User reviews

Although the story features barracks and legionnaires,with two exceptions,the main characters are not soldiers.Although it takes place in North Africa,it's not the usual Légion Etrangere stuff,like such works as Duvivier's "la Bandera" or Jacques Feyder's "Le grand Jeu" .In fact the screenplay is rather modern:a distraught Olcott(Barrault) comes back from the desert.His partner has been killed in mysterious circumstances .It seems that it is a native's crime.The dead man's wife arrives and tries to know the truth while continuing his business.

It seems that some scenes are missing: two and even three characters' motives remain very obscure:the school teacher 's(Lefèvre) ,the second lieutenant's and the merchant 's parts are not clearly depicted.

Jean-Louis Barrault gives a tormented performance,sometimes verging on madness.

Yet another study of mad love mixed in with the white (French) man's burden, this one benefits from the work of a couple of the world's best cameramen, along with then celebrity leads and great desert locations.

Barrault won't be accused of underplaying but maybe a bit of excess is what is needed to get his fruity character across. Not as good as "Macao Enfer de Jeu" or "La Bandera" but enjoyable. Mlle Gallian, doing Road Company Michele Morgan, fits right in.