 The title derives from the buttons that are cut off from the rival team's clothes as combat trophies.The film is based on "La Guerre des boutons", a novel by Louis Pergaud (1882–1915), who was killed in action in World War I and whose works portray a fervent anti-militarism.The young and largely untrained actors included André Treton ("Lebrac"), Michel Isella ("l'Aztec") and Martin Lartigue ("Petit Gibus").