The American Beauty
La Belle Américaine
Synopsis
Marcel, a simple-minded factory worker, is tricked into buying a high-priced American convertable car by a widow determined not to let it fall into the hands of her late husband's secretary/secret lover. Once in pocession of the car, Marcel only encounters one bad luck episode after another with the excessive gasoline consumtion, his wife trying to sell it to make ammends meet, getting into traffic jams, accidently riding into a car wash with the top down, and more.
Top Cast
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Robert Dhéry
Marcel Perrignon
Colette Brosset
Paulette Perrignon
Louis de Funès
Police station secretary / Head of personnel
Michel Serrault
Tramp
Jean Lefebvre
Chougnasse
Alfred Adam
Alfred
Robert Burnier
Houche
Pierre Dac
Colonel
Eliane D'Almeida
Simone
Bernard Dhéran
Mr. Jean
Annie Ducaux
Mrs. Lucanzas
Jacques Fabbri
'Le gros' / Fatso
Bernard Lavallette
Minister of Commerce
Jacques Legras
Riri, cafe owner
Christian Marin
Pierrot
Robert Rollis
Maurice, aka 'Le Lapin', hairdresser
René Sarvil
Bargeman
Catherine Sola
Isabelle Zoutin
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 17, 1961
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Robert Dhéry, Pierre Tchernia
- Screenplay & Story
- Alfred Adam, Robert Dhéry, Pierre Tchernia
- Original Score
- Gérard Calvi
- Original Title
- La Belle Américaine
- Country of Origin
- France
- Spoken Languages
- French
- Runtime
- 1h 44m
- Production Studios
- Compagnie Commerciale Française Cinématographique (CCFC), Le Film d'art, Corflor, Panoramas-Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Robert Dhéry, Pierre Tchernia
Alfred Adam, Robert Dhéry, Pierre Tchernia
Gérard Calvi
Ghislain Cloquet
Albert Jurgenson
Henri Diamant-Berger, Édouard Harispuru, Florence Lesser, Marcel Maurey
Department Leadership Roster
Robert Dhéry
Director
Pierre Tchernia
Director
Alfred Adam
Screenplay
Robert Dhéry
Screenplay
Pierre Tchernia
Screenplay
Henri Diamant-Berger
Producer
Édouard Harispuru
Producer
Florence Lesser
Producer
Marcel Maurey
Producer
Gérard Calvi
Original Music Composer
Ghislain Cloquet
Director of Photography
Albert Jurgenson
Editor
Lucien Aguettand
Production Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The American Beauty.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The American Beauty.
Notable French movies 1950s to 1980s
Louis de Funès 🇨🇵
***Colectia ``Louis de Funès``***
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Frequently Asked Questions About The American Beauty
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The American Beauty about?
Marcel, a simple-minded factory worker, is tricked into buying a high-priced American convertable car by a widow determined not to let it fall into the hands of her late husband's secretary/secret lover. Once in pocession of the car, Marcel only encounters one bad luck episode after another with the excessive gasoline consumtion, his wife trying to sell it to make ammends meet, getting into traffic jams, accidently riding into a car wash with the top down, and more.
Who directed The American Beauty?
The American Beauty was directed by Robert Dhéry, Pierre Tchernia.
Who stars in The American Beauty?
The principal cast of The American Beauty includes Robert Dhéry, Colette Brosset, Louis de Funès, Michel Serrault, Jean Lefebvre.
When was The American Beauty released and how long is it?
The American Beauty was released in 1961 with a total runtime of 1h 44m.
Who composed the musical score for The American Beauty?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The American Beauty was composed by Gérard Calvi.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The American Beauty?
The American Beauty holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.).