Les Milles (1995)

Director:

Sébastien Grall

Writers:

Sébastien Grall (screenplay)
Sébastien Grall (story)

Release Date:

23 August 1995 (France)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot Keywords:

Shower Scene | WWII | Joke | Circus Freak | Bureaucracy

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jean-Pierre Marielle	...	Cmndnt. Perrochon
Ticky Holgado	...	Capt. Moinard
Rüdiger Vogler	...	Lion Feuchtwanger
Philippe Noiret	...	Le général
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Mary-Jane Cooper
François Perrot	...	Col. Maurice Charvet
François Berléand	...	Lt. Boisset
Jean-Marie Winling	...	Le médecin-chef Garraud
Bonnafet Tarbouriech	...	L'adjudant Bordier
Eric Petitjean	...	Sgt. Stora
Bruno Raffaelli	...	Jean Poinblanc
Hubert Saint-Macary	...	Locomotive mechanic
Jean-Yves Thual	...	Le nain
Henryk Bista	...	Otto von Offenberg
Jan Peszek	...	Alexander Hazenfoeder

Also Known As:

Les milles - Gefangen im Lager (Germany)
Les milles: Le train de la liberté

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

France | Germany | Poland

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Poland

Company:

Blue Films

A True Story Where the Altruism of a Man Makes the Difference

In the beginning of the Second World War, Germans, Austrians and persons without nationality living in France are sent to the concentration camp of Les Milles by France government. Commander Charles Perrochon is the responsible for this camp and he promises to the leaders of the prisoners to protect them from the Nazis. When France is invaded by the Germans, Commander Perronchon will disobey orders and his superiors trying to save these men. He gets a train, a ship and money from USA to send about eight hundred of these prisoners to the safety of Casablanca, in Marrocos. The ironic end of this trial unfortunately is history and can not be changed. This movie is not a bad movie, but could be a great one. The screenwriter and the director should have extended much more in the political situation of France and Europe in 1940. Maybe this history is well-known in France, but I am in Brazil and I have never heard about this fact. I believe that viewers from many countries are in the same situation as me. Further, at least some important prisoners should be presented more carefully and deeply, maybe showing their lives before being arrested, to make the viewer understand their importance or social condition and be sympathetic with them. The way these prisoners are showed makes the viewer have no charisma with them. Such a beautiful true story deserved to be more carefully transported to the screens. The way this film is presented, only the altruism and outstanding personality of Charles Perronchon is showed. But, for example, it is not explained the cold relationship between his wife and him. The role of Phillipe Noiret is also too small for such a great actor. The brunet Kristin Scott Thomas has also a small but important character in the plot. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Expresso Para a Liberdade" ("Express For the Freedom")