OSS 117 Cairo Nest of Spies

Spy Spoof that Recalls the 60's James Bond Films

Aug 27, 2009 Kevin Sturton

OSS 117 (Jean Dujardin) is sent to Egypt to investigate after an old friend goes missing. Spy genre parody based on a character created by the novelist Jean Bruce

Lovers of 60’s Bond movies should get a hold of a copy of OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies. Although the films director Michel Hazanavicius’s and leading man Jean Dujardin send up the spy genre they do so with style and intelligence. There are moments when you could swear you were watching an early Connery Bond film, especially one of those directed by Terence Young.

OSS 117 Created by Jean Bruce

Jean Bruce created Hubert Bonniseur de la Bath aka OSS 117 in 1949, four years before Ian Fleming published his first 007 novel, ‘Casino Royale.’ Likewise the French OSS 117 film series predates the first Bond film Dr No (Terence Young 1962) by six years, with Ivan Desny taking the lead in OSS 117 is Not Dead (Jean Sacha 1956). There were no other OSS 117 films until 1964, by which time Bond mania no doubt inspired the producers to bring France’s favourite secret agent back to the big screen.

Compared to the Bond movies, the OSS 117 films had fairly cheap production values and were never released outside France. Another six films followed in the series with the most notable being No Roses for OSS 117 (Renzo Cerrato/Jean Pierre Desagnat 1968) with the American actor John Gavin in the leading role. Interestingly Gavin nearly got the chance to play James Bond, having been provisionally cast in Diamonds are Forever (Guy Hamilton 1971) before graciously stepping aside when the producers persuaded Sean Connery to return.

Making Fun of OSS 117

While Jean Bruce’s novels and the earlier films were serious OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies is a comedy making fun of the values present in the spy genre in the Fifties and Sixties. The Austin Powers movies largely sent up and celebrated the pop culture aspects of these movies. Hazanavicius and Dujardin also do this, but they are far more critical about the anachronistic social attitudes present in the genre.

OSS 117’s Mission

First seen foiling a group of Nazi’s during WWII with the help of his best friend Jack (Philippe Lefebre); it is now 1955 and 0SS 117 (Jean Dujardin) works for the French government. OSS 117 is shown pictures of Jack’s dead body, triggering wistful remembrances of happier times as the two men play together on a beach in a slightly homoerotic way. OSS 117 is sent to Egypt to replace Jack and uncover the dubious practices of the SCEB, The Society of Cows and Egyptian Beef.

OSS 117 is hopelessly naïve; he thinks bringing about peace in the Middle East will be easy; he hands out pictures of the Right-Wing politican Rene Coty as gifts to the locals and dismisses the Muslim religion as a fad. Although a comedy, OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies shows how the West underestimated the Muslim world, a mistake which arguably led to some of the problems we face today.

OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies Pays Tribute to James Bond

Although critical of certain attitudes present in these movies, OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies is free to show things that the producers of the modern Bond films could never get away with. OSS 117 is allowed to smoke for instance, or make the kind of suggestive puns that would earn Daniel Craig a slap. The women in the film, Larmina (Berenice Bejo) and Princess Al Tarouk (Aure Atika) are exasperated and appalled by his stupidity, but like Sean Connery in his prime, they can’t help but fall for him.

Dujardin does the best possible impression of Sean Connery a man can do while speaking French. Dujardin dresses like Connery, moves like Connery, and even manages to copy Connery’s mannerisms and facial expressions. While comedy actors have spoofed Bond before, Mike Myers in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (Jay Roach 1997), Peter Sellers in Casino Royale (Huston/Guest etc 1968), their casting is essentially part of the joke, but Dujardin looks the part.

OSS 117 Will Return in OSS 117: Rio Ne Repond Plus

Due out later this year, under the international release title OSS 117: Lost in Rio, the sequel sees OSS 117 travelling to Rio to hunt for Nazi’s hiding out in South America. Set in 1968, the trailer shows France’s greatest spy hanging out with hippies, fighting Mexican wrestlers and attempting to roast a crocodile over a log fire.

OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies
Starring Jean Dujardin
Written by Jean-Francois Halin, Michel Hazanavicius, based on a character created by Jean Bruce
Directed by Michel Hazanavicius
Running time 99 mins
Year of Release 2006

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