A forgotten director, André Zwobada made a handful of movies , often off the beaten track: "croisières sidérales" was one of the rare sci-fi French movies (using the general relativity ,but the lack of means often made it a laughing stock ) an interesting biography of poet Villon, and mainly his best effort ,"la septième porte" carpe diem "philosophical fable .
Both this movie and "les noces de sable" ,which transposed 'TrIstan and Isolde "to the desert,was a remake of sorts of "l'éternel retour" ,Cocteau being the narrator, take place in North Africa .
"Capitaine Ardant ,unfortunarely ,was a return to the thirties ,showing the benefits of the colonialism ,as far as one can judge by the screeplay:
Moroccan rebels are preparing to besiege the last French fortress which blocks their passage. They buy ammunition from Europeans. When their artillery is in place, they begin their work of destruction. But Captain Ardant managed to win over an undecided tribe to the French cause. He is helped by a young woman, widow of a French officer assassinated by an "European" bullet. Captain Ardant saves four times the life of a young Moroccan prince who wanted to kill him.
The Morrocan rebels even attack their own people , slaughtering and plundering ; the story lacks substance and looks like a comic book ; the dashing officer , handsome and fearless,(Yves Vincent)supported by legionnaire Jules who serves as a foil to him (Raymond Cordy) , the brave heroine (Renée Saint-Cyr ) and the perfidious temptress who tries to prevent the calife from helping the Legion :she even sat topless for a photograph which is handed around, even to be found in the captain's kepi .THe villains are botched ,being given a minimum time on the screen .
The director often filmed news,so it was only natural he shoots his work on location ; the best sequence is probably the wild dance of the rebels ,around a fire .
