Simon: An English Legionnaire (2002)

Director:

Martin Huberty

Writers (WGA):

Simon Murray (true story "Legionnaire")
Axel Aylwen (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

18 May 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

Unlikely friends in a melting pot of confusion. Simon Murray fights for the French Foreign Legion. Pascal Dupont fights for himself. War torn men question honour, hope, morality...because you can desert everything...except yourself.

Plot Keywords:

Based On True Story | Character Name In Title

Cast

Paul Fox	...	Simon Murray
Tom Hardy	...	Pascal Dupont
Aitor Merino	...	Benito Valdes
Félicité Du Jeu	...	Nicole
Yorick van Wageningen	...	Schreiber (as Van Wageningen)
Bruno Munoz-Rojas	...	Blanco
Javier Alcina	...	Rodriguez
Christian Mulot	...	Lieutenant Thibault
Dugald Bruce Lockhart	...	Cpl Muller
Enzo Cilenti	...	Sgt. Crepelli
Bruno Lastra	...	Vasco
Katie Jones	...	Patricia
Kate Maberly	...	Jennifer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nabil Elouahabi	...	Abdel Kadar

Also Known As:

Deserter (USA) (new title)

Runtime:

USA:90 min (Palm Springs International Film Festival)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Company:

Simon Films

very unique and compelling film on the foreign legion

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I liked this film immensely, it has very nice scenery in Morocco, and strong characterizations, and in this case the introduction of the love interest actually drives the story along and makes it even more compelling.

Especially when the Legionnaires have to make a choice to side with the OAS the breakaway French military faction opposing deGaulle, this makes it fascinating! I thought the characters were well defined, and the film showed enough for us to get a true picture of Legion life: the brutal training, the marches, the NCOs, the officer class, the ceremonies, the skirmishes with the Arabs, the sense of loyalty.

Also the film had enough money spent on it to make a convincing portrait of Morocco at this period of transition, you have the colonial French architecture, and the spectacular desert scenery! I recommend any Foreign Legion fans to buy this film and watch it again and again!