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King Of Hearts

starring: Jacques Balutin, Alan Bates, Jackie Blanchot, Robert Blome, Pierre Brasseur

: King Of Hearts
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Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audience Rating: Unrated
Binding: DVD
Brand: BATES,ALAN
EAN: 9780792849391
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
ISBN: 0792849396
Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
Number Of Items: 1
Picture Format: Letterbox
Publisher: MGM (Video & DVD)
Region Code: 1
Release Date: April 10, 2001
Running Time: 102 minutes
Sales Rank: 11025
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Theatrical Release Date: June 19, 1967



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Editorial Review:

Description:
One of the most popular foreign films of all time, playing continuously in some theatres for over five years, King of Hearts is a 'bright, lilting, whimsical, lyrical' (Cue) comedy thatcleverly satirizes the absurdity of war with a 'message [that is] meaningful and entertaining' (Boxoffice). Bumbling Scottish Private Plumpick (Alan Bates) is sent to a village in the beautiful French countryside during World War I on a suicide mission to detonate explosives set bythe retreating German army. The village, soon to be blown sky-high, has been abandoned by its inhabitantsand replaced with escapees from the local insane asylum. Now, with the mentally challenged running the town, Plumpick is crowned King! But his new title brings him his first horrible decision: to carry out his deadly mission or join the ranks of the blissfully ignorant who know nothing about war. King of Hearts is subtle, visually striking and, in short, the 'ultimate display of madness' (Life)!

Amazon.com:
This film was a touchstone of the late 1960s, when it was seen as an antiwar allegory for a world in which madness seemed to reign. Of course, that would probably be true whenever this movie was shown, wouldn't it? Directed by Philippe de Broca and set during World War I, King of Hearts stars Alan Bates as a Scottish soldier separated from his unit in France. He wanders into a small French village that has been abandoned by its residents in the face of oncoming combat. Instead, the town is populated by the residents of a nearby insane asylum, whose keepers have fled--a fact that escapes the innocent soldier, who assumes these are the regular folks. A film that celebrates the innocence and wisdom of the insane, even as it questions who the real madmen are. --Marshall Fine



Customer Reviews
Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars - The Lunatic Asylum Comedy
"October 1918" is the date for this story. German soldiers are planting explosives to destroy the ... Read More


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - One of the five best movies ever made
Funny, profound. Near perfect! In French, English and German -- with subtitles. Full of deep insights ... Read More


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - an Alan Bates fan
Saw this movie back when I was in college, so it brings back memories. Better than I remembered.


Rating: 4 out of 5 stars - The madness and madcap-ness of war
The madness of war makes the members of the asylum seem sane. Such is the theme of this anti-war comedy ... Read More


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - A True Classic
King of Hearts is an endearing and deeply touching film. It poses the question, "Who's more crazy, delusional ... Read More

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Copyright ©2003, Mark Carey.