1970, Film: Le Mur de l'Atlantique

The French-Italian war comedy "Le Mur de l'Atlantique" premiered on 14 October 1970. It was directed and written by Marcel Camus, with dialogue by Marcel Jullian. The screenplay is based on the memoirs of Colonel Rémy, a well-known French Resistance fighter and secret agent in occupied France during the Second World War. The music was composed by Claude Bolling.

The leading roles were played by Bourvil as Léon Duchemin, Peter McEnery as Jeff, Jean Poiret as Armand, Sophie Desmarets as Maria Duchemin, Reinhardt Kolldehoff as Lt. Heinrich Jakobus Steinbichler, also known as Totor, and Sara Franchetti as Juliette Duchemin.

"Le Mur de l'Atlantique" poster

Synopsis
Early 1944. Léon Duchemin (Bourvil) is a respectable restaurant owner who runs a small establishment in a Normandy village together with his sister Maria (Sophie Desmarets). Among his customers are members of the German occupying forces, French resistance fighters, and black marketeers. His peaceful life is disrupted at the studio of the painter Charlus (Yvon Lec), whom he had asked to repaint the restaurant's façade. While visiting the studio, Léon is mistaken by the Germans for the painter, as he happens to be holding samples and rolls of material. They take him to their local headquarters, where he is ordered to carry out renovation work. By accident, a top-secret document ends up hidden among Léon’s sample rolls. Meanwhile, Jeff (Peter McEnery), a British Royal Air Force pilot who has been shot down, crashes through the roof of Léon’s house. He is hidden and cared for by Léon’s daughter, Juliette (Sara Franchetti)…

Bourvil as Léon Duchemin

Bourvil as Léon Duchemin and Reinhardt Kolldehoff as Lt. Heinrich Jakobus Steinbichler

Sophie Desmarets as Maria Duchemin and Bourvil as Léon Duchemin

Main cast

• Bourvil as Léon Duchemin
• Peter McEnery as Jeff
• Sophie Desmarets as Maria Duchemin
• Jean Poiret as Armand
• Reinhardt Kolldehoff as Lt. Heinrich Jakobus Steinbichler aka Totor
• Sara Franchetti as Juliette Duchemin
• Pino Caruso as Lt. Friedrich
• Terry-Thomas as Comm. Perry
• Jean-Pierre Zola as Colonel Muller
• Georges Staquet as Hippolyte
• Jacques Préboist as Ernest
• Johannes Eppler as Erwin Rommel
• Annabel Leventon as Sybil
• Jackie Sardou as Angèle Charlus
• William Mervyn as Jeff's Father
• Jess Hahn as British Colonel
• Patrick Préjean as British Officer
• Michel Robin as The Shoemaker
• Jacques Balutin as Gendarme

Sara Franchetti as Juliette Duchemin and Peter McEnery as Jeff

Peter McEnery as Jeff and Jean Poiret as Armand

Terry-Thomas as Comm. Perry

Trivia

• It was Bourvil's final film; he passed away at the age of 53, three weeks before its release on 23 September 1970.
• The film was the second most popular in France in 1970, after "Le Gendarme en balade", starring Louis de Funès and Michel Galabru.
• Johannes Eppler, who played Field Marshal Rommel, had actually served under the real Erwin Rommel as his aide-de-camp during the Second World War.

Trailer

1960, Film: School for Scoundrels

The British film comedy "School for Scoundrels" premiered on 24 March 1960. The film was directed by Robert Hamer and written by Patricia Moyes and Hal E. Chester based on the the "Gamesmanship" series of books by Stephen Potter. The main cast includes Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey, Terry-Thomas as Raymond Delauney, Janette Scott as April Smith and Alastair Sim as Mr. S. Potter. The film score was composed by John Addison.

Janette Scott as April Smith and Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey

Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey and Alastair Sim as Mr. S. Potter

Edward Chapman as Gloatbridge

Synopsis
Henry Palfrey, head of a London family firm, travels to Yeovil to enroll at the College of Lifemanship, where principal Mr. S. Potter teaches the art of always staying "one up" on others. Sensing romance at the root of Palfrey’s troubles, Potter asks for his story.

Palfrey admits to feeling like a failure. At work, his senior clerk Gloatbridge commands more authority and makes all the key decisions. Things seemed to improve when he met the charming April Smith and fell in love.

But his hopes were dashed when Raymond Delauney, a suave acquaintance, interrupted their dinner date and quickly charmed April. Trying to compete, Palfrey bought a car to impress her—only to be tricked into purchasing a dilapidated 1924 model. His final humiliation came during a "friendly" tennis match with Delauney, who easily defeated him, leaving Palfrey utterly demoralized...

Janette Scott as April Smith, Terry-Thomas as Raymond Delauney and
Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey

Dennis Price as Dunstan Dorchester, Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey and
Peter Jones as Dudley Dorchester

Main cast

• Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey
• Terry-Thomas as Raymond Delauney
• Alastair Sim as Mr. S. Potter
• Janette Scott as April Smith
• Dennis Price as Dunstan Dorchester
• Peter Jones as Dudley Dorchester
• Edward Chapman as Gloatbridge
• John Le Mesurier as Head Waiter
• Irene Handl as Mrs. Stringer
• Kynaston Reeves as General
• Hattie Jacques as Miss Grimmet, an instructor
• Hugh Paddick as Mr. Pickthorn
• Barbara Roscoe as Barbara
• Gerald Campion as Proudfoot
• Monte Landis as Fleetsnod
• Jeremy Lloyd as Dingle
• Charles Lamb as Carpenter
• Anita Sharp-Bolster as the Maid

John Le Mesurier as Head Waiter, Janette Scott as April Smith and
Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey

Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey and Alastair Sim as Mr. S. Potter

Trivia

• The 1924 4-litre Swiftmobile bought by Henry Palfrey was a 1928 4½ litre Open four-seater Bentley, with a custom two-seat open body.
• The "Bellini 3.6" driven by Raymond Delauney was, in fact, a disguised Aston Martin DB3S.

The car in front is the Bellini 3.6 with Terry-Thomas as Raymond Delauney and
Janette Scott as April Smith. The car in the back is the Swiftmobile with
Ian Carmichael as Henry Palfrey

Trailer