La piste du sud (1938)

Director:

Pierre Billon

Writers:

Oscar Paul Gilbert (novel), Oscar Paul Gilbert (screenplay)

Stars:

Ketti Gallian, Albert Préjean, Pierre Renoir

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ketti Gallian	...	Hélène Marchand
Albert Préjean	...	Le lieutenant Naud
Pierre Renoir	...	Stolberg
Jean-Louis Barrault	...	Olcott
René Lefèvre	...	L'instituteur Saillant
Jacques Baumer	...	Gomez
Arthur Devère	...	Gingembre
André Fouché	...	Le sous-lieutenant Beaumont
Jean Brochard	...	Adjudant Soulier (as Brochard)
Geymond Vital	...	Braun (as Vital)
Jean Témerson	...	Chailloux (as Témerson)
Charles Lemontier	...	Le sergent Horn (as Lemontier)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marcel Melrac	...	Doholu (as Melrac)
A.S. Takal	...	Ali (as Takal)

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Genres:

Adventure

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

7 September 1938 (France)

Also Known As:

Hehkuvaa hiekkaa

Company Credits

Production Co:

Général Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

User Reviews

Going south

Although the story features barracks and legionnaires,with two exceptions,the main characters are not soldiers.Although it takes place in North Africa,it's not the usual Légion Etrangere stuff,like such works as Duvivier's "la Bandera" or Jacques Feyder's "Le grand Jeu" .In fact the screenplay is rather modern:a distraught Olcott(Barrault) comes back from the desert.His partner has been killed in mysterious circumstances .It seems that it is a native's crime.The dead man's wife arrives and tries to know the truth while continuing his business.

It seems that some scenes are missing: two and even three characters' motives remain very obscure:the school teacher 's(Lefèvre) ,the second lieutenant's and the merchant 's parts are not clearly depicted.

Jean-Louis Barrault gives a tormented performance,sometimes verging on madness.