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The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob poster

The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob (1973)

“THE WILD... THE HILARIOUS... THE SCREWBALL... THE RIOTOUS”

7.4/10 · 1,082 votes 1h 40m g Comedy

#14 of 30 films from 1973 #396 of 2885 in comedy

Directed by Gérard Oury · Written by Danièle Thompson, Gérard Oury, Josy Eisenberg, Roberto De Leonardis

▶ Trailer, images & where to stream

Overview

In this riot of frantic disguises and mistaken identities, Victor Pivert, a blustering, bigoted French factory owner, finds himself taken hostage by Slimane, an Arab rebel leader. The two dress up as rabbis as they try to elude not only assasins from Slimane's country, but also the police, who think Pivert is a murderer. Pivert ends up posing as Rabbi Jacob, a beloved figure who's returned to France for his first visit after 30 years in the United States. Adding to the confusion are Pivert's dentist-wife, who thinks her husband is leaving her for another woman, their daughter, who's about to get married, and a Parisian neighborhood filled with people eager to celebrate the return of Rabbi Jacob.

Cast

Louis de Funèsas Victor Pivert
Suzy Delairas Germaine Pivert
Marcel Dalioas Rabbi Jacob
Claude Giraudas Mohamed Larbi Slimane / Rabbi Zeiligman
Renzo Montagnanias Farès
Janet Brandtas Tzipé Schmoll
André Falconas Minister
Xavier Gélinas Alexandre
Henri Guybetas Salomon
Popeckas Moishe Schmoll
Miou-Miouas Antoinette Pivert
Denise Provenceas Esther
Jacques Françoisas General
Claude Piépluas Divisional Commissioner Andreani

Facts

Release dateOctober 17, 1973
Runtime100 min (1h 40m) — shorter as the 1973 average of 110 min
GenresComedy
Original titleLes Aventures de Rabbi Jacob
LanguageFR
Budget$4,500,000
Box office$57,000,000 (12.7× budget)
IMDbtt0069747

More from Gérard Oury

Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At!Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At!1966 · ★ 7.9 · 2h 12m Delusions of GrandeurDelusions of Grandeur1971 · ★ 7.4 · 1h 48m The SuckerThe Sucker1965 · ★ 7.4 · 1h 51m

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Questions

How long is The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob?
The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob runs 100 minutes (1h 40m).
Is The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob worth watching?
TMDB users give it 7.4/10 across 1,082 votes, which places it #14 of 30 films released in 1973 in this index (top 57%) and #396 among 2885 comedy titles.
Who directed The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob?
The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob was directed by Gérard Oury. Other well-rated titles by the same director: Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At! (1966), Delusions of Grandeur (1971), The Sucker (1965).
Who stars in The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob?
Louis de Funès as Victor Pivert; Suzy Delair as Germaine Pivert; Marcel Dalio as Rabbi Jacob; Claude Giraud as Mohamed Larbi Slimane / Rabbi Zeiligman; Renzo Montagnani as Farès; Janet Brandt as Tzipé Schmoll.
What is The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob rated?
It carries a g certification in its home market. Ratings differ by country.
Where can I watch the trailer for The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob?
Open the title in the MTDb app for trailers, images and streaming links: https://mv.peoplentools.com/titles/68462.

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Film data and images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Ratings are TMDB user scores as of 2026-10-05.