War of the Buttons
Occupied France; Lebrac leads a play war between two rival kid gangs, but a girl he likes, who's Jewish, is in danger of being discovered by local Nazi sympathisers. Lebrac and the village must now respond to the reality of what's happening.
The film earned $15.0M at the global box office.
1 win & 1 nomination
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
War of the Buttons (2011) reveals meticulously timed narrative architecture, characteristic of Christophe Barratier's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 40 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The boys of Ballydowse walk to school in their rural Irish village, establishing the innocent world of childhood rivalries and friendships in 1960s Ireland.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when A skirmish erupts between the two villages' boys, and the Carrickdowse gang strips Fergus's friend of his clothes and buttons, humiliating him and escalating the rivalry to a new level.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Fergus and his gang make the active decision to declare all-out war on Carrickdowse, establishing the rule that captured enemies will be stripped of their buttons as trophies, fully committing to the conflict., moving from reaction to action.
At 50 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat Fergus's gang achieves a major victory, capturing numerous enemies and their buttons. The boys feel invincible and triumphant, but the adults begin to take serious notice of the conflict, raising the stakes., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 75 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, A boy is seriously injured in the conflict, and Fergus faces the devastating realization that their war game has gone too far. The threat of borstal becomes imminent for several boys, including Fergus, representing the death of childhood innocence., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 80 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Fergus realizes that the real enemy isn't the boys of Carrickdowse but the systems and prejudices that divide communities. He chooses to end the war and finds a way to unite both groups against a common threat., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
War of the Buttons's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping War of the Buttons against these established plot points, we can identify how Christophe Barratier utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish War of the Buttons within the adventure genre.
Christophe Barratier's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Christophe Barratier films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. War of the Buttons takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Christophe Barratier filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional adventure films include Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, The Bad Guys and Zoom. For more Christophe Barratier analyses, see The Chorus, Paris 36.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
The boys of Ballydowse walk to school in their rural Irish village, establishing the innocent world of childhood rivalries and friendships in 1960s Ireland.
Theme
The schoolteacher speaks about the futility of war and how conflicts between groups accomplish nothing but pain, foreshadowing the escalating button war between the villages.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to the two rival gangs of boys from Ballydowse and Carrickdowse, their leaders Fergus and Geronimo, the school dynamics, and the adult world affected by economic hardship and the looming threat of the borstal system.
Disruption
A skirmish erupts between the two villages' boys, and the Carrickdowse gang strips Fergus's friend of his clothes and buttons, humiliating him and escalating the rivalry to a new level.
Resistance
Fergus debates how to respond to the humiliation, gathering his gang and planning retaliation. The boys navigate parental expectations, school punishment, and their own moral questions about the escalating conflict.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Fergus and his gang make the active decision to declare all-out war on Carrickdowse, establishing the rule that captured enemies will be stripped of their buttons as trophies, fully committing to the conflict.
Mirror World
Fergus develops a deeper connection with Marie, a girl who represents innocence and a world beyond the war, offering him a glimpse of what matters beyond the rivalry.
Premise
The button war escalates with increasingly elaborate battles, ambushes, and strategies. Both sides experience victories and defeats, collecting buttons as trophies. The boys build hideouts, plan raids, and fully inhabit their war game.
Midpoint
Fergus's gang achieves a major victory, capturing numerous enemies and their buttons. The boys feel invincible and triumphant, but the adults begin to take serious notice of the conflict, raising the stakes.
Opposition
The war intensifies dangerously. Adults intervene with punishments. The economic pressures on families worsen. The threat of boys being sent to borstal becomes real. Both gangs face internal conflicts and external consequences that make the game increasingly costly.
Collapse
A boy is seriously injured in the conflict, and Fergus faces the devastating realization that their war game has gone too far. The threat of borstal becomes imminent for several boys, including Fergus, representing the death of childhood innocence.
Crisis
Fergus grapples with guilt, fear, and the consequences of his actions. The boys face punishment from parents and authorities. The community is divided, and friendships are tested in the dark aftermath of the injury.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Fergus realizes that the real enemy isn't the boys of Carrickdowse but the systems and prejudices that divide communities. He chooses to end the war and finds a way to unite both groups against a common threat.
Synthesis
Fergus and Geronimo work together to resolve the conflict. The boys unite to face the adult authorities and save their friends from borstal. The communities begin to reconcile, and the children demonstrate newfound maturity.
Transformation
The boys of both villages play together peacefully, buttons forgotten. Fergus has grown from a gang leader obsessed with rivalry to a young person who understands the value of peace and community, mirroring the opening but showing transformation.