by JEAN ANOUILH. With
The 'Young Man' in Jean Anouilh's version of the famous historical romance is Roland, the legendary hero who fought with 1,000 men in an ambush at Roncevaux, protecting the retreat of the Franks from Moorish Spain. A tender love story links him with his hostage Aude, the beautiful Saxon princess he has won from the 'Lion', his uncle, the Emperor Charlemagne. In spite of all the clashes of arms, thundering hooves of cavalry charges, burnings and mass executions, Charlemagne emerges as a great human (sometimes even humorous) character, whose amusements include pitting his own strength in contests of swimming, wrestling, sword-fights - and women...
Scenario by JEAN ANOUILH , JEAN DELANNOY and JEAN AURENCHE
Translated by KITTY BLACK Directed by JEAN DELANNOY
A co-production TFl and TELECIP in collaboration with British Broadcasting Corporation/ Societe' Suisse de Radio Diffusion/Societe' Radio Canada