Lost Command (1966)

At first I wasn't sure I would be able to enjoy this war movie, but Lost Command turned to be something worth watching. It is not just a movie about fights.

The main character is Lt. Colonel Raspeguy (Anthony Quinn). The movie starts with the final battle in Dien Bien Phu where the French are defeated and taken to a camp. After the armistice, they are released and returned to their country. The regiment is disbanded, for Raspeguy doesn't go well with his superior officer, although his men has much respect on him. Captain Esclavier (Alain Delon) persuades Raspeguy to talk to the widow of de Clairefons who died in Dien Bien Phu because she knows important men in military. Raspeguy then is given the command of 10th Parachute Regiment in Algeria, but his men will be of rejects from other units and volunteers. He asks his friends from Dien Bien Phu camp to join and they agrees. Their assignment is to fight the terrorist in Gafez, as asked by the local major.



That time Algeria is fighting for their freedom. They can get shot even by writing the word 'Independence' on the wall. Their leader is Mahidi (George Segal), one of Raspeguy's men back in Indochina. Living together in the camp has made them close to each other. Do they have the heart to kill Mahidi? If they do, do it make them some kind of animal? At one point, one of Mahidi's people murders 3 of the 10th regiment, and as a revenge, Boisfeuras (Maurice Ronet) and his men slaughter the men in Rahlem village. These people should be punished, but civilian (represented by Esclavier) and military have different views and the event will be hushed if Raspeguy can finish one more task: preventing arms distributed to the rebels, which culminates in a violent battle.