Legionnaire

In 1925, Alain Lefèvre is a French boxer in Marseille. His brother asks him to throw a fight to secure money for both of them. The plan to fix the bout creates a dangerous undercurrent that haunts Alain from the start.

Lucien Galgani, a mobster, pressures Alain to take a dive in the second round. The demand sits at the edge of violence and coercion as Alain weighs his options. The plan's failure triggers a chain of consequences that pull him toward much greater danger.

Alain refuses to take the dive and defeats his opponent in the ring. His decision upends Galgani's scheme and places him in immediate jeopardy. The victory becomes a catalyst for a new, harsher path.

Just as escaping to America seems possible, Alain's brother is killed and Katrina is captured by Galgani's men. In anger, Alain shoots Galgani's brother, deepening the conflict with the mob. The tragedy forces Alain to seek a drastic new plan.

Desperate for a way out, Alain signs up for the French Foreign Legion. He is shipped to North Africa to defend France against a Berber resistance led by Abd el-Krim. The boxing world is left behind as he enters a brutal colonial war.

Along the way, Alain befriends Luther, an African-American seeking dignity in Africa, Mackintosh, a former British major with a gambling past, and Guido, an eager Italian hopeful. The unlikely quartet bonds under harsh conditions. Their friendship becomes Alain's anchor in the desert campaign.

After marching for days, the unit is ambushed by Berber fighters near a small water source, and Guido dies. The survivors press on to the Legion fort to regroup and defend their lives. The ambush underscores the brutal reality of the Rif War.

Galgani's hired men track Alain to the fort after a few days. They prepare for a confrontation that could end his life and the lives of his companions. The threat of infiltration raises the stakes of daily fort life.

Mackintosh, who guards the fort with Alain, reveals that he has been sent to kill Alain as repayment for his father's gambling debts. The revelation strains loyalty and trust among the soldiers. The imminent danger makes Alain's future precarious.

Colonel sends Luther on a dangerous mission to infiltrate the Berber camp. Before leaving, Luther gives Alain his harmonica as a symbol of friendship. The gift foreshadows farewell and sacrifice amid the siege.

Luther returns without his disguise, and the Berber forces launch an assault on the fort. Alain faces a terrible choice as the defense collapses, highlighting the futility of their position. The battle tests every man’s resolve.

During the clash, Mackintosh shoots Galgani. He remorsefully reveals that Katrina has escaped to America. The fort's defenses crumble, and the survivors face an almost hopeless situation.

Alain, in a grim act of mercy, hands Mackintosh a single bullet for a merciful suicide after the fall of the fort. The act marks a final moment of humanity amid brutality. Alain survives the battle while Mackintosh dies by his own hand.

Abd el-Krim, seeing Alain's courage, spares him and tells him to inform his superiors of what awaits if French colonization continues. The message marks a precarious turn in the colonial conflict. Alain becomes the sole survivor, left to ponder the cost of escape and loyalty.

The summary mentions an alternate ending in which Alain rescues Katrina and plans to kill Galgani but refrains; a New Year's Eve party script exists showing Alain aiming at Galgani but choosing not to pull the trigger. This ending would have changed the film's final tone. The official cut omits this sequence.