Le caporal épinglé (1962)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Jean Renoir

Writers:

Guy Lefranc (adaptation)
Jacques Perret (novel)

Release Date:

23 May 1962 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

An upper-class corporal from Paris is captured by the Germans when they invade France in 1940. Assisted...

Plot Keywords:

Corporal | Paris | WWII | Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Le caporal / The Corporal
Claude Brasseur	...	'Papa' / 'Pop'
O.E. Hasse	...	Le voyageur ivre dans le train
Claude Rich	...	Ballochet
Jacques Jouanneau	...	Penche-à-gauche
Sacha Briquet	...	L'évadé grimé en vielle femme
Raymond Jourdan	...	Hippolyte Dupieu
Guy Bedos	...	Le prisonnier qui bégaye
Philippe Castelli	...	Le prisonnier électricien
Gérard Darrieu	...	L'homme qui louche / The cross-eyed man
Lucien Raimbourg	...	L'employé de la gare
François Darbon	...	Un paysan / The last man
Cornelia Froboess	...	Erika Schmidt (as Conny Froboess)
Elisabeth Marcus
Elisabeth Stiepl		(as Elisabeth Stiepel)

Also Known As:

The Elusive Corporal (USA)
The Vanishing Corporal (UK)

Runtime:

90 min | 105 min

Country:

France

Language:

German | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex)

Certification:

Finland:K-8

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Les Films du Cyclope

Use your great illusions

Jean Renoir was always spared by the Nouvelle Vague critics.And however,if you've seen all his great films of the thirties (roughly from "la Chienne" to "La Règle du Jeu" )you may possibly find his latter days works disappointing:"le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe" and his pitiful attempt at a "Dr Jekill and M.Hyde" "Le Testament du Docteur Cordelier" "Le Caporal epinglé " is a different matter for it has its moments and the cast (Rich,Cassel,Claude Brasseur) is so perfect I do not need to add to the praise they have already received.

When I was a child ,I remember what my mother said when she saw the movie when it was theatrically released ;she did not like it very much.Six or seven years later,when I had the opportunity to see it ,I told her I did not understand her and that I had liked it ."Some day you will find out" was the answer.

At the time,I did not know even Renoir's name.Now that I've seen most of his movies,I do not take the same view as I did:I do not think,as it has often been mooted that it's a remake of "la grande illusion" although there are similarities between the two works.But Autant-Lara's "La traversée de Paris" or Henri Verneuil's "La Vache et le Prisonnier" (aka "the cow and I") which were pejoratively labeled "Cinema de Qualité" by the Young Turks were not inferior to "le Caporal Epinglé".Renoir's humor is sometimes vulgar and you'd better take "Stalag 17" instead.In the twenties his "Tire au Flanc" displays the same questionable coarse comedy side.

"La Grande Illusion" is one of the greatest films of the FRench cinema.Although it takes place during WW1,we never feel how atrocious that war was.

"Le Caporal Epinglé" takes place in a prison camp.And except for a few moments (Claude Rich's escape for instance) ,the soldiers seem to live in a holiday camp.

"LE Caporal Epinglé " is an entertaining movie though and the best scenes ,IMHO,are to be found outside the camp: Cassel on the dentist's chair is worth the price of admission.And the scene on the train with the naughty brat ("Be quiet or the gentleman will take you to war") is hilarious.