|
''Beau Travail'' (, French for "good work") is a 1999 French movie directed by Claire Denis that is loosely based on Herman Melville's 1888 novella ''Billy Budd''. The movie is set in Djibouti, where the protagonists are soldiers in the French Foreign Legion. Parts of the soundtrack of the movie are from Benjamin Britten's opera based on the novella. ==Plot summary== The film begins with the silhouettes of soldiers, being made to stand in the sun as an endurance test. It is the memory of master sergeant Galoup (Denis Lavant), from his new home in Marseille, where he writes his memoirs. He remembers the heat of north Africa, where he led his men under the command of Bruno Forestier (Michel Subor). We see numerous training scenes: assault courses; and securing of buildings. Much of the exercise has a ballet-like quality. This is set against a back-drop of traditional Djibouti life of the surrounding local people. Galoup says of Forestier:''I admired him without knowing why''. He retains a wristband with the word ''Bruno''. Galoup has a beautiful, young local girlfriend, Rahel. Forestier envies many things in Galoup, including his clear affection from the men. However, they happily socialise together, playing chess and snooker. One day, his troop is joined by Gilles Sentain (Grégoire Colin), whose physical beauty, social skills, and fortitude make Galoup envious. Repressed homosexual feelings from Galoup are suggested. When Sentain helps another soldier digging in the sun, by handing him a canteen of water, Galoup chastises Sentain and knocks the water from his hand. Sentain strikes Galoup. The sergeant has already sworn to destroy him. As a punishment, he drives Sentain out into the desert to make him walk back to the base. But Sentain does not return because Galoup has tampered with his compass, and the soldier is lost without it. When Sentain fails to return Galoup accuses him of desertion. We see Sentain collapse in the arid salt flats. His salt-encrusted compass is spotted by fellow legionnaires at a sale of local salt-encrusted novelties and is believed to prove Sentain is dead. However, Sentain is found by local tribespeople who place him on a bus. We are not told, but he is clearly now safe, and going to live. However, on the assumption that Galoup has either killed or tried to kill Sentain, Galoup is sent back to France by his commander for a court martial. It ends his career in the Foreign Legion, his only real love. We see him immaculately make his bed then lie on top clutching a pistol. He is going to shoot himself. The final scene, a lively acrobatic solo dance to disco music, suggests his move to another world inside his head. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Beau Travail」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|