Gabin, breaking his dry spell, decides also to do. They both get soused and fantasize of better things--Gabin of his adventurous days in China as a marine, Belmondo of his desire to lead an illustrious life in Spain. Soon their drunkenness wears off, and they must face reality. Belmondo gets his daughter, and Gabin relates a story to the pair. He tells them of a Chinese legend about hordes of monkeys that would descend from the mountains into the village. They would wander around without direction (a la Belmondo) until one of the more responsible townsfolk (a la Gabin) would send them back to the mountains. When the little girl asks if Gabin really helped any of the monkeys, Belmondo, acknowledging the allusion to himself, says yes. This was the second film in Verneuil's Gabin trilogy, which, like most of the director's work, was a commercial success in France. Teaming Gabin (THE GRAND ILLUSION, PEPE LE MOKO) with Belmondo (BREATHLESS) produced the same box-office buzzing as if John Wayne and Clint Eastwood appeared together in a film. leave a comment
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A Monkey In Winter
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