O.K. ... Laliberté

My review was written in August 1981 after a MoMA screening: A 1973 Canadian film appearing at a Museum of Modern Art retrospective, "O. K. ...Laliberte" takes its title from a tag line aimed at the working class hero Paul Laliberte (Jacques Godin), who starts the film being arrested for hitting his wife who then throws him out. What ensues is a series of romantic comedy adventures with a feisty redhead Madelaine (Luce Guilbeault) and his slightly-shady buddy Pierre (Jean LaPointe), making for an overlong, only occasionally diverting slice-of-life film.

After a slow start, pic gets into a good groove thanks to Guilbeault's peppy thesping, matched against the dour unlikely leading man etched by Godin. His wife gets him a job as an exterminator (specializing in killing skunks) and contrived script has g.f. Guilbeault conveniently winning $450 worth of tomato juice in a contest just in time to give him a bath in the stuff to kill the smell of an angry skunk.

With both of them spending money beyond their means, crisis is caused by Laliberte losing his job. Duo decide to turn to crime, conveniently robbing the exterminator's office (wearing masks) where his wife works as receptionist. They have a happy ending.

Documentary film helmer Marcel Carriere handles his material realistically, but this proves at odds with the twists and turns of a far-fetched script. Acting is good, marked by the exuberant Luce Guilbeault, but technically the picture's bright colored visuals and Muzak score are undistinguished,