The Wild Oat
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69% Critic Match

The Wild Oat

6.9 / 10 1953 1h 43mNR French
Comedy

Storyline

A small village is torn apart by a quarrel between the baker and the italian grocery tenant, mother of a pregnant young girl. She accuses the baker's son, doing his military service in Algeria, to be the father of the would be child. Offended, the baker refuses to deliver bread to the villagers standing on the mother's side.

Cast & Crew

Fernandel

Fernandel

Félicien Hébrard, Valorgue baker

Lead
Georges Chamarat

Georges Chamarat

Mr. Aussel, postmaster

Henri Vilbert

Henri Vilbert

Mayor of Valorgue

Edmond Ardisson

Edmond Ardisson

Évariste, postman

Leda Gloria

Leda Gloria

Mrs. widow Zanetti, grocer and mother of Françoise

Pierrette Bruno

Pierrette Bruno

Françoise Zanetti, daughter of Mrs. Zanetti

Jean Gaven

Jean Gaven

Abbot Daniel, village vicar

Madeleine Sylvain

Madeleine Sylvain

Mrs. Clotilde Hébrard, wife of Félicien

What People Are Saying

4.0
A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Henri Verneuil's vision lands with breathtaking precision.
Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
3.0
Every frame feels alive. The Wild Oat is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker