Hold-Up *** (1985, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Kim Cattrall, Guy Marchand) – Classic Movie Review 10,786

Director Alexandre Arcady’s 1985 film Hold-Up stars Jean-Paul Belmondo, whose sprightly playing holds up, but not his success at the box-office, for this entertaining French-Canadian heist thriller, based on Jay Cronley’s novel, in which he plays the robbery mastermind.

The clever rogue Grimm (Belmondo) disguises himself as a clown to rob the most secure bank in Montreal, together with his old accomplice (Guy Marchand), and takes 30 hostages. But, although the hold-up is well prepared and the bank is stripped of a fortune, the robbery still does not go smoothly, otherwise there wouldn’t be a movie.

Belmondo is an attractive anti-hero in one of his strongest films of the 1980s, while Guy Marchand and Jean-Pierre Marielle are amusing as his dim partner-in-crime George and the Chief of Police Labrosse, but Kim Cattrall is wasted as the love interest, Lise.

It is remade as Quick Change (1990) with Bill Murray.

Also in the cast are Jean-Pierre Marielle, Jacques Villert, Jean-Claude de Coros, Tex Konig, Guy Provost, Yves Ponton and Yves Jacques.

Hold-Up is directed by Alexandre Arcady, runs 114 minutes, is made by Cerito Films, Cinévidéo, Les Films Ariane, is released by Cinévidéo (1985) (Canada) and AMLF (1985) (France), is written by Alexandre Arcady, Daniel Saint-Hamont and Francis Veber, based on Jay Cronley’s novel, is shot in Eastmancolor by Richard Ciupka, is produced by Alain Belmondo and Jean-Paul Belmondo, and is scored by Serge Franklin.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,786

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