My Favorite Films: The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe

Yves Robert, 1972
PG; 90 minutes; French with English subtitles

Desperate to protect his job from a bureaucratic rival, the head of the French secret service (Jean Rochefort) picks outs a stranger, François Perrin (Pierre Richard), from a Paris crowd and singles him out as a master spy who should be tracked very closely. In reality, François is an amiable, if clumsy, classical violinist whose complete obliviousness to the agents watching him only further convinces them that they have a major undercover operative in their sights.

“My Favorite Films” features tales of romance, humor, suspense, satire, and heroism with films since 1945. This series may hold special memories for you—no matter how many times you see them, they continue to draw you in. While many of these films are available through streaming, it’s always more fun to see them in the theater.

Make a day of it at the Modern and include extra time to visit the galleries and our special exhibitions. Enjoy lunch in Café Modern and then settle in for an afternoon screening, or plan for a coffee break afterwards with fellow film enthusiasts.

Screenings are most Wednesdays at 2 pm in the Modern’s auditorium. Tickets are $5 (FREE for Modern members), available at the museum’s admission desk. Click here to purchase tickets online.