Bon Voyage (review)

As the Germans march into Paris, high society retreats to the Hotel Splendide in Bordeaux, including, among a cast of delightfully screwball characters, a half-shrewd, half-ditzy actress (the splendide Isabelle Adjani) and the politician besotted with her (a sprightly Gérard Depardieu: CQ); the scientist (Jean-Marc Stehlé) with the secret weapon that could turn the tide of the war and his devoted and girl-geek assistant (Virginie Ledoyen: The Beach); and a befuddled writer (the adorable Grégori Derangère). Inconvenient dead bodies, enemy spies, local ruffians, daring late-night escapes, and of course romance: Jean-Paul Rappeneau's comedy is the wonderful stuff of old Hollywood, smart, high-flying farce like we just don't see anymore. It's so spot-on in its bygone charm, its sharp wit, its snappy bumbling that it's almost impossible not to slot Golden Age greats in each of the roles: Adjani is Barbara Stanwyck, Derangère is Cary Grant... It only adds to the fun.