The Cabbage Soup (1981)

2 buddy farmers are visited by aliens who like their domestic cabbage soup.

Director:

Jean Girault

Writers:

René Fallet (novel), Jean Halain

Stars:

Louis de Funès, Jean Carmet, Jacques Villeret

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Louis de Funès	...	Claude Ratinier (Le Glaude)
Jean Carmet	...	Francis Chérasse (Le Bombé)
Jacques Villeret	...	l'Oxien (La Denrée)
Claude Gensac	...	Amelie Poulangeard
Henri Génès	...	le brigadier chef
Marco Perrin	...	le maire
Christine Dejoux	...	Francine
Gaëlle Legrand	...	Catherine Lemouette
Catherine Ohotnikoff
Philippe Ruggieri	...	Robert
Philippe Brizard	...	Le facteur
Max Montavon	...	Le frère Poulangeard
Thierry Liagre	...	Le médecin
Perrette Souplex	...	Aimée
Carole Nugue

Storyline

Two old french countrymen are living a quiet life in their little old farms. The first one, Claude Ratinier, aka "le Glaude" (Louis de Funès), is a widower, and the second one, Francis Chérasse, aka "Cicisse" (Jean Carmet), is single. They spend their days drinking liters of wine and pastis, reminding themselves the good old times. One evening, they happen to start a farting contest, which seems to provoke a lightning storm... Then they go to sleep, but somebody has been quite interested by their kind of expression, and is preparing to change their life...

---

Plot Keywords:

drinking | widower | pastis | alien | alcoholic drink | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

---

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

2 December 1981 (France)

Also Known As:

The Cabbage Soup

Filming Locations:

Bombon, Seine-et-Marne, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Films A2, Les Films Christian Fechner

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the time when the movie was made, De Funes was reluctant to keep acting as he found he was now too old to do so. He agreed to do this movie because he realized how much he had in common with his character.

---

Goofs

When Le Glaude retrieves the lock of hair from the grandfather clock, the clock-face door swings open. In the next shot we can see the door over his shoulder and it's closed.

---

Alternate Versions

The German version was edited to reduce running time. 8 minutes were cut from the VHS tape, with another 2 minutes removed from the DVD.

---

Connections

References The Troops of St. Tropez (1964)

---

Soundtracks

Valse Brune
Music by Georges Krier
Lyrics by Georges Villard

User Reviews

A rare tale about friendship

Non french people may feel very disoriented by this movie... Its dialogs and background refer to a scaring rural France which disappeared a long time ago. Dialogs sound dumb ? There are... Character look ridiculous ? They are... The story is a nonsense ? sure. So, what makes this movie so interesting and well known in french cinema history ? well, as i said in the title it is a very rare tale about friendship, and also loneliness and fate. The two protagonists are old poor isolated countrymen close to death. They have lost everything (love, youth, illusions, hope) but themselves and their friendship. The world has changed too much... The movie was released as a stupid comedy (it has this reputation anyway). But it is a very sad movie and i often saw people crying during the film.