Lieutenant Maréchal
Lieutenant Maréchal is played by French actor Jean Gabin. He is a officer in the French military and is paired up with a Captain (and flying ace) named Captain de Boëldieu. Unlike de Boëldieu, though, Maréchal is from a family of modest means. And unlike de Boëldieu, Maréchal is not a member of the aristocracy. But he is an intelligent, hard-working, and resourceful man capable of doing quite a bit.
One day, Maréchal and de Boëldieu venture out to scout out an area that was blurry in a reconnaissance plane's photo. They are promptly shot down and captured by a German officer named Captain von Rauffenstein. They are placed in a prison camp, but because of their ingenuity, they eventually escape from a particularly dangerous prison on top of a mountain. Eventually, Maréchal meets a German woman named Elsa and falls in love, putting into question his plan to escape to Switzerland with Rosenthal. Feeling an obligation to help, however, Maréchal goes to Switzerland with Rosenthal, promising to eventually return to Elsa and continue their love affair.
Lieutenant Rosenthal
Marcel Dalio plays Lieutenant Rosenthal, a French soldier and member of France's upper-class and aristocracy. A Jewish man, Rosenthal is highly intelligent and was captured with another group of soldiers and sent to a prison camp, which is where he met Maréchal and de Boëldieu. Upset with the conditions in the camp, Rosenthal concocts a plan with de Boëldieu and Maréchal to escape. They ultimately succeed in doing so. Then, Rosenthal travels with Maréchal to Switzerland, which is a neutral country that they hope they can find refuge in.
Elsa
Dita Parlo plays Elsa, a farmer in Germany and widow. One day, she takes in Rosenthal and Maréchal in as the two seek refuge from the German army. She is a kind, compassionate, and giving woman. And those qualities attract Maréchal to her; although they don't speak the same language, the two quickly fall in love and dream of starting a life together.
Captain de Boëldieu
Captain de Boëldieu is a flying ace in the French military. A member of the French aristocracy, de Boëldieu is a man of intelligence and class. He is also a man of character and is resourceful. In the film, he partners up with Lieutenant Maréchal to scout an area that was blurry in a reconnaissance photo. They are captured and sent to a prison, where they meet a German captain, who takes a liking to de Boëldieu because of his class status. Eventually, though, the German officer shoots and kills Captain de Boëldieu.
