Fantômas (1964 film)

Jean Marais / Louis de Funès / Mylène Demongeot
Occupation	Actors

Fantômas (), a 1964 French comedy film, features Jean Marais portraying the notorious villain Fantômas alongside Louis de Funès as the well-meaning yet outmatched Commissaire Paul Juve. Juve collaborates with journalist Fandor, also played by Marais, in an attempt to apprehend Fantômas, though their efforts prove unsuccessful. Created as France's response to the James Bond craze, the movie initiated a popular trilogy and achieved considerable commercial success throughout Europe, the Soviet Union, and Japan. It also attracted viewers in the United States, where it continues to enjoy a loyal following. Mylène Demongeot appears as Hélène Gurn, the partner of Jérôme Fandor, who is Fantômas' primary adversary. The film adopts a more humorous approach compared to the original books, with de Funès delivering a comedic interpretation of Commissaire Juve that contrasts with the character’s literary depiction.

Plot

Fantômas excels in disguise, employing elaborate makeup and prosthetic masks to impersonate various individuals and sow confusion. In this initial installment, he retaliates against journalist Fandor for a fabricated interview by kidnapping him and threatening his life. Fantômas proceeds to commit offenses while disguised first as Fandor and then as Commissaire Juve, thereby complicating their pursuit. Despite the combined efforts of Juve, Fandor, and Hélène, Fantômas consistently evades capture, demonstrating his remarkable ability to avoid detection.

Cast

Actor	Character
Jean Marais	Fantômas / Fandor
Louis de Funès	Commissaire Juve
Mylène Demongeot	Hélène Gurn
Jacques Dynam	Michel Bertrand
Marie-Hélène Arnaud	Lady Beltham

Release

The movie debuted in France on 4 November 1964 and was later released in the United States on 5 April 1966.

The Fantômas trilogy

Title	Release date
Fantômas	4 November 1964
Fantômas se déchaîne	8 December 1965
Fantômas contre Scotland Yard	16 March 1967

Reception

At the French box office in 1964, this film ranked as the fifth most attended feature, drawing a total of 4,492,419 admissions.