Where to watch March or Die
2 Stars
Foreign Legion Major William Foster (Gene Hackman), an American haunted by his memories of the recently ended Great War, is assigned to protect a group of archaeologists at their dig. Foster’s unit includes the charming, thieving rascal Marco Segrain (Terence Hill), who joined the Legion only to avoid prison. After long stretches portraying the boredom and hardship of day-to-day life in the Legion, Foster’s command occupies a small village where the archaeologists believe they’ve found a burial site sacred to the Arabs. Arab leader El Krim (Sir Ian Holm) uses this affront to unite the tribes in Jihad, and attacks the tiny Legion garrison at the dig. An epic battle follows, very reminiscent of Zulu (1964). Costumes, firearms, and props are all very authentic-looking and show great attention to detail.
My only cinematic exposure to the French Foreign Legion was the 1998 film Legionnaire, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. The two movies are very similar in tone and plot points. However, March or Die has Gene Hackman, whose menacing authority grounds the film. Though Hackman may be slumming—he begrudged his participation in the project years later—he’s a pro and remains a constantly watchable figure on-screen.
March or Die looks fantastic. The desert scenery is photographed in wide shots to give the film an epic feel, and some images could pass for those of David Lean. However, the script is unfocused, juggling a jewel thief, a love triangle, and academic interests over the soldiers’ lives, which dilutes the film’s impact. The writing undercuts the violent finale, as the major character’s death loses impact due to a lack of audience investment.
Terence Hill, in his second attempt at breaking into the American film market, is good as the charming Legionnaire with a crush on Deneuve. The Italian actor’s impressive physicality is on display; he performs a few Jackie Chan-style stunts, and he’s a likable leading man. The notoriously prickly Hackman labored without incident on the film under the direction of Dick Richards. Burt Reynolds, another equally ill-tempered star, punched out Richards on a movie set a decade later. March or Die isn’t good or bad enough to get worked up about on either side.
Directed by: Dick Richards
Written by: David Zelag Goodman, Dick Richards
Starring: Gene Hackman, Terence Hill, Catherine Deneuve