Deserter is a 2002 adventure movie set in Algeria in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. It tells the story of Simon Murray (Paul Fox) who is confronted with insurmountable class differences when he meets the woman of his life in 1950’s England. Disillusioned, he decides to join the Foreign Legion and is send to a remote outpost in Algeria where he is subject to brutal training.
Here, he develops a deep friendship with Belgian fellow-Legionnaire Pascal Dupont (Tom Hardy). As the training nears the final stages, both Legionnaires become entangled in the brutal civil war, with FLN rebels seeking independence from France, ‘Pied Noirs’ (‘Black Feet’) French settlers who wish Algeria to stay part of France and the Legion caught in between.
Most Legionnaires can be seen carrying the SIG P210 most notably during the climatic shoot-out at the Algiers mosque when both Pascal and Simon use it to deadly effect.
The bold-action MAS-36 is the common rifle for the Legionnaires in their clashes with the FLN rebels. The more modern semi-automatic MAS-49 would have been a more logical choice, which probably explains the strange fact that on no occasion is a Legionnaire seen cocking his MAS-36!
For no apparent reason, the weapon of choice for the Legionnaires keeps switching from the MAS-36 rifle to the MAT-49 submachine gun throughout the movie. This submachine gun is mostly used to impress local residents suspect of cooperating with FLN rebels and during ambushes in the mountainous terrain of Algeria.
During confrontations between Legionnaires and French special forces to take control the Algiers airport, one of the members of the French special forces is seen with a Hotchkiss "Type Universal".
In one scene, FLN insurgents are attacking the Legionnaires from a mountain hide-out with several rifles and machine guns including a Chatellerault M1924/29.
In several scenes, Legionnaires can be seen equipped with the MAS AA-52 machine gun. Oddly, it is never actually seen fired during their clashes with the FLN rebels.
In several scenes, the Browning M1919A4 machine gun can be seen used by Legionnaires. In most cases, they are put on jeeps to provide supportive fire during urban shoot-outs.
During a training, an instructor is showing to new and relatively innocent recruits how a simple but deadly booby trap can be constructed from a tin can and an Mk 2 hand grenade.
In a mountain marching scene, Pascal can be seen with the barrel part of a 81mm M29 Mortar slung on his back. This mortar is also used by the Legionnaires in several clashes with FLN insurgents.
