Mister Bob

Bored with civilian life in Paris, Denard is recruited in 1964 by Olivier Rabourdin, head of the French external intelligence service (SDECE), to go to Congo and support pro-Western Premier Moïse Tshombe. He sees the assignment as dangerous adventure rather than espionage work and agrees to join the operation. The recruitment sets the tone for a career defined by bravado and ambiguous loyalties.

Denard and his mercenaries land in Congo, joining the Katangese Gendarmerie who had returned from exile to back Tshombe. Their arrival destabilizes the local balance, fueling brutal clashes with Simba rebels and the Congolese Army. The Western-backed force offers a glimmer of leverage amid atrocities committed by the Simba faction.

As Denard's men begin routing Simba forces, his audacious leadership earns him influence among troops and factions, but it unsettles Mobutu, who fears foreign contractors will undercut his autonomy. The mercenaries' success increases Denard's clout while entangling him in Congo's shifting power dynamics. His position becomes a pawn in a broader struggle between Western actors and local rivals.

During the Congo operation, Denard rescues a Congolese nurse, Marie-Elise, and marries her. The marriage anchors him to the country and deepens his commitment to remaining beyond the battlefield. The personal bond stands in contrast to the chaos of war around them.

Denard articulates a plan to professionalize the Armée Nationale Congolaise with Western training and leadership, earning mixed respect from Mobutu. He positions himself as more than a hired gun, a potential architect of a modern army. The move foreshadows a growing tension between personal loyalty and national ambition.

In November 1965, Mobutu seizes executive power, signaling a turning point in Congo's crisis. Denard's presence and strategy become entwined with Mobutu's ambitions as Western support for Tshombe wanes. The alliance begins to fracture as political calculations take precedence over battlefield success.

A mutiny led by Colonel Sango erupts in July 1966. Denard tries to stay neutral, but the crackdown is brutal, and Sango and his conspirators are executed as a stark display of power. The episode underscores how quickly loyalties shift and how fragile the mercenaries' position remains. The mutiny intensifies the higher-stakes game between Mobutu and his opponents.

A French intelligence agent warns Denard that Paris views Mobutu as a liability due to his plans to nationalize assets and consolidate power. The warning foreshadows a shift in Western calculations and leaves Denard's own future in jeopardy. Denard must navigate a changing geopolitical landscape as his leverage erodes.

At a party that showcases Mobutu's growing megalomania, he pursues officers' wives, invading Denard's private life. Denard physically intervenes to pull Marie-Elise away, a moment that crystallizes the personal costs of his alliance with Mobutu. The scene reveals how power can intrude into intimate spaces and threaten the mercenary's loyalties.

In 1967 Denard, with Belgian Major Schramme, uncovers Mobutu's plan to execute them and decides to topple him with Western backing. They launch a revolt that promises to restore Tshombe's influence and Western influence in the region. The plan tests partners' faith as the political winds begin to shift against them.

Paris and Washington withdraw their backing at the last moment, leaving Denard with dwindling supplies and dwindling options. The revolt collapses, and the mercenaries face a superior Congolese Army with limited ammunition. The moment underscores the fragility of foreign intervention when political interest moves elsewhere.

The siege tightens around Denard's group, ammunition runs out, and they retreat through dangerous terrain into Rwanda. The grueling march marks the end of their bid to reshape Congo's future by force. The episode captures the brutal logistics and desperation of mercenary campaigns.

The film closes with Denard reflecting on Africa's endless conflicts and the enduring demand for men like him. It emphasizes how foreign meddling and personal ambition collide, turning warfare into a business and a vocation. The ending suggests history's repetition and the ongoing challenges faced by post-colonial states.