In the series "They were doing fashion tech ahead of their time", commissioner Juve explains how his "secret invention intended to surprise the opponent" works.

By Ludmilla Intravaia

While an exhibition on Louis de Funès has just opened its doors last Wednesday at the Cinémathèque française, Le Boudoir Numérique cannot help but return to one of the most beautiful pre-fashion tech device in comedy films, the inventive gabardine-gadget of Commissioner Juve in Fantômas strikes back, the second film of the trilogy dedicated to the blue vilain, in 1965.

It’s fashion alright, since this rain coat wonderfully follows each line of the French actor’s athletic body, while enhancing his alabaster complexion with a well-contrasted black.

And tech, because in the purest tradition of James Bond’s action movies, its waterproof cotton fabric hides a particularly innovative device in the fight against bad guys: a gadget, "a small secret invention intended to surprise the opponent", explains Fantomas' sworn enemy to his team of policemen.

The garment provided with false arm and hand is dedicated to deceive the opponent, surprised when "suddenly, at belly height, arises by the opening of the gabardine, the real hand that fires the liberating shot”.

"For those who are a little slow-witted, here is a detailed explanation of how the device works" by the incredible Commissioner Juve, in the extract from Fantômas strikes back, below.

* The Louis de Funès exhibition runs from July 15 to August 30, 2020, at the Cinémathèque française, in Paris. Info here.

* The trilogy of the films Fantômas, “Fantômas” (1964), “Fantômas strikes back” (1965) and “Fantômas against Scotland Yard” (1967) by director André Hunebelle, with Jean Marais, Louis de Funès and Mylène Demongeot, is available in blu-ray on Amazon.com :

* Continue reading in this new section "Old school fashion tech" from Le Boudoir Numérique :  Spacer, Sheila B. Devotion’s music video