THE LOST COMMAND
US, 1966, 129 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Quinn, Alain Delon, George Segal, Michele Morgan, Maurice Ronet, Claudia Cardinale, Gregoire Aslan, Jean Servais.
Directed by Mark Robson.
Lost Command is a big spectacular action film of the mid-60s. This was a fashion of the period with a range of films like The Battle of the Bulge, Von Ryan’s Express, Operation Crossbow, The Blue Max. The film is star-studded, led by Anthony Quinn but with an international cast including French Alain Delon and Jean Servais, Michele Morgan with the Italian Claudia Cardinale.
The film is set in the 1950s in Indochina. It focuses on the battle between the French and the Vietnamese, Dien Bien Phu. It was a significant French defeat, the collapse of their empire in Indochina. However, it was to be the beginning of the assertion of the Viet Cong and, within a few years, the beginnings of conflict between North and South Vietnam, the intervention of the Americans and other allies and the Vietnam War. Echoes of this colonial kind of life can be seen in the inserted segments of Apocalypse Now Redux. A French perspective on the history of the area can be seen in Indochine, directed by Regis Wargnier, with Catherine Deneuve. An Australian perspective on Indochina can also be seen in Traps (1994) directed by Pauline Chan.
The film sweeps over the historical background of the period – but, is not accurate in its presentation of the geography of the mountainous areas in Vietnam. However, the sweep of the action carries the audience up into the meanings it wants to communicate. Direction is by Mark Robson who began work for Val Lewton with such films as Bedlam and Isle of the Dead, directed a number of dramas during the 1950s and moved into bigger action films like this one in the 1960s.
1. The significance of the title? Audience interest and popularity: adventure, war, politics, colonialism, human relationships?
2. The use of Cinemascope, locations for Vietnam, France and Algeria? The action styles and the impact of the action sequences? The use of the stars and their impact, stirring musical commentary etc.?
3. How did the film reflect the politics and attitudes of the mid-sixties? Attitudes towards colonialism, the Far East, war, Indo China? Political manoeuvrings and patriotism? The attitudes then and attitudes now? The changes and the reasons for the changes in attitude? How did the film show the necessity of this kind of fighting and yet at the same time show a rejection of so many of the underlying values?
4. The Vietnamese sequences, the issues in the mid-sixties, the memory of the fifties? France and fighting to win, the fact that there was a defeat? The humiliation of the French? The humiliation of their release and the effect on them? The visual presentation of the French soldiers, their attitudes and their relationships? of the film on Raspeguy? Anthony Quinn and his style of acting national types? convincing as a Frenchman? What attitudes to war did he represent?
5. The importance of showing his reaction and violence when released, his attitude towards authority, the effect of the defeat on him? The professional soldier? The contrast with his going home, loss of his command, ambition to regain position? The background of his home and the smuggling? His using people to advance his situation? His relationship with the Countess? The clash with the General and the General's despising of him? Motivation to succeed at all costs? How did he regather his men, use them? What kind of man was he? Admirable or not? Ambiguous?
6. The contrast with the film's focus on Esclavier? The young parachutist and his role in Vietnam? His return to civilian life and his decision to go with Raspeguy? His criticism of some of the values underlying Raspeguy's attitudes? His loyalty, his memory of Mahidi? His criticism of the massacres? The questions of conscience, right and wrong, violence and non-violence? The relationship with Alcha? The fact that he was betrayed? The romantic attitudes and lyrical experience contrasting with war in Algeria? His final disillusionment? The irony of his leaving while Raspeguy was decorated? How real a character, how important the exploration of attitude through his character?
7. The contrast with Boisfeues? His background, his philosophy of fighting to win? enjoyment of the war in Indo China? His decision to rejoin Raspeguy? His aggressive behaviour in Algeria, the importance of the massacre and his responsibility? The final violence? A credible character portraying themes of aggression?
8. How well portrayed was Mahid? His unity with the Frenchman in Indochina, the contrast with fighting against them in Algeria? The joy of his returning home, his brother and the painting of slogans and the shooting? His parents and the involvement in the Resistance? Mahid and his taking to the hills, using his military skills acquired with the French now against them? A convincing hero for this kind of Resistance?
9. How well did the film portray the situation in Algeria in the sixties, the reasons for French administration, the reasons for their pulling out? The tangled politics, trade, racial feeling? The guerrilla tactics in the Resistance? The bomb explosions in the streets and shops? The resistance in the hills? The effect on the ordinary Algerians in city and country and their involvement in war?
10. The presentation of the French Generals, their ambitions, military strategy, moral attitudes?
11. Comment on the impact of the war incidents, the sieges, the shoot-outs, the searches in the desert, the skilful strategies of both French and Algerians? The importance of these action sequences?
12. Comment on the effect of this colonial war on each of the principal characters?
13. Mahid and the final confrontation and his death? What had he achieved?
14. The contrast with Aicha and her tricking of Esclavier?
15. The final irony of Raspeguy and his decorations, the presence of the Countess, the French Generals? Esclavier and his criticism and disillusionment?
16. How interesting as a war film and an adventure film, as a retrospect film of the sixties?
