The film is set in Marais, a quiet region along the banks of Loire river in 1918. Riton is afflicted with a bad-tempered wife and three unruly children. Garris lives alone with his recollections of World War I trenches. Their daily life consists of seasonal work and visits from their two pals: Tane, the local train conductor and Amédée, a dreamer and voracious reader of classics.
Jacques Villeret
Henri Pignol, aka Riton
Jacques Gamblin
Garriss
André Dussollier
Amédée
Michel Serrault
Hyacinthe Richard, aka 'Pépé la Rainette'
Isabelle Carré
Marie
Éric Cantona
Joseph "Jo" Sardi
Suzanne Flon
Cri-Cri Pignol, aged
Jacques Dufilho
Old man
Gisèle Casadesus
Mrs. Mercier
Roland Magdane
Félix
Élisabeth Commelin
Marthe
Julie Marboeuf
Emilie
Jenny Clève
Berthe
Philippe Magnan
Laurent
Jacques Boudet
Tane
Anne Le Guernec
Mireille
Mélanie Baxter-Jones
Catherine
Jacques Dynam
Ferrardin
Ériq Ebouaney
'Banania'
Christian Taponard
Jo's lawyer
Charles Tordjman
Department store manager
Maggy Dussauchoy
Liana Fulga
Isabelle Sadoyan
Jean Maurel
Henri-Edouard Osinski
Bernard Villanueva