Character Relationship Map: Les Milles

Characters

• Commandant Perrochon (played by Jean-Pierre Marielle) — protagonist

  Reserve captain and WWI gassed veteran commanding the Camp des Milles with an iron fist. Refuses to surrender Jewish and anti-Nazi internees to the advancing Germans. Secretly organizes a train evacua...

• Mary-Jane Cooper (played by Kristin Scott Thomas) — protagonist

  American journalist who questions Perrochon. Her interviews gradually make him realize that many internees are prominent artists, scientists, and intellectuals fleeing the Nazi regime.

• Capitaine Moinard (played by Ticky Holgado) — supporting

  Active-duty captain serving as Perrochon's second-in-command at the camp. Later takes charge of the secret train convoy tasked with evacuating the prisoners to Bayonne.

• Le Général (played by Philippe Noiret) — supporting
• Lion Feuchtwanger (played by Rüdiger Vogler) — supporting
• Col. Maurice Charvet (played by François Perrot) — supporting
• Lt. Boisset (played by François Berléand) — supporting

  Lieutenant and translator who assists Moinard in commanding the evacuation train convoy.

• Le médecin-chef Garraud (played by Jean-Marie Winling) — supporting
• L'adjudant Bordier (played by Bonnafet Tarbouriech) — supporting
• Sgt. Stora (played by Eric Petitjean) — supporting

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Commandant Perrochon → Lion Feuchtwanger (Power Protector) — Protects prisoners from Nazis
• Commandant Perrochon → Sgt. Stora (Professional Subordinate) — Military hierarchy in the camp
• Commandant Perrochon → L'adjudant Bordier (Professional Subordinate) — Military hierarchy in the camp
• Commandant Perrochon → Le médecin-chef Garraud (Professional Colleague) — Works with camp medical staff
• Commandant Perrochon → Lt. Boisset (Professional Subordinate) — Military chain of command
• Commandant Perrochon → Le Général (Professional Superior) — Reports to higher military authority
• Commandant Perrochon → Capitaine Moinard (Professional Subordinate) — Military hierarchy in the camp

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Mary-Jane Cooper → Lion Feuchtwanger (Alliance Supporter) — Assists in prisoner rescue efforts
• Commandant Perrochon → Col. Maurice Charvet (Conflict Adversary) — Disagrees on handling of prisoners
• Commandant Perrochon → Mary-Jane Cooper (Alliance Ally) — Works together to save prisoners

Story Analysis

An internment camp commander confronts military collapse and secretly attempts to save refugees threatened by the advancing Germans.

Plot Progression

1. A Camp Under Pressure — The camp holds German refugees, including Jews, communists, and anti-Nazi opponents. Mary-Jane Cooper questions the commander, prompting a closer examination of the internees' backgrounds.
2. Refugees In Peril — The prisoners include artists, scientists, and intellectuals who fear the German advance. Internal tensions and the indifference of military headquarters increase the danger.
3. The Secret Escape — After defeat is announced, the commander refuses to surrender vulnerable prisoners. A secret train evacuation is organized toward Bayonne and a boat bound for Casablanca.
4. The Broken Convoy — The railway journey is constrained by a deadline and made dangerous by the defeat. The convoy fails near Bayonne as German arrival creates disorder.
5. Escape After Defeat — Some detainees flee through Spain or Portugal. The commander is arrested and then allowed to escape, leaving the evacuation unresolved but opening paths to survival.