Plot

During World War II, four North African men enlist in the French army to liberate that country from German oppression, and to fight French discrimination.

Algeria, 1943, through Italy and France, to Alsace in early 1945, with a coda years later. North Africans volunteer to fight Germans to liberate France, their motherland. We follow Saïd, dirt poor, an orderly for a grizzled sergeant, Martinez, a pied noir with some willingness to speak up for his North African troops; Messaoud, a crack shot, who in Province falls in love with a French woman who loves him back; and Abdelkader, a corporal, a budding intellectual with a keen sense of injustice. The men fight with courage against a backdrop of small and large indignities: French soldiers get better food, time for leave, and promotions. Is the promise of liberty, equality, and fraternity hollow?—<jhailey@hotmail.com>

In World War II, the Muslims from French colonies enlist to fight for their motherland France. In the 7th battalion commanded by the tough Sergeant Roger Martinez, the soldier Abdelkader has leadership with the troop and seeks promotion and recognition from the command; Said Otmari is a servile and illiterate private, happy in serving his sergeant; Messaoud Souni is the sniper of the group and has fallen in a corresponded love with the French Irène; and Yassir is fighting together with his brother to raise some money. Along the campaign in Italy, France and Alsace, they realize that French soldiers are promoted, has better food and have leaves to visit their families, while the North African soldiers are shamefully discriminated and treated like 2nd ranking soldiers.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

1943. With the Germans driven out of North Africa, men in French colonies in North Africa are being recruited to the Free French forces. We follow a group of these men, from training, to their first combat in Italy to the landing in and contribution to the liberation of France. Yet, despite their significant contribution to the French war effort, they are treated as second class citizens.—grantss

The film starts in 1943 when a recruiter is encouraging local Algerians to enlist to protect their motherland France from the Germans. One of 5 featured North Africans in the film - Said Otmari - rushes to join up and his mother tries to stop him, saying his Grandfather went off to war and never returned. He joins the others the in trucks. His mother slumps back, fearing the worst. They do their initial training in Morocco where a French colonel gives them a rousing speech about fighting for the honour of France. There we are introduced to Yassir and his younger brother Larbi who have already regretted joining the army for the money! We also get a glimpse of the 4th featured North African - Abdelkader - sitting his Corporal exams. They arrive in Italy in 1944 as the 2nd Company of the 7th Algerian Infantry Regiment led by the two newly promoted Corporals - Abdelkader (North African) and Leroux (French). They meet their new immediate commanding officer - Sgt Martinez - an almost schizophrenic character who always puts down his sub-ordinates and yet always seems to promote their grievances to his CO - Captain Durieux. As part of their training, Martinez quickly recognises the final featured North African in the film - Messaoud Souni - as a crack shot and makes him the company's marksman. As a test Martinez hooks a grenade on to Said's tunic. Said takes it carelessly, knocking out the pin, forcing Martinez to hurl it away and get the company to dive for cover. He then rifle butts Said and puts down Corporal Abdelkader who tries to stand up for Said. Later that evening Martinez tells the Corporals they will be leading an attack up a hill next day to flush out the Germans. At night the men talk. They grumble about Said getting hit by Martinez but an older hand says Martinez is a good man. Next day they climb the hill under withering fire from both the Germans and their own artillery. At one point, they are pinned down by a machine gun nest but Said sees Martinez stare at him, so he draws a grenade and finishes off those Germans. Said is next seen grappling with a German who is on top of him. Martinez shoots the German and then glares at Said before moving on. We also see Yassir and brother Larbi, fleecing the dead soldiers of any valuables. Despite many casualties, the French Colonel is ecstatic with the victory, saying it was the first French victory over the Germans since 1940 and instructing the company's reporter to write that France had regained its glory and the allies trust. The next scene shows them loading equipment on to a ship. Said goes to thank Martinez for saving his life and Martinez makes him his batman to replace Ali who had been killed in the battle. In the food hall the North Africans first encounter discrimination in the French army when a black guy is refused one of the fresh tomatoes - not for them. Martinez tells him to move on in the queue but Corporal Abdelkader takes a box of tomatoes and starts to crush them underfoot, saying if we can't, no-one can. Martinez is furious as the rest take up the cry. Yet when he fetches Captain Durieux who asks how he should treat the natives or Muslims involved, Martinez advises him just to call them men. Accordingly he rules they were all entitled to fresh tomatoes and the North Africans cheer. Over the ship's tannoy system the Colonel announces they are all going home - meaning France - to rousing cheers from all the men and an enthusiastic rendition of the Marseillaise. Provence Aug 1944

In town where they are greeted as liberators. Messaoud meets a French girl Irene on the street and she takes him back to her place. Messaoud cannot believe the soft sheets in her room and is initially very coy as he says from where he's come from, his people do not normally go with French women. She encourages him and they spend the night together, both falling in love. Meanwhile Yassir and brother Larbi set up a black market trade with their booty. Next morning they wander into a church. Larbi happily robs the collection box. Yassir orders him to return it out of respect for their suffering God. He does, but reminds Yassir that when he was very young, it was the French who killed their family under "Pacification". Also the next morning, Messaoud leaves Irene to rejoin his company and they both faithfully promise to write to and wait for each other.

Rhone Valley Oct 1944 By now, Messaoud is telling the others on the march about how he wants to live in Marseille and marry Irene. He keeps pestering for his mail, but none has been received for him. Said gets a clean shirt for Martinez and sees a picture of Martinez mother who looks just like his own mother. He then sees Martinez in the square having a row with mainland French soldiers who are due leave in Paris yet not the North Africans. He speaks to Martinez about them both missing their folks back home but Martinez is puzzled as why he speaks to him in Arabic.

The Vosges Nov 1944

Another rousing speech from the Colonel before the attack in a forest. Again lots of casualties. Corporal Abdelkader reports the taking of the position but Martinez chews him off for not obeying orders. A disgruntled Messaoud writes yet another letter but this time we see the French army post censor reading it before censoring it. Martinez complains to Captain Durieux that there is no leave for Africans and no promotions. In the freezing conditions they are now in, we still see Yassir and Larbi relieving dead soldiers of their possessions. Leaflets are blasted into French lines inviting Africans to desert. Martinez questions Corporal Abdelkader's loyalty but Abdelkader strongly refutes this.

The word is now out - the North Africans have leave! But they are duly suspicious when they are kitted out for army boots and coats. They are also promised dancers that night. Abdelkader then overhears Captain Durieux telling Martinez he has been promoted to Staff Sgt and Corporal Leroux to Sgt.

That night Martinez invites Said for a celebratory drink and cigar. Said mentions how pleased he is that Martinez is like him - an Arab - and talks about the photo. To his horror, Martinez goes berserk, orders him never to mention it to anyone and throws him out. The promised dancers turn out to be a ballet. The Colonel is entertained but most walk out. Messaoud says he's off to Marseille for some leave. The North African troops are disillusioned and rally round Corporal Abdelkader's call for equality withln the French army. Martinez intervenes and he and Abdelkader fight. Abdelkader is put on a charge. Messaoud has been picked up by the military police and put in the same holding cell. He is desperate to see Irene. Meanwhile Irene tries to find out from the army whether Messaoud is alive as it turns out she has also written loads of letters and received nothing in return. The clerk promises to let her know.

The Colonel asks Martinez what he should do with the Africans. He listens to Martinez who says Africans are loyal. As a result, instead of a court martial, he releases Corporal Abdelkader to go on a dangerous mission in Alsace to support with fresh supplies and ammunition the 37th US American troops who had broken through German lines but were then trying to hold a vital bridgehead prior to an imminent French advance. He tells Abdelkader if the Algerians do so, on his word of honour, they will be recognised as heroes in France. Captain Durieux pulls Corporal Abdelkader aside and says the Colonel is as good as his word. Abdelkader gets the Captain to release Messaoud as the company's best marksman for this mission.

Alsace January 1945 On their way, Captain Durieux inadvertently sets off a series of German booby traps deep in a forest killing himself, Corporal Leroux and 5 of their patrol, leaving only Corporal Abdelkader, Messaoud, Yassir, Said and the badly wounded Martinez alive. Larbi, Yassir's brother, is one of the dead and in his grief Yassir leads the cry to go back. The wounded Martinez leaves the decision and effective leadership to Corporal Abdelkader, who browbeats the others into defending the bridgehead so that Algerians can be recognised as the first French troops to enter Alsace. Martinez says that's the decision he would have come to - the first time he had supported his Corporal. After long trek they arrive to find the bridgehead deserted and dead soldiers. The few locals come out and ask where the rest of the French are. The locals feed the men - the badly wounded Martinez is given a bed but a deeply upset Said tells Martinez he hopes he dies.

Next morning the German advance patrol arrive. The four soldiers see off the Germans successfully but the next wave includes a German soldier with a bazooka. All but Abdelkader are killed, and just as the Germans are closing in, he hears other voices - French voices - and sees the French main body finally arrive and rout the Germans. The distraught Abdelkader goes down the street with the French, passing a photographer with some mainland French soldiers and locals posing for a freedom picture. A few of the locals applaud Abdelkader as the real hero. He then sees the Colonel in his car, pressing his men to keep going. He tries to get his attention but is ignored. Instead once a passing soldier realizes that Abdelkader now has no unit, he is brusquely signed up to the French unit there whose corporal has been killed. The Colonel drives serenely on. Alsace 60 years later The final scenes show an elderly Abdelkader sadly visiting the graves of his comrades - with no special mention of their exploits on their gravestones. He goes back to his tiny bedsit in Alsace and the film ends with the following sombre statement "In 1959, a law was passed to freeze the pensions of infantrymen from former French colonies about to become independent. In 2002, after endless hearings, the French government was ordered to pay the pensions in full. But successive governments have pushed back this payment"

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