MON COLONEL (2006)
Now get out!
THE COLONEL
It's Col Duplan. The postman identified him.
His son's due to confirm it.
Seems he got a lot of mail
after his controversial TV appearance.
No traces of a break-in. Neighbors saw nothing.
German WW II casing.
What gun?
Probably a Lüger.
"He paid for his crimes against Algerians."
"Algerians and French leftwingers executed him."
"He had a black mistress in Indochina. Signed: A friend."
Registered letter for you.
We have the full broadcast he did,
and a summary for the 8PM news.
Play the summary.
A commando claims they executed him
for betraying the ideals of the OAS.
The method of operation baffles investigators.
Retired Colonel Duplan,
at our debate on massacres by islamists
said, and I quote:
"They'll go on. Algeria cannot become a nation,
and never was one."
He blamed French politicians. Here he is:
Left and right are to blame for the massacres.
If I'd known what De Gaulle was planning,
I'd have blown his head off.
His speech shocked many people. At his funeral,
the far right caused disturbances.
Get out, you bastards! My father hated your guts!
To him, gas-chambers weren't "a detail"!
"The Colonel died at St Arnaud."
That's all?
Our killer!
It's about this murdered Colonel.
It's a kind of diary.
I want a report by 12.30 PM.
My respects, Major.
Anything new on Duplan's murder?
- Nothing, sir. - There is.
This envelope.
I want a report by noon.
In a jeep with a folded windshield,
under my heavy helmet, in baggy fatigues,
after a quick training period,
I was named 2nd Lieutenant
and posted to the Constantine military zone.
Maybe, despite what I told my law-school pals,
I only enlisted because Isabelle and I broke up.
I hoped she'd dissuade me.
She didn't try.
So here I am in Algeria.
STARNAUD - A FRENCH TOWN
Master-Sgt Schmelk.
Welcome, Lt.
I'll escort you.
Here, you even go piss at the double.
Colonel's orders!
"Keeps the men in a fighting mood."
They're in a permanent state of alert.
Even that's at the double!
You get a room of your own.
- Why this privilege? - Colonel's orders, that's all.
He's waiting for you, Lt.
2nd Lt Rossi. Reporting for duty, sir.
So you volunteered?
Yes, Colonel.
Not like those who block trains of conscripts?
No, sir.
WE MUSTDRAIN THEIR WATER
I wanted an Army lawyer: I get a student!
REBELS HIDE AMONG THE PEOPLE LIKE FISH IN WATER
Your father fought in Indochina?
The Resistance, Buchenwald, Indochina, sir.
I was there, too.
You ran away from Dad, or came to please him?
Both, Colonel.
- Know what we do here? - We pacify, sir.
They say that in Paris?
You'll soon see how war differs from pacifying.
Get a uniform that fits you.
It's great to get up, and know what you'll wear.
Saves time for essentials.
It's one advantage of military life.
Dismissed!
You'll lead! In the Colonel's jeep.
What's all this about, Sgt?
We're going on a picnic.
The Colonel calls it "psychological action".
Mr Officer, where are we headed?
Military secret, Miss.
Is it far?
About 30 kilometers. At Djemila.
Good day, men!
Ladies and gents, get in the cars!
No risk of an ambush? One machine-gun burst...
The area has been combed for months.
Armored cars are clearing the way.
It's all been planned.
Don't panic, Rossi. Everything's under control.
See? The countryside is safe, Senator.
Tell your colleagues in the Senate.
Situation's under control.
Hello, Colonel.
- Welcome to Djemila, Lt! - Thank you, Senator.
Lt Rossi.
How are you, Prefect?
Know what these ruins tell us?
That this country needs another civilization to blossom.
2000 years ago it was the Romans, later the Christians and St. Augustine.
Now this civilizing mission is ours.
Mr Officer, are your military secrets in ruins?
Sometimes, miss.
Meet my cousin Isabelle.
I'm Thérèse.
We can discuss that later. Chow time!
A fine speech!
Prefect, this is Lt Rossi. A man of law, and my ADC.
Colonel, don't they get fed?
Rossi, you saw them and did nothing? Have tables set out!
Yes, sir!
It's been done, sir.
I was angry at Caid Al Rachidi. Not at you. He hadn't noticed.
You're the Colonel's guests.
People must understand the army isn't here
to defend the rich settlers who exploit the Muslims,
and breed hordes of revolutionaries.
Most of the settlers aren't rich. There are many others.
It's they who, for 125 years,
through their sacrifices and hard work,
have made the desert blossom into 3 French provinces.
I agree.
Help yourselves!
Look, Rossi.
Pleasure for the palate,
after the pleasure of touching, with 3 fingers.
Tear off the meat.
The Colonel didn't resume his discussion.
Later, he said to me...
They don't see how bad things are.
This is a modern revolutionary war.
In a revolutionary war,
the side the people support wins.
Security classified you as a risk.
Why did you come here?
To see for myself, sir.
You'll see plenty!
I'll judge you by your attitude.
Thank you, sir.
Listen...
It's beautiful.
The natives judge us by how we mete out justice.
I need a justice that fits the situation.
You knew our Senators, even Commies,
voted for emergency laws so Algeria stays French?
Yes, sir!
Don't say "yes" or "no"! Say "affirmative" or "negative"!
Pascal said: "Soldiers talk soldierly."
Know why this town is called St Arnaud?
Yes... Affirmative, sir!
General St Arnaud conquered this area in 1837.
He was a Captain, and used force reluctantly,
only to fulfill his mission.
Proceedings of the French Senate.
It's gibberish.
Put it into language that a career soldier can understand.
I'll try.
Don't say you'll try, say you'll do it!
I'll do it tonight, sir.
No. Go to sleep, get up at 5AM, go on a march.
You'll read those texts as a soldier, not a penpusher!
Is that all, Lt?
Rossi felt Col Duplan was a rigid stickler.
Anyway, who's this Rossi?
A left-winger with a broken heart,
who signed up for active duty.
What happened to him?
Reported missing in action.
Why were we sent this letter?
I think we'll get others.
Galois will follow the police's investigation.
Galois!
The police needn't know of Rossi's diary. Not yet.
Yes, General.
How did you hear of your father's death?
I heard it on the radio.
Was he politically committed?
He hated politicians, especially De Gaulle.
And Le Pen, who he'd met in the army.
Felt he was a phony and a racist.
Did he fear for his life after that TV show?
He got many letters of support.
This just came.
DOES EX-CHIEF REIDACHER INOW WHY THE COLONEL DIED?
Your research, Lt.
Victor Hugo said of St Arnaud:
"A man who set back France and the human spirit..."
- That'll do! - There are 10 pages.
Today, Sunday, we went for a short 30-mile hike.
The Colonel wants us to march like the rebels.
We're way behind. Especially me.
My basic training now seems like a bad joke.
They're out there.
Look, Rossi. They're watching us!
Who, sir?
The rebels. They watch all our movements!
We must stop the locals from helping them!
Father Jeantet was with me in Indochina. Lt Rossi.
Sgt Schmelk, who you know.
- Things OK, Sgt? - Fine, Father.
I wanted mass said here because they watch us.
They once controlled this zone, it's symbolic!
Those who aren't Catholic or devout may leave.
Give me, O Lord, Your leftovers.
Give me what You may not grant.
I want anguish and the good fight.
Give them to me, O Lord, forever.
May I have them forever.
But give me courage, too.
I didn't imagine this when I signed on.
I wanted to study those texts for the Colonel.
Just like in law school. But in fatigues and boots,
it's hard to become a student again.
"France without Algeria wouldn't be France."
All stand!
Rossi!
I'm a soldier at war.
You confuse justice and legality. Get it?
When the Nazis ruled France, legality was the trains to the camps.
Justice was men who blew up trains.
Here, legality is proving who kills my men.
I have proof of it, and I want justice.
- Get it? - I think so, sir.
Tell me what the emergency laws let us do.
Almost anything.
To re-establish order, nothing is excluded,
even if it's illegal.
Good. You've clarified things.
Without daring to say it,
the politicians let us do what we want.
And we'll do it!
By the book!
After dinner, come to my office.
Enjoy your meal.
Thank you, Colonel.
Here are our decisions. Capt Roger will organize them.
Know what a "wood chore" is?
Not really, sir.
Shooting a prisoner in the back.
Officially, "He ran away,
"and was shot after 3 summons."
It's weak and useless.
The rebels slit our throats and call it an execution.
No "wood chores" here. We'll be ruthless,
but out front.
Tidy this up for me.
So it's a state of siege?
Exactly, Rossi.
It's unofficial, so we'll call it "maintaining order".
We should consult the civilian brass.
They... You go!
Me, sir? I'm only a 2nd Lt.
You're the Army! Without us, they're dead!
Don't consult them, tell them!
Oranges for sale!
I'm 100% with the Colonel!
Damn the Prefect!
You tidied the villages, now fix this town!
What's the main obstacle, Chief?
The Arabs burned their ID's. We don't know who's who.
Our Prefect worries about legality! I can't move.
Lt, I want to come with you
to see him when you announce your measures.
This is the hub of the rebellion.
The rebels make 'em all pay up:
bosses, workers, even Europeans.
Why don't you stop it?
We'd have to lock up half the town.
The Prefect won't admit it.
You'll establish a curfew, and take a census! What next, Lt?
We'll close off St Arnaud.
Close off the town?
If Col Duplan has ideas for maintaining order,
we'll evaluate their merit together.
I await him.
Till then, nothing is to be done.
I won't keep you longer.
The Colonel will close the town and start the census tomorrow.
Chief!
Don't take orders from the military.
We represent France. Nothing can be done without me.
What did I say? You saw his face?
Up for that couscous?
The Prefect's right.
Civilian authority prevails. I'd agree if...
In peacetime he's boss, but in this situation...
That's Omar, king of couscous and double deals.
He pays off the rebels.
He'll try and buy us lunch. Bribes are in their blood.
Hello, Chief!
Welcome, Captain!
Lt, not Capt. Don't overdo it.
2 aperitifs and 2 couscous. The usual.
Be seated.
You say he pays off the rebels?
I can't blame him.
If he didn't pay up, I couldn't protect him and his family.
FRANCE PROTECTS YOU
FRENCH, GO HOME
Tell that dunce, even a midget could erase it!
What's this about, Capt?
We're surveying the houses. Each inhabitant will be registered.
That's totally illegal!
Law of March 6, 1956...
What next? A wall?
Livestock will also be counted.
- Where's the Colonel? - In his office.
Why livestock?
To cut off the rebels' supplies.
Now we say who may slaughter or sell!
Next!
Don't be a pain!
Don't move. Show your kisser!
Sergeant!
Next!
Respect those women!
Respect can't be photographed, sir.
Explain that to the Colonel for me.
Go on!
You were right. But leave me out of such problems.
Schmelk deserved his reprimand.
But in combat, he's exemplary. Your value is unknown.
Remember, as an officer the men watch you.
Incident closed.
Men!
The rebels ordered a general strike.
They want to prove the locals are with them.
We won't be pushed around.
We'd lose face, and the trust of the people.
Any objections, Rossi?
Legally, you can't suspend the right to strike.
Arabs can't push us around!
Right, Lt. The Army can't stop a social movement.
But the strike order came from abroad.
It's hostility toward France.
We'll respond like soldiers!
All businesses must be open on May 2nd.
In the name of the law,
open this establishment!
You have 2 minutes,
or force will be used!
- He won't shoot! - Stay out of it!
Fire!
What are you doing?
You crazy?
Why did you shoot at my house?
I'm a French army veteran!
You should set an example!
Tell the others. I'll destroy all closed stores!
I'm on your side. I have family in France.
Chief!
I fought at Monte Cassino, in Indochina!
Spare me your life story! Obey!
Thanks a lot.
You nuts? You could've killed them!
Go home, Martin!
Take over, Chief.
- Deal with the undecided! - Count on me, sir!
"Chief Reidacher worked
"with Colonel Duplan.
"Does he know why he died?"
Why, Mr Reidacher? You know?
I don't understand what the writer is implying.
Anonymous letter n° 001:
"The Colonel died at St Arnaud."
St Arnaud was an important mission for him.
For me, too.
We thought we'd stamp out the rebels, and have peace.
But we abandoned Algeria.
I'm sure the Arabs miss the era when they were French.
If they ever were French!
They were.
Believe me, they were!
Then came 2 months of army routine,
long marches, mountain patrols, no sight of rebels.
The enemy burnt harvests, cut telegraph poles,
destroyed roads...
Then Sgt Schmelk, who the Col transferred, was ambushed.
We've located them, Lt!
This sight shocks you?
Affirmative, sir.
I don't like it either.
Mutilations are the rebels' symbolic gesture.
I'm replying with a symbolic act!
Colonel, you can't do this!
I'm responsible for the city's hygiene.
The Prefect says you have no right.
They had a right to kill my men? Want to see them?
No!
My men will be buried Tuesday. You can remove those bodies then.
2 days under the sun!
I'll shoot at anyone who tries to move them!
Good day, Senator.
You know the story of Antigone?
From the Greek tragedy?
King Creon denied her brother a burial.
She believed his soul would have no eternal rest.
To Muslims, death without burial also means you're damned.
Arabs will understand this gesture.
Won't they defy us, sir?
Your conclusions, Chief?
Colonel, our...
your measures have stifled them.
They've lost influence here and all around.
All they have left is urban terrorism.
They may strike hard.
Speak up! What do you know?
Just rumors...
I don't have ways to make them talk.
Here's an example: I arrest someone.
I have to present him to the DA.
Others, with a free hand get results.
How?
By torture?
With tough interrogations.
Enough hypocrisy! We're not in the French Senate!
We know the army has used torture to get results.
To me it's not a moral problem.
You know El Ouach farm, Capt?
It's an intelligence and action center, an IAC.
It's a torture center. With specialists!
Look at Rossi:
he thinks he's still in Paris!
Yes, they torture at El Ouach farm!
You send your prisoner, and get back info.
Sometimes without the prisoner!
To me torture isn't taboo.
If it's done well, without sadism and under control.
Chief, are there real risks of a bomb attack?
Absolutely, Colonel!
What do the State Police think?
We have no information.
And no right to do tough interrogations.
I know!
Since there are real risks,
and my job is to protect Europeans and Muslims,
I'll assume my responsibilities.
Captain!
I need to see State Police files. I was told to ask you.
Not me: the DA. Write him.
I told you to bypass channels!
I did. The Sgt agreed, his Lt didn't.
Take 5 men. Go when the fool's at home!
Good timing!
Our Chief is new here.
I tell him: Arabs side with winners.
I know, I'm a local.
No, we'll take them now!
You'll get them back by 5AM.
I'll tell the Chief you used force.
We must help each other, or drown!
- All stand! - Stay seated.
Lieutenant!
So what's in that file?
Names of some 50 shopkeepers suspected of helping the rebels.
I have a proposition, Rossi.
You wanted to be lawyer: be a cop.
An army one. You and Capt Roger will be our intelligence.
You can refuse: I'll drop it.
I'll transfer you wherever you want. Any questions?
Yes, Colonel.
Why me?
You're not a fighting man or a leader.
You're honest, you believe in justice.
I want our intelligence arm to be feared and respected.
To be able to tell people what it does without shame.
Answer me by tomorrow at 6PM.
When I went to see the Colonel, I hadn't decided.
I wanted to delay things,
to say I wasn't ready, and needed more time.
Hoping he'd pick someone else.
But when I stood before him, I heard myself say I accepted.
Oh, no!
I'm rarely wrong about men.
All you've endured is an unhappy love-affair
and law-exam anxiety.
Now you're wading into deep shit.
I'll pray that you handle it with dignity.
I have no experience, sir...
Do the rebels have the experience to defeat top generals?
Make them spit out everything they know. That's all.
Yes, sir!
Come on, move!
I said, move!
Corporal!
Don't be so violent.
Capt Roger said they must taste what's coming!
Where's he going? Get in the truck!
They help the rebels out of fear.
Let us scare the shit out of 'em!
If we rough 'em up one by one, they soon blab.
Faster!
We have the 30, Capt.
I bring them in now?
Let 'em stew in the dark for 2 hours!
Chief Reidacher said one by one.
He's an old-style cop. Information isn't everything.
Bring 'em in, and name each chief of a block.
- Me, Capt? - Yes, you!
Colonel's orders.
What if they refuse?
It's that, or they're out of business here!
You have 2 hours.
This booklet may help you. I co-wrote it.
In fact...
assemble them in the junior classroom.
The Pacification of Cities
Lt, they're all in now.
Sit down!
Gentlemen!
You say you love France.
Many of you are war veterans,
decorated, getting pensions.
We protect you,
but you give money to the rebels.
I have the names and the sums given!
We can...
I can punish you.
I won't do it.
I'll give you a chance,
but you have to help us.
I name you each chief of a block.
You'll have an official card!
As of now, you're responsible for your block.
Anyone who refuses is with the rebels.
May Allah protect him!
They're decent people, sir.
They soon saw the wind had turned.
They'll tell the rebels we used force.
They're decent, but have lost faith in fine speeches.
I just had a strange encounter.
It's as if I hadn't chatted for years with a civilian.
René Ascencio is a teacher.
He came to the commandeered school
to get some books he forgot.
With hindsight, maybe he came to meet me.
Will you turn it into a barracks?
After the vacation, you'll get the school back.
Full of ghosts. It'll be haunted.
We'll remove the blood and corpses.
Saïd Ben Miloud, a block chief, told me of you.
He's the public scribe.
He told of your anger
when your soldiers unveiled women.
You impressed him.
Your gesture meant a lot to the Muslims.
Your school has its ghosts!
Don't let the principal hear you!
He thinks what you need is Pétain.
You say the Muslims noticed my gesture? Why?
Know any Muslims?
Did you find them, Ascencio?
Sorry for the bother, Lt.
You'll get your school back in the fall.
And glorious, for helping the army!
Won't your PTA see a conflict?
On the contrary! Right, Mr Ascencio?
And Muslim parents?
My class only has 3!
Once educated, they'll want equality and voting rights.
Ten million Arabs means 100 Arab deputies.
The French Parliament will be the casbah!
A pessimistic view.
If they don't get uppity, all will be fine!
Lunch break, Lt! The car is waiting for you.
Enjoy your meal!
Join me for some sweetbreads.
- I think I'll join him. - You're right, Lt.
Zouina wasn't taught to cook couscous by the nuns.
I love couscous.
She says she only has one bottle of wine.
I said you were a special soldier.
You say French locals can only curse in Arabic?
Aren't you simplistic, like your principal?
I lack his certainty.
A local with doubts is a traitor.
We're here to pacify and educate.
Without us they'd be in a tribal war.
We're not here to defend rich settlers and exploit Arabs.
Soon we'll build a future together.
It's begun: Muslims can now be civil servants.
Local French students protested that measure!
They're idiots! The Army must also fight the local French.
Like you, I ask myself questions.
I find my situation highly abstract.
Soldiers like Col Duplan respect the Arabs.
You'd agree with him on many things.
I doubt it.
Your Colonel is a war machine
that thrives on bad Marxism and Catholic fanaticism.
He's tough, but sincere.
His hard methods deliver peace.
Let's hope so.
I wish I could share your hopes, if not your beliefs.
Have you read Camus' The Plague?
I'll lend it to you.
Here. Keep it hidden.
Camus is considered a traitor:
he showed we keep the Algerians in poverty.
Thanks.
- Chief! - Lt!
My wife, Emilie.
And Private Alain.
At ease!
Where are they?
Having a last drink with the Senator.
Hope they can still parade!
Hi, Lt. See you later!
You know him?
Don't trust him. He's a lefty.
Take the kid. Hurry!
Vidal, Valentin, come!
It's dangerous there!
Get an ambulance!
Call the barracks!
Look at me. You'll be alright.
Arabs did it! Grab the bastards!
Come help him!
Sgt! Come with me!
Stop that!
Let go of him!
He's a soldier!
They'll take care of you.
Captain!
Take a shower and get changed!
The town's closed off, we can't do a thing.
Obey! It'll calm you. Then comes the next step!
Do it!
By delaying us a bit, you saved us!
I'll handle the inquiry with the DA.
Who's the block chief of Bastille Square?
Ben Miloud, the scribe. Raised by French monks.
A pro-French vet, who may pay off the rebels.
Nice going, Rossi!
Roger questions, you take notes.
It must be done by the rules.
I know a lot about you, Miloud.
I want to know what you know.
About the explosion, Capt?
- Not the weather! - I know nothing!
I was there! I could have died!
But you weren't. Others were killed or injured!
You wouldn't cover the cowards who did it?
I swear, I know nothing!
I was a decorated NCO in the French army.
A bastard throws a grenade in your block,
and you know nothing!
It's the truth, Capt.
OK.
Who collects your pay off to the rebels?
They said they'd kill my son.
You knew them?
There were three.
They came at night. Threatened us.
Sure you knew none of them?
He was lying.
He realized we wouldn't believe him.
Those harrowing images made me lose patience.
He could help us find the murderer, and wasn't doing it.
I wanted to get up and shake him.
Wait outside.
It's me, Sgt.
Good.
They arrested the man who threw the grenades. A butcher boy.
- Where is he? - Being taken to the DA.
Idiotic! They won't find his chain of command.
- Got his name? - Lamine Sellami.
Get Miloud back in.
Ben Miloud, you lied!
Sellami confessed he threw the grenade, and gave your name!
You're going to jail.
- Lt, take the prisoner away! - Wait, Capt...
- I didn't know about the grenade. - You knew the rest!
He collected funds for the rebels!
Very good!
I want the name of the rebels' contact in town.
Then you can go home. It'll be a secret.
Omar Bouamari,
the café-owner.
Sign your statement.
You're free.
Ben Miloud!
This paper
stays here. If you lie again, I'll show it around!
That confession is of no legal value.
Who cares! We scared him!
Now we've weakened him.
Get some sleep. I'll go see the Col.
After we both left the army, the Colonel and I stayed friends.
Did he follow present events in Algeria?
We both felt guilty about the Harkis.
France swore not to let them down,
but we didn't keep our promise.
Where were you the night of the murder?
An insulting question!
I'll reveal my alibi in court!
We got this anonymous letter:
"Capt Roger
"knows why Col Duplan was executed,
"and what happened in St Arnaud."
I'm wary of such letters, their authors, and their users.
What so special happened in St Arnaud?
Nothing very special.
In 1830, they pacified it by walling up a cave,
killing 500 women, children and armed men in it.
What happened in 1955-1957?
Nothing like that.
But under Col Duplan's command, we too pacified the area.
- If the politicians... - And the OAS?
The secret army was amnestied. I needn't answer.
I will anyway:
I'd have followed Col Duplan to hell.
Our hearing of Capt Roger was of no interest.
It wasn't tied to Rossi's diary?
No.
I asked a question. It irked them. I apologized.
As to the diary,
I didn't understand if it was meant for a man or a woman.
Rossi wrote that he wouldn't send it.
So it may have been for a woman...
To whom he wanted to read it personally!
Bravo, Lt.
Men need new ploys, Villedieu!
That one still works, General.
What are your findings, Lt?
The sender of those messages has a plan that isn't clear.
To me it's clear.
It's to pin it on him.
Read it!
Shall I read it to you?
Here.
There.
Thanks.
He's all yours, Capt.
It's just a medical exam, Bouamari. Have no fear, it's over.
Sit down.
Give him a hot drink. Put him in a cell with a bed.
He admitted it all. With names, dates and places.
You indicate you had to use special methods.
I quote:
"Police Chief Reidacher and Lt Rossi were present
"and ensured force was not unduly used."
That your wording?
Affirmative, sir!
In a document you gave me, I found a report by a senior inspector:
"Special methods require the presence of a CID officer."
A letter from Minister François Mitterrand
certified the writer's moral integrity.
What methods did you use?
I forbade them to strike the prisoner.
We used water ingurgitation
and electricity in quick shocks to sensitive areas.
The Chief was familiar with these techniques.
Did it last long?
Negative, sir. Medically, he was unharmed.
What will you do with him?
Legally, hand him to the DA. But his confession is invalid.
The emergency laws let you assign him to the barracks.
Fine.
Capt Roger was supposed to come.
I told him to let you handle this alone. I was right.
Roger will now uncover the chain of command.
Proud of yourself, Rossi?
Not really, sir.
You're right. It's a dirty job.
But you did it, and cleanly.
As a soldier.
We'll discuss it again.
As I left the Colonel, I felt he was right.
But why did it fall on me?
Since I got here, I controlled nothing. I was caught in a machination.
Lower your arms.
Captain.
It's Bouamari.
He already named names.
They'll think the hooded man is a rebel big shot who defected to us.
They'll feel betrayed and will betray.
Ready them in the basement.
Start with him! Put the other next door!
You, strip!
Wait for the Police Chief.
I said strip!
Want it to stop?
OK, Corporal.
He's tough!
It's over, Lt.
- Put him back on his feet. - Yes, Capt.
Let's go. He named names.
OK, Dad. After the emotion, a potion.
Have the MO check him.
Yes, Lt.
Bastard held out 10 hours!
Rossi, stay with me!
Look up the chimney!
Captain!
I found them!
Soviet-made. Like the one they threw.
- Worn out, Rossi? - Morally, sir.
Morality is those 5 grenades!
I'm not made for this.
No one is. But at least you don't enjoy it.
Get in!
What's with Sellami, the grenade thrower?
Negative, sir.
He denies it all. His lawyer will get the DA to free him.
- Know why? - Negative, sir.
The DA thinks like a civilian!
We use the enemy's methods.
During the interrogation I had doubts.
We're in a world war against terrorism and Communism.
Your scruples don't matter.
May I ask you a question, sir?
Is it very painful? If I tried it on myself...
That's stupid and indecent!
A man arrested in his home, taken away, stripped,
has no idea if it will ever stop.
What matters with torture is if it works.
Today you got results.
Here.
Father Jeantet's thoughts on torture.
They'll ease your conscience.
He wrote that the Inquisition
enabled Catholic doctrine to remain pure
and fight off sectarianism.
He never said "torture', but called it "exceptional duties
"permitting unusual methods to save civilization
"and innocent lives."
After many harsh interrogations,
rebel networks were dismantled.
To celebrate the pacification of St Arnaud,
we were visited by a legion of VIP's.
The Colonel ordered us to wear combat gear.
This delivered an explicit message: "We are warriors,
you are toy soldiers."
It was received loud and clear.
Long live pacified St Arnaud! And its victorious soldiers!
Thank you, Minister, in the name of my men,
those present, and those we lost.
To win this "victory", we became policemen.
We used methods we're not proud of.
You represent the government
and should know how we get results.
Reports of what my intelligence services did.
And of our medical officer.
Thank you for your candor, Colonel.
We'll certainly discuss it further.
Welcoming them like that? You nuts?
He wanted you arrested! I calmed him!
Then he should stay in Paris!
I hushed up the Prefect and the DA reports!
You spout idiocies to a minister!
Idiocies? He congratulated me
for wiping out rebels, and thinks I did it in kid gloves!
You bow to politicians, I don't!
I forbid you...
To do what?
Replace me, or let me do things my way!
You'll screw up your career.
Damn my career!
I won't toe the line for an extra star!
Eavesdropping, Lt?
Why are you here, Rossi?
A shepherd told of a huge arrival of weapons.
Are you sure?
- It may be a trap! - How can we tell?
It's their answer to your visit.
The shepherd will walk ahead of us, roped.
- This way. - Go on, fella.
Let's go.
Shit!
Mortar!
Hold your fire! Don't pursue them!
Call in the air force.
We'll expose them!
Take them away!
Get him first aid. I want him alive.
He's dead, sir.
T6! Ground unit here.
You'll spot them on the north face.
Happy hunting, T6.
What do you think, Captain?
We still have a lot of work.
And you, Rossi?
The locals still help them, out of fear or sympathy.
Fear of them, not of us!
What if we hand the wounded rebel to the police?
He'll be tried for murder and endangering the State.
- What'll he get? - Death!
He'll appeal, it'll be forgotten.
- Does that seem effective? - It's the law, sir.
The sentence should be carried out at once.
I don't get it.
Be quiet, let me think!
As you were, men.
Sit down, Rossi.
- We'll mete out justice in public. - Sir, it's illegal.
I can see why it doesn't appeal to you.
So far, you've been highly rigorous.
Create a court under the rules of martial law in time of war.
We're not at war, sir!
Enough hypocrisy. Then what are we doing here?
Aren't our enemies at war with us?
Men, wait!
Rossi's coming with you.
Loosen up, you deserve it.
Think of my problem during the weekend.
Girls!
Drinks for our gallant men!
Before the emotion, have a potion!
A true musketeer's stalking a young virgin!
Loosen up, that's an order!
What's wrong? You look low.
Wait. Excuse me.
Leave us two alone!
What's wrong? Your worries so serious?
You're not a career officer!
Guess not...
Who asked you?
Look what I have for you...
We'll make it, don't worry.
- Hello, Rossi. - Colonel!
Slept well?
You worked last night?
Affirmative, sir.
You should keep this in mind.
In 1945, when the Arabs of Sétif rebelled,
the French slaughtered hundreds in reprisal.
Led by our dear socialist Senator.
We should've tried and executed 50 of the guilty in public.
It's not too late to start.
What will the politicians say?
They're cowards. They'll grumble.
If other officers follow me, we'll win the war.
But if I'm isolated...
How do you see things this morning?
Creating such a court is totally illegal.
Are you sure?
Summary executions would be more legal.
At last Rossi turned him down!
- Were there such military courts? - Never!
This is bad for the Army. How are the police doing?
They're nowhere, Major.
Just as well.
Prefect, an anonymous letter
suggested we ask you why Col Duplan was murdered.
It implies you knew him well.
His acts more than the man.
But for those he captivated, or I should say bewitched,
the Colonel saw nobody.
Did the people he bewitched
take part in these legal,
or illegal acts, if such they were?
The Colonel was demented.
He had a personal view
of the French legal system and of civil powers.
I often notified the Interior Minister of this.
In vain.
These acts weren't illegal?
They were.
I wrote a report, sent via the proper channels
to the Minister of Justice, François Mitterrand.
Did it have any effect?
None at all.
The Colonel was protected by Army HQ.
Why were these acts so shocking?
Shocking?
I needn't answer that.
There's been an amnesty.
Except for crimes against humanity.
The Colonel abandoned the idea of a court.
My quip about summary executions,
and the Defense Minister's statement
that "a rebel with a weapon could be shot instantly',
led him to have Arnoul's killer executed.
After consulting the officers,
Capt Roger was put in charge of it.
Squad! Attention!
Squad! In position!
Squad! Take aim!
Fire!
Come along, Rossi!
You're unworthy of an officer!
You deserted a mission that was your idea!
You could be court-martialed!
- That poor wretch tied up... - Enough teary humanism!
He wouldn't think twice about cutting your throat!
Speaking, General.
That worm of a Prefect told HQ.
Handing them to the police is useless.
I say: shoot them in the country.
Before an audience!
I'll truck in the townsfolk.
My respects, General.
If you don't get what I'm doing, the Arabs will!
Dismissed!
Rossi, take a week's leave.
You need a break.
We'll talk it over when you're back.
Welcome to Constantine, a French city
How do you feel?
Minus an arm, I'm still me!
After 6 months in barracks, I'm way out of synch.
Lunch. It's on me.
I'm sick of mess halls.
Can you get out?
In town, it's on me.
Damn, it's full.
Your uniform and my empty sleeve will do it.
- Did you book, Lt? - No.
Saturdays are impossible!
This way!
I'll get your menus.
- It's reserved. - I know.
Not one Arab. They're washing dishes.
Look! This is French Algeria for you.
They don't see it can't last.
It can! Once the Army has rooted out terrorism.
Here, sir.
Lieutenant...
This idea led us to discuss "the events',
as they are called here.
The army can't control this territory,
or run it by force.
They're farmers and nomads.
We'll settle them.
Algerians want to control their own destiny.
We'll bring them know-how, education, hospitals...
I told Ascencio what we were doing in St Arnaud.
I told him how we broke up rebel networks.
Why did you do that?
It felt good telling it all to someone,
and I thought he understood the need for what we did.
And as proof of our efficiency,
I told him how Arabs rallied to us.
It's ugly, but it stopped the attacks.
If a guy in Paris 7 months ago
had told you of those interrogations, what would you have thought?
That he's a bastard!
- So you've changed. - No, I haven't.
They changed you!
You mean the Colonel? He left it up to me.
He lets you think that.
He's sincere, he didn't force me...
As sincere as a feudal lord.
He metes out his justice. That's normal?
Nothing's normal here. We're not in France!
Right. We're occupiers!
You say that, after what they did to you,
and do in the villages?
Let's not squabble over casualties.
You're on leave.
You chose a one-armed moralist over a pretty girl.
Run after her. Tomorrow lunch is on me.
Try to bring her along.
I'll see you to the hospital.
Here he is.
Sorry.
Françoise and Ali are teachers.
- Delighted - Lt. Guy Rossi.
- Where to? - Guy hoped to the Cirta.
They won't let Ali in unless he wears a red burnoose and medals!
We go there?
No, I'd prefer an Arab restaurant.
You like good wine?
Now the Muslims will snub us!
I know a place with good wine and music.
It's nice here.
And peaceful.
Unless you mention Palestine!
You're right. It is nice here.
Only he talks to us normally.
To other teachers, I'm the rag-head's wife,
and to Ali's pals I'm an enemy slut.
No one visits us, or asks us over.
I'd like to slap them all.
My family too, but they won't see me.
Not René. We love him,
even with his empty sleeve.
Peace will change all that, Françoise.
We must end terrorism. Peace will change everything.
Peace is easy: if Paris negotiates with the rebels,
the attacks will end!
Aren't you oversimplifying?
A lot!
Understandably, the Generals want to win.
But after 2 years of war,
the violence and hatred are worse.
We'll talk of war and peace later! That's final!
Had the Colonel tasted a beurek from a French woman?
I had to tell him about it,
let him meet people like Francoise and Ali.
It might unsettle his beliefs.
We're close, so I could try.
I got back to barracks late.
The Colonel was out on a mission.
Chief Reidacher met me and took me to the stadium.
It's the rebels'answer. He's tied to our execution post.
Boss!
Dr Giustiniani, Lt Rossi.
Hamou, the café-owner. Recognize him?
Why did they do that?
"Executed like a traitor".
I'm reporting back, sir.
I know about the café-owner's murder.
Papers found on the rebel. See what's of interest.
- Should I interrogate the prisoner? - It's being done!
Check those papers!
The Colonel wants you. Now!
These documents are vital.
He admits helping kill the café-owner. He'll be shot tomorrow, publicly.
You'll command the firing squad.
I can't...
You mustn't... Executions are illegal.
You had a good idea, Rossi. Army HQ doesn't object.
I won't do it, sir.
- Let me be frank about this. - Damn your doubts!
Be frank about your friend Ascencio, the teacher.
I don't get it, sir.
Really?
Go on, Captain. Tell him!
We got leads from the café-owner's murderers.
His name came from your teacher.
- That's impossible... - The prisoner talked!
Your friend informs them via a Muslim doctor!
How did he know the café-owner worked with us?
Did you see him in Constantine?
Affirmative, Capt.
Did you share any secrets with him? Careful how you answer.
I think so, sir.
Affirmative or negative!
Affirmative! I told him the locals trust us, and inform us.
Did you go into specifics?
Maybe... But Ascencio wouldn't have...
But that's what happened!
He's collaborating with the enemy!
What do we do with you now?
I can hand in my resignation.
Your resignation?
He wants to resign!
You're a soldier!
A soldier.
Not a boy scout or a bureaucrat.
High treason means a court martial. They'll hound me!
Dishonor for you, me and my regiment!
I won't have it!
I see 2 solutions.
First, you redeem yourself and we check you do so with honor and rigor.
The 2nd, your conscience will guide you or I will,
myself!
Capt Roger will explain what you'll do.
Remember the Cadet who deserted with arms for the rebels?
We'll make your teacher think you agree with his views.
You'll supply him with tips I'll prepare for you.
We know the aliases of some rebel chiefs.
Found any today?
Tell him these men work for us. They'll execute them,
causing havoc.
Here's my list.
Go through it. The Col will decide who we start with.
Go!
You knew Col Duplan, Mr Ascencio?
I'm always told too late!
Not personally.
I know what was said of him in St Arnaud,
and what Lt Rossi told me.
What did they say in St Arnaud?
That he tortured and shot, but under laws decreed by France.
And this Lt Rossi?
The Col's orders shattered him.
What happened to Lt Rossi?
After we last met, he went missing in action.
No ceremony, no mass.
Odd. His father thinks so too.
You know his father?
Sorry.
I met him after the TV debate.
Rossi left a package for him at my place,
that I put in a trunk and forgot.
What did his father want?
To know what happened to his son.
They hinted he switched sides.
Military shenanigans.
Are you an anti-militarist?
Yes, Madame.
We should've...
We must prosecute many for crimes against humanity.
I wrote a provocative article, hoping the Colonel would sue me.
He didn't have the guts.
It's easier to torture than come clean.
Have you had any run-ins with the law?
You know I have.
2 years jail for helping the rebels, then amnestied.
What did you do on February 11th and 12th?
And you? What did you do?
I'll ask my wife and diary.
Do that, and help us check it out.
The police have reason to suspect him.
Were you at his questioning?
Part of it. I was told late.
Intentionally?
I doubt it. This case bothers them.
Come in!
It came by urgent courier.
Your thoughts on the teacher?
A leftist braggart guilty of speeches and minor treason.
Helping the rebels was minor?
These letters are carefully timed. Read them,
and report back to me.
We leave at 5.30AM.
Sir, you despise doubts, but you've become a father to me.
Let me share my doubts with you.
I can't do what Capt Roger wants.
Act responsibly.
We gave you the only honorable way out.
You're right, we have a role to play here.
But force isn't the best way.
We're not acting legally. I have doubts...
You're in no position to doubt or choose!
I can't do it, sir.
I won't.
We are acting legally.
HQ approves of my methods.
Politicos in Paris cover for HQ.
Let's sum things up.
I'm asking you to help save French lives.
It's 2AM, you're edgy. Go sleep on it.
I expect your decision at 6PM.
2nd Company will handle security.
After a long night, where I considered suicide as the Col suggested,
I got up
for the flag raising.
I left the barracks to avoid any weakness
that might change my mind.
I wandered into a hammam that local Europeans
dub "a Moorish bath."
I was a surprise and an embarrassment.
Once out of uniform, I felt relaxed.
The steam made me feel I had changed my skin.
After a dousing of cold water and a massage,
I drank mint tea and lay on a mat.
I daydreamed that the past 6 months had vanished into thin air,
gone away.
When I left, the dream didn't wear off.
This town had left its mark on me.
It looked like a circus act that would end well.
Hi, Mr Officer!
Not with the Colonel today?
Why no more picnics?
Remember my cousin, Isabelle?
This is Rachel, who'd love to be at the next picnic.
Sit down.
A drink?
- I'm on duty, I can't. - Pity.
Bye, girls.
Till the next picnic.
See you!
No need of a bandage there. It's a bump.
I hear you're hardly hurt.
Naturally you saw nothing before the blast?
Nothing, sir.
Your teacher's pals went overboard. 3 deaths,
including a girl you talked to.
Another will be a cripple, the 3rd, God only knows.
They were friends of yours?
Now you see what rebels can do.
I expect you at 6PM. I'm counting on you.
The girls who survived are next door.
The bombing won't make me change my mind,
now he has executed the Arab prisoner.
He disgusts me as much as the bombers.
I'll go see the Colonel.
I'll say I can't do what he wants.
First, I'll leave my 6 months of notes and this letter with Zouina,
who works at Ascencio's house. He'll keep them.
Or send them to you,
if something happens to me...
I'd like to know what you think of me after...
But as I prepare to face the Colonel, I fear I'll never see you again.
Dad, I love you.
Galois is here, General.
Excuse me, General. The Duplan case is entering a new phase.
Rossi's letters were to his father.
- And he sent them to us? - He, or Ascencio.
Who?
The one-armed Communist teacher.
He'll want it called "a crime against humanity"!
Has the father been questioned?
The police have no wind of him, without our file.
Your opinion, Galois?
The police should question the father.
Get them the file, with a copy for the minister.
Keep me posted on every detail.
I made a copy for you.
It came by courier this morning.
You got one too?
Seems you got the same thing.
We must find Rossi's father.
The army can help. Doesn't he get a pension?
We'll keep you posted.
This countryside is so lovely!
Gives me hay fever.
You're Antoine Rossi?
Affirmative.
Come in.
Lieutenant!
So you sent us all this?
I did.
Why bit by bit?
So you'd read it carefully. And ask yourself questions.
As I did all these years, wondering how my son died.
Missing in action. You were notified officially.
I have a copy of the letter here.
Missing, yes.
That's what they said, shunting me between offices.
In the end I knew every department, Lt.
Missing how?
No details.
They implied he had sided with the enemy.
Missing in action. I had to live with that,
until the day a friend of my son's...
The teacher?
Brought me his letters.
Guy had given them to him.
Mr Ascencio misplaced them, then forgot them.
When he saw the Colonel on TV, he remembered.
He found the letters
and I finally found out...
what happened to Guy.
Well, almost...
Won't you have a drink?
This is the murder weapon.
That concerns the police, not us.
It's mine.
I killed the Colonel.
Will you go on TV now? To smear the Army? Who advises you?
The leftist teacher?
The Colonel got an extra lease on life.
He lived his life honored, comfortably.
My son and 25,000 young Frenchmen got killed
in a useless war we lost.
Let's not rewrite history. What'll you do, who do you work for?
For myself,
and for Guy.
The Colonel scorned my son's honor.
He spoke as if he'd always been right,
and still was now, and asked rudely why I was there.
Yes?
Sir, I want to know how my son died.
He's dead. Stick to the official story.
I still want to know how he died.
Your son was a traitor and a coward,
the keys to success nowadays.
In time of war, he was a liability for the army.
His death was a relief. No one opposed it, or had regrets.
What does that mean?
Don't question me! There's been an amnesty!
Get out!
This admission and his gall stunned me.
That's when you took out the...
No, it wasn't on me. I went home for it.
Where's your TV crew?
I have one too. We can play cowboys.
Now get out!
Despite my years in the Army,
I didn't know killing gave such relief.
It did me good, I feel better.
Now I await the Law, as they say, not a TV crew.
As what I did isn't covered by the amnesty,
at last people will talk of Col Duplan
and Guy Rossi who went "missing in action".
If he'd shown any regret or respect,
I wouldn't have fetched the gun.
Well...
Guy died when he was 23.
His mother died of remorse soon after.
So there.
So what do we do now?
Practically. Will you arrest me?
No. You must wait for the police.
Or turn yourself in.
Good, I'd rather wait.
Here, keep them.
I have the originals.
Thanks.
So, Galois?
Excuse me, sir.
Hay fever.
You too?
There's a start for everything.
We have two solutions.
Back to the "factory" or fried fish at a riverside café.
Fried fish, sir.
Subtitles: A. Whitelaw
Processed by C.M.C. - Paris