The Wise Guys

The Wise Guys (original title Les Grandes Gueules, also released on U.S. video as Jailbirds' Vacation) is a 1965 French-Italian drama directed by Robert Enrico and adapted from José Giovanni's novel Le Haut-Fer. The story follows a man determined to bring his family's long-idle sawmill back into operation, an effort that pits him against rival businesses willing to use violence and exposes him to betrayal by the man he trusts most. The film pairs two of French cinema's most popular stars, Bourvil and Lino Ventura, supported by a cast that includes Jess Hahn, Michel Charrel, Michel Constantin and Marie Dubois. Blending adventure and action with a measure of social realism, the picture proved a major popular success in France, drawing around four million admissions and ranking among the year's top ten box-office attractions.