Original subtitles

JANUARY 1943

LYON OCCUPIED FRANCE

And shit! Kiss my ass! (Speaking Italian)

You sly dog!

It's my lucky day.

Bruno!

Bruno!

Stop, we're off.

Come play with us!

I can't help it, I love the sound of the engine purring.

So what?

Like when your sister sleeps on my shoulder.

Bruno and the cars...

LIBYA FEZZAN DESERT

The last one.

Bruno!

Bruno!

Giacomo, come help me!

There are others!

Come on!

Come on!

Combes and Lassalle, to the left. Dronne, straight ahead.

Cassard, to the right.

It's over.

All right, Marcel, see you tomorrow.

So long.

Where are the weapons you promised?

Where's the money you promised?

Nothing.

I had 1,000 tons of weapons and six million francs delivered.

That's all the General could get.

Let's be clear: drive out the Krauts, of course,

but Vichy and the cowards too.

The parliamentarians won't take over the Resistance. They betrayed us.

Of course. But the Resistance fighters must unite.

The Spanish Republicans failed

because they couldn't coordinate.

Rex, I agree to the Secret Army.

Who's going to lead it?

The General.

Which one?

Are you serious?!

Are you following what's happening in Casablanca?

History is being written there.

Casablanca becomes the centre

of Anglo-American leadership.

It's at the Anfa Hotel

that PM Churchill and Roosevelt, with their chiefs of staff,

plan for this year's offensive.

Here is the General who will lead French Forces in battle.

General Giraud will lead the French after the death of Admiral Darlan.

At least Roosevelt didn't pick

a fellow who shook Hitler's hand.

They found a useful idiot to better enslave France.

What a show of finesse.

But my General, France's fate is being decided over there,

in Casablanca.

What's your purpose?

Securing the perimeter.

Against French dissidents. Order of General Giraud.

CASABLANCA MOROCCO

We're going to bag us some Gaullists! There's a whole nest of them.

I want them all.

National Gendarmerie.

Get up!

Against the wall.

Hands on your head. Lambert, bring me the kid.

Move!

No!

If you don't answer me, I'll kill your family, then you.

You want that? Where's your daddy?

Don't do that! Stop!

Where's the father?

Move!

Faster.

Your name? Reynaud.

Your name?

Pennacchioni. Hurry up, get in.

Move! Your name?

Giacalone. Get in!

Clean this up. Very good, my Warrant Officer.

Put these Gaullists on ice.

All right, move along. Come on, hurry up! Hurry.

Move!

General Giraud...

I'll say it again, Churchill has a plane ready for you.

I won't go to Casablanca by plane or by canoe, Pleven.

My General...

The fate of the world is at stake there. And Churchill invites you.

Nobody invites de Gaulle in France.

It's a trap.

If de Gaulle doesn't go to Casablanca,

then for us, it's Giraud.

I heard.

Livia, code a telegram for the General.

We have to handle this Casablanca business.

Understood.

The prisoners, in the hangar. Yes, my Captain.

Message for de Gaulle: "Mission accomplished in Libya.

"Joining the English at Tripoli.

"Signed, Leclerc."

Received, my Colonel.

THE BATTLE OF DE GAULLE - I WRITE YOUR NAME (a reference to the poem 'Liberté' by Paul Éluard)

Sir...

What, Blaise?

Sir,

I heard people talk about a fake general

who claims to be the leader of the fighting French.

He's not a fake general. He is a general!

No.

You are the hero of France.

Her knight without fear or blame.

Not anymore, Blaise!

Are you mad, my General? Everyone looks up to you.

Men read your story on the newspapers.

The Americans are even preparing a film about you.

Maybe Chaplin will star as you.

I couldn't give a damn, Blaise!

Pleven.

Ah.

Tell him I'm going to Casablanca.

Yes, sir.

Let's go!

We're taking precautions to keep your arrival secret.

Is this a French decision?

It is.

Stand back!

Sorry!

Simplest thing: create a binational army corps.

Harold, may I help you?

Yes, I'm looking for "Admiral Q".

Churchill?

He is with "Commodore Frankland".

Mr. President...

And there you have it!

General de Gaulle has landed, sir.

Here comes the bride!

Congratulations, you finally managed to do it.

Eisenhower, is the groom ready?

General Giraud is downstairs.

Well, that's something to celebrate indeed!

The end of the French mess.

Tomorrow, Winston, we'll have one French army.

One leader, one subordinate.

Some order at last!

Giraud's L'armée d'Afrique has the numbers. But De Gaulle's men have

fire in their bellies. And that's what matters in war.

Well,

that's all good, then. They'll put fire in the belly's of Giraud's men.

If only it were so simple, Mr. President.

The groom, as you call it,

is surrounded by ex-Vichysts.

De Gaulle and his free fighters see them as traitors.

Could you please remind me:

Who pays for De Gaulle's troops?

I won't fund his private war against Vichy.

We'll bury it in a committee.

You get so emotional when it comes to the French.

You're like Dr Frankenstein, scared of his own monster.

Mr. President! - You know what, Winston?

I'll meet him first.

Be my guest, Mr. President.

My heaviest cross I have to bear in this war...

is the cross of Lorraine.

General de Gaulle, the President will see you now on tête-à-tête.

Follow me!

General de Gaulle,

at long last!

It's such a pleasure

to meet you.

The pleasure is all mine, Mr. President.

I can't say "welcome."

You're at home here.

So...

Your country's collapse when the Germans invaded...

was a real shock. Six weeks?

We will get you out of there.

You see a child attacked by savages,

you'd step in, yes?

France is not a child, Mr. President.

She never stopped fighting.

The troops... - Your troops?

Tell me, how many are we talking about?

Ten thousand men?

A battalion in the desert?

General Giraud's army takes charge.

General Giraud is a good soldier. He'll make a passable military chief.

But war is a moral matter.

The soldiers who die must fight for a moral cause.

France needs a moral authority,

not a desk clerk. - As long as France is occupied,

nobody has moral authority.

You chose our side,

the side of freedom.

But you're still a lone general,

backed by no political party, no members of parliament.

You've never been elected anything.

A rebel!

Neither was Joan of Arc.

My General, Winston and I need you

to get along with Giraud.

You understand?

To help you out,

we've taken the liberty of drafting a memo.

Suggesting terms of an agreement between the two of you.

If it serves France's interests.

Yes...

The conference wraps up tomorrow,

that gives you time to exercise your legendary wisdom.

Mr. President.

Tomorrow, my General.

What an odd character. - He's a lunatic.

Clueless about politics.

I expected something more challenging.

Don't leave before he signs it!

I hope you enjoyed the tête-à-tête.

Harold McMillan.

I'm the Prime Minister's special envoy

Churchill, and I...

It's an agreement that fully respects your rank, my General.

I'll stay in case

you have a quest... - Keep them

for your enemies.

Oh, my plane...

crashed.

Did I ask a question?

To put me

into a committee with Marcel Peyrouton,

a Vichyite from the very start... - My General, they hold the cards.

And Giraud brings them 400,000 men. We're

barely 13,000 counting drivers and secretaries.

It's settled.

I guess we're set, then.

Mr. President,

all I need is equipment for my troops.

You promised tanks... - Don't worry, my friend!

He said you'll get the tanks.

Is your creature aware we have other matters to address today?

You think?

Sir!

Ah!

Two half brigades and you'd think he's got more troops than Stalin!

Hello, Gaulle.

Slept well, General?

Unfortunately we cannot accept the terms suggested.

But we'll see all that with General Giraud over the next weeks.

Between Frenchmen.

You can't obstruct the war, General de Gaulle!

If you don't sign, I'll denounce you to Parliament

and to the press, and we'll go

our own way without you.

You're perfectly free to dishonour yourself,

Mr. Prime Minister. - Hold, hold on.

General, you may be right,

it's a bit premature.

So, for now, perhaps it will be enough to confirm our commitment

to working out a mutually agreeable solution in the future.

And simply shake hands.

Of course. Why not?

Very good!

Boys.

No time like the present.

Alright, gentlemen...

follow me!

The closing press conference will begin in 15 minutes.

Ah, about time.

My friends...

You may approach now.

Ta-da.

All set to break camp? - My Colonel!

You finished? - Almost.

Hurry up. - I'm doing what I can.

My Colonel.

My Colonel.

My Colonel.

Congratulations. You've been promoted to general.

Cut the crap. - The General signed the promotion.

Combes, what's Force L's duty number one?

Never obey a stupid order, my General.

That's right.

We're breaking camp. - My Colonel, message from the Americans:

"Stand by and await instructions from Giraud."

What?

That's right, yeah.

De Gaulle is said to have made a deal with Giraud.

What do we do, my General? - De Gaulle, with a Vichyite?

Congratulations!

Coming from you, Peyrouton?

The base and the top. The city's been cleared of Gaullists.

Their master has bowed his back.

Checkmate.

I like your American friends more and more.

France will be rid of the Germans,

but not of the Vichyites.

Giraud?

But...

The Resistance with him?

Free France is about to disappear.

No, no, we can't

sign with Giraud. - We don't even know what we'd be signing.

So, how's the vacation?

DE GAULLE ACCEPTS GIRAUD'S TERMS

We're studying our options.

There's no point staying in London anymore.

Here.

We've received a note from Downing Street.

Churchill intends to keep you in London.

He won't put any plane at your disposal.

Except to Algiers.

To go and come to terms with Giraud.

So, Pleven, I'm a prisoner.

Giraud is a pure soldier.

You have to sign with him to neutralise him.

Catroux is manoeuvring to get an agreement

that leaves your hands free. - Free?

You're clueless about politics.

Giraud is an American puppet.

Rex.

Yes, sir!

You're not listed for this transport.

I have to get to London. At the next moon,

it'll be too late.

Listen to me, it's vital for the General.

If it were, I'd have received an order.

He doesn't know.

He needs my help.

Yes, my Colonel? - Break camp.

What do we answer?

That we never obey a stupid order.

We carry on. The General needs us.

Received, my General.

Break camp!

He left? - No, he left Giraud.

To join our troops in Tripoli.

That's still a good thing, right?

Perhaps.

The French are here!

8th BRITISH ARMY.

Well done, boys!

A good shower now!

General Leclerc. - General Montgomery.

Mmh...

Alright.

To be honest,

when I heard you were starting your journey a thousand miles from here,

I never thought I'd lay eyes on you alive. And here you are.

General Giraud must be proud.

We men have come to fight.

I understand.

I am grateful to you, but it is a complex operation...

If you insist.

The 1st American Division occupies Gafsa.

They'll keep Rommel boxed in.

My men will push it from the south

to trap him in Tunis.

If he crosses the Mareth line, he takes you from behind.

No, a battalion will cover my left flank.

You will only have two divisions, he has three.

That's right.

General, I know my men and I look awful,

but we are fast and we know the desert.

We can cover your left flank.

How many are you? - A thousand men.

We will provide boots and the guns,

and come decent clothes.

All together. - If one day, our children.

Ask their mothers.

Where we were.

Why we are gone. - Come on!

Tell them their fathers!

Were Leclerc's boys.

And that we never surrendered.

Tremble, enemies of France.

Tyrants drunk with blood and hate.

Those who know how to die will give the world.

Peace and liberty.

And when France calls us.

Let us conquer or let us perish!

A Frenchman must live for her.

For her, a Frenchman must die.

Yeah!

MARETH LINE KSAR GHILANE DESERT

Conversation in Wolof language.

Head north.

Ammunition!

You all right, Mirloin? - Yeah.

We almost had to wait.

Here, for your trouble.

What's that thing?

Wait.

Two more Stukas.

So that's 18.

Plus one, 19.

A Panzer division.

They're regrouping.

Reconnaissance vehicles.

Heavy enemy presence. You're not equipped for this.

Fall back toward the sea!

Against a Panzer division?

And without a single tank. - Oh!

Dronne, Raynal,

what's going on?

Next skirmish, you send them running.

A whole Panzer division,

all of it!

Officers of Force I!

Come on, gather round! Quick, quick, quick!

These Kraut gentlemen want to cross the Mareth Line.

Our line.

How many Krauts? - We counted

19 planes.

So there should be 90 armoured vehicles.

The 15th's.

There are two passes.

They'll move into both, at the same time.

We'll let them in.

They'll roll right over us.

Dio,

you'll hide your men

on the north one.

Dronne,

you'll take this one. Combe,

with me on the ridge,

at the epicentre. - But will we have

air support?

I don't think so.

The English air force is assigned

to priority missions in the east. - My General,

we've won every battle.

You want us to get licked by a Panzer division?

It's not coming for us.

Did you see Montgomery's order?

Avoid all contact and fall back 90 kilometres toward the sea.

Take cover!

My General, get down!

Bang! Bang!

Bang! Bang!

My General, don't stay there!

Has somebody forgotten duty number one

of Force I?

But this isn't a stupid order.

Epic music.

Some people don't understand fighting France at all.

Back home, kids fight with nothing in their hands.

Sure, we get no news.

But we all have a brother,

a sister,

a cousin,

who, leaning against a cellar wall, fights off sleep

to send information to London.

We all have a friend

who, sent on a sabotage job, comes out of a wood, crosses a mountain,

finds a boat on a beach with no sail, no oar, no mast, no rope

and climbs in without a second thought.

Over there, each man is alone and in constant danger of death.

And not one of them would quit

without even knowing if his mission will matter.

All of them count on the day, sooner or later,

when the enemy is drowned by all these anonymous acts.

So we,

who have the luck to fight, together, armed,

and in broad daylight,

let's prove worthy.

Does anyone here still want to retreat?

Dismissed.

Go with the supply column.

No, I'm doing my job and I know the risks.

We're not talking risks anymore, we're talking suicide mission.

Go with the...

Hey, Mademba!

The Krauts!

The Krauts are coming!

12 tanks.

No infantry in sight.

No infantry support in sight.

12 armoured vehicles, the count doesn't add up.

They want us to show ourselves. - Everybody in position!

You'll fire on my command,

and on my command only!

Two seconds! - What are we waiting for?

We've got to shoot, now! - We've got to shoot, we've got to shoot.

What are we waiting for?

Two seconds!

That's the 12th tank.

12th tank!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Load.

Right load, fire!

Fire!

Fire to the right!

You, stay. You, take him

to be taken care of. Come back, we're holding the position!

Received.

At least 15 more tanks!

The Secret Army is taking shape.

We'll be able to strike hard.

Hold your fire and keep losses down.

For now, we're alone.

I'm alone facing America, and only America counts.

Don't be mistaken!

Roosevelt is a Francophile. He speaks French like you and me.

Then what's his problem?

In 1940, we were the bulwark against Hitler.

When Paris fell,

after we fought so badly and so little,

he was shocked.

Like all of us.

Exactly.

So he should support Free France.

To him, France no longer exists.

And to have peace, he puts a pawn in the middle of the board:

Giraud.

To have peace?

To not have in front of him

someone who means to make France a country again.

Mr. Prefect,

I have no support from the parliamentarians.

They voted full powers to Pétain.

I have few soldiers, and they're dissidents from a beaten army.

In other words,

I embody everything the Americans hate.

I'm weak.

And I stand my ground.

And Churchill?

Ah, Churchill...

I pledge allegiance to Giraud or he cuts off our supplies.

Then the Resistance is dead.

I may be an obstacle to France's future.

I saw the Krauts repositioning to the south-east.

We're going to catch hell.

My General,

we have to evacuate the wounded, it's now or never.

Immediate evacuation!

Wounded in the ambulances!

You're going with them, Davis.

Listen to me carefully!

We may all buy it.

But I need you to stay alive.

So people know we're undefeated, we Free French.

The Krauts never beat us.

We don't fall back, we don't submit.

Our children will have nothing to reproach us for when we come home.

You understand?

Troop movement to the south-east.

Take the rest of the artillery and form a defence line!

Received, my General.

Troops to the south-east!

Troop movement to the south-east, confirm.

Sometimes one card turns everything around.

The parliamentarians.

The parliamentarians?

Why not the political parties?

Why not, indeed. - Because they handed over

France.

They're still elected, legitimate to the Allies, not to us.

No Free Frenchman will accept it.

Without Allied support, who'll finance them?

What are you claiming?

Gamble the fate of Free France on cards?

Picking parliamentarians at random,

watched by the Germans night and day?

Gathering them in a room

with Resistance men hunted by the Gestapo?

And on top of that you hope

to get them to agree when they cordially detest each other?

If you trust me, yes.

That's not trust, that's the faith of the early Christians.

It took that to create Free France

with an aide-de-camp.

I have to go back.

Don't go to Algiers unless you're in a position of strength.

Give me time to act,

without believing any report or telegram,

or rumour. I need time.

Don't sign any agreement with Giraud.

If you approve my plan, put a phrase out on the BBC.

"The jack of diamonds is on the table." - I can't lose you.

And if not,

put out: "The ace of spades is in my hand."

Fire!

Fire!

They're pouring in everywhere!

My General!

Leclerc hasn't fallen back.

He only evacuated his wounded.

He is done for, General.

"In a few hours, We shall bring you victory."

They don't make ones like him anymore.

Have our planes have finished the East road mission?

Not yet, sir.

No, sir!

It's dead, my General.

With me!

For honour.

To the end.

He's crazy! - Come on!

The English...

They're coming! - My General!

We've won!

Look, he's chasing them!

Let's give him a hand!

My General? - Leave me alone, Passy.

My General, Leclerc is alive!

Bravo, my General.

Leclerc stood up to a Panzer division.

With what tanks?

No tanks, my General. - Alone with his men.

Three submachine guns and a few rifles. - Incredible.

Churchill congratulates you.

Long live Free France! - Long live Free France!

Long live Free France! - Long live Free France!

To Free France!

Leclerc! Leclerc!

Leclerc! Leclerc! Leclerc! Leclerc! Leclerc!

Leclerc!

Leclerc! Leclerc! - De Gaulle!

Leclerc! Leclerc! Leclerc! Leclerc!

Long live de Gaulle!

Leclerc! - Long live de Gaulle!

Long live de Gaulle! - Leclerc! Leclerc!

De Gaulle! De Gaulle! De Gaulle! De Gaulle!

For the BBC.

Personal message.

Praise is pouring in from every Allied capital.

A New York Times reporter, who got an interview with General Leclerc

on the battlefield, quotes him:

"We are undefeated, we Free French.

"The Krauts never beat us.

"We don't fall back. We don't submit.

"Our children will have nothing to reproach us for when we come home."

Please listen now to a few personal messages.

"The jack of diamonds is on the table."

I repeat.

"The jack of diamonds is on the table."

"The sun rises every day."

I say it twice:

"The sun rises every day."

End of personal messages.

In La Fontaine's mailbox.

The Resistance men must not have made things easy for you.

They want more money.

For weapons, for everything.

And they're right.

The General does all he can.

I missed one.

Something under a table.

"On" the table?

The jack of diamonds?

Livia?

I don't know, boss.

Let's go!

We're going to bring in the parliamentarians.

You're either crazy or a fool.

We had an agreement, Rex.

You're destroying the Resistance because you don't control it.

Not only will we never accept,

but we'll tell de Gaulle it's us or you.

That's the last straw! - We need them.

Of course.

The General needs that legitimacy.

And do you have them, the parliamentarians?

Working on it.

Oh, yes?

Which ones?

With everyone who refuses Vichy.

Even the Communists?

Working on it. - Ah...

Good luck.

Mr. Deputy... - You're asking for my endorsement

while telling me my party doesn't count.

I'm not asking for your endorsement, I'm asking for your support.

I'll be with you. I trust you.

The urgent thing is to get set up in Algiers.

Catroux got the concessions so we can sign.

Your plane is waiting.

You'll be on French soil tonight.

Page 3.

My General?

We'll get nothing more out of Gir...

Page 3?

Patience.

Patience, Blaise.

I won't give up the chairmanship

and I won't grant Peyrouton's resignation.

The rest we can discuss.

New proposal from General Giraud.

Understood.

Peyrouton.

Uh, my General...

Pétain's police minister, the man for the dirty work.

Once we're there... - Peyrouton.

Yes, yes, it suits him fine, but...

we have to rework the makeup of the committee.

And the preambles.

I can't take being squeezed between a jackass and a lunatic any longer.

I'll make one last try. After that, I'm telling you, I resign.

Trust,

that makes no sense. - We're playing with our country's future.

What you're asking is impossible.

I see no

positive outcome.

We'll meet again, Mr. Deputy.

I doubt my Communist Party will go for it.

I'll manage it.

I'll organise the creation of the Resistance Council in Paris.

Simpler for the parliamentarians. - You like risk.

You set our meeting next to Militia headquarters.

G...

"Network blown."

Watch out!

Wait three minutes!

Quiet!

Galibier and Suzette have been arrested. I got word in time.

You're burned. - We have to move fast.

Have the agents cancel

their meetings. Change the mail drops

and the identity papers.

Alert London and tell Mercure to disappear.

Meet in two hours.

No change of plan, we carry on.

Livia, if you're caught,

try to hold out 48 hours without talking.

If I'm caught, you'll go to work for Mr. Bidault.

Happy birthday.

Come!

I have nothing more to add.

This agreement is take it or leave it.

My respects, gentlemen.

Florence Conrad.

I've bought 19 brand-new ambulances.

I recruited 14 Frenchwomen in New York City,

trained in first aid and able to drive.

We want to fight.

Very well.

Very well. General, would you...

We want Leclerc.

Wait, do you know their living conditions?

No latrines, hundreds of kilometres a day

with dogs, chickens, fennec foxes...

We have a certain admiration

for General Leclerc.

Fine. I'll talk to him when he takes a break between two raids.

Ladies.

The ambulances are here, there are women with them.

They want to stay. - Deal with them.

It's a joke, isn't it?

General Giraud is here.

My General.

Last time, you were young Captain de Hauteclocque.

Since then you've made a name for yourself.

You're the one who trained me in arms.

That doesn't explain your successes. - No.

It's the lack of a telephone and the distance from headquarters.

First I came to thank you.

When I was taken prisoner in Germany,

my wife and children were in danger,

with no help and no means in occupied France.

Until a family took them in.

Yours.

Your wife took them in.

She's well.

She heard about a certain Leclerc,

without knowing who he was.

Philippe,

today, I'm in charge of this immense battle for France.

This war is bigger than our small selves, our small convictions.

I'll leave de Gaulle a place in the front rank at my side.

So let's stop the politics and join our forces.

Not as long as you're surrounded by criminals.

What's that?

Peyrouton.

He has the support of the supreme commander, Roosevelt.

You know what you can tell him? - Philippe!

Hitler's bootlickers will end up in history's dustbin.

Careful you don't join them there.

Stop, or you'll answer for your words before a court.

French or American?

Pfff... Quoting Trotsky on top of it...

No pasarán! (Speaking in Spanish)

Attention! - No pasarán!

Death to the bastards!

What the hell is this? - We're sending them back.

They're anarchists.

No.

Dronne, you're going to handle them just fine for me.

And this?

Leave it.

Ammunition is never too much.

Attention! - Viva!

Knees up! - Come on!

All right, off we go.

No, I'm not happy.

Come!

Not satisfactory. Call me back in 20 minutes.

General, my men and I won't parade in Tunis with Giraud's army.

You did more than your fair share for this victory! I demand you take part!

So can we march with your men?

So you hate Giraud that much?

I like him, unfortunately.

It seems

being French these days

is a complicated thing.

No, Catroux.

We'll have to talk again.

Goodbye, Catroux.

Ah! - My General.

Glad to see you in France, Monnet.

Do you know Marcel Peyrouton?

Delighted.

To what do I owe the pleasure?

Finding time dragging in Washington? - My General,

President Roosevelt himself sent me.

To get our friend in London out of the picture for good...

Oh, Gaulle? But that's over.

He got himself out of the picture.

Apart from Catroux, who stayed here to negotiate

some phantom agreement with us,

nobody supports him anymore.

Except public opinion.

Yes...

Here, look.

This.

And this.

Yes.

For instance. - We're not going to start again

letting opinion dictate our lives, or launch ourselves again

into the dithering that hurt France so badly.

If you want to keep Roosevelt's support,

you'll have to spare him this kind of thing.

Mr. Monnet, the American papers

are run by the Jews.

It's up to them to fix it.

I'm a soldier, I don't do politics.

There's nothing that should worry you.

Show that you embody French values...

and American ones.

That's the speech Giraud gave in Algiers.

You should read it.

A tribute to Pétain? - No, but a big success.

A democratic programme, compatible with the Americans.

Monnet did things well. - Ah.

And in his speech,

does Giraud give French citizenship back to the Jews of Algiers?

No. But my General,

he's entrenching himself further in power in Algiers while...

we wait for the English to cut off our supplies.

By the way, Churchill has just left for Washington.

And in case you're confusing it with the fireplace,

the other file contains a message

from the three main resistance networks.

They're asking for Rex to be removed.

Patience.

Gentlemen, de Gaulle

is stringing us along.

He was supposed to go to Algiers to make peace with Giraud.

And he's still stirring up trouble in London.

Refusing every possible deal.

How much longer can we tolerate this?

Look, it's here. Why not just break with de Gaulle?

Let's vote!

Thank you.

I know what it says,

but I believe we need to think twice.

Have you read Montgomery's report?

Leclerc refused to march with Giraud's troops in Tunis.

Break with de Gaulle, it's losing Leclerc.

That would be absurd!

If we don't break up, we must make sure he goes to Algiers.

NOW!

But how?

Listen to me!

I have an idea.

Read this first... - My General,

the BBC just announced your departure for Algiers.

What?

Well played. If you don't go, you'll look weak.

If I go to Algiers, it's to tell Giraud to his face

that there will never be any agreement between him and me.

My General, first read what General Catroux proposes.

London calling.

Inaudible speech.

This is disastrous.

It's all ruined, he's heading for the wall.

That's all I have.

Code this and send it right away.

"National Council of the Resistance formed."

But... it's not true!

The Republic is worth a lie, Livia.

"All networks and parties demand rapid installation.

"Provisional government in Algiers under de Gaulle's presidency."

Boss... - Organise a meeting with everyone.

Even the Communists?

And if you don't succeed?

You're making the General take an immense risk.

And the Resistance.

Giraud still has the chairmanship.

Peyrouton is still there.

Don't tell me it was better a month ago!

Perfect.

I'll discuss the details in Algiers.

Gentlemen.

What's going on?

Here we go.

MAY 27, 1943

Gentlemen,

here is a message from General de Gaulle.

"The dreadful upheaval into which disaster,

"treason, usurpation

"have plunged our country will not end

"merely because the German forces have been crushed.

"The nation must emerge from its liberation in independence.

"It is up to you to uphold the rights

"and interests of France."

I propose the following motion.

Repudiating Vichy's dictatorship, its men,

its symbols and its offshoots,

a National Council of the Resistance is created

and made up of the members present here.

It intends that a provisional government be installed in Algiers

and entrusted to General de Gaulle, who was the soul of the Resistance

in the darkest days

and who never stopped preparing the rebirth of republican liberties.

Impossible. We'll never accept.

He has no legitimacy. He wants power.

Not a word

about this Resistance Council, my General.

I have my doubts. I'm checking.

If it's a fake, it'll shorten his suffering.

Indeed.

Peyrouton.

Are you going straight to meet General Eisenhower?

We'll meet at his HQ. - I beg your pardon?

Eisenhower comes to see me, not the other way around.

We're in France.

We'll go by the War Memorial.

The Communist Party

doesn't endorse pipe dreams. We know the Allies

gave power to Giraud and not to de Gaulle.

It seems to me it's up to us to express our will

on the future French government. - The will of the parliamentarians?

Not long ago, that meant handing France to Pétain.

You reject the parliamentarians

and the political parties?

You want to make the Resistance a single party.

What mandate from the people do you claim?

The Resistance rose up against these fascist practises.

No, the fascists got here.

Gentlemen!

Every one of us is wanted by the Gestapo.

We have very little time left.

France's interest must come before the parties' interest.

"We are undefeated, we Free French."

We all know

what that means.

It's now or never.

Who votes against the motion?

Who's for?

So it is decided. Thank you, gentlemen.

"Let it be known to all that we are undefeated,

"we Free French."

This Committee... Council of Resistance, where does it stand?

It's been created.

Good...

Oh!

Here comes the diva.

Fine.

General, as future president, it's up to you to open

this meeting for the creation of a provisional government:

the French Committee of National Liberation.

Yes, yes. Well then...

Does anyone have something to say? - Yes.

Me.

The French people

have expressed their will.

The French people?

The National Council of the Resistance

brings together all the political parties,

as well as all the resistance movements.

Here is the motion that was adopted.

Unanimously. - Thank you, Pleven. I've read it.

Their will, indeed, can't be ignored.

Ah.

In that case,

I propose a de Gaulle-Giraud co-presidency,

with General Giraud remaining at the head of the armies.

Vote by a show of hands.

Fine.

The Provisional Government of France is born.

I demand the retirement of the governor of Algiers.

You don't demand anything. Peyrouton is an excellent governor.

A collaborator from the very start?

The cars are waiting. We'll talk about it at the next meeting.

"I demand..."

"I demand..."

"Father Victory" (Louis Gaston)

So, he survived, huh?

Take my glass!

Surprise!

Gentlemen,

don't take offence at my presence.

You know the love

I've borne for France since childhood.

She's going through hard times.

I've always stood by her

and I always will.

I'm sure General Giraud

and General de Gaulle

will know how to give her a destiny again.

It's a great day for me.

So,

I've come to inflict on you

my favourite song.

When I see our soldiers.

Marching joyful, music at their head.

Ah, I say, marking time:

"As of old, France is beautiful."

As in the old days.

Soldiers, I see again.

Carnot decreeing victory.

March to glory.

My dear children.

Come back triumphant!

Bravo! Bravo. - Thank you.

To victorious France!

Vive la France!

Vive la France!

What a rascal!

Sometimes you need a rascal to lead a country.

President...

This is unacceptable, Ike!

Deal with the De Gaulle problem.

Of course.

Allow me,

with all due respect, Mr. President, we have a war to fight.

This is not a suggestion, General.

I will not accept this coup.

Handle it!

Set up a meeting with Generals Giraud and de Gaulle...

Let go of me!

Speaking in German.

You're hurting me! - Let go of me!

Move!

The address.

Which one?

Speak!

Let it be known that we are undefeated, we Free French.

Undefeated.

Say that again, please.

Undefeated.

"Undefeated"?

What does that mean?

Ah.

Your interpreter.

For him.

Generals,

as you both know,

we're planning a huge military operation.

It will require a clear chain of command

and perfect understanding of duties.

Of course.

I thought it was clear.

General Giraud is the military commander of the French,

he must lead the army.

Yes, yes.

And also in charge of political affairs

as co-president.

A point of information, sir.

As Allied commander-in-chief,

are you also in charge American politics?

But I'm also guarantor

of the provisional government Roosevelt helped instal.

Where's the problem? - I read your speech.

I thought you were a republican.

The separation of civil and military powers is basic.

You command an army of mercenaries, foreigners and Communists,

generals promoted by a deserter.

I never deserted. - Neither did I.

Your 15,000 mercenaries

and your fascist methods, we can do without.

And now I'm called a fascist

when all I'm asking is respect of the basic rules of any republic.

You create problems where there are none.

I cannot deal with this madman.

Let me be very clear, General de Gaulle,

we're not going to change anything to the current organisation.

My contact is Giraud,

him alone,

and on all matters. Period.

Thank you, General.

As any great leader

in wartime must do

you follow your president's instructions.

I understand and respect it.

I wish you victory

in the difficult operations to come.

General.

Gentlemen...

Fine. - Gentlemen, it's time to settle

the separation of powers problem.

Didn't you hear General Eisenhower?

I'm glad you mention it.

Could you say what just happened?

General Eisenhower called us in

and he decided I'd keep civil and military powers,

which Gaulle wanted to dispute.

You just said it, we're dealing with

a blatant case of foreign interference

against French sovereignty.

I propose we study, right now, the proper way

to reaffirm our sovereignty.

And would we be here without the Allies?

I propose an immediate vote.

Cut the act.

Does what happened constitute interference by the American army

against the French provisional government?

No, that...

Fine, now let's vote on...

the question

at hand.

In the French Republic we're rebuilding right here,

can one person hold both civil and military power?

In that case, my General, I see no other solution

than your resignation from this committee.

Monnet, notify the three decisions just taken

by France.

Draught the necessary decrees right now.

Fine.

My General.

Rex...

Where?

At Gestapo headquarters.

There's nothing to be done.

Carry on.

Livia!

We got your message in time.

Thank you.

We don't know who betrayed us.

But you were on the list.

You have to disappear to another city.

Will you be all right?

"My friend,

"The end is near.

"Here comes the reward.

"Soon, together, we can weep for joy.

"Charles de Gaulle."

We won't see each other again.

Good luck.

Good!

Should we push this or not? - You need to talk to him.

I'll take care of it.

Do it before noon.

Oh, McSherry!

I believe you have something to show us.

Yes, Mr. President.

No. No "République Française". Just the flag.

Let's put "France", instead.

No.

Not a country,

no longer.

Just the flag.

Mr. President...

Our men will be ready to take over throughout France.

Each of them is being briefed on his district.

Perfect.

Eisenhower says he needs de Gaulle's partisans to help

specially between D1 and D25.

Let him say what he likes!

We won't have de Gaulle anywhere near the theatre of action. Ever.

Next?

"New Wallonia?"

This can't be true.

And yet...

Perhaps we need to talk to Roosevelt.

No... Anthony.

We must win this war.

We will pop that boil when we have to.

At the very least we should let de Gaulle know.

Discreetly, through his intelligence services.

My General,

I ask you to create as fast as possible

an armoured division

that will group the Free French Forces

at your disposal

and the men of the Armée d'Afrique.

You'll take command of it.

In the direction of my arm.

Roosevelt intends to occupy France,

cut a third off it,

and turn what's left into a condominium.

Maybe even keeping Pétain.

My General? - Leclerc,

I know what I'm saying.

If we don't impose ourselves, there'll be no France.

One single battle will decide everything.

And I'm entrusting it to you.

These instructions override all orders, wherever they come from.

Past or future,

they're secret and irrevocable.

Philippe...

Stop taking absurd risks!

If you fall before succeeding...

I have no other option.

I entrust you with the supreme battle that will decide everything:

Paris.

My hands in yours. Charles de Gaulle.

So then,

after three years

of unspeakable trials,

the French people

reappears.

It has a Resistance Council

that brings together all those

who fight the invader in the underground.

It has a provisional government.

It needs a great army.

It's in the desert

that the force that failed us

in 1940 is rising again, at this very moment.

Fast, modern, built entirely for attack.

The force that will gather all the French

since it's born of their union.

Bravo!

You're assigned

to the 2nd Armored Division under my command.

It's the first great force in which.

Frenchmen who had been apart for three years are brought together.

And even enemies.

I ask you to think

about the importance of this reunion.

In the world,

some supposedly realistic minds

have been able to believe that for the French,

and for the French only,

the war effort could exist

outside morality.

Our country is in a situation

it has never known.

It has become

a second-rate nation.

Our elites failed.

Tomorrow, when you see some bigwig, you can ask yourself

whether he was incompetent before '40

or a coward since.

But we can't afford the luxury of internal divisions.

The theorists have been able

to imagine

that our soldiers, our sailors, our airmen

different in that from every soldier, every sailor,

every airman in the world,

would go into battle without caring about the reasons

for which they'd face death.

From the moment

you set foot on French soil

you'll be thrown into the battle,

without transition.

France

is a tortured captive

who, under the blows,

in her dungeon,

has measured once and for all

the causes of her misfortunes

and the infamy of her tyrants.

No time to get familiar with the ground and the enemy.

You'll have to make

fast decisions. - Without claiming

the gift of prophecy,

we need only hear

our hearts beat,

to say this:

In life,

you only succeed if you're obsessed with an idea.

We repoint the inventory and we load the crates.

I thought Negroes were not allowed in armoured divisions.

Do you have a problem?

Captain, Captain...

Come on! Leave it.

Because of them, we lost our 4,000 Senegalese riflemen.

Three quarters of the division.

Think of the men instead of the division!

They fought like lions

and were sent home like losers.

The Americans have rules for everything.

One day they'll lecture the whole world.

They're impressive all the same.

That way.

My Captain!

Ariane? - We're completely lost.

So are we.

On the rise.

We have no idea what we're supposed to do.

Or when. - Or where we're supposed to do it.

We don't even know where Leclerc is.

How long did it take them to build this?

We won't find him anytime soon.

Look, their General.

Sir, PM Churchill on the line.

Between you and me, do we need De Gaulle?

How many casualties are we willing to countenance?

At the end of the day.

Be specific.

The more Resistance De Gaulle deploys,

the fewer men we will lose.

Every act of sabotage,

every time the Secret Army shuts down

German communications or disrupts its supply line we get a break.

And we need every break we can get. I mean it.

De Gaulle's people could make all the difference.

And personally I trust the man.

Did you tell Roosevelt? - More than once.

I don't even have permission to talk to de Gaulle.

How do we tell the English people their sons or

fathers died because we wouldn't talk to de Gaulle?

I know, Anthony!

Can we at least keep his armoured division intact?

The Leclerc division is not up to standard, sir.

It is 253 vehicles short.

Yes, I read the file.

But...

could you help?

Is your line secure?

Yes.

Well...

perhaps I could find other vehicles.

Ask my staff to look the other way.

If you think that would help. - I do.

Very well.

If we want our children to believe

we acted like grown ups on the eve of History's greatest landing,

we must invite De Gaulle here now.

We cannot launch the French landing behind his back!

What are those?

Eisenhower's message if successful, and that...

it is for the opposite.

Where is the weather man?

Sorry.

Even we are to glimpse hell we better not behave ourselves.

That fool promised a break in the storm. I want to hear him say it again.

Winston!

De Gaulle!

The prefect is the head of the police, the gendarmerie,

the firemen and the school.

The prefect is the head of the police,

the gendarmerie, the firemen and the school.

Very good, guys.

This is Mr. McSherry, our managing director.

Now, please, introduce yourselves.

Who goes first?

What's your name, son?

John Boivin. Lansing, Mich., 39.

Appointed to Limoges.

Bill A bell a, of Tucson, Arizona.

Married, three kids.

I am a winemaker, I can't wait to be in Bordeaux!

Good work.

Carry on.

Let's start again!

The Vichy government...

My General.

This, on future military spending.

Ah!

General.

Prime Minister.

Thank you for coming.

Thank you, gentlemen.

I take it upon myself

to inform you that we're going to

launch a landing in Normandy

in the next few hours, weather permitting.

Thank you for inviting me.

A few hours after

the operation is launched,

Eisenhower will give a radio address.

It's essential

to show our unity

to spread fear among the enemy.

I hope you'll consent

to speak after him.

By what right would Eisenhower give orders

to the French population?

By what right

would he make decisions that fall

to the French Provisional Government?

Do you think I don't know the Americans are about to land

armed with currency made in the United States?

I think

you should go see Roosevelt in Washington.

What for?

I've asked him ten times to go see him.

He never saw fit to answer. - My General,

the battle will be long.

You can still convince him.

Convince him of what, Mr. Eden?

The President... - Mister,

if you don't publicly support the American and British soldiers

who come to liberate your country,

we will take this as an insult, me and the whole Labour Party.

An insult?

I lived as a prisoner in London.

I had to face systematic opposition in Algiers.

I sent proposals

that neither you nor Roosevelt answered.

And now the Labour Party would feel insulted by me.

I won't endorse Eisenhower's statements by speaking

after him.

Go on, fight your war with your fake money.

General de Gaulle, know this

once and for all!

Whenever we have to choose between you and Roosevelt,

we'll choose Roosevelt.

Between Europe and America, we'll choose America.

I'll make a note of it, Prime Minister.

No question of him going to France.

Chain him.

This is a momentous hour in world history.

This is day for which free people have long waited.

This is D-Day.

The latest film report from France

gives an idea of the Allied victory.

The assault is led

by American soldiers under General Eisenhower.

Operations have been carefully planned

to ensure steady progress against a determined enemy.

Here, Prime Minister Winston Churchill steps ashore.

He must have surveyed the scene with justifiable pride.

Only four years ago, the British, defeated during the Battle of France,

were evacuated.

Now they are back.

Greeted by the French people as liberators.

Leading some to ask the question.

Where is General de Gaulle?

My General,

the White House announces your immediate arrival in Washington.

Did you get an invitation?

No. - Then?

You could ask for recognition of the Government.

I won't go apply to Roosevelt.

But if Eisenhower had permission to talk to us,

it would make things easier for the Resistance,

for Leclerc and for the Allied forces.

Eisenhower wants to be able to make contact with you.

I have an idea.

Welcome to Washington, General.

My country made a mistake,

General.

We thought we could isolate ourselves from the chaos of the world.

It is clear now that we must lead it.

This chaos includes some 150 countries.

Some must take share the burden: Britain, the Soviet Union.

The others will benefit from our protection.

We'll have to establish permanent military bases around the world,

including in France.

Speaking of which, I imagine you've come with requests of your own.

Not that I know of, Mr. President.

I gather we have not recognised your...

Committee.

Is it the CFLN? I am terrible with acronyms.

It is now called "the French government",

which by the way has bought you a little present.

A symbol of French resilience

made in 1942

while waiting for materiel to restore the ship itself.

My!

Merci beaucoup!

And...

Harry? - Here, sir.

Pour vous.

Merci, Monsieur Président..

Yeah...

We're three weeks late.

The President wants us in Germany faster.

He questions the Paris' strategy.

But actually...

Sir, the Germans control every strategic position in Paris.

They're prepared to hold firm.

I'm afraid it could take weeks and heavy casualties

to take the city.

Sir?

Mmh.

General Eisenhower asked to see you when you arrive.

AUGUST 19, 1944

The Allies won't be long!

If they don't come, there won't be enough of us.

At Port-Royal, the Germans arrived

before they had time to finish.

Go inside, kids. - Why?

It's dangerous, come on! Come!

Welcome to France, my General.

Insurrection in Paris. They've put up barricades.

Who gave them the order? - Nobody.

Spontaneous action.

We have to get there before the Germans massacre them.

Go, go, go!

The Paris Mint, with us!

In position!

Hurry.

Unload the sacks, block the main entrance.

Gentlemen,

the Council orders us to retake control of the Mint,

in the name of our sovereignty.

We need you.

It's France's Mint.

Thank you.

All right, it won't last much longer.

Let's get ready for what's next!

Dronne, Porte d'Italie. - Received.

Strauss, go around to the north and come in through Asnières.

Yes. - I'll take the Porte d'Orleáns.

My General,

the supply column was attacked.

Three fuel lorries were burned.

Put the Allied commander on!

ALLIED HQ, NORMANDY

Cherbourg, six.

Angoulême, four.

Lisieux, eight.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

Eight thousand francs, sir.

Where are you going?

It's heating up at the city hall, I'm going as backup.

Go, go!

Shit.

Oh, shit, shit, shit.

Come on, hurry!

Paul, speed up.

Faster!

My General.

General Gerow speaking.

General Leclerc here.

To resume our advance to Paris we urgently need fuel.

Negative, General. The 3rd Army will move north.

You will wait for the 1st

and receive instructions from them.

But the plan is to go to Paris!

As I said

the plan has changed.

General Leclerc...

Do you hear me?

General Leclerc...

Please.

General de Gaulle.

General.

General Eisenhower,

there's and insurrection in Paris as we speak.

Paris is too difficult for now. I can't take the risk.

Let's send the Leclerc division alone, then.

It would take more than a division to take Paris, General. I can't.

General Eisenhower, if we don't go now there will be a bloodbath.

We will never forgive ourselves.

I'm sorry, sir.

But I have orders.

Save your fuel.

Or give it to the others!

My General, me and my Spaniards have enough

to get to Paris.

What's Force L's first duty?

Dronne, take all your men.

Go whatever way you like. Get moving!

Let's go!

Tell the Parisians to hold on! We'll be there tomorrow.

Sir,

Leclerc sent a company to Paris.

I specifically ordered that he stand by.

This is simply not acceptable!

Permission to redeploy his division

and remove him from his command.

He's only doing his duty to his country, General.

Sir...

This is a direct order to Leclerc.

Please make sure his whole division

has everything it needs to move on to Paris.

Sir.

Paul!

Is he OK? - No!

He's bleeding out. We have to get him out of here!

Try to cover us! We'll join you.

Here! There's hardly anything left.

Surrender!

Let it be known that we are undefeated, we Free French.

We don't submit, we don't fall back.

Our children will have nothing to reproach us for.

Here come the reinforcements, make room!

They're at the end of the street!

The Germans are straight ahead, 300 metres!

A squad over there, 300 metres. Get ready!

On my school notebooks.

On my desk and the trees.

On the sand, on the snow.

I write your name.

On all the pages read.

On all the blank pages.

Stone or blood.

Paper or ash

I write your name.

On the gilded images.

On the warriors' weapons.

On the crowns of kings.

I write your name.

On the jungle and the desert.

On the nests, on the broom.

On the echo of my childhood

I write your name.

On my ruined shelters.

On my collapsed lighthouses.

On the walls of my weariness

I write your name.

On the absence without desire.

On bare solitude.

On the steps of death

I write your name.

On health regained.

On the vanished risk.

On hope without memory

I write your name.

And by the power of a word.

I begin my life again.

I was born to know you.

To name you

Liberty.

Bravo! We fought too!

Lille, Orphe.

Hey, sir!

Carry on. That'll make kindling for this winter.

General,

it's time to proclaim the restoration of the Republic.

France

never stopped fighting.

The Republic never ceased to exist.

NOVEMBER 11, 1944

Mr. President.

Prime Minister.

We've come a long way

since I received you

alone,

in my office.

That day, you decided France's fate alone.

Well, you're

a better host

than guest.

Prime Minister,

today,

I'm offering you an alliance.

In the east and in the west.

Two great powers

are going to rule the world,

but our two nations can

guarantee their independence together

if their friendship comes above all.

Mr. President...

Uh...

In politics as in my strategy,

I'd rather convince the strongest

than stand in their way.

I force myself to be present in every affair of the world.

I agree to nothing for nothing.

And I always collect a few dividends for my country.

That's how the world goes.

I see.

Let's go on!

♪ When I see our soldiers ♪

♪ Pass by joyful, music at their head ♪

♪ Ah, I say, marking time: ♪

♪ "As of old, France is beautiful" ♪

♪ As in the old days ♪

♪ Soldiers, I see again ♪

For you. ♪ Carnot celebrates victory. ♪

♪ March to glory ♪

♪ My dear children ♪

♪ Come back triumphant ♪

THE BATTLE OF DE GAULLE

THE BATTLE OF DE GAULLE I WRITE YOUR NAME