The Monocle Laughs
(Le Monocle rit jaune)
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Original Theatrical Poster
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| Country
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 France
 Italy
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| Directed by
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Georges Lautner
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| Release Date
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1964
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| Language
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French
Chinese
English
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| Studio
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Les Films Marceau
Laetitia Film
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| Distributor
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Cocinor
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The Monocle Laughs (Le Monocle rit jaune) is a 1964 French B&W adventure comedy directed by Georges Lautner and starring Paul Meurisse. The French secret agent Théobald Dromard alias "The Monocle" (Meurisse) is tasked to investigate attacks on the nuclear research personnel and facilities around the world. The investigation leads Dromard to an ostensibly pacifist cult with the bases in Hong Kong and Macau.
The movie is the third and last in the trilogy about the adventures of "The Monocle", preceeded by The Black Monocle (Le Monocle noir) (1961) and The Eye of the Monocle (L'oeil du monocle) (1962).
The following weapons were used in the film The Monocle Laughs (Le Monocle rit jaune):
WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Pistols
Wz. 35 Vis
Unlike the two previous films, Commandant (Maj.) Théobald Dromard alias "The Monocle" (Paul Meurisse) carries an Wz. 35 Vis pistol.
Dromard fires his pistol in the opening scene.
Dromard holds his pistol during the shootout in the opium den in Hong Kong.
Dromard holds his pistol during the ambush to Macao.
The typical wide grip of the Vis is seen when Dromard for a moment hands the pistol to Frédéric.
Dromard teaches Frédéric his special method of gun handling, resting the barrel on the fingers of his left hand.
Vis and
Luger P08, confiscated from Dromard and his aides.
Dromard pursues Oscar Hui in the final scene.
Dromard blows off the smoke of the barrel.
Luger P08
Luger P08 pistols are widely used by cultists, notably Oscar Hui (Holley Wong) and Li (Cheng-Liang Kwan).
Some person with a Luger is gunned down by Dromard in the opening scene.
Li fires a suppressed Luger.
Cultists fire their pistols during the ambush in Macau.
Dromard and Frédéric gun down the cultists one by one.
Luger and
Vis wz. 35 are confiscated from Dromard and his aides.
Oscar Hui runs with a Luger in hand in the final scene.
Luger LP08 "Artillery"
Dromard's aide Poussin (Robert Dalban) carries a Luger LP08 "Artillery" pistol.
Luger LP08 "Artillery" model - 9x19mm
Poussin holds the Artillery Luger during the shootout in the opium den.
Poussin's Artillery Luger is seen among the guns, confiscated from Dromard and his aides.
Poussin fires his pistol in the final scene.
Ruby style Pistol
When Frédéric de La Pérouse (Olivier Despax) accompanies Dromard to Macau, he is armed with a compact pistol. The gun turns out to be a member of the vast family of Ruby pistols. Victoria Model 1911, a version of Ruby with relatively short grip, matches the screen gun good enough.
Victoria Model 1911 - .32 ACP
Frédéric shows his pistol to Dromard who disparagingly called the pistol a lady's gun.
The pistol has the safety switch over the trigger.
The barrel and the grip are seen.
Unidentified pistols
Pistol 1
During the shootout in the opium den in Hong Kong, a cultist in center holds a pistol that seems to be some kind of M1911.
Pistol 2
One of the cultists in Macau is armed with a pistol that bears resemblance with
Walther PPK but has different rear part of the slide, larger trigger guard and different markings.
He is gunned down and drops the gun. The trigger guard definitly differs from PPK.
The pistol falls. The rear part of the slide also differs from PPK.
Pistol 3
A cultist in Macau holds an unidentified pistol.
Another view of the same gun.
The same cultist is gunned down.
Pistol 4
Cultists with Luger and unidentified pistol.
Pistol 5
Cultists with Luger and unidentified pistol.
Submachine Guns
Thompson M1A1
Poussin (Robert Dalban) carries an M1A1 Thompson, fitted with Cutts compensator, in several scenes in Hong Kong. He also hands the submachine gun to Elie Mayerfitsky (Marcel Dalio). During the shootout in Macau, one of the cultists is armed with a Thompson submachine gun with Cutts compensator, very likely the same prop reused.
M1A1 Thompson with 20-round magazine and Cutts compensator - .45 ACP
A cultist at the left holds a Thompson.
The Thompson is seen on the "battlefield" in Macau.
Poussin carries the Thompson under his overcoat.
He hands the gun to Elie. The M1A1 rear sight is seen.
Elie hides the Thompson among the flowers.
Shotguns
Double Barreled Shotgun
One of the cultists in Macau is armed with a double barreled shotgun. Judging by the way he holds the weapon, it is probably equipped with a pistol grip. Possibly this is an example of .410 guns with removable buttstock, once popular in Britain for rabbit and bird hunting, especially among the poachers.
A cultist at the right holds what appears to be a double barreled shotgun with pistol grip.
Other Weapons
F1 hand grenade
Elie Mayerfitsky (Marcel Dalio) carries an F1 hand grenade, calling it his lucky charm.
F1 High-Explosive Fragmentation hand grenade with Mle1935 fuse.
Elie shows his "lucky charm" to Dromard.
He readies the grenade during the shootout in the opium den. The effect of the grenade blast destroys the whole building.
Trivia
Footage of US Navy aircraft carrier CV-40 Tarawa is used in the film. In reality Tarawa was decommissioned in 1960, and she served with the Atlantic Fleet for the most of her active career, never visited Hong Kong since 1948.
Grumman F-9 Panther fighter planes on the deck.
Douglas A-1 Skyraider attack planes and a Grumman F-9 Panther fighter plane (at the foreground left) on the deck.
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WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!
