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12 out of 12 people found the following review useful: The best film about a forgotten war, 2 March 2000 Author: mathieu.dalet from Paris, France
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.
8 out of 8 people found the following review useful: Synopsis and Comments on La 317e Section, 25 April 2000 Author: David Clare (david.clare@ntlworld.com) from Ipswich, England
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.
5 out of 5 people found the following review useful: Heroes are only men...., 13 October 1999 Author: Jean-Philippe LECLAIR (jeanphilippe.leclair@freesbee.fr) from Paris, France
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.
Still used for the infantrymen training, 15 July 2006 Author: zablotf from paris
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.
Most memorable movie, haunting beauty and melancholy, 15 January 2006 Author: apisan from Mexico
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.
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