There's a reason this film did so poorly in the US and only well in France. It was pretty clear this gung ho pro war film was squarely aimed at French.
Still, some elements are like US WWII films. Trying to have one guy from every ethnic group in your unit. There's an Arab, an African, a Viet born Frenchman, and Anthony Quinn as a Basque.
And then show your enemy as a small bunch of fanatics. IRL this was a mass uprising of Algerians, including women and even teenagers.
Some of the mistakes are so clumsy. The Viet Minh speak Chinese. I don't speak a word of either, but the languages sound so completely different it was very jarring, and I laughed and distrusted the film from then on. It's like watching a WWII film where the Nazis speak Russian.
The ethnic imposters also make you laugh. George Segal as an Arab? Claudia Cardinale as one also? Neither Jewish nor Italian actors are believable esp when they don't bother with accents.
Only of historical interest.
Still, some elements are like US WWII films. Trying to have one guy from every ethnic group in your unit. There's an Arab, an African, a Viet born Frenchman, and Anthony Quinn as a Basque.
And then show your enemy as a small bunch of fanatics. IRL this was a mass uprising of Algerians, including women and even teenagers.
Some of the mistakes are so clumsy. The Viet Minh speak Chinese. I don't speak a word of either, but the languages sound so completely different it was very jarring, and I laughed and distrusted the film from then on. It's like watching a WWII film where the Nazis speak Russian.
The ethnic imposters also make you laugh. George Segal as an Arab? Claudia Cardinale as one also? Neither Jewish nor Italian actors are believable esp when they don't bother with accents.
Only of historical interest.