When the whistle blew, the attack was a disaster. The French soldiers were mown down by machine-gun fire before they could even clear their own wire. Seeing the retreat, Mireau flew into a rage and ordered his own artillery to fire on his troops to "force" them forward. The battery commander refused the illegal order.
To save face and "inspire discipline," Mireau demanded that 100 men be executed for cowardice. After a heated argument with Dax, the number was reduced to three—one from each company. The Farce of Justice Orizzonti_di_gloria_1957_HD_-_Altadefinizione01
If you'd like to dive deeper into the history of the film, you can check out its IMDb page or watch the Italian trailer on YouTube . Orizzonti di gloria (1957) - MUBI When the whistle blew, the attack was a disaster
The night before the execution, the mood in the camp was haunting. The three men faced their end in a barn, grappling with fear and the absurdity of being killed by their own side. The battery commander refused the illegal order
Dax, horrified by the injustice, stepped in to defend them in a court-martial. He argued with the fire of a man who still believed in truth, but the trial was a sham. The verdict was written before the first word was spoken: The Final Walk
The three soldiers were chosen not by their actions, but by chance and personal grudges:
, chosen because he witnessed his lieutenant’s cowardice. Private Ferol , labeled a "social undesirable." Private Arnaud , a decorated hero chosen by lot.