''They Were Five'' (French: ''Ils étaient cinq'') is a 1952 French

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by Jack Pinoteau and starring

Marcel André Marcel André (2 January 1885–13 October 1974) was a French film actor.Goble p.87 Selected filmography * ''Si l'empereur savait ça'' (1930) - Albert (Master of the Horse) * ''Soyons gais'' (1930) - Townley * ''Le père célibataire'' (1931) * ...

Jean Carmet Jean Carmet (25 April 1920 – 20 April 1994) was a French actor. Life and career Jean Carmet began working on stage and then in film in the early 1940s becoming a very popular comedic actor in his native country. He is best known internatio ...

and Jean Gaven.Marie p.23 It was shot at the Boulogne Studios in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

. The film's sets were designed by the art director Jacques Colombier.

Synopsis

Following the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, five inseparable comrades return home and swear eternal friendship. However this proves to be harder than they expect in peacetime. It ends tragically for several of the characters, one of whom is killed in the War in Indochina.

Cast

as the commissioner *

as Jean, the postal worker * Jean Gaven as Marcel, the boxer *

Michel Jourdan Michel Yves René Leray (2 June 1926 – 4 August 1985), better known by the stage name of Michel Jourdan, was French film actor. Jourdan died in Paris on 4 August 1985, at the age of 59. Selected filmography * '' The Passenger'' (1949) * '' Mam ...

as Roger Courtois, the actor * François Martin as André Lamberay, the student *

Jean-Claude Pascal Jean-Claude Villeminot (24 October 1927 – 5 May 1992), better known as Jean-Claude Pascal (), was a French comedian, actor, singer and writer. Early life He was born in Paris into a family of wealthy textile manufacturers. His mother, ...

as Philippe, heir of a rich family *

Jean Marchat Jean Marchat (1902–1966) was a French film actor who appeared in around fifty films during his career. He made his film debut in 1931 and appeared in Maurice Tourneur's '' Departure'' the same year.Waldman p.144 Selected filmography * '' Depar ...

as Frédo, the director of the cabaret "La joie de vivre" * Arlette Merry as Valérie, Roger's sister * André Versini as Serge, Valérie's agent * Nicole Besnard as Simone, Jean's friend * Robert Dalban as Dufau, the manager * Irène Hilda as Fabienne Dorée *

Louis de Funès Louis Germain David de Funès de Galarza (; 31 July 1914 – 27 January 1983) was a French actor and comedian. He is France's favourite actor, according to a series of polls conducted since the late 1960s, having played over 150 roles in fil ...

as Albert, the manager

References

Bibliography

*Marie, Michel. ''The French New Wave: An Artistic School''. John Wiley & Sons, 2008.

External links

*
Ils étaient cinq (1952)
at the ''Films de France'' 1952 films French drama films 1950s French-language films French black-and-white films 1952 drama films Films shot at Boulogne Studios Films directed by Jacques Pinoteau 1950s French films {{1950s-France-film-stub