"Carillons sans joie " was Charles Brabant's last theatrically released work and his only war movie ;his most intersesting works were "la p.....respectueuse " from Sartre and a sultry thriller " le piège" .Tunisia ,a country then under the protectorate of France 1942: the Americans have just landed in Africa .French soldiers are in charge of protecting a bridge ,of preventing anyone from crossing it.German soldiers arrive and it's a harrowing dilemma for the French : the armistice was signed in 1940 and they are under the government of Vichy's orders ,but they finally take a rebel stand and with the news that the Americans are to support them any hour now,some of them have just arrived and announces that the troops are coming soon .Using first a subterfuge -they make believe that they are much more numerous than they seem to be - ,they play for time .But the fight is inevitable.Near the bridge there's a small Jews community whose fate depends on the outcome of the fight.Gislain Cloquet's cinematography is impressive , with a good sense of space ; acting is excellent :Paul Meurisse, the captain crossing the bridge on his white horse has style; Raymond Pellegrin is convincing as a NCO who would never collude with the ennemy; Dany Carrel is touching as the young Jewish girl who falls for him.Three languages (French ,German and English) are used ,which shows respect for the audience .When it was released ,the movie was dismissed as jingoistic : and however, the ending is another proof of the absurdity of war .