The American Beauty
Marcel, a simple-minded factory worker, is tricked into buying a high-priced American convertable car by a widow determined not to let it fall into the hands of her late husband's secretary/secret lover. Once in pocession of the car, Marcel only encounters one bad luck episode after another with the excessive gasoline consumtion, his wife trying to sell it to make ammends meet, getting into traffic jams, accidently riding into a car wash with the top down, and more.
Where to watch The American Beauty in United States
No streaming info for your region.
Click a service to open The American Beauty there. Availability last verified on June 21, 2026.
About The American Beauty
The American Beauty is a 1961 French-language comedy film directed by Robert Dhéry and Pierre Tchernia. The cast is led by Robert Dhéry, Colette Brosset, Louis de Funès. It has a runtime of 1h 44m. Viewers rate it 6.0/10 across 100 ratings.
The American Beauty was produced by Compagnie Commerciale Française Cinématographique (CCFC), Le Film d'art, and Corflor and made in France. It was released on September 29, 1961.
- Director
- Robert Dhéry, Pierre Tchernia
- Writers
- Robert Dhéry, Alfred Adam, Pierre Tchernia
- Release date
- September 29, 1961
- Original language
- French
- Status
- Released
- Country
- France
- Production
- Compagnie Commerciale Française Cinématographique (CCFC), Le Film d'art, Corflor
The American Beauty cast & crew
The American Beauty was directed by Robert Dhéry and Pierre Tchernia and written by Robert Dhéry, Alfred Adam, and Pierre Tchernia.
The cast features Robert Dhéry as Marcel Perrignon, Colette Brosset as Paulette Perrignon, Louis de Funès as Police station secretary / Head of personnel, Michel Serrault as Tramp, Jean Lefebvre as Chougnasse, and Alfred Adam as Alfred.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Gérard Calvi, cinematography is by Ghislain Cloquet, and it was produced by Marcel Maurey and Henri Diamant-Berger.
Is The American Beauty worth watching?
The American Beauty holds an audience score of 6.0/10 from 64 ratings, a solidly received comedy films.
At 1h 44m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy comedy, The American Beauty is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The American Beauty
The American Beauty isn't currently available on major streaming services in United States. We track availability continuously — add it to your watchlist and we'll keep an eye out.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
Rate & review
Your rating and review are saved privately in this browser — no account needed.
Cast of The American Beauty
Robert Dhéry
Marcel Perrignon
Colette Brosset
Paulette Perrignon
Louis de Funès
Police station secretary / Head of personnel
Michel Serrault
Tramp
Jean Lefebvre
Chougnasse
Alfred Adam
Alfred
Robert Burnier
Houche
Pierre Dac
Colonel
Eliane D'Almeida
Simone
Bernard Dhéran
Mr. Jean
Annie Ducaux
Mrs. Lucanzas
Jacques Fabbri
'Le gros' / Fatso
The American Beauty — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The American Beauty in United States?
The American Beauty is not currently available on major streaming services in United States. Availability changes often — check back soon.
▸What language is The American Beauty in?
The American Beauty is originally in French. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The American Beauty?
The American Beauty runs 1 hours 44 minutes (104 minutes).
▸What is The American Beauty rated?
It holds a 6.0/10 audience score from 64 ratings.
More like The American Beauty
