Themes: Foreign Legion, Culture Clash, Great Battles
Main Cast: Anthony Quinn, Alain Delon, George Segal, Michèle Morgan, Maurice Ronet, Claudia Cardinale, Gregoire Aslan
Release Year: 1966
Country: US
Run Time: 130 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Plot
In this wartime melodrama, Lieutenant Colonel Raspeguy (Anthony Quinn) is a French peasant who has worked his way up the military ladder during the French involvement in Indochina. Sent to Algeria, Raspeguy must mold a group of raw recruits into a competent fighting unit. He calls on Esclavier (Alain Delon), his sensitive assistant who eventually deserts the military out of frustration over the pointlessness of war. Raspeguy's other assistant is Boisfeuras (Maurice Ronet), the affable officer whose outside demeanor hides the heart of a vicious killer who loves the bloodlust of battle. Raspeguy takes up with Countess De Clairefons (Michele Morgan), the widow of a respected general. She promises Raspeguy she will marry him if he comes back from the conflict as a general. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
Jean Servais - Gen. Melies; Maurice Sarfati - Merle; Jean-Claude Bercq - Orsini; Syl Lamont - Verte; Jacques Marin - Mayor; Jean-Paul Moulinot - De Guyot; Marie Burke - Mother Raspeguy; Felix de Pomes - Aged Speaker; René Havard - Fernand; Gordon Heath - Dia; Burt Kwouk - Viet Officer; Armand Mestral - Administration Officer; Andres Monreal - Ahmed; Al Mulock - Mugnier; Hector Quiroga - Bakhti; Georges Rigaud - Priest; Aldo Sambrell - Ibrahim; Simino - Sapinski; Robert Sutton - Yusseff; Mario De Barros - Geoffrin; Walter Kelly - Major V.P.; Emilio Carrer - Father Mihidi; Howard Hagan - Pilot
Credit
John Stoll - Art Director, Tanine Autre - Costume Designer, Janine Autre - Costume Designer, Mark Robson - Director, Dorothy Spencer - Editor, Franz Waxman - Composer (Music Score), Harold Fletcher - Makeup, Francisco Puyol - Makeup, Robert Surtees - Cinematographer, Mark Robson - Producer, Vernon Dixon - Set Designer, Kit West - Special Effects, Manuel Baquero - Special Effects, Nelson Gidding - Screenwriter, Jean Larteguy - Book Author
