Pierre Gilieth has committed a murder in Paris. He flees to Barcelona, where he runs out of money. So he joins the Spanish Foreign Legion. He meets there two fellow countrymen, Mulot and Lucas. He tries to forget his fault... but Lucas's friendship soon appears to be less unselfish...
Acting
Gabin's haunted eyes—guilt made physically visible.
Direction
Duvivier's North African hellscapes shot on location in Morocco.
Cinematography
Shadows swallow men whole; the desert offers no absolution.
Director
Julien Duvivier
Jean Gabin
Pierre Gilieth
Raymond Aimos
Marcel Mulot
Robert Le Vigan
Fernando Lucas
Annabella
Aïscha el Saloui
Pierre Renoir
Commandant Weller
Gaston Modot
Legionnaire Muller
Paul Demange
The Hotel Manager
Charles Granval
"Sego", Saharan bar owner
Margo Lion
Planche-à-Pain
Robert Ozanne
Legionnaire with Tatoo'd Face
Maurice Lagrenée
Siméon
Louis Florencie
Gorlier
Reine Paulet
Rosita
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Duvivier shot in actual Legion barracks; several extras were serving soldiers who'd fled their own pasts.
This cemented Gabin's 'tragic working-class hero' persona that would define pre-war French cinema and influence American noir.
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