In The Battle of Gaulle, Antonin Baudry returns to the beginnings of the fight led by Charles de Gaulle against the collapse of France in 1940.
« A people is only defeated if it admits defeat “, that’s how to summarize The Battle of Gaulle. After Le Chant du Loup, director Antonin Baudry leaves the sea depths to tell the story of the political and military fight of Charles de Gaulle. In June 1940, in the middle of the Second World War, the general, still little known, decided to organize the Resistance from London to fight against Nazi Germany. Almost without means, he will try to create a political and military organization: Free France. Entitled “The Iron Age”, this first chapter focuses on the period from the Battle of Montcornet in 1940 until 1942. This feature film is presented as an adaptation of the work De Gaulle: a certain idea of France, by the historian Julian T. Jackson. This first part plunges the viewer directly into the issues of the conflict, between a French government having already accepted the Armistice and a man refusing to submit to it.
Alone against everyone
Charles de Gaulle is presented there in all his complexity. His love for France is highlighted more than ever. Simon Abkarian’s performance brings relief and accurately transcribes the charisma and leadership of the character. First mocked, De Gaulle manages to unite around him, until he becomes a symbol of the Resistance, also embodied by Fernand (Florian Lesieur) who leads actions in Paris under German occupation. The film thus draws a parallel between two realities of the time: that of the heads of state and that of the French people. The feature film also benefits from a high-ranking cast ranging from Benoît Magimel to Simon Russell Beale (Winston Churchill), including Campbell Scott (Franklin Roosevelt). Note, however, the little screen time of the character of François Darlan, admiral serving under the Vichy regime, played by Mathieu Kassovitz.
The production offers sequences of very realistic actions and bombings, supported by music that is as epic as it is distressing. The film also integrates images from the period, reinforcing the immersive side of the work. The atmosphere of the 1940s is carefully recreated. On the other hand, the multiplication of locations and intrigues can sometimes disorient the viewer. The Battle of Gaulle should all be even satisfy history buffs To move from the Iron Age to the Golden Age, see you on July 3 for the theatrical release of the second chapter: I write your name.
