♦ Synopsis :

Antique dealer enriched in the trade by naive paintings, Félicien Mezeray meets in the painter Dubois, a former légionary of the name of Legrain, come to be made portraiturer, and which relates tattooed to the back authentic Modigliani. At once considering, at once sold with two American collectors, Smith and Larsen. As the ex-soldier is reticent "to sell his skin", Mezeray proposes to him to repair its country house in exchange of this single work of art. But it is unaware of that the house in question is a castle of XVe century in ruins, remains ancestral of the coléreux légionary and misanthropist…

♦ Specification sheet :

• Title : Le Tatoué
• Realization : Denys De La Patellière
• Scenario : According to the novel of Alphonse Boudard "Gégène le tatoué"
• Adaptation and Dialogue : Pascal Jardin
• Production : Films Copernic, Films Corona and Ascot-Cineraid (Rome) - (Franco Italian)
• Leader of production : Maurice Jacquin
• Director of production : Ralph Baum
• Delegated producer : Raymond Danon, Robert Dorfmann
• Production assistants : Marco Pico, Bernard Stora
• Music : Georges Garvarentz (Editions French Music)
• Orchestrator : Jack Hellison, Mario Sua
• Make-up : Jacky Bourban, Yvonne Gasperina, Anatole Paris
• Images : Sacha Vierny
• Operator : Jean-Paul Schwartz, assisted of Pierre Li, Yves Agostini
• Editing : Claude Durand, assisted of Myriam Baum
• Sound : Jean Rieul, assisted of Fernand Janisse
• Perchman : Marcel Corvaisier
• Decorations : Robert Clavel, assisted of Michel De Broin, Marc Desages
• Suits : Jacques Cottin - Louis De Funès is dressed by André Bardot
• Dresses of Charles Glenn
• Furs of brothers Mantopoulos
• Jewels of René Longuet
• Sculptures of A. Féraud
• Dresser : Annie Marolt
• Script-girl : Colette Crochot
• Administrator : Robert Demollière
• Photographer of tray : Marcel Dole
• General manager : Pierre Darcey, assisted of Louis Manella
• Interior designer : Pierre Charron, assisted of Henri Vergne
• Property man : Maurice Terrasse, assisted of Jean Vergne
• Special effect : Gérard Cogan
• Stick of press : Eugène Moineau
• Shooting in the studios of Boulogne and in the Périgord, in the medieval castle of Paluel, near Sarlat
• Film : 35mm ; Eastmancolor, process Franscope
• Country of origin : France, Italy
• Optiphone recording, Westrex
• Edition : Laboratory Franay L.T.C Saint-Cloud
• Credit : Arcady
• Genre : Comedy
• Duration : 90 minutes
• Date exit : September 18th, 1968 (France)

♦ Distribution :

• Jean Gabin : The count Enguerand, Louis, Marie De Montignac alias Legrain (the legionary)
• Louis de Funès : Félicien Mézeray
• Paul Mercey : Maurice Pello
• Jo Warfield : Larsen
• Donald von Kurtz : Smith
• Dominique Davray : Suzanne Mézeray
• Pierre Tornade : The sergeant
• Yves Barsacq : The post-office employee of Montignac
• Ibrahim Seck : The servant of Mézeray
• Henri Virlojeux : Mr Dubois
• Hubert Deschamps : Professor Mortemont
• Patrick Préjean : The detective
• Pierre Maguelon : 2e detective
• Lyne Chardonnet : Valérie Mézeray
• Pierre Guéant : Richard Mézeray
• Jean-Pierre Darras : Lucien, the factor of Montignac
• Michel Barbey : The pilot of helicopter
• Jacques Richard : The looter of castles
• Jacky Blanchot : 2e the looter
• Jack Bérard : 3e the looter
• Michel Tureau : The director of television
• Danielle Durou : Justine Pello
• Pierre Repp : The farmer stammerer (not credited)
• Rudy Lenoir : Waiter (not credited)
• Iska Khan : Professor of judo (not credited)
• Pierre Mirat : Minister
• Renate Birgo : Assistant of the director
• Max Fournel/Max-Jean Fournel : The driver of Mézeray (cut in the editing)
• Micheline Luccioni : Innkeeper (cut in the editing)
• Jean-Pierre Sentier : Boy (cut in the editing)
• Bernard Mongourdin
• Claude Salez : The barman

♦ Around the film :

• Fourth and last meet cinematographic enters Jean Gabin and Louis De Funès afterwards Napoleon (1954), La Traversée de Paris (1956) and Le Gentleman d’Epsom (1962).
• Turning started without scenario truly completed.
• The ancestral residence of the légionary is it castle Paluel, located on the commune of Saint Vincent-La-Paluel. This castle is a private property and the entry in is strictly prohibited.
• A news of Roald Dahl, Peau in the collection Bizarre! Bizarre! (1954), has a similar subject : an old man, Drioli, have on the skin of the back a portrait of woman tattooed one evening of drinking bout by the painter Chaïm Soutine. After the death of the painter, the skin of the old man is coveted by the merchants of art.

♦ Quotations :

• Mézeray / Le peintre / Legrain

- What he has in the back ?
- A tattoo !
- We would say a reproduction of Modigliani !
- What is that I have a head to have a reproduction ?!

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