When Michel Blanc turned “the bronzes skiing”

Comedies club special Michel Blanc (1/5) – This summer, BFMTV pays tribute to the brilliant actor by telling the shooting of his cult comedies. Consequently, Today, Bronzes ski.

It is its best known role. Meanwhile, His interpretation of Jean Claude Dusse, in Bronzes skimade it one of the favorite actors of the French. Similarly, But this role. However, inspired by the characters of unhappy Hypocondriacs in love of Woody Allen, stuck to her skin all his life.

Patrice Leconte. Consequently, the director of this cult comedy with the Splendid troupe, says in our podcast Comedies Club his memories of filming Tanned skiing. For example, Patrice Leconte knew Michel Blanc well. Consequently, with whom he made eight films in thirty years, of which Come home, I live with a girlfriend in 1981 and Mr. Similarly, HIRE In 1989.

Michel Blanc had, says the filmmaker, a common when michel blanc turned “the point with Jean-Claude Dusse: unlike his comrades in the Splendid, hated ski! Moreover, “He was quite timid. Furthermore, He didn’t like skiing. Nevertheless, It didn’t interest him more than that. However, I remember dressed him like a hippical competition jockey and skiing, playing the game, but without great pleasure.”

“He didn’t like skiing”: when Michel Blanc turned “bronzes skiing”

“Besides. Moreover, I don’t even know – but now we can more ask, alas – if since Bronzes skihe sometimes returned to the when michel blanc turned “the mountains for the pleasure of skiing. Nevertheless, In my opinion, never. In addition, “And to add:” Michel was a city dweller. However, Going to the countryside, by the sea, skiing, it didn’t tempt him. Moreover, “

Joyful atmosphere – When michel blanc turned "the

If the writing of Tanned skiing is collective. Furthermore, Michel Blanc inspired by his own experience to imagine the character of Jean-Claude Dusse. In addition, “He brought little pieces of dialogues, stuff, cookie cutters. Everyone has put their little grain of salt to take ownership of the characters.”

The shooting, in Val d’Isère (Savoie), takes place in an extremely joyful atmosphere. “The group was very, very united. In the evening, we found ourselves in the same bar to drink Gin Tonic. (Michel Blanc) was not in his corner, not at all. He was a troop man,” recalls Patrice Leconte.

“Despite the cold. there was a real pleasure from one end of the shooting, a when michel blanc turned “the real cheerfulness to make this film. And Michel was not the last to laugh. He is quite laughing. there were things a little at the edge of the laughter”, continues the director, who had “biting the interior of the blood cheeks” so as not to laugh at their faces.

A scene “a little investigating” – When michel blanc turned "the

The only black point of this shooting: the famous sequence of the chairlift. which had to be turned at night. Now Michel Blanc hated shooting the night. “It was a bit of a little investigating scene for him to turn because he was on a chairlift. at night, and it was cold,” sums up Patrice Leconte.

“There was no question of having him descend or bringing him back to the place that we had planned. So he stayed suspended there long enough. He had still been given a string so that he could go up a hot when michel blanc turned “the drink so as not. to freeze. We did not maintain him on this chairlift for an entire night,” he reassures.

At first, it was not When will I see you again, wonderful country? What should sing Michel Blanc should sing. Another song was planned during the shooting. Snow Stara famous German waltz that became a tube in France in the 1950s with Jacques Hélian then Line Renaud.

“Once back to Paris. when we have learned that the rights to use Snow Star were astronomical. So with (the composer) Pierre Bachelet, we had fun doing something that sticks. These are the same rhymes, the same melody, but upside down! I’m sure there are people who think he’s singing Snow Star.”

“At the shooting, we found it to be blowing”

The troop runs as long as the first assembly lasts 2 hours. Half an hour of Rushes, now missing, is cut in post-production. “If when michel blanc turned “the we cut scenes, it is because it was not famous,” said Patrice Leconte. “They were less funny than others and we preferred to keep the best.”

“I have memories of scenes that we shot with Thierry Lhermitte in the cable car cabin. He has in his arms the dog of Gigi. the dog begins to fart and everyone thinks that it is Thierry Lhermitte who farts. But it was not walking at all, it was not funny. At the shooting, we found it stammering …”

Ski bronzes Released in November 1979. In theaters the success was there. But with 1.5 million admissions, it is below 2.8 million in the first part. Then given millions of times on television, thanks to dozens of reruns, the film has nevertheless become cult. And many know the replicas by heart.

Especially those of Dusse. “Listen to Bernard, I agree that you and me, we have a little when michel blanc turned “the the same problem. That is to say that we can not really bet everything on our physique, especially you. So if I can afford to give you advice, it is: forget that you have no chance, go for it! We never know, on a misunderstanding, it can work!”

Self -mockery

With hindsight, the character of Jean-Claude Dusse seems to be the most popular of Tanned. No doubt thanks to Michel Blanc’s self -mockery interpretation. “As a character, it is undoubtedly the one who remains more than the others,” agrees Patrice Leconte. “But in terms of notoriety of actors, they are all equal.”

The popularity of the film has long been a curse for Michel Blanc. Additionally, “I often explain that until Grosse Fatigueall the films I made. including Walk in the shadeare films of a certain type that blocked me access to author films, “he said in an interview made in when michel blanc turned “the 2023 for this podcast.

“Author’s films, I made it before Jean-Claude Dusse was born,” he said. “For example, in Claude Miller’s film, The best way to walkI had a role that was still important. (I also had) made two films with Tavernier (May the party starts …, spoiled children), another with Polanski (The tenant).”

A very popular actor

Inseparable from the character of Jean-Claude Dusse. it was impossible to use him in a serious role, at the risk of “breaking a little” the author’s films that would have needed his acting talents, he still advanced. “I did not have to return to the cinema known as an author as at the interpretation price in Cannes. with Evening outfit.”

“People – Even my butcher! – Said ‘it’s an actor!’. My butcher. when I got back from Cannes, I went to buy my steak, and he said to me ‘but in addition, when michel blanc turned “the you are an actor!’ That’s what made me laugh a lot. “

But despite Michel Blanc’s efforts to change register, State exercise to WitnessesJean-Claude Dusse continued him all his life. During his burial, dozens of people came disguised as jeans-Claude Dusse. One of them even sang in the Saint-Eustache church When will I see you again, wonderful country?.

“It touched me a lot because all of a sudden I visualized how popular actor was a very popular actor. This crowd around Saint-Eustache was moving. because these people, being there, showed him that they had loved her very much,” concluded Patrice Leconte.