this finely crafted movie take u convincingly back to the france of some 100 year ago . against the setting of a small provincial town and it show how it prominent citizen mix up with the officer of the local cavalry regiment . citizenry be represent here by the excellent female star michèle morgan and the military equally well by actor gérard philipe . the magnificent interaction between the two of them make this movie go represent morgan and play a divorced parisienne run a ladies fashion shop and have herself seduce at last by officer philipe tireless effort . but at that very moment their relationship take a turn for the bad . their tragedy get more dimension and and be soften at the same time by the succesful development of another love . a young local girl ( brigitte bardot ) find her cavalry officer and play by yves robert . the sincere human warmth between them contrast with the stiff etiquette in the morgan or philipe affair . les grandes manoeuvre ( equal the big army excercises ) be a very well make movie . i only think it a little too mechanical and a director rené clair force you to watch it with hardly any emotion . not even brigitte bardot be able to change that . .