It’s no secret that members of the US Armed Forces screen The Battle of Algiers before deploying to the CENTCOM area of operations. The 1966 black and white film, which depicts the brutal Algerian war of independence, was even shown at the Pentagon in the early aftermath of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a means of examining the methods and operating practices of a classical Muslim insurgency. Although the utility of the film may have been proven as educational tool, screenwriter Robert Avrech at Big Hollywood argues that The Battle of Algiers was even more useful as a propaganda tool — designed to fit the quintessential leftist narrative on terrorism.
The Battle of Algiers, (1965) directed by Gillo Pontecorvo, a perennial favorite on college campuses, is hailed as a modern classic. Certainly the skillful use of black & white cinema verite is highly effective, making the viewer feel as if he’s been plunged into the heart of the Algerian maelstrom. The scenes of torture and terror are stomach churning and bring chills to any civilized viewer. But let’s be clear, the film is a work of leftist propaganda, beautifully crafted, to be sure, but a film that seeks to justify Islamic terror by proposing that the French were so brutal that the Algerians had no choice but to resort to unrestrained terror. Sound familiar? You better believe it.
