Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

March or Die Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 31, 2024

Dick Richards' "March or Die" (1977) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include new program with actor Paul Sherman; new video essay by critic Howard S. Berger; new audio commentary by critics Howard S. Berger and Steve Mitchell; and vintage trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The French Foreign Legion was a subject that my late grandfather and I frequently discussed because he had met a few legionnaires who somehow made it back to civilization. One in particular, a Hungarian with a very interesting history, was often brought up in our conversations because he had shared plenty of intimate stories about his pursuit of freedom that my grandfather could relate to. As a young man, my grandfather admired the legionnaires, and there was a difficult period in his life when he even considered becoming one. He often described to me how his life would have been different had he not resisted the temptation to put on a legionnaire uniform.

But my grandfather never hesitated to admit that had he become a legionnaire, he could have lost his life, too. In fact, he often said that this would have been the most probable outcome because he was not like the men who enlisted to become legionnaires. According to my grandfather, they were either mad or truly desperate individuals who rolled the dice hoping to reset their lives. Even though back then I did not know whether such a description was entirely justified, I never doubted my grandfather because he was the ultimate straight shooter.

The French Foreign Legion and the legionnaires you will see in March or Die, Beau Travail, and Legionnaire are quite different, but in all three films there is material that matches some of my grandfather’s descriptions. For example, in each of these films, many of the men who put on a legionnaire uniform have a dark past -- they are thieves, murderers, reactionaries, etc. -- and are making a desperate move to reset their lives. Many of the men fully realize that they could lose their lives. Serving in the French Foreign Legion was essentially a game of survival, and while helpful, luck was not enough to endure it. Only the toughest men who put on a legionnaire uniform could reach its finale, and even then, after exiting it, many were very seriously, irreversibly damaged by their experiences.

Directed by Dick Richards, March or Die presents the most idealistic image of both. In this film, the French Foreign Legion is an almost mythical destination for indescribably brave social outcasts who deep inside are either unapologetic patriots or some of the greatest warriors to emerge from the civilized West. Their character flaws and troubles with the law are downgraded to minor distractions. They are even followed and admired by several, similarly brave and very beautiful women. The only somewhat authentic character among the legionnaires is their commander (Gene Hackman), who is ordered to lead them to an ancient Arab tomb deep into the desert, which a very stubborn, very obnoxious archeologist (Max von Sydow) with powerful friends in the French government is dying to enter. As the legionnaires arrive in the area, they clash with the Arab tribes and at the same time, while losing body parts and friends, begin to see their reality very, very differently.

The value of March or Die is in its visuals. The film sees the desert as an indescribably beautiful but dangerous playground where true heroes are revealed, much like they are in the classic novels. In other words, the entire film has an unmissable poetic quality that constantly interferes with its efforts to sell its story as authentic. As a result, it is quite easy to compare it to the likes of The Desert of the Tartars and Fort Saganne, though both of these films boast superior atmosphere.

The cast also includes Terence Hill, Catherine Deneuve, Ian Holm, Vernon Dobtcheff, and Jack O’Halloran. However, excluding Hill, whose character is used to promote the classic image of the legionnaire, or at least as understood by Richards, these terrific actors are completely wasted. Holm in particular looks terrible as a preachy uniter of the Arab tribes that attack the legionnaires after the ancient tomb is opened.

March or Die Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, March or Die arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

The release produces visuals that look dated and are often quite inconsistent. In some areas, for instance, delineation and depth are rather decent, but a lot of the wider panoramic visuals tend to look disappointingly weak. Also, more often than not, grain collapses into noisy mush, so on a large screen the density levels of the visuals can appear very problematic. Colors are stable. However, there is a lot of room for substantial improvements in terms of saturation, even balance. The good news is that the color temperature is correct, so there are no distracting anomalies to report. Some surface imperfections can be spotted, such as nicks and blemishes. Naturally, if the film is properly remastered and restored in 2K or 4K, it will have a much healthier and attractive appearance as well. All in all, the current presentation is serviceable, but the film can look better. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

March or Die Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I was a bit surprised to hear how solid the lossless track is. I expected it to reveal some obvious signs of aging, but less than fifteen minutes into the film, I knew that it will be very good. In the second half, where the big battle footage is, dynamic intensity is terrific. If the audio is fully restored in the future, I suspect that the only meaningful improvements will be some minor balancing adjustments. I think that the dynamic potency of the audio track will be extremely similar or remain the same.

March or Die Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Marched and Died" - in this exclusive new program, actor Paul Sherman recalls the first time he heard about Dick Richards' plans to direct March or Die, how he was cast to play the character of Fred Hastings, and the working conditions during the shooting of the film. Sherman also has some interesting observations about the look of March or Die. In English, not subtitled. (48 min).

• "Of Blood & Time: The Weary Worlds of Dick Richards" - this exclusive new video essay was created by critic Howard S. Berger. In English, not subtitled. (42 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Howard S. Berger and Steve Mitchell.

• Trailer - an original trailer for March or Die. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

March or Die Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A lot of the stories about the French Foreign Legion and the men that put on a legionnaire uniform in the past are full of ridiculous embellishments. Some promote the legionnaires as incredible warriors and heroes, and some describe them as remarkably dangerous characters that were essentially given a second chance in life. Among the ridiculous embellishments in these stories, however, there are a lot of very peculiar truths, some of which have produced interesting films. March or Die has plenty of attractive visuals which make it easy to endure, but it is a flawed film with a very outdated grasp of the history and identity of the legionnaires. It is included in Film Focus: Gene Hackman, a four-disc box set.