"French Sahara 1933" "Next, I'll build a hangar for the vehicles." "Beside them I'll put the workshop." "Have you gone mad?" "What's wrong, Chauvet?" "Why are you stirring things up?" "Let's go talk in my office." "Duclos, take over." "THE LAST FLIGHT" "Go ahead, I'm listening!" "This is Tuareg country, we must respect their customs." "No!" "It's French soil, under my command!" "If I may say so, Captain, that's not how to handle Tuaregs." "Especially Firhoun!" "He must respect my authority, and give up his subversive idea of reuniting the tribes." "Your protégé erred by ignoring my order." "That mistake proves his guilt." "Tomorrow I'II talk to old Limane, after his night of prayers." "He's still very influential here." "I know him well, he'll listen to me." "If you swear no harm will come to his son." "Why be rough on him?" "He's not all bad." "He only has one idea." "Know what he wants?" "More braid on his uniform." "He's using the Tuaregs to play war-games." "He was sent here to clean things up." "Because I'm too soft?" "Damn what they think in Algiers or Paris." "They're not on the terrain." "Took years to get the locals to trust me." "What'II you do next?" "Re-enlist elsewhere?" "We'II see." "Anyway, I'lI get posted to a garrison back home." "I think you belong in Africa." "We're through here." "Nonsense." "I don't mean France, I mean you." "I see you leaving the army and settling here." "Dunno..." "I really don't." "Limane, listen." "This is important." "I spoke to the Captain." "He won't arrest Firhoun, but he wants your son to give up the gathering of the tribes." "He isn't alone in wanting this gathering." "By refusing to obey, you're defying the army." "The tribes don't defy your army, they just want to meet." "We have to calm things down." "The Captain is irked, help me and I'II help you." "help me avoid this gathering." "Breathe gently... 17,6." "That's still too high, Captain." "You need rest..." "You can get dressed." "You know Lt Chauvet well?" "Sure..." "Can he be trusted?" "Unquestionably." "Here..." "Has being here changed him a Iot?" "In what way?" "There's sea-sickness and mountain vertigo, isn't there a desert equivalent?" "No..." "well, maybe there is a kind of desert giddiness, which mostly affects newcomers." "Thanks, Louis." "Get some rest, Captain, huh?" "I'II try." "On my next leave, I'm going to Ma André's." "Heard she got some new girls." "Last month, I had me a white gal, barely 20." "A sizzler!" "..." "Fresh in from Paris!" "A real beaut!" "That's a big change... from the local squaws." "It's something else, Iet me tell you." "Well?" "It's a broad!" "Come in!" "Marie Vallières de Beaumont." "Captain Vincent Brosseau." "I welcome you." "please be seated." "Care for a drink?" "No thanks." "I'm amazed Algiers didn't warn me of your arrival." "It's about the British pilot?" "Correct." "What's been done to find him?" "I followed the trail by car, to Gao." "He was breaking a record, he wouldn't fly over a trail." "You should use your camel corps!" "I can't assign a lot of men to search for him." "A Iot of men?" "Meaning how many?" "I've had no orders from our HQ." "Lancaster disappeared 5 days ago." "Every minute counts, I can't wait for orders!" "I was told you'd help." "By Ben Gallier, a St Cyr graduate." "He's my cousin." "I know him well :" "a classmate at officer training-school." "Meanwhile, can you tank up my plane?" "No problem, Ma'am." "Section, at the double!" "Snap to it!" "In open order!" "Section, halt!" "Right turn!" "Leave in the morning." "Night flights are risky here." "Open order!" "Attention!" "No chatter!" "At ease!" "I hope the limey had enough water on board, or his sweetheart'll find him roasted." "She's stuck on him, to set out alone!" "Don't make fun, Vasseur." "She's a seasoned flyer." "Duclos inquired." "Got her pilot's license at 18, then decided to topple records." "Almost killed herself once." "When was that?" "5 years ago, she crashed on an island near Borneo." "Guess who risked his life to find her:" "Lancaster." "Bet they're hot in the sack!" "OK, Vasseur!" "By "hot in the sack", he means "in love"." "Guy's a lucky loser." "Why?" "What gal would risk her life to find you in a desert?" "At cadet school, they taught us how Colonel Laperrine dosed his water in the desert." "If Lancaster has will, he'll survive." "Thanks." "What'II happen to my brother?" "If your father listens to me, we can settle it." "And if he refuses?" "I'd rather not think about it." "Antoine, I'm afraid..." "Come." "Tell him to smile." "I'II write down their names." "Have you convinced your brass?" "Captain!" "HQ won't greenlight it." "A life's at stake!" "Don't act like them!" "help me, I can't manage all alone." "The Gao squadron should search the Tenere." "I'm not a magician who orders squadrons around!" "If one of your men was lost, you'd act fast!" "Respect our allies!" "bill fought for France!" "Without men like him, you'd be enslaved, not strutting in your uniform!" "Why not ask your father for help?" "He's an eminent general." "He tried to stop me from coming here." "My Tuaregs are unruly." "I won't let them out till it's resolved." "Sorry, it's a matter of priorities." "I'II find a way..." "Above all, you need rest." "You can have my room." "It's the best here." "Where are you going?" "Let go of it!" "Let go of me!" "Let me go!" "Don't stay there!" "Ma'am, some food for you!" "You must eat!" "Open the door!" "I need nothing, thanks." "I'II leave it on the doorstep." "Antoine, careful." "I'm cutting branches." "Don't worry." "Hello." "I wanted to thank you for yesterday." "I did what anyone would've done." "I need help." "Have you talked to the Captain?" "He won't help." "Problems with the Tuaregs." "You know them, find some to escort me." "They won't go into the Tenere." "No water, too many superstitions." "Convince them, I can pay them." "Pay them?" "They scorn your money." "If the person you loved was lost, what'd you do?" "Where Lancaster crashed, the desert is dangerous." "Trying to find him is suicidal." "For people like you, life is sensible or it's a dream." "Love is just a dream, right?" "How are you?" "I saw your son Firhoun heading into the Tenere." "You can talk in front of him." "With him were some 60 armed men." "From which tribe?" "Ajjers, Iforas, Hoggars?" "I don't know." "They were far away." "Excuse me..." "I'm looking for a plane, that crashed." "You speak French?" "A plane..." "That crashed..." "In the dunes..." "A plane in the sky..." "You saw a plane?" "A white man?" "See any smoke?" "We saw nothing." "No plane, no white man, no smoke." "I'm sorry, they saw nothing." "Thanks for accepting this sudden invitation." "You know why I accepted it." "We're from the same background..." "Know the same people, even have friends..." "We could have met before, but fate chose this setting for our first dinner." "Eat!" "I hear you have stomach problems." "You sound like my mother." "The first thing she said when I Ieft:" ""Mind your stomach."" "Women astound me." "I speak of my resolve to serve France overseas, and she worries about my gut!" "She's right..." "Your resolve needs a healthy body." "I say the head decides everything." "You're a perfect example." "A woman like you, having such a brilliant career!" "Find me men to go into the Tenere." "really, Ma'am." "I thought I'd been quite frank with you." "I'm sorry the search was in vain, but you must understand..." "How can I accept that?" "Let someone die in the desert, without coming to his aid?" "Duclos!" " Captain!" " The telex, please!" "I just got this." "Thanks." "Urgent order from HQ." "Arrest Firhoun, dead or alive." "Sgt Mercier killed trying to intercept Firhoun." "Permission to take 60 men to ensure immediate arrest." "Satisfied, Lt Chauvet?" "Now your Firhoun went too far." "Unless we punish this crime, no Tuareg will respect the honour and authority of France!" "Firhoun and his men are in the Blue Mountain area." " Captain, may I..." " Not another word!" "I'm taking this over." "We leave tomorrow, in daylight." "Relay my orders!" "That'II be all." "They say Firhoun just defended himself." "Stop the chatter." "Firhoun killed a Frenchman." "He killed him in self-defence." "To protect himself!" "Quiet!" "Move, dammit!" "Saïdou, that one, there." "That one, there." "Adou!" "That one, too." "This one." "No, it's too weak for rough terrain." "Come here!" "For the Captain." "Vasseur, load up the munitions!" "Heading into the Tenere?" "In a week, the Tamanrasset convoy heads up north." "They'll escort you to Algiers." "I won't take orders from you!" "Damn malaria!" "I'll get the doctor." "No, stay." "I'II get over it." "Now I can't do anything to protect your brother." "Firhoun defended his honour." "Honour?" "The Captain also loves that stupid word!" "Calm down." "It's our last night together." "What nonsense!" "I have a fever, but you're delirious." "Cartridge belt..." "Lt, 30 men didn't report for duty." "Just as I thought." "You knew?" "He won't talk anyway." "What's he up to, dammit?" "Go get him!" "He puked all night." "Look, he's white as a sheet." "Attention!" "Around 30 men deserted." "Due to your methods." "Means those who stayed are reliable." "At ease!" "You can't come with us!" "This is a military operation!" "What'II you do?" "Lock me up?" "Why not?" "Here's your chance to help me." "You risk nothing :" "I'II sign a release for you." "I know he's alive." "Take me, or you'lI have doubts all your life." "That you let him die." "Fine, but you're under my orders." "You can't take her along!" "We can't waste time!" " Despite a woman's presence..." " I made the decision!" "Mount!" "close ranks." "In double file!" "The only way to the Blue Mountain is through the wadi." "As I said, it's the shortest route." "Ask if there's another." "You ask." "He understands you." "I was asking you." "Excuse me, Lt." "There's another trail, but it's longer." "We know, Si Ahmed." "But we must be fast." "Sorry, Lt. I refuse to trust this scout." "You know why." "We'll head this way to reach Firhoun." "And walk 16 hours a day, if need be." "Captain, we can't hold that pace." "Men 'll die." " We've done it before, we're tough." " Good night." "Good night, Lt." "Sure they can handle the desert?" "You came to find your husband?" "You'II find him." "You'II see." "Allah is with you." "He'll keep him alive, till you find him." "Here." "Thanks." "We were heading southeast, now northwest!" "Why?" "I know what I'm doing, don't worry." "You're supposed to head into the Tenere." "Don't complicate things, get back in line." "Forward!" "Miloud, put the flares down." "Come, I need you." "M'barak, come too!" "Hurry!" "Blacks don't frighten you, that's good." "Not in the least." "We housetrained these, we pacified them." "We're here to civilize them." "I Iike him, he's very kind." "Moussa, give the lady a glass." "No thanks." "You're wrong, it's very good." "Moussa, give her a glass." "A glass." "Thanks." "Your soup good?" "May I?" "You think I don't belong here, right?" "I think it's dangerous." "You're judging me." "You're mistaken." "Since Bill disappeared, I feel everyone's against me." "You got this far, that's what matters." "We promised it to each other." "If one of us is missing, the other must search." "When he left, I made him swear to stay by his plane if he crashed." "You did well." "It's his only chance of survival." "Thanks for your support." "That you, Ma'am?" " I need..." " No problem." "Just call me." "I'II come." "help me, hurry." "Get me a rifle!" "And a saddle blanket!" "You realize what you're doing?" "We'II be spotted." "I knew it was crazy to take you." "Here." "Go on!" "I heard of your escapade." "So far, I trusted you." "You disappoint me, Ma'am." "I can still send you back to camp." "Don't force me to." "They saw a camel with a man tied to it." "A Jesuit wandering in the desert, who got lost." "He was alive, but unconscious." "No one knew how long the camel bore him." "He was saved by its survival instinct." "Camels search endlessly for a waterhole." "He thought the Good Lord had saved him!" "Lancaster doesn't have a camel, but one can believe in miracles." "I'II believe anything, Louis." " Thanks for your lovely tales." " You're welcome." "Ma'am, behind that mountain is the Tenere!" "The Tenere!" "Know what I feel?" "Great pride that this vast area belongs to us." "From Mauritania to Sudan, the whole Sahara is French." "Tell the men we attack before night." "We could still avoid a showdown." "really?" "How?" "I didn't come here to turn back." "Let me speak to him again." "No, you failed once, don't be foolish again." "I'lI get him to surrender peacefully." "The terrain's against us." "We may lose a lot of men." "Firhoun and his men are weII-armed." "How do you know?" "I'm guessing." "He's sure of himself." "He needs a fight to assert his will, you're giving him that opportunity." "What do you lose if I deliver Firhoun?" "Let me try..." "Give me a few hours." "AII right." "2 hours." "Take Si Ahmed and Vasseur with you." "I'd prefer Adua and Louis." "And Si Ahmed!" "It's settled." "Thanks, Captain." "Stop!" "Firhoun!" "It's too late now!" ""Forgive us our trespasses," ""as we forgive those who trespass against us." ""Lead us not into temptation," ""but deliver us from evil." ""Amen."" "You're through, Lt Chauvet." "That's the result of your two-bit humanism." "You were manipulated by those you had to control!" "You thought you were family because you slept with one?" "Your attitude amounts to treason." "We civilize savages." "The Tuaregs have slaves:" "I'm anti-slavery!" "At least Adua's death freed a slave." "Don't soil our memory of Adua." "Right, keep lecturing me." "I'm sick of your nonsense." "Louis died because of you." "It's on your conscience." "Sacrificed for your silly ideals." "Lieutenant!" "Tie him up for the night!" "Captain, not that, not between Frenchmen." "Vasseur, it's an order!" "Silence, you lot!" "Lt, follow me!" "Silence!" "We attack at dawn!" "Firhoun's a savage:" "France is at war with them." "Fall out!" "bill..." "I'II manage to reach you." "hold out..." "Captain." "You wanted to see me." "What's it about?" "A trooper 'll take you back." "Let him help me search the Tenere." "No one dares tell you... that you'll only find Lancaster's corpse." "Spare yourself that." "There's not enough of you." "You'II all die." "I'II fight to the end." "You know me, Lt." "Ma'am..." "Don't be afraid, come with me." "Antoine sent me." "Here." "He's the only man who believed in me." "An outstanding man." "We scoured the world together." "This photo was taken in 1 929." "After we broke the London to Sydney record." "To the Australians we were heroes." "Then he went back to his wife and kids." "He always went back to them." "I should be with him now." "You shouldn't go over all that." "Have you ever flown in a plane, Antoine?" "No." "It's a unique feeling, incomparable..." "You may be court-martialled for this." "To be frank, helping you find Lancaster adds meaning to my flight." "You were close to Louis?" "We met during the war, we were 17." "I opted for the colonies..." "The Sahara..." "At first, I saw this as a virgin land where all had to be done." "We brought them progress." "Now I think we brought confusion." "I heard you had some ties here." "I'II never be a Tuareg." "I was thinking of all your exploits." "They were risky, no?" "Risky, yes." "Beyond the risk, you feel free." "You've taken risks in the desert?" "I never did any exploits." "I failed at everything I tried." "Would you have done it without him?" "What?" "Taking such risks, just like that..." "Crossing all those continents?" "You did it for you or for him?" "What are you trying to find out?" "Nothing." "He says he won't go any further." "There'll be no water." "So he's stopping." "I always felt bill crashed in this area." "He's not talking about that." "Goodbye..." "We'll meet again." "God be with you." "Take good care." "You too." "Let's go." "Thanks, Saïdou." "God be with you." "Which way do you want to go?" "We can't carry on like this." "Where do we head?" "Where to?" "That way?" "Straight ahead?" "Backwards?" "Where to?" "Where do we go?" "We keep going..." "It has a lame paw, it won't go further." "Last night I dreamt we found him." "Why did you come?" "What?" "..." "How can you ask?" "You came to prove something to him, hoping he'd leave his wife and kids." "Deep down you know he never will." "You're being cruel." "Arbitrarily." "No..." "I'm setting you straight." "If he loved you, he'd have left them long ago." "He's selfish." "You judge him without knowing him?" "What do you know about love?" "What does your Iove-Iife add up to?" "Pretending tenderness to get physically satisfied?" "You're uncommitted, and lecture me?" "My feelings for Amana..." "You know how long..." "You think I needed you to have doubts?" "Love and doubt are inseparable." "Your need to love is stronger than your love." "That's all." "No thanks." "Antoine..." "Everything's fine." "No, you're not drinking enough." "I'm fine." "I'm fine, thanks." "How long can we hold out?" "About 4 days..." "Maybe 5..." "There's a light..." "Forgive me." "Forgive me, I was sure... I didn't hobble our pack camel last night." "It's gone." "We should rest today." "You're too tired." "No." "I want to help, but I can't let you grow so weak." "I beg you." "If I calculated right we're close to where he crashed." "I beg you..." "Talk to me." "Talk to me, please..." "please write for me..." "I'm too weak..." "For days I looked for you... in this vast desert..." "I know you're here somewhere, waiting for me..." "We took so many risks together..." "Our love carried us so far..." "You hear the song of the dunes?" "Can you hear it?" "I'm afraid I've taken you nowhere..." "After wandering semi-conscious for 3 days," "Marie and Antoine were saved by the survival instinct of their camel." "30 years later, during a French nuclear test, the wreckage of Lancaster's plane was found near the area where Marie and Antoine ended up." "Beside his mummified body was a notebook:" "he'd kept a daily log of his 10 days of agony." "It was written for Marie." "As promised, he stayed by his plane, sure to the end she'd save him." "Subtitles:" "A. Whitelaw" "Subtitling :" "TITRA FILM Paris"