See, I've seen very few awful French films... and I watch A LOT of French cinema. Perhaps I'm seeing the "right" films, but French cinema rarely leaves me feeling violated. American cinema on the other hand...
I'd be curious to know what you considered to be a "terrible" French film.
It’s foolish to say that one country makes THE BEST films, but I do think there is a quality gap when it comes to the European studios and our own.