Could it be because this movie is French that it is ignored by politicians? Or at least very few seem to mention it. That is about as far as I am willing to go in a political debate.
“The Battle of Algiers” is a powerful film, made not long after independence was achieved. It’s grainy black and white footage suggest documentary (more difficult to do in the 1960’s) and not “Gone with Wind”. War is an ugly experience, there is no melancholy or heroic music being played. Real gun fire does not sound as big as it does in the movies and when you are shot on screen you are still able to go home at the end of the day. Real war is sort of a gray, bleak and worthless execise in misery. When the war is about an occupation, you can figure the misery will increase exponentially.
I found this quote, attributed to Jean-Paul Sartre, which are his views about this particular conflict and referenced in the film. “This rebellion is not merely challenging the power of the settlers, but their very being. For most Europeans in Algeria, there are two complementary and inseparable truths: the colonists are backed by divine right, the natives are sub-human. This is a mythical interpretation of reality, since the riches of the one are built on the poverty of the other. In this way exploitation puts the exploiter at the mercy of his victim, and the dependence itself begets racialism. It is a bitter and tragic fact that, for the Europeans in Algeria, being a man means first and foremost superiority to the Moslems. But what if the Moslem finds in his turn that his manhood depends on equality with the settler? It is then that the European begins to feel his very existence diminished and cheapened.”
War is a violent game of tag – somebody is always “it”. This movie should be mandatory viewing for politicians, it is already a dietary supplement for Military in this country.