Revenge of a Blonde

The setup is pure farce, the kind the French often do with gleeful abandon. We've got Gérard Bréha (Christian Clavier), a smarmy, self-absorbed TV host who anchors a popular gossip show, "Plat Net". He's got wandering eyes and an ego the size of the Eiffel Tower. His wife, Corine (Marie-Anne Chazel), is a slightly dowdy, fiercely devoted hairdresser who discovers Gérard's plan to ditch her for a younger woman during a glamorous work trip to Los Angeles. Does she weep into her pillow? Non! Fuelled by righteous fury (and perhaps a questionable dye job), Corine hops on a plane, determined to sabotage his career and win him back, plunging headfirst into the bewildering chaos of Hollywood.

If those lead names ring a bell, they absolutely should. Christian Clavier and Marie-Anne Chazel were riding high after the phenomenal success of Les Visiteurs (1993) just the year before. They were founding members of the legendary French comedy troupe Le Splendid and their chemistry here is undeniable, even when playing characters driving each other utterly mad. This film cleverly capitalized on their established dynamic, practically guaranteeing box office gold in France where it was, indeed, a massive hit. Seeing them bounce off each other, trading frantic dialogue and escalating physical comedy, is a huge part of the film's charm.

Now, here’s a piece of trivia that always makes me chuckle: the director. This slice of Gallic zaniness was helmed by Jeannot Szwarc. Yes, the same Jeannot Szwarc who gave us Jaws 2 (1978) and the somewhat infamous Supergirl (1984)! It's quite the leap from Amity Island sharks and Kryptonian cousins to Parisian hairdressers running amok in LA, but Szwarc, who was French-born, clearly knew how to handle both spectacle and comedy. You can almost feel his Hollywood experience trying to wrangle the inherent Frenchness of the farce, sometimes resulting in a slightly uneven but always energetic pace. The contrast between the chic Parisian settings and the sun-drenched, often surreal backdrop of Los Angeles provides plenty of visual gags and fish-out-of-water moments for Corine.

The comedy itself is very much of its time – broad, physical, and occasionally tipping into outright slapstick. Think mistaken identities, frantic chases through hotel corridors, disastrous public appearances, and Corine's increasingly unhinged attempts to interfere with Gérard's show, often involving the glamorous but oblivious American host played with suitable vacuousness by Clémentine Célarié. Some gags might feel a bit dated now, relying on stereotypes or situations that wouldn't quite fly today, but it’s delivered with such relentless energy by Clavier and Chazel that it’s hard not to get swept along. Remember how wonderfully expressive Clavier could be, all bug-eyed panic and sputtering indignation? He’s in fine form here.

Watching it now feels like unearthing a time capsule of early 90s European comedy sensibilities trying to mesh with Hollywood gloss. The fashion is bold, the hairstyles... memorable, and the whole production has that slightly bright, slightly saturated look common to films of the era transitioning away from the grittier 80s aesthetic. It doesn’t rely on subtle wit; this is comedy served loud and fast, designed for maximum immediate impact. It might not be sophisticated, but it’s undeniably fun in that specific way many 90s comedies were – unpretentious and aiming squarely to entertain. It cost a reported 75 million Francs (around €11.5 million then, quite substantial) and you can see the budget in the location shooting and scale, clearly aiming for broad international appeal beyond France.

"Revenge of a Blonde" isn't high art, and it probably won't change your life. But if you have fond memories of discovering slightly off-kilter comedies on VHS, particularly those starring European comedy giants trying something a bit different, this is a genuinely enjoyable trip down memory lane. It's powered by the sheer comedic force of Clavier and Chazel, benefits from its transatlantic premise, and provides a hefty dose of unadulterated 90s farce.

Justification: The film scores points for the undeniable chemistry and comedic timing of its leads, Clavier and Chazel, fresh off Les Visiteurs. The fish-out-of-water premise provides consistent laughs, and its status as a big French hit adds historical interest. Director Jeannot Szwarc's unexpected involvement is a fun trivia point. However, the humour is very broad and occasionally dated, and the plot relies heavily on predictable farce tropes. It's energetic and fun, but lacks lasting depth.

Final Take: A fizzy, frantic Franco-American comedy cocktail that screams "early 90s video rental". It might be a bit silly, but sometimes, that's exactly what you need. Pure, unadulterated comedic chaos from a time before irony took over everything.