Fort Saganne

'Fort Saganne' is a disappointing waste of a striking setting and an evidently interesting story and character. There's no dramatic tension. The actors all seem to be asleep. The director doesn't seem to know what story he is telling. Full of stereotype situations and unconvincing scenes. How could a movie full of exotic action scenes be so boring?

I watched it on DVD, what I bought in Kiosk, for 1.2 Euro - initially, it was twice so, but they dropped price, you know why... It was 180 min version. Story was interesting for me, because I didn't know almost anything about French involvement in Sahara and around.

Main problem of movie is direction, by me, combined with script. Scenes are simple not enough convincing, and pace is often slow. Look for instance situation when Madeleine takes horse and rides, then Sagan's reaction. All it looked too hermetic, without emotions. And there is lot of such ones. Probably worst (for viewer) is finale on battlefield. it (and he) looked so dumb, that I wished that they kill him (and was of course predictable like hell).

OK. Things changes lot in past 90 years, and we look different on word 'hero' now. Maybe WWI was that point where it turned significantly - with all war technique there was no place for heroes, just for millions of dead bodies. Film is not bad in all, but for a really good French war movie I'd recommend "Un long dimanche..."

If you're the type of person who doesn't normally like to sit down and watch a subtitled movie for your evening's entertainment, consider making an exception for Fort Saganne. Take the recommendation from my mom, who usually rolls her eyes and thinks, "A French movie? That means it's going to film a floating balloon for half an hour while a bunch of posers talk about existentialism." Even she was very entertained by this one, and it was three hours long!

Gérard Depardieu stars as a peasant trying to better himself and gain respect through a military career. Although he seems to be earning respect from his superior officer, Philippe Noiret, Philippe merely puts him through difficult missions to try and break his spirit and still shuns him socially. When Gérard and the young, sweet Sophie Marceau start to develop feelings for one another, Sophie's family pulls some strings and has Gérard transferred to the Sahara Desert. The promotional posters, as well as the trailer, for this movie will have you thinking Catherine Deneuve has a prominent part, but she's really only onscreen for twenty minutes. She's very pretty, but she doesn't do much in this one, and Sophie has a larger, more important part.

The focus of this three-hour Four Feathers-esque epic isn't either romance, but instead Gérard's endurance of the desert. If you liked Lawrence of Arabia, you'll love this one. You can truly feel the heat, filth, and sand, and it makes you wonder why every soldier stationed out there didn't lose his mind. At times, though surrounded by miles of open space, it feels like Gérard has been put in prison, with Philippe as his warden. If you really love the desert landscape and could never think of it as a villainous character, you'll probably be awed by Alain Corneau's beautiful direction. Fort Saganne really is a masterpiece, one of the finest representatives of serious French cinema. Even I, who was watching this movie with the sole purpose of drooling over Gérard's extremely handsome face, was able to tear myself away from the view and appreciate the scenery.

Put on your reading glasses and start your movie early tonight so you can stay awake through the whole thing. Alain Corneau's direction is remarkable and ahead of its time, Philippe Sarde's theme is lush and memorable, and you'll get to see Sophie Marceau in only her third movie. And it never hurts to have a handsome man in the lead. Three hours pass in no time when you're looking at Gérard Depardieu.

The problem with this film is that nothing is left for the viewer to assume, deduce, or imagine. Everything which one might need to know in order to understand the full narrative is shown, in detail - and the audience doesn't need that: as a result the film lasts .... what? two and a half hours? .... at least half an hour of which is certainly dead matter. There are some very impressive incidents, but the impact is muffled. I can't help feeling too, that, given that Corneau seems to want to make the most of his setting and given what that setting is, even the photography represents a wasted opportunity. It's dramatic, but it could have stood you still. Imagination needed!

At the time of its release, "Fort Saganne" was one of the most expensive productions in the history of French cinema. It certainly was in need of that money, in order to have the accurate costumes,, the settings and the lavish scenes. But this is just the surface of what is not only a pleasure for the eyes, but also an outstanding film.

Charles Saganne (Gérard Depardieu) is a low-class, poor soldier who enlists to fight in Algeria, with the hope of pursuing a glorious military career that would diminish the significance of his social background. Things aren't as easy as he had imagined them; he falls in love with the daughter of a wealthy family, Madeleine (Sophie Marceau), who can't marry him due to their class difference, and his attempt to impress his superior (Philippe Noiret) ends up as a charade. Still, he understands Saganne's eagerness and potential and sends him to fight the Arabs in the Algerian desert. There, he will shine, showing that he has the nature of a real leader, and this glory will have various consequences for his life, ranging from the desirable, to the tragic.

Alain Corneau offered with "Fort Saganne" a big-budget film à la française. Everything is made to resemble a real period piece, from the houses, to the uniforms. The movie could be seen as one of the period films released in the 80's that had the aim of re-examining the past, and resurrect the popularity of French cinema after a period of relative stagnancy. Claude Berri's "Jean de Florette" (1986) was also part of this effort. While the former film examines the consequences of human greed, "Fort Saganne" aims more for a heroic story, that partly makes an attempt at assessing France's colonial past.

The way it does that is surprisingly nuanced and objective, considering its origin and setting. Whilst the hero serves in Algeria and fights the Arabs, who are thus presented as the villains, none of his soldiers seems to fights for the glory of France. In one scene, one of his friends tells him that all that they're told about France's mission to civilize the natives is a lie. Saganne himself does respect France, but his principal aim is personal gain, and he is presented as a person who appreciates the natives and doesn't regard them as inferior. There is even a French commander, who is negatively presented due to his regarding of the civilians, whom Saganne saves - or, rather, "liberates" - as enemies.

Truth be said, the film does commit the mistake of offering a naïve image of the colonized people, who are not of importance in the story. For, this is a film that I told through the perspective of the title hero, a French colonial troop. The natives are either the innocent victims, or the villains, jeopardising France's domination over the region. Still, I consider it commendable for its treatment of their culture with respect, and its avoiding to enforce colonialism. The viewer doesn't support France, it supports Saganne. The whole thing is a personal matter.

Despite its three-hour long duration, the film is extremely enjoyable to watch, owing to the cast's acting abilities. Depardieu, then a new face in French finest, was excellent as Saganne, creating with his performance a character the viewer can toot for. We want him to succeed,because we feel the injustice of him not getting the honour he deserves, only due to being poor. No one is worthless to him, since he was once regarded as such.

As for the other actors, their roles were complementary to the story, and the film wouldn't go on without them. Noiret contrasts perfectly with the more energetic Depardieu, as the stern authority figure in the army. The hero's two love interests, Sophie Marceau and Catherine Deneuve, gave satisfactory performances, especially the latter, playing an intellectual, provocative journalist that seduces Saganne through her wit. Sophie Marceau as Madeleine was not so impressive, maybe due to the fact of her playing the classic French wife of the early 20th century, that is, obedient and quite reserved. Her personality is, I think, suited to more emotional characters. She would reunite with her male co-star a year later in Maurice Pialat's "Police", an experience not exactly pleasant to her.

The music,composed by Philippe Sarde, is as magnificent as the film itself, with piano pieces that impose themselves and provide the essential dramatic atmosphere of such a lush, grandiose feature.

"Fort Saganne" is a great both for the cinephile and the history lover, with a stellar cast, and an interesting historical context.

Deep in the African desert, a fortress stands. Upon seeing it, one might assume it is a relic from the past, but a sign on it quickly discerns the truth. It reads "Fort Saganne".

Like the film itself, it stands there, mostly forgotten, but existing for the ones wanting to see it. I don't know if it deserves a visit, but the film is indeed worth of a viewing.