Les Bidasses en folie (lit. 'The Crazy Soldiers'), also known under the English titles Rookies Run Amok and The Five Crazy Boys, is a French comedy film directed by Claude Zidi (in his director debut) released in 1971. The film was a major box-office hit. It was the film breakthrough of comedy team Les Charlots (AKA "The Crazy Boys"), who remained very popular in France throughout the 1970s.
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Plot
Five catastrophe-prone friends—Gérard, Phil, Jean-Guy, Jean and Luis—decide to leave home and start a rock band. They find a supporter in Crème, a young woman who runs a musical instruments shop and believes in them. She enters them in a battle of the bands which turns out to be rigged, but they win despite unleashing mayhem on stage when she cheats on their behalf.
Unfortunately for them, the young men are then called up for their military service. In order to be able to take part in the next competition, they set about being kicked out by being as incompetent and uncooperative as they can be. Their musical talents are however put to use by their commanding officer, who requisitions them to play his daughter's wedding reception. Eventually, the colonel kicks them out with the exception of Gérard, whom he decides to keep as his aide. The other four, briefly delighted to be out, return for him.
Cast
Gérard Rinaldi as Gérard
Gérard Filippelli as Phil
Jean Sarrus as Jean
Luis Rego as Luis
Jean-Guy Fechner as Jean-Guy
Jacques Dufilho as the colonel
Jacques Seiler as Sergeant Bellec
Marion Game as Crème
Martin Circus as themselves
Triangle as themselves
Christian Fechner as the customer at the restaurant
Francis Lemaire as the fiancé of the colonel's daughter