Gillo's Best

Rating: 9/10 (20 February 2009)

"La Battaglia di Algeri" (1966) tells a very sad story. That it is true makes it all the more tragic. Yet out of this strife comes a remarkable film.
It's easy to see how Pontecorvo made only a few other notable films, the most famous being "Queimada!" (1967). His star in the latter, Marlon Brando, undoubtedly was persuaded to work on the basis of Gillo's film of the Algerian-French battle.
On reading and viewing the history of the making of "Battle of Algiers" I can understand how Pontecorvo put a lifetime of energy and commitment into this project. The film is unforgettable for its realistic, documentary look. There have been other films to obtain such an image, but "Battle" is outstanding in the way so large a cast was employed. Indeed, it's hard to believe so many "extras" could be recruited, much less give such convincing performances.
Two critical quotes of the film are notable: the Washington Post hailed it as being "just as important for our time as the work of Griffith, Riefenstahl, Dryer and Visconti were for theirs." And the New Yorker exclaimed, "Pontocorvo and his team show the capability of convincing the cinema public that revolution, in certain circumstances, is a necessary thing." While the rebels are given a sympathetic perspective, the French are likewise fairly depicted--all resulting in a kind of observational, reportorial essay on a historical event. The entire viewing experience is quite unforgettable.