THE MISCELLANEOUS BRIGADE ON ALERT (1971) – comedy movie online

Directed by: Mircea Drăgan
Script: Mircea Drăgan, Nicolae Tic
Cast: Puiu Călinescu, Toma Caragiu, Jean Constantin, Iurie Darie, Ioana Drăgan, Crăiță Enulescu, Sabin Făgărășanu, Ion Finteșteanu, Dumitru Furdui, Elena Ioja, Sidonia Manolache, Réka Nagy, George Oancea, Sebastian Papaiani, Dem Rădulescu
Producers: Dumitru Solomon
Cinematography by: Nicolae Mărgineanu
Edited by: Dragos Witkowski
Sound: Bogdan Cavadia
Music: Ion Cristinoiu
Year: 1971
Category: Feature film
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 95 minutes

419,080 – Cinepub viewers

PLOT SUMMARY

The Miscellaneous Brigade (Captain Panait, Sergeant Capsuna, driver – Sgt. Major Cristoloveanu, and the dog Costel) receives the mission to uncover the origin of counterfeit money. The heroes set up a trap to catch the criminals red-handed, but they manage to escape. Then, following the trail of the three thugs (Gogu, Trandafir, and Patraulea), the Brigade reaches the headquarters of the counterfeiters, where they find out that Panait’s boss, Major Dobrescu, had already arrested the bandits.

The second film in the “The Miscellaneous Brigade” series (on alert) is divided into 2 episodes: “The Woman Without Identity” and “Widows with a Short Term”. In the second episode (Widows with a Short Term), a well-organized criminal group steals everything from the apartments of naive people enchanted by the beauty and skills of women. Even the versatile Gogu Steriade, Alexandru Trandafir, and Ștefan Patraulea fall victim in the midst of the action. Who can save them? The officers from the “The Miscellaneous Brigade,” led by Captain Panait.

CRITICAL OPINIONS

Critic Calin Căliman argues in his work “The History of Romanian Cinema (1897-2000)” (2000) that the B.D. series relied on the micro-performances of versatile comedy actors such as Dem Rădulescu, Jean Constantin, Puiu Calinescu, Toma Caragiu, Sebastian Papaiani, George Mihăiță, or Vasilica Tastaman, presenting the adventures of three endearing gangsters. However, critical reactions were divided on a fairly wide scale.

TRIVIA

• The film initially bore the title “The Miscellaneous Affirms Itself.”
• Several scenes from “The Miscellaneous Brigade on alert” (the scene where Trandafir steps on borrowed vases and breaks them) are featured in the movie “The Train Stops at Buftea” (1979).

This premiere is part of a national archive project supported by the Romanian National Film Centre.
Special thanks goes to the Romanian Filmmakers Union and to the Romanian Film Archive.

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