
The Devil by the Tail
1969

Representation Score
Limited
1977
Director
Guy Lux
Runtime
92 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetNew Showbiz Analysis
Drôles de zèbres is a traditional heist-adjacent comedy that relies on established clichés of economic hardship and criminal opportunism. The plot revolves around two men driven by gambling debts, a common theme in mid-century European cinema. The film does not intentionally address diverse representation. It functions as a period comedy that adheres to the conventional social hierarchies and homogeneous environments typical of 1970s French commercial productions. Ultimately, the work prioritizes variety-style comedic entertainment over narrative subversion or the deconstruction of systemic power structures.
Category Breakdown
The film focuses on a male-driven plot involving two unemployed men and a criminal mastermind. There are no indications of non-straight relationships or narratives that challenge conventional social norms.
The narrative heavily emphasizes male protagonists and archetypes. Female characters are not prominently featured, and the central themes of debt and crime are portrayed through traditionally masculine perspectives.
The story operates within a typical European comedic setting. There is no evidence of a diverse or non-Anglo-Saxon majority cast in the provided context.
Themes of economic instability and capitalism serve as comedic elements rather than critical explorations. The morality focuses on individual desperation rather than a nuanced look at cultural or institutional values.
The film does not include any characters with visible or invisible disabilities.
Present on Screen
Limited or Absent
Official Synopsis
Two unemployed men, heavily in debt due to losses at the racetrack, are hired by a criminal mastermind to harass the guests of a hotel he hopes to purchase at a below-market price in order to access a tunnel below the building that leads directly to a nearby bank.

1969

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