DramaWarHistory

The Battle of Algiers

- The Revolt that Stirred the World!

Tracing the struggle of the Algerian Front de Liberation Nationale to gain freedom from French colonial rule as seen through the eyes of Ali from his start as a petty thief to his rise to prominence in the organisation and capture by the French in 1957. The film traces the rebels' struggle and the increasingly extreme measures taken by the French government to quell the revolt.

Release Date : 1966-09-08

Language :ArabicEnglishFrench

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Igor FilmCasbah Film

Production Country : ItalyAlgeria

Alternative Titles : The Battle of Algiers

Cast

Character Name : Ali La Pointe

Original Name : Brahim Hadjadj

Gender : Male

Character Name : El-Hadi Jaffar

Original Name : Saadi Yacef

Gender : Male

Character Name : Halima

Original Name : Fouzia El Kader

Gender : Female

Character Name : Colonel Philippe Mathieu

Original Name : Jean Martin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Petit Omar

Original Name : Mohamed Ben Kassen

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Mohamed Hadj Smaïn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Combattant FLN

Original Name : Larbi Zekkal

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Drunk Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Rouiched

Gender : Male

Character Name : Responsable FLN

Original Name : Noureddine Brahimi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Larbi Ben M'hidi

Original Name : Si Mohamed Baghdadi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Le Marié de la Casbah

Original Name : Abderrahmane Brahimi

Gender : Male

Character Name : La Mariée de la Casbah

Original Name : Fatiha Djoudi

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mahmoud (uncredited)

Original Name : Franco Moruzzi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain Dubois

Original Name : Tomasso Neri

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fathia

Original Name : Samia Kerbash

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain

Original Name : Ugo Paletti

Gender : Male

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Gene Wesson

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-05-08

It's the mid 1950s and the population of Algeria are increasingly determined to break free from the colonial administration of France. From one perspective it's a fight for freedom, from the other a response to dangerous insurrectionism. What makes this drama stand out is the degree of impartiality with which it depicts the story. The French are still licking their wounds after leaving their Indo-Chinese empire and are desperate to avoid another defeat here. The local population are poorly educated and hopelessly outgunned but have the advantage of mobility and surprise as they seek to emulate their Oriental contemporaries. Neither side shies away from acts of brutality and that's depicted poignantly here with anyone in uniform a target for the rebels and any one at all a target by way of response. It has the feel of a docu-drama to it, with the characterisations of "La Ponte" (Brahim Hadjadj) and "Col. Mathieu" (Jean Martin) acting well as a conduit for both sides of a story that saw losers on every side and tested the humanity of each as any semblance of decency or a code of war went swiftly by the board. It's not just both sides here that are exposed to judgment, but the pretty hapless UN doesn't really come off any better (perhaps restricted by a potential French veto?). The photography and visual effects are very effective at presenting us with a largely urban war zone in which collateral damage was inevitable, and seemingly a price both parties were prepared to pay. The history of the scenario and it's results are fact, but Gillo Pontecorvo uses quite a considerable degree of creativity and sensitivity in demonstrating just how desperate times can result in desperate measures - and maybe even a little grudging respect. At times, the violence is claustrophobically presented and it's never an easy watch.