''Les Hussards'' ( en, Cavalrymen), is a French

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

film from 1955, directed by

Alex Joffé Alex Joffé (18 November 1918 – 18 August 1995) was a French film director and screenwriter, known for ''Les cracks'' (1968), ''Fortunat'' (1960) and ''La grosse caisse'' (1965). He was the father of the director Arthur Joffé, as well as Mar ...

, written by

Gabriel Arout Gabriel Arout (1909–1982) was a Russian Empire-born French writer. He wrote more than 20 plays for the stage, several screenplays for cinema, and translated a number of Russian literary works into French. He was awarded the top prize for drama ...

, starring

Bernard Blier Bernard Blier (11 January 1916 – 29 March 1989) was a French character actor. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where his father, a researcher at the Pasteur Institute, was posted at the time. Life and career His rotund features and ...

, Giovanna Ralli, Bourvil, and with

Georges Wilson Georges Wilson (16 October 1921 – 3 February 2010) was a French film and television actor. He was the father of French actor Lambert Wilson. Biography Wilson was born in Champigny-sur-Marne, Seine (now Val-de-Marne) as the illegitimate s ...

, Virna Lisi,

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 ...

playing supporting roles. The film is known under the titles "Cavalrymen" (international English title), "Les hussards" (Belgium French title), "De husaren" (Belgium Flemish title), "La piccola guerra" (Italy), "Huszárok" (Hungary).

Plot

During the

Italian campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars The Italian campaigns of the French Revolutionary Wars (1792–1802) were a series of conflicts fought principally in Northern Italy between the French Revolutionary Army and a Coalition of Austria, Russia, Piedmont-Sardinia, and a number o ...

Brigadier Le Gouce and

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

Jean-Louis forfeit their horses. Afraid of a severe punishment both lie to Captain Georges. They just make up a story about them having been the target of a selective ambush. Little later their

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

is annihilated by an

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

n attack. Only the two humbuggers are lucky enough to survive.

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

has them celebrated as heroes and thus they get into the books of

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

Cast

: Brigadier Le Gouce * Giovanna Ralli: Cosima * André Bourvil: private ("trumpeter") Jean-Louis *

: Luigi, the sexton * Virna Lisi: Elisa * Clélia Matania: Mrs Luppi *

: Captain Georges *

Marcel Daxely Marcel may refer to: People * Marcel (given name), people with the given name Marcel * Marcel (footballer, born August 1981), Marcel Silva Andrade, Brazilian midfielder * Marcel (footballer, born November 1981), Marcel Augusto Ortolan, Brazilian ...

: Giacomo, the shepherd *

Carlo Campanini Carlo Campanini (5 October 1906 – 20 November 1984), was an Italian actor, singer and comedian. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1939 and 1969. Life and career Born in Turin, Campanini attended a technical school and a course of ...

: Mr Luppi * Giani Esposito: Pietro *

Jean-Marie Amato Jean-Marie is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: * Jean-Marie Abgrall (born 1950), a French psychiatrist, criminologist, specialist in forensic medicine, cult expert, and graduate in criminal law * Jean-Marie C ...

: Carotti, the shoemaker *

Franco Pesce Franco Pesce (11 August 1890 – 6 December 1975) was an Italian actor and cinematographer. Life and career Franco Pesce was born in Naples. He was the son of the actor Ettore. At a young age Pesce studied lyric singing with the intention of ...

: the clergyman *

Alberto Bonnuci Alberto is the Romance version of the Latinized form (''Albertus'') of Germanic ''Albert''. It is used in Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. The diminutive forms are ''Albertito'' in Spain or ''Albertico'' in some parts of Latin America, Albertin ...

: Raphaël *

Jess Hahn Jesse Beryle Hahn (October 29, 1921June 29, 1998) was an American-French character actor who mostly starred in French films. Biography After serving with the Marines in the Second World War, he moved to France in 1949 and took French citizen ...

: a hussar *

Albert Rémy Albert Rémy (9 April 1921 – 26 January 1967) was a French actor best known for his supporting roles in François Truffaut's first two feature films. He played Antoine Doinel's father in ''The 400 Blows'' and Charlie Koller's (Charles Aznavou ...

: a hussar *

Maurice Chevit Maurice Chevit (31 October 1923 – 2 July 2012) was a French actor. Maurice Chevit made his theatrical début just after the Second World War, and made his first screen appearance in 1946 in René Clément's film ''Le Père tranquille''. In ...

: hussar Camille *

Roger Hanin Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ...

: a soldier *

Paul Préboist Paul Préboist (21 February 1927 – 4 March 1997) was a French actor. He appeared in more than hundred films, mostly in supporting roles, and is best known as a comic actor. Filmography Theater References External links *Paul Préboista ...

References

External links

*
Les Hussards (1955)
at the ''Films de France'' 1955 films French comedy films 1950s French-language films French black-and-white films Films scored by Georges Auric Films set in Italy Films set in the 1790s French Revolutionary Wars films 1955 comedy films 1950s French films {{1950s-France-film-stub