busker

Strangled Franglais

Merriment at my local video store at my frustration over never being in time to nab a copy of Rowan Atkinson's Johnny English spoof of Bond-age movies.

For 2 days straight the shelves have been stripped. They think it v funny that a Brit can't get hold of his own countryman's work.

Eventually one comes in that I whisk home. Funny enough in places but the whole thing ruined by John Malkovich's inexpert French accent, which seems to consist of running every second word through the garlic R. The only tolerable way to view the caper is to fast forward whenever JM is on screen. I notice that nothing of the plot is missed.

Not only does he mis-mispronounce the English words they *would* stumble over, he also gets wrong those words that the Frenchies actually get right.

Definitely the worst accent I've heard. I must compile a list: Branagh's hardboiled yankee gumshoe; Bob Hoskins' southern preacher (in fact, Hoskins tends to botch anything that isnt south London); and dear old (Sir) Michael Caine's unsteady accent in that homespun western with Robert Duvall and that dewy-eyed 'Sixth Sense' lad who seems rapidly to be outstaying his welcome.