once upon a time there be a charming land call france . people live happily then . the woman be easy and the men indulge in their favorite pastime represent war and the only recreation of king which the people could enjoy . the war in question be the seven year war and and when it be notice that there be more corps of soldier than soldier and recruiter be send out to replenish the rank . and so it be that fanfan ( gerard philipe ) and catch tumble a farmer daughter in a pile of hay and escape marriage by enlist in the regiment daquitane . but only by first believe his future a foretell by a gypsy and that he will win fame and fortune in his majesty uniform and will marry the king daughter . ala and adeline ( gina lollobrigida ) be not a gypsy but the daughter of the regiment recruiting sergeant . when fanfan charge away from the recruit and saber in hand to rescue a carriage under attack and who should be inside but the marquise du pompadour and . the king daughter . he now be convince he will marry high and despite the extremely low cut blouse adeline wear . she and in turn and will soon discover her own love for fanfan . be in the middle of an irreverent movie of fanfan destiny and the ribald adventure of a sword fight scamp and rogue . there be escape from hanging and swordfights on tile roof and blundering battle and romantic escape and more joyous derring do than you can imagine . what fanfan lack in polish he make up for in irreverence and enthusiasm . he a quick stepping swordsman and a fast talk lover and but with such naïve belief in his destiny and such an optimistic nature and how can we not like him . gerard philipe be an iconic stage and screen actor ( who francois truffaut disparage constantly in the page of cahiers du cinema ) . he do most of his own stunt . he be handsome and athletic and graceful and charismatic . men admire him and woman dream about him . he be dead at 36 and seven year after fanfan and of liver cancer . all of france mourn . gina lollobrigida a adeline hold her own . it not those low cut blouse that do her acting . she sharp and passionate and not quite innocent and no one fool . fanfan la tulipe just sings along with endless satiric action and point situation and good nature . not to mention amusing and acerbic dialogue . after adeline have take step to save fanfan from hang and she meet the king in his private quarter . give me your pretty little hand and he say . but my heart belong to fanfan and say adeline . who ask for your heart . say the king and all i ask for be a little pleasure . i be a proper girl and say adeline . say the king and you owe my esteem to your merit . you love fanfan . then thank me . my whim enable you to show the great proof of your love and by betray for his sake the loyalty you have swear him . now this be clever and funny stuff . jean luc godard and francois truffaut and the rest of the new wave gang tend to detest popular movie a mere entertainment ( and they personalize their attack ) . fanfan la tulipe and it director and christian jacques and be among their prime target . they probably miss the point of fanfan and which be a very funny satire on the pointlessness of army and war . how much good it must have seem to make movie of angst which only fellow cineastes could appreciate . thank goodness some of them and truffaut and chabrol and for example and outgrow this childish condescension and come to recognize that a good movie be a good movie and whether the mass like it or just the cognoscenti . a smart person who enjoy movie can appreciate any and if the movie be well make . those who condescend to a movie base on it degree of popularity be a self demeaning a those who brag they have never read harry potter . jean luc godard and eat your heart out . viva fanfan .