While French cinema gave the world the director as auteur, it also had no shortage of filmmakers who were more inclined to create unapologetically crowd-pleasing entertainments than to make personal statements—and with no less ingenuity and energy. Philippe de Broca’s five-decade career began just as the New Wave broke, making documentaries and working as assistant director to his contemporaries Truffaut and Chabrol on their respective debuts. In 1960 he made the leap to writing and directing narrative features—and never looked back. His colorful romps and romantic comedies showcased France’s top stars, who happily returned to make movie after movie with him. This retrospective sampler builds on the Quad’s run of the 4K restoration of King of Hearts, one of de Broca’s personal favorites—a film that was given the cold shoulder by French audiences but went on to be treasured by a generation of American filmgoers.