The Battle of Algiers – Don't Forget The Timeless Fight for Freedom
The Battle of Algiers was fantastic, yet it somehow sparked only a weak, commonplace, in-class discussion. The basic struggle of class and freedom were definitely the main themes of the film, but it was also full of secrecy, fear, and the theories of terrorism. Each Algerian character seems developed to display the characteristics of guerilla warfare. No wonder U.S. Troops watched this film before they shipped out overseas, it is more relevant than Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola: 1979) and far more realistic than Saving Private Ryan (Steven Spielberg: 1998), not to discredit both of these amazing films, but the Algerian battle in 1954 is comprised of many of the same struggles of the current War on Terror.
What seems most surprising is despite the fact Americans see this film before taking up arms, they don't process the message “the wealthy invading anglo-capitalists don't win.” In both the War on Terror and The Battle of Algiers, the liberating forces are fighting intangible concepts idealized by units that are moving with in the fog of war. Small cells, groups based on a pyramid of one leader with two contacts, are difficult groups to fight, and it would be very important to take from this film. Also, one should consider the fact that it is impossible to fight an intangible, an idea. Am I condoning terrorism? No, but I think we are over looking the continuity between our War and this Battle. It was not France's place to control the people of a city they invaded nor is it our place to try to keep fingers on the pulse of the middle east. Also, I am struggling to understand why it is so easy to repeat what we hear on T.V. in times of war. Are the bland understood opinons of the America right and left good enough now? In class I don't recall hearing gripping opinions or heated debate, yet this struggle is something every person should take personally. Most of us can agree somewhere along the fuzzy lines of “yes, war should be avoided, no, we shouldn't torture”, but how did we overlook the pain and suffering this movie shows us? Fear is always visible in the eyes of Ali La Pointe who is played by Brahim Hadjadj, a man who fought in the actual Battle.
After watching this film a second time, alone, it became real, the struggle, the fear and the torture became such an awful thing to watch, leaving me with unsettled feelings. I recommend anyone that has seen this give it a second chance, toss aside what FOX news has drilled into the consciousness of American public and ask questions. Why is it difficult to watch someone be tortured, watch the women place bombs, watch Ali's last moments, and in the end, why does watching the Casbah people's revolt feel right? If America continues to occupy Iraq, this time will come, the Battle of Algiers will become the Battle of Baghdad. I really believe that America's elected officials, and the people who elect them, should spend more time considering our actions overseas and seeing how other Empires have fallen, doing exactly what we are doing now. While this film may not leave you with a warm cuddly feeling, it will leave you with the truths of war and humanity.
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