'King Of Hearts' Trailer: Philippe de Broca's Anti-War Comedy Returns

Great films aren’t always recognized in their time. Frank Capra‘s “It’s A Wonderful Life” was a box office flop when it was first released, only to be rediscovered and reclaimed years later as a holiday classic. Philippe de Broca’s off-the-wall anti-war comedy “King Of Hearts” followed a similar path. First released in 1966 in France, and the following year in the U.S., the picture didn’t gain much traction on either side of the pond. However, revival runs in the ’70s brought it new attention and acclaim, and “King Of Hearts” not only earned a new theatrical run in the U.S. in 1973, it would play for a staggering five years at Harvard’s Central Square. Now, it’s returning once again to the big screen and looking terrific thanks to a brand new 4K scan and restoration from the original Techniscope negative supervised by the film’s cinematographer Pierre Lhomme.

Starring Adolfo Celi, Alan Bates, Françoise Christophe, Genevieve Bujold, Jean-Claude Brialy, Michel Serrault, Micheline Presle, and Pierre Brasseur, “King Of Hearts” is anti-war fable set against the backdrop of WWI, following a Scottish soldier sent on a mission into a French town, but he’s unprepared for what he’s about to encounter.

During World War I, Scottish soldier Private Plumpick is sent on a mission to a village in the French countryside to disarm a bomb set by the retreating German army. Plumpick encounters a strange town occupied by the former residents of the local psychiatric hospital who escaped after the villagers deserted. Assuming roles like Bishop, Duke, barber, and circus ringmaster, they warmly accept the visitor as their King of Hearts. With his reconnaissance and bomb-defusing mission looming, Plumpick starts to prefer the acceptance of the insane locals over the insanity of the war raging outside. Since its debut, King of Hearts has become a worldwide cult favorite and stands out as one of de Broca’s most memorable films. Fifty years after its original release, this satirical look at the absurdities of war is presented in a gorgeous new 4K restoration for modern audiences to discover.

Looking better than ever, “King Of Hearts” returns to the big screen at New York City’s Quad Cinemas on February 23rd and in Los Angeles on March 9th, platforming across the country through March and April.