TIME magazine placed it on its ten-best list for 1953, the only non-English language film to make the list. [2]
Plot
Fanfan is a charming, attractive young Frenchman who is trying to escape a shotgun marriage during the Seven Years' War. At this vulnerable point in his life, he is approached by the daughter of a recruiting officer, Adeline, who tells him that if he joins the army he will find fame, fortune, and marry the king's daughter. Accordingly, he signs up, only to discover that she made the whole thing up in order for her father to receive a recruiting bonus. Nevertheless, encouraged by a series of improbable circumstances, he accepts her prediction as his destiny. A series of events ensues which shows off to great advantage his athleticism and leadership ability. As the film progresses, we become aware of a developing attraction between himself and Adeline which however conflicts with his perceived "destiny" of marrying a king's daughter.
The film was photographed in black-and-white by Christian Matras. A colorized version was created (supervised by Sophie Juin for Les Films Ariane) and issued in 2000 on DVD in Europe alongside the original version.[3]
