2K Restoration by Gaumont! In La Chèvre, French comedy writing sensation Francis Veber (The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe, La Cage aux Folles) first teamed Tall Blond’s Pierre Richard with Gérard Depardieu (Buffet Froid, A Pure Formality), creating a wildly eccentric and guffaw-inducing duo unlike any the screen had ever seen before. After unsuccessfully searching for a French tycoon’s missing daughter in Mexico, tough-guy private eye Campana (Depardieu) is grudgingly saddled with accident-prone accountant Perrin (Richard), a would-be detective presumed to be so maladroit that he will unwittingly lead Campana to the missing girl. But once let loose in Mexico, the question becomes whether Perrin will crack the case or crack his own skull first. Depardieu and Richard’s comic chemistry buoys the anarchic slapstick and shaggy-dog story with gentle whimsy and graceful humanity. Though expertly evoking Hope and Crosby, the Pink Panther films and Buster Keaton, La Chèvre is catapulted into the pantheon of international movie comedy on the irresistible strength of its effortless and distinctively French flair. La Chèvre was remade in Hollywood as Pure Luck, starring Martin Short and Danny Glover.

For thoughts on La Chèvre, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/7HBwkgADakk?t=1027]

Video Quality

La Chèvre comes to Blu-Ray with a new digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 1.66:1 aspect ratio from a new 2K restoration by Gaumont that looks very nice. You will not find much at all in the way of print damage, and clarity and detail never fails to impress. The narrative takes our characters to some sumptuous tropical locations, and each environment reveals a great deal of depth and detail that is exciting to witness. Colors are lovingly saturated in a visually splendid way with a vibrant color palette. Skin tones are natural with subtle facial details easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up well with little in the way of crush, and highlights remain controlled. Digital noise and other anomalies do not present as a notable issue here. The facets on display within the production design and costumes are terrific. This new presentation does a great job of bringing new life to this feature.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track in the original French with optional English subtitles. One of the first details you will notice is the enjoyable score from Vladimir Cosma which holds up with an admirable fidelity. The dialogue is one of the more important elements of this story, and the comedic exchanges always come through clearly without being stepped on by competing elements. The track maintains a good balance so that everything comes through clearly. Environmental sounds create a fully fleshed out world which help ground you in place. There does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. Kino Classics has done a nice job with this one.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film Historians Howard S. Berger and Nathaniel Thompson provide a very engaging commentary in which they discuss the collaborations of this creative team, the inspirations for this brand of slapstick comedy, the comically tragic tone of the narrative, how this version compares to the American remake, the shot composition, the background of the ensemble, shooting locations and much more that makes for an enlightening time.

Trailers: The two-and-a-half minute trailer for La Chèvre is provided here. There are also trailers provided for Les Compères and A Pain In The Ass (L’emmerdeur). .

Final Thoughts

La Chèvre is one of the most uproarious French comedies we have ever had the pleasure of seeing. The film is intentionally ridiculous, but it is executed with such conviction that you cannot help but be won over by the slapstick silliness. Pierre Richard brings such pathos to his hapless character as he executes some of the best physical comedy we have seen in some time, and Gérard Depardieu is pitch perfect as his exasperated counterpart. This film is carefully crafted in a way that delivers maximum comedy and emotion. Kino Classics has provided a Blu-Ray with a great A/V presentation and a good commentary track. If you are open to non-English comedies and appreciate some well-done slapstick, definitely put this one on your list. Highly Recommended

La Chèvre is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.