Release Year: 2015

Rating: 6.6/10 ( voted)

Critic's Score: /100

Director: Christian Carion

Stars: August Diehl, Olivier Gourmet, Mathilde Seigner

Storyline
In may 1940, the German troops enter France. Frightened by the progress of the enemy, the people of a small village of Pas-de-Calais decide on the recommendations of the prefecture, to give up everything to go on the road, fleeing to the coast. Among them, there is Paul, the village mayor. He led the group, seeks to maintain a minimum of order and republican spirit in this nomadic life. Mado, his wife, plays music trying to find the fragrance of those that took place in his coffee in the village. Suzanne, a young teacher, goes to meet to choose the least congested route. And she especially supports a small German boy, Max, 8 years old, whose father Hans was arrested after the declaration of war. During the Arras attack, residents are released from prison and abandoned in the deserted city. Hans managed to flee the city, accompanied by a Scottish officer, Percy, whose entire unit died under German bullets. These two will travel together. Hans seeking to recover his son who fled the ...

Writers: Andrew Bampfield, Christian Carion, August Diehl, Olivier Gourmet, Mathilde Seigner, August Diehl, Olivier Gourmet, Mathilde Seigner, Alice Isaaz, Matthew Rhys, Joshio Marlon, Thomas Schmauser, Laurent Gerra, Jacques Bonnaffé, François Godart, Florence Masure, Rose Lemaire, Simon Ferrante, Axelle Bossard, Franck Andrieux, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cast:
August Diehl - Hans
Olivier Gourmet - Paul
Mathilde Seigner - Mado
Alice Isaaz - Suzanne
Matthew Rhys - Percy
Joshio Marlon - Max
Thomas Schmauser - Arriflex
Laurent Gerra - Albert
Jacques Bonnaffé - Roger
François Godart - Edmond
Florence Masure - Maman Pauline
Rose Lemaire - Pauline
Simon Ferrante - Epicier
Axelle Bossard - Epicière
Franck Andrieux - Capitaine français

Taglines: France, May 1940. Millions abandon all they have. One father searches for all that matters.

Official Website: Official site for the movie

Country: France, Belgium

Language: French, German, English

Release Date: 3 Jan 2015

Runtime: 114 min

Author:

Rating:

This movie belongs to the batch of the few films talking about the Nazi invasion of France, back in 1940. The other one which I remind the most if Pierre Granier Deferre's LE TRAIN, back in 1973. Here, the story is quite different, but so moving too, even not so dark, desperate, although. It takes place in the north of France and tells the story of a large group of people who run away from their village houses and belongings, in order to escape from the German army forward march. Among those people, there is a little boy, the son of a German- but no Nazi - guy who escaped from his country several years earlier.

You have here a poignant tale, gripping story and unfortunately sometimes cheesy too. But certainly interesting and so realistic, bringing a point of view about things really happened in those harsh times. I particularly appreciated the two German soldiers who were so frightened to fight and who finally died. And also the scene of the German propaganda crew setting up everything to screw the cinema audiences in Germany. These sequences are exquisite. That's the way those events happened, and so rarely shown. And I will finish by speaking of the great Ennio Morricone score. And also don't miss the ending credits showing old black and white pictures of those refugees, authentic anonymous people, for whom this film is a homage.

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