A priceless Modigliani masterpiece is hidden in plain sight on a man’s back

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the 1968 comedy Le tatoué, a greedy art dealer discovers a rare Modigliani tattoo on the back of an eccentric soldier. His desperate, absurd attempts to acquire the skin—and the artwork—lead to a chaotic clash of interests involving a crumbling castle and a hidden noble lineage.

The film, directed by Denys de La Patellière and released in 1968, features a high-stakes premise driven by pure avarice. Félicien Mézeray, a wealthy Parisian art dealer, spots the potential fortune on the back of Legrain, an old soldier. Recognizing the value of the ink, Mézeray quickly sells the rights to the piece to two American dealers before he even secures the physical asset. This sets off a frantic, dark comedy of errors as the dealer tries to figure out how to literally remove the skin from Legrain’s back without killing the man.

Legrain, played by Jean Gabin, is far more than a simple legionnaire. He demands that Mézeray restore his ancestral home in exchange for the tattoo. This property is revealed to be the massive, decaying castle of Paluel, located in the remote Périgord region. As the narrative unfolds, it is unveiled that Legrain is actually the last, highly eccentric Count of Montignac. The dynamic between the calculating dealer and the stubborn, aristocratic soldier provides the film's central tension, as their conflicting goals force them into increasingly ridiculous situations.

The plot of Le tatoué is noted for its striking similarity to the short story The Background by Saki. While the film serves as a vehicle for the comedic talents of Jean Gabin and Louis de Funès, it also explores themes of obsession and the commodification of art. The film, also known as The Million dollar tattoo, remains a notable entry in French-Italian cinema, blending the absurdity of the art market with the eccentricities of a fading aristocracy. It stands as a testament to the lengths to which people will go when they believe they have found a unique treasure.

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