I have seen the 1962 version directed by Yves Robert and really liked it. In 1994, Warner Bros released an English language version (the 1962 is in French) directed by John Roberts. And although the 1994 release is the version that gained the most popularity in the English speaking world, I feel it lacked the spirit and the atmosphere of Yves Robert`s adaptation.The basic premise of the story remains the same as the book – the rivalry between two groups of boys and their leaders from two nearby villages: Longeverne and Velrans. However, the narrative of this version has been changed slightly and the action now takes place in the years of the German occupation of France during the Second World War. There is also the introduction of two new side stories – that of Miriam (Ilona Bachelier), a young Jewish girl who is in hiding under the name of Violette – and the role of the French Resistance in the war. To me, these modifications result in a more intriguing and engaging narrative.
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