“That Man from Rio” / 「リオの男」, Original Japanese Movie Poster 1964, Rare STB Tatekan Size (51 × 146 cm)

This is an original Japanese STB tatekan theatrical poster printed for the Japanese release of That Man from Rio / 「リオの男」, Philippe de Broca’s exhilarating 1964 French-Italian adventure comedy starring Jean-Paul Belmondo.

One of the great international action entertainments of the 1960s, That Man from Rio is celebrated for its breathless pacing, inventive stunt work, comic energy, and vivid location photography. It remains a landmark of European popular cinema and is widely cited as a major influence on the later adventure style of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Film background

The film follows Adrien Dufourquet, a young French Air Force serviceman enjoying a brief period of leave. His holiday is abruptly derailed when his girlfriend, Agnès, is kidnapped by criminals connected to the theft of a rare Amazonian statuette from a Paris museum.

Determined to rescue her, Adrien follows the kidnappers across the Atlantic and into Brazil, launching into a frantic, globe-spanning adventure that takes him through Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, and the Amazon.

Directed by Philippe de Broca, the screenplay was written by Jean-Paul Rappeneau, Ariane Mnouchkine, Daniel Boulanger, and Philippe de Broca.

The film stars Jean-Paul Belmondo, Françoise Dorléac, Jean Servais, and Adolfo Celi.

Upon release, the film was a major international success and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay. It is now regarded as one of the defining European action-adventure films of its era.

Poster design

This dramatic Japanese STB tatekan design is a superb example of high-impact 1960s theatrical poster art.

The composition is built vertically and packed with action, emphasising the film’s extraordinary movement, comic peril, and globe-trotting scale.

The poster is dominated by a towering central image of Jean-Paul Belmondo scaling the exterior of a tall building high above the city streets, his body stretched vertically through the composition and instantly conveying danger, urgency, and athletic agility.

Above him, the upper section contains a montage of explosive action elements: a fiery blast, a yellow aircraft, a fight scene, and perilous acrobatic movement across wires and architectural surfaces.

The original French title:

“L’HOMME DE RIO”

appears prominently near the top in clean black lettering.

Running powerfully down the centre is the Japanese title:

「リオの男」

rendered in huge, highly stylised black and red vertical characters, giving the design immense graphic force.

The vertical pink text along the right margin reads:

「絶対の面白さ！最高のスリル！空前のスケール！快調の南米ロケが生んだ超娯楽大作！」

“Absolute fun! Maximum thrills! Unprecedented scale! A super-entertainment masterpiece born from dynamic South American location shooting!”

Along the lower portion, additional action scenes show Belmondo running with a gun, a figure swimming in the water, a shadowy pursuer, and a romantic embrace, further reinforcing the film’s mix of comedy, suspense, romance, and adventure.

The TOWA distributor mark appears at the upper right, while cast and production credits are printed vertically along the right edge.

The overall design is energetic, stylish, and unmistakably cinematic—an excellent visual match for one of the most entertaining European adventure films of the decade.

Release and format note

This poster was printed for the film’s original Japanese theatrical release in 1964 and distributed in Japan by TOWA.

It is an original STB / tatekan two-sheet poster, measuring approximately:

51.5 × 145.6 cm / 20 × 57 inches

STB posters were produced by aligning two standard sheets vertically to create a tall, striking display format for Japanese cinemas. Because they were intended for temporary theatrical use and were much more vulnerable to damage and disposal, surviving examples are substantially rarer than standard B2 posters.

It is an original period Japanese cinema poster, not a later reproduction or commercial reprint.

Condition

Excellent condition. A highly attractive example, with strong colour, sharp imagery, clear typography, and exceptional overall display impact.

There are light signs of age and handling consistent with an original Japanese theatrical STB poster from this period, but overall it presents extremely well.

Reference: G260.

Please review the photographs carefully, as they show the exact poster for sale.

This is an original 1964 Japanese STB theatrical poster.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is now over 60 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.