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Up to His Ears
Up to His Ears
	original film poster by Yves Thos
Directed by	Philippe de Broca
Written by	Daniel Boulanger; (scenario and dialogue)
Based on	novel Tribulations of a Chinaman in China by Jules Verne; (inspired by the book)
Produced by	Georges Dancigers; Alexandre Mnouchkine
Starring	Jean-Paul Belmondo; Ursula Andress
Cinematography	Edmond Séchan
Edited by	Françoise Javet
Music by	Georges Delerue
Color process	Eastmancolor
Production; companies	Les Films Ariane; Les Productions Artistes Associés; Vides Cinematografica
Distributed by	Les Artistes Associés
Release date	4 December 1965 (France);
Running time	109 minutes
Countries	France; Italy
Language	French
Box office	2,701,748 admissions (France)

Up to His Ears (French: Les Tribulations d'un Chinois en Chine or in English, "Tribulations of a Chinaman in China") is a 1965 French-Italian international co-production adventure comedy film starring Jean Paul Belmondo and Ursula Andress. It was an indirect sequel to That Man from Rio reuniting many of the same team; directed by Philippe de Broca written by Daniel Boulanger, stunt work by Gil Delamare it was loosely based on the 1879 novel Tribulations of a Chinaman in China by Jules Verne.

Plot

Millionaire Arthur Lempereur is bored with life. He tries to kill himself but fails, then decides to travel to Hong Kong to see if his depression can be cured.

In Hong Kong, Arthur discovers that his money is gone. Mister Goh, his old tutor and a Chinese philosopher, makes him take out a life insurance policy to benefit Alice, Arthur's fiancée, and Mister Goh. Goh promises to kill Arthur for him.

Arthur then meets Alexandrine, an ethnologist and striptease dancer. He decides not to die, and goes to track down Goh before Goh can hire a hitman.

Cast

Jean Paul Belmondo as Arthur Lempereur
Ursula Andress as Alexandrine Pinardel
Jean Rochefort as Leon
Maria Pacôme as Suzy Ponchabert
Valérie Lagrange as Alice Ponchabert
Valéry Inkijinoff as Mr. Goh
Joe Saïd as Charlie Fallinster
Mario David as Roquentin
Paul Préboist as Cornac
Jess Hahn as Cornelius Ponchabert
Darry Cowl as Biscoton

Production

In addition to its footage of China, the film contains several minutes of the Agra area in India, including the Taj Mahal, which appears much whiter than it does today. The film also includes approximately 15 minutes of footage of the central area of Kathmandu, Nepal, the nearby Swayambunath hillside temple and more rural mountain areas of Nepal, with the impressive Himalayas as the backdrop.

Filming started under the title Chinese Adventures in China on January 5, 1965 in Nepal.^[2] Ursula Andress left for Hong Kong in February 1965.^[3] Filming took place in Hong Kong and Paris.^[4]

In January 1966, the title was changed to Up to His Ears.^[5]

Reception

The film was the tenth-most popular of 1965 in France, after The Sucker, Goldfinger, Thunderball, Gendarme in New York, Mary Poppins, Fantomas Unleashed, God's Thunder, The Wise Guys and Viva Maria!.^[6]

References

^ Box office information for film at Box Office Story
^ TRAIL OF TRIAL: Pioneers' Tragic Trek To Be Filmed -- Tanglewood to Tel Aviv -- Sequel By A.H. WEILER. New York Times 29 Nov 1964: X11.
^ Sammly Agrees to Play Iago Role: Lilia Skala, Ex-N.Y. City Center Employe, to Return as Singer Hopper, Hedda. Los Angeles Times 8 Feb 1965: c20.
^ CALL SHEET: Marquand Signed for 'Phoenix' Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 24 Apr 1965: B7.
^ Mailer Novel to Be Filmed Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 18 Jan 1966: c13.
^ "Rechercher : Les Tribulations d un Chinois en Chine". BOX OFFICE STORY (in French). Retrieved 2021-12-27.