>>REVIEW
DAYS OF GLORY
STARRING Jamel Debbouze, Samy Naceri and Roschdy Zem
DIRECTED BY Rachid Bouchareb
Opens Friday, March 2
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The tragedies and injustices of war can seem endless at times, almost too much to bear and Days of Glory (Indigenes) provides a rare yet illuminating glimpse into the darkness of man in conflict.
A little-known story behind the victory of the Allies over Nazi Germany is that of the men from North Africa who battled in Italy and France. Many of them illiterate peasants passionate to defend France, which they had been raised to call their motherland, they volunteered to help dislodge the Nazis from Europe. Rather than being lavished with respect and promotions, they discovered deeply embedded racism and intolerance.
The film starts much like other war movies with a small cluster of infantrymen from Morocco and Algiers thrown together in a ragtag infantry that at times can barely master the French language over its native Arabic. Somehow, despite how little they have in common, they manage to find an uneasy respect for one another and learn to battle their enemy with effective results.
They soon realize they are the disposable soldiers, sent in first to flush out artillery nests and dodge deadly and relentless machine gun fire. Their bravery is depicted in a convincing and non-propagandistic way, and the deluge of dirt and shrapnel as it rains down on them is appropriately jarring.
Even more difficult to watch is the abuse they suffer in varying degrees at the hands of their superior officers and fellow soldiers. As they advance into France, overcoming impossible odds, they are greeted with appreciation and respect by the local women, many of them finding acceptance and adoration for the first time. These scenes are among the most compelling, as pretty, wide-eyed girls gaze at the soldiers with unbridled respect.
Sitting through Days of Glory is an uncomfortable two hours, not because of poor acting or direction. Co-writer and director Rachid Bouchareb has created a masterful film and the ensemble cast is superb. Instead it’s an embarrassing reminder of how power and unabashed racism trump compassion on the fields of battle and beyond.
Infuriatingly, 60 years later the French government is still stalling on paying the pensions of soldiers who battled to free France from occupation. One of the stark ironies revealed by this film is the men who continue to be oppressed and dismissed are the ones who helped save the French from Nazi rule. |
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