The 317th Platoon (1965) User Reviews

A Nutshell Review: The 317th Platoon

[DICK STEEL · 15 October 2011]

The National Museum of Singapore Cinematheque continues in its provision of specially curated film programme with a special focus of Asia being seen through French cinema, with screenings and talks being organized around the theme, which you can find out more about at their website here. The 317th Platoon piqued my interest for being a war film made by filmmakers who have actually walked the talk and experiencing the conflict themselves, and you can just about trust director Pierre Schoendoerffer and renowned French cinematographer Raoul Coutard to bring about a film of cinematic quality even when dealing with what I deem as a taboo subject for French filmmakers, since the era of the French- Vietnam war in the 50s is something rarely seen put on film, with this being an exception, and a stunning one at that.

And with screenings at the Cinematheque you can just about trust the programmers to hunt down the perfect version of the film to be put on screen, this being the restored film by La Cinematheque francaise and by StudioCanal in collaboration with The Franco-American Cultural Fund, cleaned up from its pops, cackles and whistles to bring about an exceptionally beautiful presentation that does justice to Coutard's cinematography, one that is restored with the assistance of the filmmakers themselves, in a process detailed at the beginning before the opening credits. Filmed in Cambodia with help extended by Prince Norodom Sihanouk, it brings about one of the best war stories ever told in the extended Vietnam War from the French point of view, which is rare in itself, and sucker punches its peers, especially those done by Hollywood, set around the same era.

Told in a day by day account, we follow the titular platoon who got ordered to abandon their fortified position in order to retreat southwards, but little do they know that once out of their comfort zone, they're plunged right into warfare with the enemy Vietminh soldiers hot on their heels, turning into a cat and mouse pursuit of trying to gain the upperhand against the enemy rather than to constantly be on the run. It's the time where the winds of change in Indochina see the Viet Minh soldiers relentlessly pushing the French troops from their soil, even urging their brothers on the side of the French to mutiny and betray their Caucasian commanders, who are headed by quite the inept military commander lacking savvies of warfare.

Its portrayal of war is something that only those who have gone through warfare or at least some basic military training will be able to ascertain how accurate things got portrayed, from the fullpack inspection (which uncovered a tied up piglet!) to how commanders aren't sometimes the most experienced or smart on the battlefield, with the warrant officers, specialists and men, in this case, the locals, being shown to have more courage, loyalty and all round shrewdness in fighting an non-fightable war given being grossly outnumbered to begin with. Many situations put on screen undoubtedly come from the director Pierre Schoendoerffer having witnessed how it's conducted and having their fair share of experiences on the battlefield, and this helped to translate authenticity to the movie despite having to shoot in very harsh environments.

In black and white which contributed to its very stark, gritty and no nonsense imagery to war and its horrors, The 317th Platoon also takes a look at warfare itself and how it impacts the most immediate soldiers who have to partake in it, following orders to a T in order to survive as a group. Quintessential war film themes like courage and camaraderie also feature prominently, with Coutard's cinematography putting the audience into the thick of the action as if one of the troops listening to orders, and executing combat movement with the rest.

If you'd think Oliver Stone's Platoon, Brian De Palma's Casualties of War and Randall Wallace's We Were Soldiers are some of the best about the Vietnam War put on film, then you surely must get your hands on this to have a go at what would be a presentation outside of Hollywood, and a Franch one at that which served as the pre-cursor of events to everything else aforementioned. Recommended!

A brillant unbridled look at war from the inside.

[Criticalstaff · 9/10 · 1 September 2020]

At the core this film is a proto-Vietnam war movie. Which in itself is funny seeing how the French Indochina War was a prequel of sorts of the Vietnam War. Anthony Beevor, the most respected war historian, has described this movie as being the one portraying the military the best. I would agree.

The movie might be the archetype of the Vietnam War movie. It has all the elements that became staples of the genre. It has the forsaken and isolated platoon, the long, weary and ultimately pointless activities/marches, the dreadful hostile tropical environment etc... The only thing it lacks is the shattering of exceptionalism, although you could argue that the young lieutenant fills that role somewhat.

However, this movie in particular felt fresh and lighter than other war movies. It tells its story exclusively from a military point of view. It is a very minimalistic movie; it is about people in tough situations. In this movie the war is not a heroic thing. It is not romantic, tragic, epic or brave. It is primarily exhausting, tiresome. It isn't cool by any means; it is dirty by all means. The life of a soldier is not shooting, or fighting, it's mainly walking under moist heat. It is about being tired, not being able to sleep, being thirsty, being hungry. It shows a very mundane aspect of war, and therefore it allows itself to be sincere about it. More than any other war movie, there is something very raw about it, in a good way. The movie is very honest, it feels real.

It might be also because there is no story to speak of. The movie takes place in parallel to the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu. There are echoes of the war and how the conflict progresses, but for the most part the platoon is isolated. You spend two hours with these guys and you completely understand that the war is unwinnable. Instead of a story the plot focuses rather on the soldiers. Especially the young idealistic, nerdy, officer opposed to the battle-hardened veteran. It is an pattern that is reused in Platoon with more drama. Here it starts as an antagonism of sorts but, interestingly, the events turn it into camaraderie. Bruno Cremer is the hero of this movie. And it is kind of bold for a movie from the sixties, when the anti-hero archetype was not as widespread and even less associated with the army.

The strengths of the film are emphasized by the mise-en-scene. The movie has that Nouvelle Vague effortlessness. It is not in the streets and cafés of the big city, it is the bushes in the jungle and going through rivers. The style is also very simple, yet it is effective. The image is in black and white, it conveys that feeling that in the jungle everything looks the same. The only music that is used is the tunes the soldiers get when they set up their radio. It is brilliant.

Song for the lost

[oOgiandujaOo_and_Eddy_Merckx · 9/10 · 25 February 2012]

La 317ème section is a movie about a French/anti-communist platoon that gets separated whilst up country during the Vietminh offensive against Dien Bien Phu.

The movie's two main advantages are that the director was an ex-combatant in that war, and Raoul Coutard, who was one of the great New Wave cinematographers.

The story concerns a green lieutenant, Torrens, thirsty for battle, brave and intelligent, though seemingly an adventurer from another century, and his seasoned adjutant Willsdorf, Alsatian Wehrmacht veteran. Many other films have used this formula, a classic principal-agent problem that genuinely occurs in conflicts, but used it as a metaphor for classism, and exaggerated matters.

If you look at Hollywood treatments of either the Korean War or the Vietnam War, particularly around this era, you genuinely see that there is absolutely no understanding of the naturalised inhabitants of the country. Even where there is good will, these productions remain opaque. Willsdorf however genuinely seems to have a feel for the people and how they live. He senses a more poetical way of living, which he respects, but which is clearly ripe for exploitation. There's a piece of dialogue where he mentions how the trees of the forest will soon turn red for Autumn, and that when they do the locals will drink, dance, make love and celebrate, and you sense part of him wants to join with that, wants to find a nook in a river bend where he can set up house.

What these individuals are though, as literally shown in the opening credits, are soldier ants in the forest, their lives are expendable. They are men who live in a man's world without the comforts of home, and take their pleasures where they may, they can only hope to do their duty and lay down and die, and may as well embrace what they do and who they are. It's not a "war is madness" movie, but it is terribly sad, and I was just sorry for Willsdorf that he wasn't sipping a nice Riesling back home after tucking his children into bed. It seems that by being totally apolitical the film manages to leave room for you to come to the conclusion that imperialism is deeply aberrant.

Synopsis and Comments on La 317e Section

[Rave-Reviewer · 25 April 2000]

In 1954 Vietnam, at the time of Diên Biên Phu, a French unit on patrol under the command of an inexperienced lieutenant is gradually depleted by Vietminh until only an ex-Wehrmacht Alsatian adjutant remains. He is to die, a title informs us, in Algeria in 1960.

Semi-documentary in style, this is an effectively low-key appraisal of the difficult choices with which war confronts its soldiers. As so often in Vietnam films the enemy is only glimpsed from a distance, the camera remaining a disembodied observer among the group. Bertrand Tavernier acted as co-writer on the film.

The best film about a forgotten war

[mathieu.dalet · 10/10 · 2 March 2000]

After the Dîen Bîen Phû's defeat in may 1954, which marked the end of French sovereignty in Indochina, a small group of French soldiers in an isolated stronghold try to avoid capture by crossing the enemy's lines to join their main forces. In this journey few will survive.

Former war correspondent during this conflict, Schoendoerffer filmed this movie in a so realistic way that it seems to be a document shot during the battle. But unlike many war movies, this one is not only based on the visual and sound effects. Its interest lies in the portray of the two main characters.

Torrens, the young, unexperienced and idealisic lieutenant (played by Jacques Perrin) who has volunteered to serve a lost cause and die for it. He has the intelligence of letting Willsdorf lead the troops, seems lost at first in the middle of this human wreckage but shows courage and strength when needed.

Willsdorf, the experienced "adjudant" (sargeant), a veteran worshipped by his men. Since WWII when he was enlisted in the German army ( he comes from Alsace, a german speaking part of France claimed by Germany), he has experienced many battlefields. He loves Viet Nam, her people and her culture but knows that everything is lost and that he'll have to abandon it soon. But in spite of that he has a mission to fullfill, save as many of his men (mostly vietnamese partisans) as possible and he intends to achieve it.

In just 90 minutes we learn everything about them, their weaknesses, ideals and hidden secrets which make them simples human beings trying to survive in the middle of a mad world.

Of course some will say that this movie promotes war, violence and the romantic heroes made for it (Willsdorf)while his only aim was to testify about a forgotten war and all of those who fought in it, whatever their flag.

Definitely the best movie about the Indochina war.

Still used for the infantrymen training

[zablotf · 10/10 · 15 July 2006]

This movie is so close to the reality that, in the French Army, it is still used for the instruction of the young infantry platoon commanders. Notably the management of the NCOs, usually older and more experienced than the Lieutenant fresh from the Academy, is an interesting issue. And nearly all the basics of the infantryman on the battlefield are there. Keep in mind that Schoendorffer was a war correspondent within the French Army in Indochina at that time. The DVD version of the movie is now available (at least in France). Charlie Bravo (1980) is another French movie that depicts a similar story, but with less talent and less realistically.

Good, gritty war-drama

[grantss · 7/10 · 1 June 2019]

French Indochina, May 1954. While the Battle of Dien Bien Phu rages, a nearby French platoon is ordered to abandon its isolated base and march to a more secure location. The journey is fraught with danger: they are surrounded on all sides by forces several times larger than them. Commanding the platoon is a young, inexperienced Lieutenant. His senior NCO is very experienced, a veteran of WW2, but the two don't always see eye to eye.

Watched this because famed military historian Antony Beevor regards this as the greatest war movie ever made. Turns out, it's not, but it is very good.

Written and directed by Pierre Schoendoerffer and based on his novel, The 317th Platoon is the first "Vietnam War" movie in a sense. It might not be the Americans fighting the Viet Cong or NVA but the French Indochina War was the precursor to the Vietnam War. Replace Americans with French in a Vietnam War drama and you have this movie: the setting, tactics and feel to the movie are very similar.

Quite realistic in its portrayal of war: the danger, the randomness, the impact of seemingly minor decisions, the wastefulness and futility of it all. Other than the latter aspect, not hugely profound: is more about the plot journey than the destination. In addition, does drift in spells and the ending is too abrupt, hence the less-than-perfect score.

Most memorable movie, haunting beauty and melancholy

[apisan · 10/10 · 15 January 2006]

I saw this movie some 35 years ago on TV and its memory has been with me ever since. My father and I happened upon it late one night and were stricken by its integrity, clarity of message, and visual beauty (note: B/W).

The melancholy of men in a desperate cause has haunted me ever since. The unwinnable pursuit paints a picture of doom that my generation would forever associate with Vietnam and later with other military endeavours; the name of Dien Bien Phu would be associated with this party that dwindles as it traverses the jungle. No other film on the Vietnam war has reached the same effect for me; not "Platoon", none of these. Bear in mind that this comment comes from outside the US.

Memorable phrase, for some maybe not so relevant reason, the men at the hand-cranked dynamo radio (a huge affair) calling their no more responding party, "Alo, Alo, Lima Bravo." Would be glad to know of reliable source for a VHS or DVD copy.

Heroes are only men....

[J.P.-7 · 13 October 1999]

America made many movies about the Viet Nam war, good ones and bad ones. On the contrary, France didn't make films about the Indochina and Algeria wars. But "la 317e" is not only rare because of this, but also because it shows war as it was really fought, not by Rambo-like superheroes, but by simple men, some courageous, some not... Besides, Shloendorffer is a great film maker, and you can feel during the film that hes was really there, that he shared tragic hours with these men.

C'est la Guerre.

[brogmiller · 8/10 · 31 May 2021]

In keeping with his experience as a war correspondent/photographer, Pierre Schoendoerffers does not waste any screen time here on preliminaries but launches us straight into the action and establishes the two principal protagonists from the outset. The dynamic between the archetypal young idealist of Jacques Perrin and the grizzled veteran played by Bruno Cremer is impressive and both actors excel.

There are no gung-ho, macho, mock heroics here but a grim depiction of human beings in extremis. By all accounts the director was demanding of his cast and the making of it on location in Cambodia must have been distinctly unpleasant although not nearly as unpleasant as the real thing!

A film such as this would have been far less effective in colour and Schoendoerffer's masterstroke here is in utilising the services of one of France's greatest lighting cameramen Raoul Coutard whose bleak, monochromatic cinematography gives the effect of newsreel footage.

At a time when nations are having to come to terms with and face the consequences of their colonial past this film is ripe for rediscovery.

Despite its controversial nature and the French public's weariness with colonial conflicts this film did surprisingly well at the box office.

Brilliant military historian Antony Beevor has declared this to be the greatest war film ever, an opinion few would share. However, judged on its raw power, immediacy and an overwhelming sense of 'being there', it must surely take high rank.

Disjointed, but very credible

[drystyx · 7/10 · 10 May 2012]

This has the disjointed look of soldiers trying to videotape their own war.

This has been done a few times before, and usually you get a muddled mess like Hamburger Hill, where it only confuses the viewer, because usually these movies are told from the point of view of one mindless junkie.

This, however, has a very intelligent approach. We get most points of view here, which isn't easy to do.

It is about a platoon in Viet Nam, trying to get out of trouble. Hostile forces are closing in. We see some of the mechanics of war, particularly how wounded men in the field usually become dead men in the field. In ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, we have Wrold War I casualties who almost always wind up dead just from the slightest wounds and cuts.

In the field, it is unrealistic to make it cleanly and quickly to medical facilities.

That's just one example of the mechanics shown here. Like I said, the film does a very good job of showing this. It isn't a complete muddled mess.

It does have some disjointed bits, particularly at the beginning. A film should always let the audience know what it going on. The audience knows that a character doesn't always know. That's why it is a movie The "disoriented" approach is a mistake made by poor film makers, because the poor film maker says "I want the audience to know it is chaos". Well, the audience knows it is chaos. The audience wants to see the events as they happen.

To this film's credit, it mildly blends the disorientation with the good film making. Of the "disjointed" look movies, this is easily the best, because it still gives us information. It is a very well directed film. I still would rather see the action from the "explanation" point of view, but for a well done piece like this, I will relent.

Not an entertaining movie, but one that makes you feel you learn something you wanted to know.

An excellent, vivid classic, and precursor to many to come

[I_Ailurophile · 9/10 · 3 June 2023]

The war movie as know it has been around from the earliest days of cinema, but not every title has been able to capture the ugly harshness of human conflict. With filmmaker Pierre Schoendoerffer having had his own experiences in southeast Asia this film already has a firm foundation to reach substantial impact; that the production was otherwise able to achieve such additional noted levels of realism is a tremendous credit to all involved. Between harsh rains and terrain while filming in Cambodia, the rigors of exercises and drills that were accordingly practiced - not to mention outstanding production design, costume design, special makeup, stunts, and effects - all the essential ingredients are in place for a feature on much the same level as any subsequent American production set during the United States' protracted war in Vietnam. Sure enough, this should look and feel very familiar to most anyone who has tarried with the genre, for 'La 317ème section' is pretty much right on par in its grittiness and violence, with emphasis on the tired resignation of a platoon on the run amidst a losing battle. There's no major stroke of brilliance at any point, but this is superbly well done all around and well worth exploring.

Schoendoerffer's screenplay capitalizes on the exhaustion, injury and illness, and spurts of fighting and death that characterize the platoon's trek, and to some lesser extent a sense of beleaguered disdain. From the hard work of the crew to excellent acting by the cast, and by all means outstanding direction to orchestrate every scene, that ardor is realized most vividly for we in the audience. Characters are varied and very believable, as is the dialogue; the overall narrative is inevitably on the dour side but smart and mindful all the while, and the scene writing is rich with detail to spur the action, propel the story, and lend verisimilitude. Together with the natural environment and circumstances that defined the days of filming - recalling Werner Herzog's 'Aguirre, the wrath of god' or Francis Ford Coppola's 'Apocalypse now,' if to far less extreme a degree - the end result is highly engrossing, and brings home a slightly different side of martial conflict than many similar features have.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that this is an absolute must-see, but it had my full attention for all of its ninety-five minutes, which is more than I can say for no few other movies; I was more invested than I even realized at first. Impeccable sound design, and the reliable cinematography of seasoned veteran Raoul Coutard, lets us enjoy a viewing experience as crisp and clear as any could be. It seems plain enough that 'La 317ème section' is held in high regard, and I'm certainly inclined to agree: this is all around fantastic, and surely worth exploring if you have the opportunity to check it out.

War movie without the usual Hollywood hyperbole (i.e. BS)

[pcatsiapis-99437 · 9/10 · 30 October 2021]

Black&white cinematography, minimal but beautiful soundtrack for effect, excellent script, low on gunfire high on realism, as a war movie should be.

Bravo!

Excellent jungle war film

[rbbdagge · 9/10 · 6 June 2023]

The film has minimal plot as it simply follows a Platoon of soldiers fighting their way through the jungle, alternatively engaging or avoiding the enemy. Yet despite the lack of dramatics (apart from being shot at, of course.....) and story of any great significance, it is entirely engaging and retains the viewer's interest to be finish. As a non-combatant, I am not in a position to say how realistic it might be as compared to actual conflict but it certainly seems to mirror what trekking through the jungle while carrying wounded colleagues and being shot at is like.

The film was shot in Cambodia and gives fascinating glimpses of tribes people living in the country at the time. The endless thick jungle is breathtaking and sadly shows what a mess the government there has make of its natural resources (Cambodia is now one of the most deforested countries in the world due to relentless logging and has little dense jungle remaining). The film is of course set during the French Indochine conflict of the '50s, but could just as readily be viewed as an event occurring in the later Vietnam War of the 60s and 70s - and as such, will be greatly appreciated by fans of Platoon, Hamburger Hill, Apocalypse Now etc.

One word of warning - the end of the film is abrupt. It ends 'just like that' and is over, but this fits in with the pseudo-realistic feel of what has gone beforehand.

Possibly the first Vietnam war movie?

[Badlands1 · 10/10 · 7 February 2022]

Very gritty realistic infantry war film, possibly the first Vietnam war film. The French defeat at Dien Bien Phu calls for the withdrawal of all French units throughout the country and neighboring countries.

Funny fact is this was filmed in Cambodia during 1965, you can almost imagine the North Vietnamese and Vietcong digging tunnels and fortifying themselves miles within filming locations of this movie.

The opening title gives credit to Prince Sihanouk for letting them film there, and we all know what happens with him and Pol Pot in the years to come.

The infantry battles are very realistic and the film has an anti-war movie approach which is always the best way to go. Similar to Platoon from Oliver stone. This movies Director was a French veteran of that war. The dialogue between the soldiers seems very authentic. This could've been a major hit if it was in color or had a bigger budget. But it doesn't let down, and there's high definition versions out there.

As most Vietnam war movies were filmed in the Philippines which is extremely similar to Vietnam. You just can't help but smile when you see the Cambodian countryside during 1965. Extremely beautiful.