“We were very marginal”, Marie-Anne Chazel reacts to the violent criticism upon the release of the film

And The Bronzed is today considered a classic of French cinema, the film was far from having been well received when it was released in cinemas in 1978. Marie-Anne Chazel, the interpreter of Gigi, still remembers it… Discover his statements.

When it comes to French comedies, it’s hard to be more cult than the films of Splendid. As proof, in a recent IFOP survey highlighting the ten favorite comedy films of the French, we find Santa Claus is Trash in 4th place and Tanned people go skiing in 2nd place. Despite everything, these feature films have not always enjoyed such popularity…

“We never had good reviews” Marie-Anne Chazel (The Bronzed)

While she was a guest on the show The Original Soundtrack on France Inter in September 2024, Marie-Anne Chazel was asked about the reception received by the Splendid films at the time. “We never had good reviews” declared the one who lends her features to Gigi in The Bronzed and to Zézette in Santa Claus is Trash.

“For Les Bronzés, it was, ‘Balasko is here, the tone is set, vulgarity among us’” remembers Marie-Anne Chazel.

“We were not at all in the official and recognized movement” Marie-Anne Chazel (The Bronzed)

The Splendid actress continues: « We had a dinner theater. It wasn’t considered real theater at all. We didn’t go through the conservatory. We were doing work. We were very marginal and then we were supported by people like Charlie, all that. We were not at all in the official and recognized movement ».

Despite everything, the first film The Bronzed managed to attract 2.3 million people in theaters at the time. On the other hand, Tanned people go skiing gathered “only” 1.5 million spectatorsjust like Santa Claus is Trash. Figures well below the audiences achieved today by the two feature films during their television rebroadcasts…

Note also that Les Bronzés 3: Friends for lifereleased twenty-seven years later Tanned people go skiingrecorded 10.3 million cinema admissions which makes it one of the biggest successes in French box office history.