Cherchez l'idole

Cherchez l'idole is a 1964 French-Italian comedy musical directed by Michel Boisrond. A man steals a precious jewel and, rushing to get rid of it, conceals it inside a guitar. When regret sets in, he resolves to give the jewel back, only to realize he can no longer trace who holds the instrument. Hunting it down drags him through the milieu of performers and singers, spawning a chain of farcical episodes before everything is happily resolved.

Mylène Demongeot, Franck Fernandel and Dany Saval head the cast, while celebrated musicians of the day, including Charles Aznavour, Sylvie Vartan, Johnny Hallyday and Eddy Mitchell, also appear. Vartan's "La Plus Belle pour aller danser", written for the picture, sold in the millions. The film proved remarkably popular in Japan, where it is credited with touching off the idol craze and leaving a strong imprint on the country's record business and wider culture.