"La 317ème Section" The 317th Platoon – 1965
This film is probably the best film about the war in French Indo-china. Director Pierre Schoendoerffer was involved in the actual 1946-54 war as a cameraman at several of the war's battles, including the defeat at Dien Bien Phu. He shows the just what war in the dense jungle was like, dirt, rain, mud, dirt, rain, mud with firefights here and there with the Viet Cong.
The film is set just before the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu. A small outpost just over the border from Cambodia has received orders to withdraw. They are to destroy the base and head south into Cambodia. They are to head for another base 100 kilometres south. The Platoon is led by the just arrived in country, Jacques Perrin. Under his command are 5 French NCO's and about 35 Cambodian troops.
The senior NCO is played Bruno Cremer. Cremer, a long time veteran of the war is all for avoiding contact with the VC and hot footing it to the base in the south. He soon has a falling out with LT Perrin over how to conduct the with-drawl. As a result of a clash with pursuing Viet Cong, they now have several seriously wounded men. Cremer says they need to leave the wounded and continue in all haste away from the enemy. Fresh from Officer training school, Perrin refuses to leave the wounded behind.
This of course slows the party down and soon the enemy is barking at their heels. The group splits up with Perrin and the wounded going one way while Cremer and several Cambodian soldiers attempt to lead the VC off their trail.
Several days later the two parties meet further up the trail. Cremer has managed to throw the pursuers off the trail, though he knows it will not be for long. Lt Perrin has by now realized that Cremer was right about the wounded. They have all died, and they are now 2 days behind where they should be.
The group starts out again, only stopping for rest, food and to try and make radio contact. The party is losing men with every clash they have with the pursuers. The soldiers finally reach the base, only to discover the VC already there. They now need to head further south to the next base and hope they can outpace the enemy.
While stopping for a much needed rest. The platoon is hit hard in an ambush by a large VC group. Only 5 men, Cremer, a badly wounded Perrin and 3 Cambodian troopers make it away from the massacre. Perrin orders Cremer to leave him behind. Cremer hands him a grenade and fades into the jungle with the 3 remaining troopers.
The film was shot on location in the jungles of Cambodia.
Director Pierre Schoendoerffer other films include the Vietnam War films, THE ANDERSON PLATOON and DIEN BIEN PHU. He also wrote the WW2 novel, FAREWELL TO THE KING which was made into the film of the same title. This one stars Nick Nolte and is set in the jungles of Borneo.
This film is probably the best film about the war in French Indo-china. Director Pierre Schoendoerffer was involved in the actual 1946-54 war as a cameraman at several of the war's battles, including the defeat at Dien Bien Phu. He shows the just what war in the dense jungle was like, dirt, rain, mud, dirt, rain, mud with firefights here and there with the Viet Cong.
The film is set just before the French defeat at Dien Bien Phu. A small outpost just over the border from Cambodia has received orders to withdraw. They are to destroy the base and head south into Cambodia. They are to head for another base 100 kilometres south. The Platoon is led by the just arrived in country, Jacques Perrin. Under his command are 5 French NCO's and about 35 Cambodian troops.
The senior NCO is played Bruno Cremer. Cremer, a long time veteran of the war is all for avoiding contact with the VC and hot footing it to the base in the south. He soon has a falling out with LT Perrin over how to conduct the with-drawl. As a result of a clash with pursuing Viet Cong, they now have several seriously wounded men. Cremer says they need to leave the wounded and continue in all haste away from the enemy. Fresh from Officer training school, Perrin refuses to leave the wounded behind.
This of course slows the party down and soon the enemy is barking at their heels. The group splits up with Perrin and the wounded going one way while Cremer and several Cambodian soldiers attempt to lead the VC off their trail.
Several days later the two parties meet further up the trail. Cremer has managed to throw the pursuers off the trail, though he knows it will not be for long. Lt Perrin has by now realized that Cremer was right about the wounded. They have all died, and they are now 2 days behind where they should be.
The group starts out again, only stopping for rest, food and to try and make radio contact. The party is losing men with every clash they have with the pursuers. The soldiers finally reach the base, only to discover the VC already there. They now need to head further south to the next base and hope they can outpace the enemy.
While stopping for a much needed rest. The platoon is hit hard in an ambush by a large VC group. Only 5 men, Cremer, a badly wounded Perrin and 3 Cambodian troopers make it away from the massacre. Perrin orders Cremer to leave him behind. Cremer hands him a grenade and fades into the jungle with the 3 remaining troopers.
The film was shot on location in the jungles of Cambodia.
Director Pierre Schoendoerffer other films include the Vietnam War films, THE ANDERSON PLATOON and DIEN BIEN PHU. He also wrote the WW2 novel, FAREWELL TO THE KING which was made into the film of the same title. This one stars Nick Nolte and is set in the jungles of Borneo.