The Battle of Algiers (1966) Film Review

No war in anger was ever won. This saying describes the 1966 French film “The Battle of Algiers”. The Battle of Algiers was directed by Gilo Pontecorvo. Fun fact the only real actor was Jean Martin. Jean Martin played as Coloniel Matthieu, Brahim Haggiag played as Ali La Pointe, and Fusia El Kader played as Halima.

The Battle of Algiers is about two different nations and one land both people want. The Battle of Algiers is an interpretation of the eight year long war going on in Algiers. In The Battle of Algiers the French want to keep Algiers but the FLN want Algiers to be free again.

The most memorable part of the film for me was that the FLN stood up for their country and they wanted to keep Algiers away from the French.

I noticed that the director of the film made the film look like a documentary but the director states not one inch of that film is a documentary it is all staged. I also noticed that even the smallest role in the film made the biggest difference to the story line.

In all I did like the film, but it was confusing to me because of the language difference. You should watch this movie. I give this movie a 4 out of 5 star rating.  

By Felicity

Algiers (1938) Movie Review

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029855/mediaviewer/rm3536917504

This review was written by Angelica, an 8th grade student in Mr. Chamberlain's Film Class.

The film Algiers come out in 1938. It is directed by John Cromwell. The screenwriter is John Howard Lawson and the Screenplay is by James M. Cain. The film focuses on Pepe le Moko, Ines, and Gaby who are played by Charles Boyer, Hedy Lamarr, and Sigrid Gurie.

Pepe le Moko is a thief who escaped from France with lots of jewels. He has been hiding in a a maze-like impenetrable casbah for two years. The police have failed to capture him during the two years. Having a sly inspector who is is friends with Pepe le Moko hasn't made it any better.

During the time Pepe has been in the casbah he has thought of it more as a prison which he can't get away from. He misses Paris, so when a girl named Inis who is from Paris shows up, he takes an interest in her upsetting his girlfriend Gaby who is from the casbah which he hopes to get away from, resulting in a sort of love triangle.

The films techniques are different than modern times now. It was in black and white and the setting was very dark. The lighting focused on the important things leaving the rest dark.

Overall this film gets a rating of 6.7 out of 10 on IMBD.

I would recommend this film if you like an old fashioned drama/mystery/romance film.