One day, the French side of his family, the Schmolls, invite him to celebrate the bar mitzvah of young David, and he boards a plane for his native France after more than 30 years of American life.

In Normandy (northern France), the rich businessman Victor Pivert (Louis de Funès) is also on his way to a wedding; his daughter (Miou-Miou) will be married the next day.

Arab revolutionist leader Mohamed Larbi Slimane (Claude Giraud) is kidnapped by killers who are working for his country's government.

The team, led by Colonel Farès, takes him by night to an empty bubble gum factory... the same place where Victor Pivert goes to find assistance.

[8] The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob received universal acclaim from critics and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film.

[10] Roger Moore of Movie Nation stated: "Pre-Blazing Saddles and Airplane!, Rabbi Jacob could claim to having more gags-per-minute than any film anybody had ever seen".

[11] Judith Crist of New York Magazine was equally enthusiastic upon its release, saying that "Rabbi Jacob is the best of the Chaplin-Marx Bros. spirit, sustained by a touch of satire here and a wink there".