( Louis de Funès ), a world-famous, high-strung conductor at the Paris Opera, finds a paratrooper hidden in his dressing room. His only concern is his rehearsal of Berlioz's "The Damnation of Faust" , but he is soon forced into a frantic escape mission. Augustin Bouvet
In contrast, plays Augustin with a slow, lovable naivety. He is the calm to de Funès’ storm. His character often stumbles into success by accident, creating a perfect foil for the conductor's frantic scheming. La Grande Vadrouille -1966--Louis de Funes-1080...
Set in 1942 during the German occupation of France, the story begins when three Royal Air Force pilots are shot down over Paris. They parachute to safety, but they are now stranded in enemy territory. They are aided by two very different French civilians: ( Louis de Funès ), a world-famous, high-strung
The "odd couple" trope is perfected here. In La Grande Vadrouille , they are forced together when three British paratroopers are shot down over occupied Paris. The conductor and the painter must overcome their class differences and mutual annoyance to smuggle the airmen into the "Free Zone" of Vichy France. He is the calm to de Funès’ storm
In France, this film is a cultural institution. It held the record for the highest-grossing French film in France for over 40 years (only recently surpassed by The Intouchables and Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis ). Lines from this movie are quoted by generations of French speakers.
La Grande Vadrouille is a lie—a beautiful, necessary lie. The real French Resistance was brutal, bloody, and ambiguous. This film presents the Occupation as an inconvenience, a farce where clumsy Germans are outwitted by a conductor and a house painter.
| Actor | Role | Notable Traits | |-------|------|----------------| | | Sgt. André (the pianist) | Over‑the‑top bravado, rapid‑fire wordplay | | Bourvil | Augustin (the radio repairman) | Gentle, bumbling, heart‑warming | | Terry‑Thomas | Lt. Peter (British airman) | Dry British humor, iconic moustache | | John Le Mesurier | Capt. James (American airman) | Stoic, deadpan | | Claude Gensac | Madame Dupont | Supporting comic foil |