CAPITAINE CONAN (1997)

Captain Conan (original title: Capitaine Conan) is a 1996 French drama film directed by Bertrand Tavernier. It is based on the 1934 Prix Goncourt-winning novel Captain Conan (Fr. Capitaine Conan) by Roger Vercel.

PLOT:
In the French infantry on the Macedonian front during the First World War, Conan, an officer of the elite Chasseurs Alpins, is the charismatic leader of a special squad, many from military prisons, who raid enemy lines at night taking no prisoners. Despising career soldiers, his only friend is the young academic, Norbert.

When the Armistice with Bulgaria is signed in September 1918, his unit is sent to Bucharest, capital of France's ally Romania, as part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. Neither fighting nor demobilised, idleness and low morale leads to criminality and indiscipline and courts-martials begin. After being appointed a defence attorney, despite his protests and having no legal expertise, and performing well, Norbert is coerced into filling to place of the departing prosecutor to protect Conan, who is facing multiple charges, from the danger of unjust and severe punishment.

In an armed robbery of a crowded nightclub, some of Conan's men, disguised, seize the takings, in the process badly injuring a female singer and fatally wounding the female cashier. With the help of the Romanian police and a French prostitute, Norbert finds and prosecutes the culprits but ensures they receive light sentences.

A widow arrives from France looking for her son, whom she finds awaiting trial for desertion. After listening to her story, Norbert thinks that the boy may be blameless and that his officer is seeking to have him shot. Conan, who hates the officer, agrees and takes Norbert to the old front line where the boy was lost in action. Both become convinced of his innocence but he is convicted nonetheless.[4]

Despite the soldiers wishing to return home, the French move up to the Danube as part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War and come under attack from the Red Army. During the action, Conan empties the stockade of mutineers and drives off the attackers.

In a sombre epilogue, years later back in France, Norbert visits Conan to find him no longer the dashing hero but the terminally ill owner of a small haberdashers, his profession before the war, disappointed with his neighbours and wife.

CAST:
Philippe Torreton: Conan
Samuel Le Bihan: Norbert
Bernard Le Coq: Lieutenant de Scève
Catherine Rich : Madeleine Erlane
François Berléand: Commandant Bouvier
Claude Rich: General Pitard de Lauzier
Cécile Vassort: Georgette
André Falcon: Colonel Voirin
Claude Brosset: Father Dubreuil
Crina Muresan: Ilyana
Cécile Vassort: Georgette
François Levantal: Forgeol
Pierre Val: Jean Erlane
Roger Knobelspiess: Major Cuypene
Frédéric Pierrot: Conductor
Jean-Claude Calon: officier Loisy
Laurent Schilling: Beuillard
Jean-Yves Roan: Rouzic
Philippe Héliès: Grenais
Tonio Descanvelle: Caboulet
Eric Savin: Gunsmith
Olivier Loustau: Mahut
Jean-Marie Juan: Lethore
Laurent Bateau: Perrin, soldier
Eric Dufay: Lieutenant Fideli
Philippe Frécon: Ménard, the cook
Patrick Delage: Messinge, the waiter
Patrick Brossard: Riquiou
Yvon Crenn: Floch
Christophe Odent: Cabanel
Franck Jazédé: Havrecourt
Dominique Compagnon: Morel
Frédéric Diefenthal: sergeant gare Bucarest
Luminiţa Anghel: singer in a bar
Radu Duda: Insp. Stefanesco