Le Garde du corps
1984 Comedy / Thriller
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Summary
Through his mother’s dating agency, Paul meets Barbara, an attractive English journalist.
Whilst he becomes besotted with her, she has no interest in him and, instead, falls for
the charms of another man, Julien. When he learns that Julien has had two other
wives who have both died in suspicious circumstances, Paul becomes anxious for Barbara’s
safety. Certain that Julien intends to murder Barbara for her life assurance money,
Paul follows the couple on their honeymoon in Morocco. When he learns that Julien
has abandoned his wife in the desert, Paul’s worst fears seem to be confirmed. However,
Barbara ignores his warnings, believing he is merely upset by her decision to marry Julien
instead of him. Is Paul imagining things or is Barbara’s life really in peril...?
Review
This unusual mix of comedy and suspense thriller would be pretty indigestible were it
not for the contributions from its three lead actors, Jane Birkin, Gérard Jugnot
and Sami Frey. At the risk of being eternally typecast as the sympathetic loser,
Jugnot plays the part for which he is best suited and gives great entertainment value.
Birkin is utterly charming, her imperfect French adding to both her charm and vulnerability,
whilst Sami Frey obviously relishes playing a comic book villain. The film’s bizarre
black humour and total lack of subtlety makes it a satisfying counterpoint to cinema’s
more sophisticated thrillers.
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