The 317th Platoon is a 1965 war film originally released in France under the title La 317e Section. The film was directed by Pierre Schoendoerffer (Diên Biên Phú) and was based on his own novel of the same name. The story is set during the latter stages of the French-Indochina War, revolving around a group of French soldiers and their Laotian allies who trek through the jungle to the safety of a French outpost as the Viet Minh pursue them. The film was shot in Cambodia with the assistance of the Royal Cambodian Army.
The following weapons were used in the film The 317th Platoon:
The MAT-49 is used by the platoon's leaders and senior NCOs at various points in the film, including L'adjundant (Warrant Officer) Wilsdorf (Bruno Cremer), Sergeant Roudier (Pierre Fabre) and Laotian Sergeant-supplétifs Vit and Ba Kut (Boramy Tioulong - who was also the film's military advisor).
The M1917 Enfield rifle is carried by most of the Laotian soldiers. The Viet Minh forces encountered by the platoon throughout the film also appear to be armed with Enfields.
Sous-Lieutenant (2nd Lieutenant) Torrens (Jacques Perrin) uses the M1 Carbine as his main weapon. Wilsdorf and Ba Kut also use the M1 Carbine during different scenes.
The MAS-36 rifle is the main weapon of Corporal Perrin (Manuel Zarzo), the platoon's radio operator. MAS-36 rifles are also used by some of the Laotian troops.
A few Laotians are armed with MAS-49 rifles, which are mainly used to launch rifle grenades. A MAS-49 with an APX L806 scope is also seen in several scenes, most notably when a Viet Minh column is ambushed by the soldiers and during a raid on a captured village.
The M1918A2 BAR is a commonly-seen weapon in the film, although the characters refer to it as a FM (Fusil-mitrailleur/automatic rifle). Laotian troops use it to suppress enemy forces, while Wilsdorf uses one to cover the retreat of the platoon as it tries to evacuate its wounded.
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