A 1977 war drama that cost a fortune and ended in a desert slaughter

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Directed by Dick Richards, the 1977 film March or Die depicts the brutal reality of the French Foreign Legion in 1920s Morocco. Starring Gene Hackman as a haunted commander, the production was plagued by injuries and budget overruns, ultimately becoming a financial failure despite its star-studded cast and ambitious scope.

Set in the aftermath of the Great War, the film follows Major William Foster, an American officer in the French Foreign Legion. Foster is tasked with protecting archaeologists excavating an ancient site near Erfoud, Morocco, which is the resting place of a Berber saint. His mission is complicated by the local Bedouin and Berber tribes, led by the revolutionary El-Krim, who oppose French colonial authority. The narrative explores themes of duty, disillusionment, and the harsh discipline of the Legion, underscored by the recurring, melancholic melody of Plaisir d'amour.

The production of March or Die was as turbulent as its plot. Filming began on August 23, 1976, primarily in Spain, but faced significant setbacks when Gene Hackman was injured after being thrown from a horse, forcing a suspension of production. Lew Grade, whose ITC Company provided most of the financing, later noted that the film went well over budget and ultimately lost money at the box office. Its distribution in the United States was only secured because Columbia Pictures wanted the rights to another of Grade's projects, The Eagle Has Landed, leading to the two films being paired as a double-bill in many markets.

The film exists in multiple versions, with significant differences between the theatrical release and the television cut. The television version includes scenes detailing the desertion of two German recruits and the subsequent breakdown of the sadistic officer Fontaine, who kills himself after his patrol is ambushed. In the theatrical and home video versions, these scenes are omitted or re-edited to suggest Fontaine died during the climactic battle at the dig site. The ending also varies, with the theatrical version showing the character Marco Segrain staying behind to train new recruits, echoing Foster's grim warning about the lethal nature of the desert and the Legion.

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