War of the Buttons

War of the Buttons (La Guerre des boutons) is a 1962 French comedy directed by Yves Robert, adapted from Louis Pergaud's 1912 novel of the same name. The story follows the rivalry between boys from two neighboring French villages: what begins as playful skirmishing between two kid gangs gradually escalates into something close to real warfare. The title refers to the buttons cut from the opposing gang's clothing and kept as trophies of battle. Pergaud, who was killed in action during World War I, wrote with a strong anti-militarist streak that colors the film as well. The young, largely inexperienced cast included André Treton as Lebrac, Michel Isella as l'Aztec and Martin Lartigue as Petit Gibus, alongside established actors such as Jean Richard, Michel Galabru and Jacques Dufilho. Petit Gibus's grammatically incorrect outburst "si j'aurais su, j'aurais pas v'nu" — a line not found in the novel — became a well-known catchphrase in France. The film received the Prix Jean Vigo. The story was later remade in Ireland in 1994 and again in France in 2011.