In the 18th century, Louis De Bourguignon nicknamed under the name of Cartouche , (Jean Paul Belmondo) is acting with the Malichot (veteran Marcel Dalio)'s band , but their manners are too unethical for him . He creates his own gang , turning into a French Robin Hood , including his Merry men (Jean Rochefort still today playing and deceased Jess Hahn) ; the thief Cartouche takes over the Parisian crime syndicate making dangerous robberies of the rich people, and even distributing the supplies with the poor people ; furthermore he falls the entrapments of love . Thus , Cartouche attracts the people's sympathies , Venus's love , and hatred from the authority and enemies . Later on , Cartouche and his partners participate in Seven Years War , France against Prussia, where are decorated and considered as heroes. Cartouche/Belmondo is cool as the adventurer who finds risked situations while trying rob the shipments and save mistress in distress . Cartouche is betrayed but he can getaway all the traps they set at him . Meanwhile , he falls in love with two women , Isabel (a ravishing Odile Versous) and his gypsy-girlfriend (a beautiful Claudia Cardinale) . Eventually , he will be saved by a girl , at her own cost .This is an amusing film that contains noisy action , comedy , thrills , duels , audacious adventures , fencing and many other things . This is an agreeable entertainment juvenile romp well written by Daniel Boulanger , Charles Spaak and the same director Philippe de Broca . The movie displays in grandiose style swashbuckler , heroism , rousing action , swordplay , slapdash , overwhelming fights, fist-play and humor with tongue in cheek . This release has some nice and even hilarious moments here and there , though isn't always interesting , sometimes is diverting and fresh and on a couple of sympathetic occasions is frankly delicious . This adventure movie with a high budget packs breathtaking places , spectacular scenes , luxurious scenarios and amusing plot . Dashing Belmondo sports an inimitable smile while fights and loves ; as usual he combines action with comic episodes . It deals with Louis Dominique or Cartouche , splendidly performed by Belmondo , recently become a big star , he is fine as the hero of this exciting story . Jean-Paul is very nice , he ravages the screen , he jumps, leaps and bounds , hits and runs . Belmondo steals the spectacle , he's a complete show and as usual at the time he makes as his own stunts . Jean-Paul always performed all the stunts himself but ceased to do so after the accident during the filming of ¨Hold Up¨(1985) . Enjoyable acting by main star names , as a gorgeous Claudia Cardinale playing as his gypsy-sweetheart , she's in her splendor of Mediterranean beauty ; in addition Jean Rochefort and Jess Hahn as his two likable underlings . Special mention to sympathetic Marcel Dalio as roguish and mean Machilot . It's enriched by glimmer cinematography reflecting spectacularly colorful outdoors and glamorous interiors by cameraman Christian Matras , shot on location in Aveyron, Béziers, Hérault, Guermantes, Seine-et-Marne, Lagny-Sur-Marne, Seine-et-Marne, Pézenas, and Senlis, Oise, France . Wonderful musical score by the classic George Delerue who composed a lively as well sensitive soundtrack . The motion picture was well directed by Philippe De Brocca , an expert on adventure genre , many of them starred by Belmondo , such as ¨That man from Rio¨, ¨Up to his ears¨, ¨Le Magnifique¨, ¨L'Africain¨, ¨L'incorregible¨ , ¨Le Bossu¨ and of course this ¨Cartouche¨. This standard and entertaining 6o's swashbuckling that combines with certain gusto all staples of the genre to be liked for Belmondo and Cardinale fans. Rating : Good , worthwhile watching .

Louis Dominique Bourgingnon and his brother Louison were small time bandits in pre revolutionary Paris. Together with their pal, Douceur, they plied their trade in the streets. They stole from unsuspecting citizens and had to bring it to Malichot, a Fagin-like man who then saw to the pilfered goods, keeping most of it for himself. The trio, not content with the meager share they got for their effort, decide to challenge the boss. An angry Malichot swears revenge.The friends find refuge in the army. The three friends soldiers to go to fight battles, in the process they manage to become heroes, when in reality they were deserters. Their biggest opportunity came when the Marshall arrives carrying chests of gold to the battlefield. They stage a fantastic escape, avoiding their pursuers to get them. The friendly thieves go into a country inn, where the gorgeous Venus befriends them. With a new resolution in mind, Louis Dominique becomes Cartouche, a man that will steal money from the rich and shares it with the poor.This picaresque tale, adapted for the screen by none other than Philippe De Broca, who also directed, gets a larger than life treatment that still charms viewers after almost fifty years after it was done. Daniel Boulanger, a frequent collaborator of Mr. De Broca and Charles Spaak contributed to the scenario for this 1962 French film that also marked the beginning of the director's long association with Jean-Paul Belmonto, who is seen in the title role.A young Jean-Paul Belmondo cut quite a figure in those days. He had an amazing film presence and it is easy to see why he was a favorite of many filmmakers. Adding luster to the film is the gorgeous Claudia Cardinale at the height of her youth and beauty. She plays Venus the woman that follow Cartouche through all his adventures. A young Jean Rochefort is another welcome addition to the cast that also included Jess Hahn, Marcel Dalio, {hilippe Lemaire and Odile Versois.

I had previously watched this eons ago one Sunday night on Italian TV – a film that has easily come to be universally considered as France's finest offering to the swashbuckling genre and, with this in mind, it more than holds its own alongside Hollywood's best similar offerings. What gives this added texture, then, is the authentic feel for 18th century France (stunningly rendered in widescreen color cinematography by the distinguished Christian Matras, who was particularly adept at this sort of thing), a quality that is undoubtedly further enhanced by a typically wonderful Georges Delerue score; incidentally, listening to it once more, I realized that the lovely romantic theme here was very much a dry run for his celebrated, haunting work on Jean-Luc Godard's CONTEMPT (1963) – which has for some time firmly insinuated itself among my all-time favorite movie scores! Of course, the film finds star Jean-Paul Belmondo at the peak of his powers as the amiable titular rogue; however, his supporting cast – headed by luscious Claudia Cardinale, an atypically villainous Marcel Dalio, as well as Jess Hahn and Jean Rochefort as the hero's rowdy copains – is no less impressive. With respect to the action sequences, the swordfights aren't as plentiful as I had expected, though certainly vigorously handled all the same. As a matter of fact, another element that distinguishes it from contemporary outings in the prolific genre (even where French cinema is concerned), is that there is a good deal more emphasis here on brawling and (especially) romance – with Cartouche (actually a nickname) largely neglecting devoted commoner Cardinale for the amorous attentions of an unattainable aristocratic lady until it's too late. Unusually, therefore, this comes with a downbeat ending in which the heroine sacrifices herself to save her lover from an assailant's arrow – which is then followed by a beautiful and moving funeral rite.For the record, this was the first (and best) of director De Broca and star Belmondo's many collaborations which, box-office-wise, peaked with their next one, THAT MAN FROM RIO (1964), which I also own; incidentally, I have its follow-up UP TO HIS EARS (1965) as well albeit in French without the benefit of English subtitles! I would also love to catch up with the others – LE MAGNIFIQUE (1973) and L'INCORRIGIBLE (1975) – which look to be quite fun from the theatrical trailers I caught some time ago in a French Belmondo Box Set. Furthermore, De Broca would try (and relatively succeed) in recapturing the spirit of CARTOUCHE many years later with a much-filmed swashbuckling property LE BOSSU (1997). By the way, the low-budget Italian production of 1954 which also goes by the name of CARTOUCHE and stars Richard Basehart apparently has nothing else in common with this one (being, for one thing, a much-inferior product). One final thing: although the film under review is also available as a Special Edition DVD in France, I opted for the cheaper, barebones R1 disc from Anchor Bay given the prohibitively expensive shipping charges and the typical unavailability of English subtitles on the included audio commentary!

This lush and lively swashbuckler is notable for it's slapstick humor and blatantly romantic finale. The silliness works thanks to director DeBroca's whimsically light touch and Belmondo's atypical athletic charm. It's an elegant and sumptuous looking production and a surprisingly romantic adventure. The ravishing Ms. Cardinale alone is worth the price of admission. Delightful in spirit, charming in delivery, with appropriately gorgeous music by Georges Delerue. The superb widescreen DVD from Anchor Bay is the best way to appreciate this movie.