Le Crabe-Tambour (1977)
Directed by Pierre Schoendoerffer

Film Review

This distinctive and haunting portrait of military life was directed by Pierre Schoendoerffer, a filmmaker with a particular interest in the lives of soldiers and sailors.  Treating his subject with great respect and sympathy, Schoendoerffer adds a note of irony and sadness.   He skilfully avoids glorifying war, yet his films are poignant, emotionally tense, and also curiously cold and distant.  Le Crabe-tambour is among his best work, thanks largely to some extraordinary camera work from Raoul Coutard (a key figure in the French New Wave) which masterfully conveys both a sense of awesome scale and also great intimacy.   The film is also worth noting for its exemplary acting, with a particularly memorable performance from Jean Rochefort.

Film Synopsis

The Jaureguiberry, a mighty escort ship, leaves the port of Lorient in the northwest of France and sets out on its long journey across the stormy Atlantic.  Its mission: to assist a flotilla of fishing vessels off the coast of Newfoundland.  The ship is commanded by a man of few words who is gradually succumbing to an incurable cancer.  His closest confidant is his doctor, Pierre, who served in Indochina before enlisting in the French Navy.  Both men are coming to the end of their careers and frequently have occasion to reminisce on their past experiences.  One of their favourite subjects of conversation is the Crabe-Tambour, an officer who served with distinction in both Algeria and Indochina, and who has acquired the status of a legend.

It turns out that the Crabe-Tambour's remarkable exploits are known to others, including the ship's chief engineer.  One day, the Jaureguiberry receives an unexpected radio message from another vessel that is heading towards the polar region.  This man commanding this ship is none other than the famous Crabe-Tambour.  The captain of the Jaureguiberry can hardly believe his good fortune.  It is with a feeling of honour that he prepares to meet one of his personal heroes, just before he must yield to the inevitable and accept his enforced retirement...