Deux heures moins le quart avant Jésus-Christ

Deux heures moins le quart avant Jésus-Christ (Quarter to Two B.C.) is a 1982 French comedy (in the form of a Sword and Sandal parody) film directed by Jean Yanne, starring Coluche, Michel Serrault and Jean Yanne.

Julius Caesar spends his holiday in a Roman colony of Northern Africa, where he will meet Cleopatra. The shopkeepers of the town are angry against Caesar because of the rising oats price and the future creation of a supermarket in the circus. They appoint Ben-Hur Marcel, a garage owner, as their spokesperson and they start a demonstration.

---

Deux heures moins le quart avant Jésus-Christ provides examples of:

• Ancient Rome: The film is set in a Roman colony of Northern Africa, in the time of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII.
• Arab Oil Sheikh: Arab oat sheikhs are having a meeting in town. They play big money at the casino.
• Camp Gay: Julius Caesar is gay and it is very difficult not to notice it because of the way he speaks and his effeminate gestures.^note  Other gay characters behave similarly.
• Chariot Race: Subverted. The first event of the circus games. Ben-Hur Marcel's competitors withdraw before the start of the race.
• Does This Remind You of Anything?:
  • The rising oats price and the meeting of oat producers is an obvious reference to the rising oil price and OPEC meetings.
  • The Crimson Brigades ("Brigades pourpres") that plot an attack against Caesar is a reference to the Red Brigades, an Italian far-left terrorist organization.
• Fed to the Beast: Subverted. After the demonstration, Ben-Hur Marcel is arrested and he is going to be fed to the lion, but the consul finally decides to use him as a mole.
• Food End: In the end, the main characters take part in a banquet.
• Gladiator Games: Subverted. During the circus games, Ben-Hur Marcel must fight the gladiators and the lion. The gladiators start a strike before the fight. The lion has eaten so much canned meat that he cannot move.
• Got Volunteered: Ben-Hur Marcel suggests that the shopkeepers should have a spokesperson. The other shopkeepers agree with him and Ben-Hur Marcel ends up being appointed as spokesperson.
• Has a Type: Caesar is repeatedly attracted to little fat men.
• Historical Domain Character: Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII, of course.
• Hypercompetent Sidekick: The consul is far more competent than Caesar and he seems to do all the governing work by himself.
• It Will Never Catch On: In the end, a newscaster announces that a child was born in a manger in Bethlehem. Ben-Hur Marcel complains about the TV news only showing unimportant events. He then asks if a child born in a manger could change the face of the world.
• King Incognito: Caesar goes to a gay club incognito. Ben-Hur Marcel meets him and does not realize that he is the powerful Caesar.
• Long-Lost Relative: Cleopatra discovers that Ben-Hur Marcel is actually her long-lost brother, Amineméphèt.
• Mistaken for Prostitute: A centurion finds Cleopatra in an evening dress at the garage of Ben-Hur Marcel. He arrests her because he thinks that she is a prostitute.
• The Mole: The consul asks Ben-Hur Marcel to infiltrate a conspiracy against Caesar. Ben-Hur Marcel ends up in a gay club and does not accomplish his mission.
• Moses in the Bulrushes: The pharaoh abandoned his son Amineméphèt in a cradle on the river. The baby was adopted by a garage owner and named Ben-Hur Marcel.
• Newscaster Cameo: Despite the pure anachronism television is present, with two famous (for The '80s) news anchors making cameos:
• One Dialogue, Two Conversations: Caesar and Ben-Hur Marcel have a long conversation. Caesar thinks they are talking about homosexuality, while Ben-Hur Marcel thinks they are talking about a conspiracy to kill Caesar. The confusion arises from the loud music in the gay club.
• Orphan's Plot Trinket: Ben-Hur Marcel was adopted by a garage owner. He owns a papyrus with a portrait of a pharaoh. The papyrus was found in his cradle.
• Paper-Thin Disguise: Caesar dons a wig and a fake moustache to go to the gay club incognito.
• Parody: The film poster is a parody of the poster of Ben Hur (1959).
• Purely Aesthetic Era: The story is set in the Ancient Rome, but there are televisions, advertisements, garages, gay clubs, canned animal food, phone booths, no parking signs...
• Queer People Are Funny: The homosexuality of Julius Caesar and the stereotyped gay club are used as sources of humour.
• Really Royalty Reveal: Ben-Hur Marcel, a garage owner, is revealed to be the son of a pharaoh and the sister of Cleopatra.
• Right in Front of Me: Ben-Hur Marcel does not recognize Caesar when they meet in the gay club and finally says that he wants to get involved into a conspiracy to murder the Roman dictator. Caesar immediately orders to arrest him.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here!: A crowd of shopkeepers demonstrates with Ben-Hur Marcel against Caesar, but when the Roman soldiers show up, they all get away, and Ben-Hur Marcel is left alone and arrested.
• Unusual Pets for Unusual People: Queen Cleopatra always travels with her monkey and her two falcons. Everybody knows that, except a centurion.
• Where Everybody Knows Your Flame: There is a stereotyped gay club in the catacombs of the town (with loud electronic music, people dressed in leather...).

---