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Cast
Jean-Pierre Cassel
as Caporal
Claude Brasseur
as Papa
Claude Rich
as Ballochet
Jacques Jouanneau
as Émile, aka 'Penche-à-gauche', waiter
Mario David
as 'Caruso', amateur athlete, insurance agent
Jean Carmet
as Guillaume aka 'Le Fermier'
Philippe Castelli
as 'L'électricien'
Guy Bedos
as The stuttering prisoner
O.E. Hasse
as Drunk traveler on the train
Cornelia Froboess
as Erika Schmidt
Movie Info & Details
Release Year1962
Runtime1h 45m
LanguageGerman
CertificationNR
GenresComedy, Drama, War
Votes36
DirectorJean Renoir
WritersJean Renoir, Guy Lefranc
TypeFeature Film
Rating6.4 out of 10
Cast10 credited
Also Known AsThe Elusive Corporal
About The Elusive Corporal
An upper-class corporal is captured by the Germans during their 1940 invasion of France. Assisted and accompanied by characters as diverse as a morose dairy farmer, a waiter, a myopic intellectual, a working-class Parisian, and a German dental assistant, the corporal tries to escape from prison camps, sometimes making it a few yards, sometimes reaching the border.
Directed by Jean Renoir, The Elusive Corporal leans on a strong ensemble — Jean-Pierre Cassel, Claude Brasseur, Claude Rich — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1962.
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