There’s no question that the French have been responsible for some of the greatest films of the 20th century. French films have explored some of the great questions of human existence, plumbing the depths of the psyche and often exposing the absurdity of everyday life and our most treasured collective myths. At the same time, many French films have also been remade for American audiences.
While something is almost inevitably lost in the transition from one culture to another, these English remakes of French films still manage to maintain something of the original while adding their own distinct gloss.
True Lies (1994): 70%
Strangely enough, the 1994 Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis film was based on a 1991 French film, La Totale! Directed by James Cameron, it was the first film to have a budget over $100 million.
It was a huge success at the box office, bringing in almost $400 million. It was rated well by 70% of critics, even though many said it wasn’t as good as previous Cameron or Schwarzenegger movies. It was attacked on other fronts as being misogynistic because of its treatment of some of the female characters, including the lead.
Three Men and a Baby (1987): 75%
Directed by Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek fame, Three Men and a Baby was based on the 1985 comedy film Three Men and a Cradle (Trois hommes et un couffin), and followed the travails of three bachelors as they dealt with an infant that was dropped at their door. It starred three big names in 1980s film— Ted Danson, Tom Selleck, and Steve Guttenberg.
It was widely appreciated by critics, with a fresh rating of 75%- largely because of the performance of its stars. With a box office haul of almost $250 million, it was also the first film from Walt Disney to gross over $100 million domestically.
Sorcerer (1977): 79%
A 1977 adventure film, Sorcerer was based on the earlier French novel Salaire de la peur and its first adaptation, the film Wages of Fear. Featuring four outcasts trying to transport unstable dynamite from a remote village in South America, production problems plagued the film and forced it over budget.
It flopped at the box office, earning back less than half of what it cost. Initially, it wasn’t popular with critics, who widely panned it. Since its release, more critics have come see the movie in a favorable light— it currently holds a 79% positive aggregate rating.
The Birdcage (1996): 79%
Starring Robin Williams as the gay owner of a drag nightclub in Miami and Nathan Lane as his effeminate romantic partner and headliner of the club’s show, this farce was a remake of the 1978 French La Cage aux Folles. A supporting performance by Hank Azaria as their Guatemalan houseboy Agador provides some hilarious comic moments, as do Nathan Lane’s near constant over the top meltdowns.
The film was a hit with huge box office earnings for the time. It also performed federally well with critics, with a 79% rating overall at Rotten Tomatoes.
Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986): 81%
A remake of the French play Boudu sauvé des eaux and its Jean Renoir headed 1932 film adaptation, this comedy film features Richard Dreyfuss and Bette Midler as a dysfunctional and rich couple who find a homeless man (portrayed by Nick Nolte) in their backyard and help him get back on his feet.
It was appreciated by critics, with an 81% critical rating overall. It was also a success at the box office, earning far more than its budget and hitting number one two weeks in a row. The success even help it spawn a short lived television spin off.
Quick Change (1990): 82%
This 1990 film is the only directing credit star Bill Murray holds, since he co-directed it with Howard Franklin. Based on the 1985 French crime comedy Hold-Up, Murray portrays a bank robbing clown attempting to make it out of the country with his accomplices. It plays out as a farce, as the characters meet problem after problem during their attempt to get away.
It bombed in theaters, falling short of earning back its budget. Although it wasn’t well received by the public, it fared much better with critics— holds am 82% positive overall on Rotten Tomatoes; some critics consider it Bill Murray’s best role.
The 13th Letter (1951): 86%
Originally made in France in 1943 as Le Corbeau, The Crow, the French production was suppressed after World War II and caused problems for its director. It was remade for American audiences in 1951 before the restrictions on the original had been lifted by the French government. The new version followed the plot of the original fairly closely, with residents of a small town receiving a series of anonymous letter accusing them of various transgressions they’d rather keep secret.
The movie sits well with modern critics, with a, 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
12 Monkeys (1995): 90%
This 1995 science fiction movie was based on La Jetée (The Jetty), a black and white 1962 French short film made from a series of still photos and directed by Chris Marker. Starring Brad Pitt, Madeline Stowe, and Bruce Willis, it shows a dystopian future after a plague and time travel attempts to stop it from happening.
It did well with audiences at the box office, sitting at #1 for two weeks. Critics also received it positively, with a 90% overall positive rating. It went on to spawn a four season TV series on SyFy that ran from 2015 to 2018.
Some Like it Hot (1959): 95%
Directed by Billy Wilder and starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Marylin Monroe, it’s a remake of the 1935 French comedy Fanfare of Love. It was made without being approved under the Hays Code, because of the cross-dressing by Lemmon and Curtis and homosexual overtones.
Considered one of the best films ever made, it was an obvious hit with critics, and holds a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was also a hit with audiences— it was one of the highest grossing films during its premiere week, even though it only opened in a few cities.
Scarlet Street (1945): 100%
A French play and later 1931 film by Jean Renoir provided the basis for this 1945 Fritz Lang tragedy. It was his second movie with leads Edward G. Robinson and Joan Bennett, following 1944’s The Woman in the Window.
Critics at its release gave it mixed reviews, although this was likely tainted by the banning of the movie in three cities by the authorities because of the darkness of some of its themes and plot. Modern critics view it more favorably, and it holds a 100% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.