By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Rachid Bouchareb
Starring: Bernard Blancan | Jamel Debbouze | Roschdy Zem | Sami Bouajila | Samy Nasceri
Original language title: Indigènes
Country: algeria, belgium, france, morocco
Year: 2007
Running time: 120
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0444182/
Bruce says: “Algeria, 1943. Men are marching through the streets urging others to join them in saving France from Nazi Germany. ‘We must liberate France, Mother,’ exclaims Saïd (Jamel Debbouze). ‘I prefer poverty to losing you,’ his mother replies. DAYS OF GLORY is a tale of four North African men who enlist only to find their experience in battle is not what they imagined. As they march to their first assignment they sing proudly, ‘We are the men of Africa.’ The troops from North Africa are used as cannon fodder for the French much as the British used men from their many colonies. GALLIPOLI is a perfect example of how that played out. In battle the Field Marshals move the troops like chess pieces watching the action through binoculars. The North Africans are subjected to every form of racism imaginable – the are called ‘wogs’; they are denied leave whereas their French counterparts can enjoy weekend of leisure; all of their mail is censored or destroyed; and they are not issued helmets or proper uniforms, forced instead to walk over snowy Alpine peaks in the desert sandals they left home wearing. In spite of displaying phenomenal valor in battle, the young Africans are passed over as promotions are given the less brave and less effective Frenchmen.
“Certainly DAYS OF GLORY ranks among the best of all (anti)war films as does the recent LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA which also addresses issues of blind prejudice and the folly of the chain-of-command mentality that wins battles but needlessly sacrifices the men who fight them. DAYS OF GLORY is also reminiscent of Sam Fuller’s THE BIG RED ONE, particularly in the way the films wanders from one locale to another. As the men march northward from Provence up the Rhône Valley into Alsace, their numbers are depleted and their spirits are crushed. During this time we get to know each of the North Africans and a few of their French commanding officers. In one scene thousands of leaflets fall from the sky. The leaflets are messages for the Arab soldiers telling them that Nazi Germany will treat them better if they switch sides. Even the enemy has more of a clue than the Frenchmen in charge of the maneuvers. Jamel Debbouze (SHE HATE ME, AMÉLIE, ANGEL-A) leads a strong cast whose performances are extraordinary. 5 cats”