La Grande Vadrouille
Encyclopedia
La Grande Vadrouille is a 1966 Franco-British comedy film about how the crew of a Royal Air Force
B-17 shot down over Paris must then make their way through German-occupied France with the main help of two French citizens with very different mindsets.
For over forty years, until the release of Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis
in 2008, La Grande Vadrouille was the most successful French film in France, topping the box office with over 17,200,000 cinema admissions. It remains the third most successful film ever in France, of any nationality, behind the 1997 version of Titanic
and Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis, both of which were seen by over 20,000,000 cinemagoers.
Avro Lancaster
becomes lost after a mission and is shot down over Paris
by German flak. The crew, Sir Reginald, Peter Cunningham and Alan MacIntosh, parachutes out over the city, where they run into and are hidden by a house painter, Augustin Bouvet, and the grumbling conductor of the Opéra National de Paris, Stanislas Lefort. Involuntarily, Lefort and Bouvet get themselves tangled up in the manhunt against the aviators led by Wehrmacht
Major Achbach as they help the airmen to go back to England with the help of Resistance
fighters and sympathizers.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
B-17 shot down over Paris must then make their way through German-occupied France with the main help of two French citizens with very different mindsets.
For over forty years, until the release of Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis
Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis
Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis is a 2008 French comedy film starring Kad Merad, Dany Boon and Zoé Félix.The film has broken nearly every box office record in France: it debuted as the top film with US$31.67 million at 793 sites. As of 28 February 2010, the film had been seen by 20.5 million people in...
in 2008, La Grande Vadrouille was the most successful French film in France, topping the box office with over 17,200,000 cinema admissions. It remains the third most successful film ever in France, of any nationality, behind the 1997 version of Titanic
Titanic (1997 film)
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater and Billy Zane as Rose's fiancé, Cal...
and Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis, both of which were seen by over 20,000,000 cinemagoers.
Plot
Summer 1941. Over German Nazi occupied France, a Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
becomes lost after a mission and is shot down over Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
by German flak. The crew, Sir Reginald, Peter Cunningham and Alan MacIntosh, parachutes out over the city, where they run into and are hidden by a house painter, Augustin Bouvet, and the grumbling conductor of the Opéra National de Paris, Stanislas Lefort. Involuntarily, Lefort and Bouvet get themselves tangled up in the manhunt against the aviators led by Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
Major Achbach as they help the airmen to go back to England with the help of Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
fighters and sympathizers.
Cast
- André Bourvil as Augustin Bouvet
- Louis de FunèsLouis de FunèsLouis Germain David de Funès de Galarza was a very popular French actor who is one of the giants of French comedy alongside André Bourvil and Fernandel...
as Stanislas Lefort - Terry-ThomasTerry-ThomasThomas Terry Hoar Stevens was a distinctive English comic actor, known as Terry-Thomas. He was famous for his portrayal of disreputable members of the upper classes, especially cads and toffs, with the trademark gap in his front teeth, cigarette holder, smoking jacket, and catch-phrases such as...
as Sir Reginald ("Big Moustache") - Claudio BrookClaudio BrookClaudio Brook was a Mexican actor. Born in Mexico City, Brook had a prolific career, making around 100 film and television appearances in his 38 years. He won two Ariel Awards. He died from stomach cancer in 1995....
as Peter Cunningham - Mike MarshallMike Marshall (actor)-Early life and career:Marshall was born in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a hospital in Hollywood, California on 13 September 1944. When his parents divorced, his father made sure that he receive an American education. He began studying Law, but he dreamed of becoming an actor. He later joined...
as Alan MacIntosh - Marie DuboisMarie DuboisMarie Dubois is a French actress.She made her film debut in 1959, and first gained notice in Shoot the Piano Player...
as Juliette - Pierre BertinPierre Bertin (actor)Pierre Bertin was a French actor. In 1948 he starred in the film The Lame Devil under Sacha Guitry.-External links:...
as Juliette's grandfather - Andrea ParisyAndréa ParisyAndréa Parisy , in civil life Andrée Marcelle Henriette Parisy, is a French actress. She was born in Levallois-Perret on 4 December 1935...
as Sister Marie-Odile - Mary Marquet as The Upper Sister
- Benno SterzenbachBenno SterzenbachBenno Sterzenbach was a German cinema and theatre actor and director.-Biography:...
as Major Aschbach - Paul PréboistPaul PréboistPaul Préboist was a French actor.He made his film debut in Cresus . Appeared in more than hundred films, mostly in supporting roles, and is best known as a comic actor.-Selected filmography:* Il y a des jours.....
as The fisherman