

In a village in the Ardennes, during the German occupation, finding rations is becoming almost impossible. Clovis, an ordinary labourer, decides to cross the occupied zone to bring back enough potatoes to feed his family. His plan is a success but Clovis rapidly becomes obsessed with storing the precious tubers.
Acting
Pierre Perret's descent from everyman to tuber-obsessed madman.
Direction
Autant-Lara balances occupation dread with escalating potato farce.

Director
Claude Autant-Lara
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Autant-Lara was a controversial figure—former Vichy propagandist making occupation comedies raised eyebrows in 1969 France.
Pierre Perret was primarily a singer-songwriter; this was his dramatic breakout, inspired by his own childhood memories of wartime rationing.