''Wooden Crosses'' (french: Les Croix de Bois) is a 1932

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

war film War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about naval, air, or land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle scenes means that war fi ...

Raymond Bernard Raymond Bernard (10 October 1891 – 12 December 1977) was a French film director and screenwriter whose career spanned more than 40 years. He is best remembered for several large-scale historical productions, including the silent films '' Le Mi ...

, based upon a novel by

Roland Dorgelès Roland Dorgelès (; 15 June 1885 – 18 March 1973) was a French novelist and a member of the Académie Goncourt. Born in Amiens, Somme, under the name Roland Lecavelé (he adopted the pen name Dorgelès to commemorate visits to the spa town of ...

Plot

Patriotic student Demachy enlists in the French army in 1914 at the start of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. He and his comrades soon experience the terrifying, endless trench war in

Champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...

, where more and more

wooden crosses ''Wooden Crosses'' (french: Les Croix de Bois) is a 1932 Cinema of France, French war film by Raymond Bernard, based upon a novel by Roland Dorgelès. Plot Patriotic student Demachy enlists in the French army in 1914 at the start of World War I ...

have to be erected for this cannon fodder.

Cast (in credits order)

Pierre Blanchar Pierre Blanchar (30 June 1892 – 21 November 1963) was a French actor. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1922 and 1961. Blanchar was married to actress Marthe Vinot, with whom he had a daughter, actress Dominique Blanchar. He playe ...

as Adjudant Gilbert Demachy *

Gabriel Gabrio Gabriel Gabrio (born Édouard Gabriel Lelièvre; 13 January 1887 – 31 October 1946) was a French stage and film actor whose career began in cinema in the silent film era of the 1920s and spanned more than two decades. Gabrio is possibly best re ...

as Sulphart *

Charles Vanel Charles-Marie Vanel (21 August 1892 – 15 April 1989) was a French actor and director. During his 76-year film career, which began in 1912, he appeared in more than 200 films and worked with many prominent directors, including Alfred Hitchcock, ...

as Caporal Breval *

Raymond Aimos Raymond Aimos (4 February 1889 – 22 August 1944) was a French film actor.Capua p.127 Selected filmography * '' Accused, Stand Up!'' (1930) * ''Under the Roofs of Paris'' (1930) * ''Wooden Crosses'' (1932) * ''Aces of the Turf'' (1932) * ''The ...

as Soldat Fouillard *

Antonin Artaud Antoine Marie Joseph Paul Artaud, better known as Antonin Artaud (; 4 September 1896 – 4 March 1948), was a French writer, poet, dramatist, visual artist, essayist, actor and theatre director. He is widely recognized as a major figure of the E ...

as Soldat Vieuble *

Paul Azaïs Paul François Robert Azaïs (6 May 1902 – 17 November 1974) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1929 and 1966. Selected filmography * ''The Three Masks'' (1929) - Le fils Vescotelli * ''Le défenseur'' (1 ...

as Soldat Broucke *

René Bergeron René ('' born again'' or ''reborn'' in French) is a common first name in French-speaking, Spanish-speaking, and German-speaking countries. It derives from the Latin name Renatus. René is the masculine form of the name (Renée being the feminin ...

as Soldat Hamel *

Raymond Cordy Raymond Cordy (9 December 1898 – 23 April 1956) was a French film actor,Youngkin p.466 born Raymond Cordiaux. He appeared in over a hundred and thirty films during his career. Selected filmography * ''Little Lise'' (1930) - Un joueur de billa ...

as Soldat Vairon *

Marcel Delaitre 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 ...

as Sergent Berthier *

Jean Galland Jean Galland (1887–1967) was a French film actor. Selected filmography * ''Fantômas'' (1932) * ''The Oil Sharks'' (1933) * ''The Barber of Seville'' (1933) * '' The Scandal'' (1934) * '' Princesse Tam Tam'' (1935) * ''Whirlpool of Desire'' (19 ...

as Capitaine Cruchet *

Pierre Labry Pierre Labry (1885–1948) was a French stage and film actor.Capua p.122 He was active in the French film industry between 1920 and 1948, appearing in more than a hundred films. Selected filmography * ''La croisade'' (1920) * ''Gigolette'' (1921 ...

as Soldat Bouffioux, Le Cuistot * Geo Laby as Soldat Belin * René Montis as Lieutenant Morache *

Jean-François Martial Jean-François Martial (12 September 1891 – 18 October 1977) was a Belgians, Belgian actor who appeared in mostly French films beginning in the silent film era of the early 1910s until his retirement in the early 1960s. Born Martial Joseph Gh ...

as Soldat Lemoine *

Marc Valbel Marc or MARC may refer to: People * Marc (given name), people with the first name * Marc (surname), people with the family name Acronyms * MARC standards, a data format used for library cataloging, * MARC Train, a regional commuter rail system o ...

as Maroux

References

External links

* * * 1932 films French black-and-white films 1930s war drama films French war drama films Western Front (World War I) films Films directed by Raymond Bernard Films based on French novels 1932 drama films 1930s French films {{war-drama-film-stub