Fort Saganne

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!

Breathtaking images. The vanity of French presence in the Sahara at the beginning of te 20th century well depicted. Sublime crew of actors, every one of them. I was amazed not to have known of this masterpiece long ago.

Based on a real person, grandfather of writer Louis Gardel.

Superb music from the London Symphonic Orchestra.

'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?

This has to be one of my favorite films, sweeping desert scenes, the desert, always the desert. The Compagnies Sahariennes Mehariste in all their glory, battles, last stands, the French officer Saganne easily coming to terms with the harsh desert, later rather unsettled living without it. This is also autobiographical, as mentioned in "France Soldiers And Africa". The loyalty of the native troops is noticeable throughout. The meeting with the looper Capt. Baculard in the depths of the desert is memorable.... Watch out for the the ever dependable NCO Embarek, and his love of the "Aluette" song.. Desert. Colour. Forts, abound, I was not expecting the sweeping movie it is. This could well be the "Far Pavillions" of the French Africa. Look out for Saganne in the hell of the early Western Front, going to the wall map and laying his hand on his beloved West Africa. It is fitting the last scenes are of the desert. I felt drained after letting this film wash over, and carry me along French Colonial West Africa........ This movie is a French love letter to Africa........

Sets and costumes are perfect, and there is not a single bad actor. However, the it is not a moving film and it scandalously supports slaughtery of colonized rebels, just as golden era Hollywood celebrates the butchery of untamed Indians. Honestly, I expected more from a film from the 80's than this absence of self criticism: there are the bad colonizers (racists, cowards and aristocratic) and there are the good colonizers (handsome liberators with honour and humble origin, and good relationship with reasonable natives, who respectfully provide French peace to Africa, only killing rebels who did not understand French civilization, with a heroic sountrack to highlight that imperialistic heroism). Seriously?! If there is any criticism, it is similar to that of USA Vietnam War movies: how the government did not care about the suffering of its heroes in battlefront. Besides the military issue, the movie also has is personal issue: let me call characters by actors' names: Depadieu's affair with Deneuve ans his love story with Marceau are very undevelopped and unexplained too. Depardieu's brother has an even less connected story, as a three-hour film needed more plots to be added.