MOVIES - Days of Glory

[Hobie]

This Saturday in the shop we are watching "Days of Glory" (or Indigènes) which is a French (I can hear the comments already) movie about the Berber service to France in WWII. Most of the actors are Algerian/French. Sub-titled to French and Arabic (and a little German), you wouldn't think that it would suck you in but it does. I think it is a very good movie.



One thing that struck me, that I didn't know before, was that West African Tirailleurs Senegalais, formed 65% of Free French Forces. On November 1, 1944, the French army in fact consisted of 550,000 men of whom 400,000 were from North Africa. Half of the French army at the time was Muslim! There was also a great number of foreign volunteers (Spanish, Caucasian and Asian brigaders, etc...) to whom can be added the French Interior Forces (the FFI, about 135,000 resistance fighters). General de Gaulle froze pensions for the non-French in 1959 and this was renewed in 1978, 1979 and 1981 resulted in pension allotments for foreign veterans of the French army transformed into indemnities not indexed to the cost of living. The nationals of the former colonies found that they were receiving only 3 to 30% of the amounts accorded their mainland French comrades.

I might note that we had a similar problem following WWI with our own citizen soldier/veterans.

PS - I apologize for the lack of leverguns. There are MAS36s and the usual run of German arms.

[Terry Murbach]

NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THE FRENCH ARMY IN NORTH AFRICA WOULD HOLD TOUGH AND FIGHT TO THE LAST SPANIARD.

[madman4570]

I remember seeing that movie about a year ago and also thought it was good!

[Hobie]

One of the main characters goes through the whole movie with his right hand in his pocket and you still can see him in that role. I thought that was pretty interesting.

[madman4570]

ya, I still picture him doing that ??? Wasnt because of this movie Jacques Chirac after watching it he made the government pay full pensions to the colonial veterans ??

[Bill in Oregon]

Hobie: Thanks for the heads up. As an American, I will always be grateful that they were our allies during the Revolution.

[Hobie]

ya, I still picture him doing that ??? Wasnt because of this movie Jacques Chirac after watching it he made the government pay full pensions to the colonial veterans ??

Yes, but they still haven't actually paid it! Plus Chirac was one who led the charge (apparently) to deny the pensions...

Of course Terry was correct, lots of Spaniards volunteered. As you probably know, Spain was officially neutral during the war.

[JohndeFresno]

NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THE FRENCH ARMY IN NORTH AFRICA WOULD HOLD TOUGH AND FIGHT TO THE LAST SPANIARD.

One of the main characters goes through the whole movie with his right hand in his pocket and you still can see him in that role. I thought that was pretty interesting.

Hobie, that was his white flag - standard issue during that war, and most others since Napoleon.

So... what happens? Is it one of those "Indie" type of films that lasts only about 30 minutes? I can see 28 minutes of training and character development, and then a fast forward to those boys on the front line, where your hero produces the item that he has been protecting in his pocket!

[Hobie]

The actor actually doesn't have use of his right arm. He was hit by a train! Apparently doesn't stop him from participating in the action sequences.

The movie is a full-length feature. I was very surprised it was so good.

[Bruce Scott]

Of course Terry was correct, lots of Spaniards volunteered. As you probably know, Spain was officially neutral during the war.

They certainly did; the 250th Infantrie Division(the Blue Division) that fought on the Eastern Font was made up entirely of Spanish volunteers.

[Hobie]

A carry over from the civil war I suppose. You'd think they'd had enough of it.