“Le Grand Jeu” (外人部隊), Ultra-Rare Original Japanese B2 Post-War Theatrical Re-Release Poster — 1948 Japanese Re-Release — approx. 20.3 × 28.7 in (51.5 × 72.8 cm) P199
This is an original Japanese poster printed in 1948 for the film’s post-war Japanese theatrical re-release, issued by 三映社 (San-ei-sha) during the wider postwar boom in French cinema in Japan. Produced in the B2 format for theatrical display, it is a scarce and visually powerful surviving example of how important prewar French films were reintroduced to Japanese audiences in the immediate postwar period.
About the film
Directed by Jacques Feyder.
Starring Marie Bell, Pierre Richard-Willm, Françoise Rosay, Charles Vanel, Georges Pitoëff.
Originally released in France in 1934, Le Grand Jeu is widely regarded as one of the key early works of French poetic realism. Set between Paris and Morocco, it follows a man destroyed by scandal and heartbreak who escapes into the French Foreign Legion, only to encounter a woman who appears to be the double of his lost love. With its fatalism, romantic obsession, and dreamlike colonial atmosphere, the film remains one of the defining French dramas of the 1930s.
Poster design
A magnificent, boldly painterly Japanese design with tremendous display impact. The composition centres on an intense near-embrace between the two leads, rendered in expressive ochres, creams, and deep browns against a cool grey background. The original French title LE GRAND JEU sweeps dramatically across the top, while the huge blue Japanese title 外人部隊 dominates the lower field with superb graphic force. The overall effect is emotional, elegant, and unmistakably cinematic—exactly the kind of country-specific artwork that makes vintage Japanese posters so desirable.
Why collectors prize this example
This poster brings together several collecting strengths at once: a major Jacques Feyder title, a classic of 1930s French cinema, a scarce postwar Japanese re-release, and a superb Japanese-only design entirely distinct from European paper. Posters from this immediate postwar period are especially appealing because they reflect Japan’s rediscovery of international cinema after the war, and French titles were among the most admired and stylish imports of the era.
Condition
Very good for its age. Folded as issued, with the expected vertical and horizontal fold lines, light general handling and edge wear, and a minor tear repaired with archival tape on the verso. Verso shows light, even age-toning and natural show-through from the printed image, consistent with period paper stock. Most importantly, the front retains rich colours and excellent display presence. Please review the provided photographs—shown is the exact poster offered.
It is over 75 years old.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
A rare opportunity to acquire an ultra-rare Japanese B2 poster for Le Grand Jeu / 外人部隊, issued for the film’s 1948 postwar Japanese theatrical re-release—a striking and historically resonant piece of French cinema and vintage Japanese poster history.
