REINVENTING THE ‘NATIVE ตะวันตกถูกจัดวางใหมีตําแหนงทางวัฒนธรรมและ OTHER’ IN EARLY ศีลธรรมที่สูงสงกวา การเปลี่ยนจากเรื่องเลาแบบตัว HOLLYWOOD: บทสูเรื่องเลาแบบภาพไมไดถอดรื้อการเมืองเรื่องการ THE MOROCCAN WOMAN นําเสนอวัฒนธรรมที่ซอนเรนไวซึ่งอคติแบบบูรพคดี BETWEEN NATIVE RESISTANCE AND ORIENTALIST EPISTEME นิยมหรือจักรวรรดินิยมมากนัก ในชวงเวลาระหวางป IN ROBERT FLOREY’S OUTPOST 1930 กับป 1956 จะเห็นการผลิตภาพเรื่องราวประเทศ IN MOROCCO (1949) 1 โมร็อกโกเปนจํานวนมาก ซึ่งประกอบกันเปนคลัง และเปนเรื่องราวเกี่ยวกับภาพโลกตะวันออกจาก 2 Hassane Oudadene สายตาของฮอลลีวูดดวยเชนกัน บทความนี้มุงสํารวจ

และตรวจสอบการตอรองอันทรงพลวัตและ บทคัดยอ ปฏิสัมพันธที่สลับกันไดระหวางเพศสถานะ กิจการ

อาณานิคม และอุดมการณแหงบูรพคดีนิยมใน การเชื่อมโยงระหวางภาพยนตรอเมริกันกับประเทศ ภาพยนตรเรื่อง Outpost in Morocco (1949) โดยรอ โมร็อกโกเริ่มขึ้นในชวงตนของคริสตศตวรรษที่ 20 เบิรต ฟลอรีย ซึ่งนับเปนภาพยนตรในยุคแรกของฮอล เมื่อแอฟริกาเหนืออยูในความสนใจของทั้งทวีปยุโรป ลีวูด ฉากที่เกี่ยวของจากภาพยนตรเรื่องนี้แสดงใหเห็น และทวีปอเมริกา นักเขียนวรรณกรรมการเดินทาง วาประเทศโมร็อกโกและตัวละครชาวโมร็อกโกถูก ชาวตะวันตกมักยืมขนบการเลาเรื่องที่เนนความ กํากับอยูในการนําเสนอตัวละครตามแบบฉบับ มหัศจรรยและสภาพเหนือจริงมาสรางเรื่องราว อเมริกันอยางไร บทความนี้จึงมุงวิเคราะห รื้อสราง เกี่ยวกับ "ดินแดนอีกดานหน่งึ " ของโลก โดยที่ และยกตัวอยางวิธีและกลยุทธการนําเสนอภาพทาง วัฒนธรรมของผูหญิงโมร็อกโก (แบบผิดๆ) ของ 1 การประกอบสราง "คนพื้นถิ่นที่เปนอื่น" ใหมในภาพยนตรฮอลลีวูด ฮอลลีวูด แมวาภาพเหมารวมตางๆ จะถูกพัฒนาขึ้น ชวงแรก: หญิงโมร็อกโกระหวางการตานทานของคนพื้นถิ่นกับกรอบการ จากภายในองคกรสรางภาพที่ใหญที่สุดของ มองแบบบูรพคดีในภาพยนตรเรื่อง Outpost in Morocco (1949) โดย รอเบิรต ฟลอรีย สหรัฐอเมริกา แตภาพยนตรยังคงเปนพื้นที่ที่นําเสนอ 2 (ฮัสเซน อูดาดีน) Ph.D researcher in the Moroccan การรื้อสรางและการกอบกูอํานาจของคนพื้นถิ่นและ Cultural Studies Center at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdullah University, Fez- Morocco. He ขอบเขตความสามารถในการตอตานของคนพื้นถิ่น graduated with an MA degree in Cultural Studies from the same university. He is also a State อยางแทจริง งานศึกษานี้จึงขอเสนอ "สัญญะแหงการ Department Program Alumnus from UIC at ตอตานทางภาพ" ที่ซึ่งกลองถูกพลิกกลับเพื่อมอบ Chicago. His major fields of interest include early film studies, postcolonial and gender ตําแหนงแหงอภิสิทธิ์และอํานาจใหกับหญิงโมร็อกโก studies.

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Abstract Introduction

The link between the American cinema and The link between the American cinema and Morocco was established during the early Morocco was established during the early twentieth century when North Africa became twentieth century when North Africa a central concern of both Europe and became a central concern of both Europe America. Western travel writers drew on and America. Western travel writers drew on generic conventions centered on wonder and generic conventions centered on wonder and the fantastic to fashion stories about the fantastic to fashion stories about the ‘other ‘other side’ of the world in which the West side’ of the world in which the West was was positioned as morally and culturally positioned as morally and culturally superior superior to the East. The shift from textual to the East. The shift from textual to visual to visual narratives did little to dismantle the narratives did little to dismantle the imperialistic and Orientalist politics of imperialistic and Orientalist politics of cultural representation. The period between cultural representation. The period between 1930 and 1956 witnessed considerable 1930 and 1956 witnessed considerable visual production on Morocco, which visual production on Morocco, which constituted not only a fertile haven but also constituted not only a fertile haven but also a a little story of Hollywood’s Orient. This little story of Hollywood’s Orient. The aim paper explores and examines the dynamic of Hollywood’s colonialist films was to negotiation and the interchangeable insert a Western presence into lands interplay of gender, colonialist enterprise occupied by people seen as ethnic others. and Orientalist ideology in one of The presence of the French legion in North Hollywood’s early films: Robert Florey’s Africa, and particularly in Morocco, played Outpost in Morocco (1949). Relevant scenes a major role in shaping Hollywood’s interest from this movie display how Morocco and in the region. Many other political realities Moroccan subjects were subjected to a also came into play. America’s interest and distinctively American characterization. The involvement in North Africa, particularly in paper proposes to analyze, deconstruct and Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, was illustrate some of Hollywood’s poetics and rationalized by the imperative of militaristic strategies in the cultural (mis)representation intervention during World War II. In the of Moroccan women. Although a number of process, Morocco was subjected to a stereotypical clichés have been developed distinctively American characterization. As from within America’s biggest image- the U.S. troops landed there General George making machine, the screen still offers valid S. Patten wrote, “Casablanca is a city which ground for the (re)construction and retrieval combines Hollywood and the Bible”3 (10). of a native agency and genuine scope for native resistance. The study offers, in practical terms, a few ‘signs of spectacular 3 See also Brian Edwards’ Morocco Bound: resistance,’ whereby the camera is reversed Disorienting America’s Maghreb, from to position the Moroccan woman in Casablanca to the Marrakech Express, sequences of privilege and power. particularly the chapter entitled “American Orientalism: Taking Casablanca,” pp. 29-77.

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In Patton’s eyes Casablanca presented itself analysis display how Morocco and as the perfect site for Orientalist fantasies Moroccan subjects were subjected to a that could entertain the American audience stereotypical characterization. The choice of during wartime. Hollywood movies that deal this particular visual text is rationalized by with Morocco have usually emphasized the the featuring extent and by its significant way in which Western subjects are made to pertinence to my argument premised on the appear superior while Moroccans are fact that the Moroccan female protagonists, subjected to demeaning stereotypes. Early in early American films, turn to occupy the American productions such as Morocco focus of the plot by trespassing on the lines (1930), Casablanca (1942), Road to of subjugation. No matter how the Morocco (1942), and The Desert Song Orientalist ideology strives to malignantly (1953), to mention but a few, are replete cast aspersions on native subjectivity, the with scenes of stereotypical representation. Moroccan female character Cara (Marie This paper explores and examines the Windsor) promisingly displays impressive dynamic negotiation of the colonialist signals of reaction and counterbalance. I can enterprise, Orientalist ideology and safely argue that the native protagonist strategies of native resistance in Robert somehow manages to break up the Florey’s Outpost in Morocco (1939). The systematic unity of the stereotyping patterns director is a significant French-American of the film. It is impressive that the screen film expressionist whose filmic production offers a valid ground and genuine scope for heyday was from 1930s to 1940s. Many of the (re)construction and retrieval of a native his films in the United States were agency. This article aims to uncover, in influenced by the European filmmaking practical terms, a few “signs of spectacular Avant-garde expressionist style because he resistance,”5 whereby the camera is reversed had worked as an assistant director in to position the Moroccan woman in Europe. His first ‘experimental’ movie The sequences of privilege and power. Life and the Death of 9413: a Hollywood Extra (1928), displayed, according to Martin Orientalist Episteme and Poetics of A. Gardner 40), how his cinematic style was the Camera inspired by the expressionism of the German 4 film school. Florey was also an assistant Being bound to the context of early film, the director to Josef Von Sternberg, whose film world condition of World Wars I and II Morocco was released in 1930. This may justifies the notion of escapism as an outlet justify his interest in making Outpost in for a burdened Western audience to be Morocco in 1949. palliated, while the desire for capitalism, on the other hand, rationalizes the concepts of Relevant sequences from the film under

5 This expression is borrowed from the title of 4 Martin A. Gardner, The Marx Brothers as one of professor Bekkaoui’s books: Signs of Social Critics: Satire and Comic Nihilism in Spectacular Resistance: The Spanish Moor and Their Films (North Carolina: McFarland and British Orientalism 1998, which also inspired a Company, Inc. Publishers, 2009), p. 40. great deal of this article.

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profitability and propaganda. Indeed, these images and platitudes were generated. ideological dimensions draw a symmetrical Almost all Western films, including association between Hollywood’s vision and Hollywood’s, are, Jack Shaheen asserts, its politics of implementation. It is fraught with “live images on big screens that impossible to ignore how Hollywood go beyond a thousand words in perpetuating succeeded in constructing a discrepancy stereotypes and clichés” (Jack Shaheen 171) between the East and the West mainly If ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’, a through strategies of Orientalist episteme motion picture would certainly be so such as exoticisation, eroticization, powerful as to convey a thousand images namelessness, and sexual gaze. The more that could produce a Western, stereotypical exotic a movie was the more appealing and mind. Such visual enslavement could be profit-producing it became. The viewed as one of Hollywood’s colonial exoticisation process is efficient in processes to subdue Western spectatorship. mutilating people’s histories and social Obviously, Hollywood movies subjugate the ‘realities.’ The distorted history of the audiences and contribute to the shaping and ‘Other’ becomes an ‘alternative history’ for guiding of Western attitudes towards a the ‘Self’. The displaying of movies, so culturally and racially constructed ‘Other’, James Clifford argues, was meant to Hollywood proves to be indeed a conquering “present alternative histories that are rooted ‘instructor.’ Shaheen views this filmic in political agendas […] and that aim at the enterprise as construction of alternative futures for the United States and the Arab world … the most effective teacher of respectively” (Lina Khatib 4). Cinema’s young… it is the authoritative essential role lies, on the one hand, in being creator of commonly shared an ideological, representational and colonial attitudes and feelings… [it is] the means, and on the other hand, in maintaining leading source of propagandistic power in terms of cultural production, which images that damage and isolate remains at “the heart of representation of the some citizens and can destroy the […] Middle East” (1) In fact, the power of possibility of ever achieving cinema to produce a cultural and racial genuine democratic relationships ‘Other’ has not been confined solely to the among us. (viii) Middle East but has been extended to a wide variety of non-Western minorities, including Film and didacticism constitutes the basic even Black Americans, especially those that theme of Shaheen’s straightforward reside in the United States, and also native argument, and Hollywood particularly is a Indians living on the myth of the frontier. mighty school for especially the most vital generations of society. It holds an authority It is through various poetics of cultural excellent in disseminating ‘common sense’ production that Hollywood managed to attitudes to form an ‘imagined community’ conquer the Middle East and North Africa. whereby viewers, more likely young ones as This was a cinematically performed more vulnerable, are subdued to the conquest by which a multitude of slyly wry ideological lectures of the film industry.

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Colonial Cinema and the Lecherous only for domestic audiences but also Side of the Legion for the world. (103)

The late nineteenth century through the first Colonialism allowed for a privilege of half of the twentieth century marked the Western cinema to represent the ‘Other’ in pinnacles of the imperial movement and the pictures, sound and light. Early Western beginnings of cinema. This fact was sure to films, indeed, left no room for what was be not unrelated to an ideological believed to be the rest of the world to take happenstance with the advancement of part in making these visual depictions. The Western image-making industry. Colonial West wrote, produced, and thus, possessed ideology was obviously embedded as both power to bring histories pliable according to the pretext and purpose of early cinematic whimsical Western motives. An interesting intentions. The movie under examination part of the colonial film agenda was to set up belongs to an era when the country was and propagate Western ideals through the under an established Protectorate. Explicitly, diffusion of “colonialist and patriarchal the genre of French foreign legion films is ideologies” (Bernstein and Studlar 5). The not only inextricably linked to, but also imperial and colonial aspect of cinema obviously perpetuates, colonial discourse on contributed to the enhancement of visual Morocco. It is true that America did not entertainment and made it more pleasurable practise colonialism in Morocco, but I and amusing than countless other pieces of believe that its imperial and Orientalist seeds literature. “Unlike the novel,” Shohat and could be sensed through the enhancement of Stam argue, “the cinema is not premised on political and ideological interests in the literacy, as a popular entertainment, it is region. On the visual basis, suffice to say more accessible than literature […] there that by producing American visual remakes was a mass public for imperial filmic of French movies such as Beau Geste (1939), fictions” (103). It is true that the previous Hollywood comfortably assured protection textual forms of art held poetics of and back-up to its military outposts, and was, representational ideology. Yet it was albeit tacitly, implicated within the wicked actually the audio-visual advancement misdeed of imperialism. Speaking of prerogative that heightened these poetics Western cinema and colonialism, Ella when the empire opted for employing the Shohat and Robert Stam write: camera. Indeed “the camera was hired to document the tentacular extensions of The dominant European/American empire” (Shohat and Stam 104). The form of cinema not only inherited cinematic apparatus fulfilled not only the, and disseminated colonial discourse, seemingly positive, task of documentation, but also created a system of but it was also a medium that was efficiently domination through monopolistic machinated in colonialism. control of film distribution and exhibition in much of Africa, Asia, In Florey’s movie, along with the literary and Latin America […] colonial load of the term ‘outpost’ bearing cinema thus mapped history not connotations of legion, military, soldiery and,

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more ideologically, colonialism and implication, the Western superiority and imperialism, Morocco is geographically authority over a racially denigrated ‘Other,’ viewed as a strategic outpost itself in the far Florey’s movie significantly addresses how West of North Africa, and it is ideologically native females could be taken as a means and symbolically seen as a little imaginary prepared and pleased to scout for story of the far Orient. Outpost in Morocco information on their own spaces, homes and (1949) fulfills a few paradigmatic compatriots, which renders them to mere implications and expectations of Western ovules of domestic destructiveness. cinema. Films of that ilk turn this art into a visual tool that does not only confirm and Although they exude a military aura, perpetuate colonial encroachments in North colonial films require the presence of a Africa but also one that legitimizes and “successful Roman hero [who is] able to validates a discourse of complicity between overcome the dangers imaged in the Oriental Western empires in the territories of the woman” (John Maier 41). The Roman hero, ‘Other.’ Florey’s film is a pure legion genre in this regard, is featured through worldly that articulates an official accolade for the Captain Paul Gerard (George Raft), whose French Foreign Legion. While Edith presense in the story represents Western Wharton’s In Morocco 6 is a textual knowledge and expertise not only in the glorification of the French mission in the world of wars, but also in the world of love country, Florey’s Outpost in Morocco is a and romance. In compliance with visual transmission of the colonial mission Abdelkader Benali’s imaging of the French to reach wider, especially foreign, audiences. colonizer, Captain Gerard typifies the “French capacity of controlling its empire”7 As a recurrent topos of Orientalism, (49-50) by orchestrating the situation of the Hollywood verifies that all stories on the convoy with the aim of accomplishing the Orient are romanticized to amply appeal to desired colonial outcomes of the legion. So, the viewer and cover up the tacit ideology how did the ‘Subaltern’ speak back? that is, actually, purported by the American film industry. Outpost in Morocco contains Native Princess Subjugates the such evidence as well. It (con)fuses themes ‘White’ Legionnaire of legion and war with fantasies of interracial romance. It negotiates the The movie opens with the urgent need for a formulations of sex and sexuality and how special convoy to Bel-Rashad, where the they help to serve the legion, and hence, the emir (Eduard Franz) and his men reside. plotting of the narrative. In addition to Because it is a long way from the outpost ‘legendizing’ the epics of the French and Cara is the only daughter of the emir, it colonial experience in Morocco and, by has become incumbent upon Colonel Pascal

6 I would like to note that Edith Wharton might 7 It is worth mentioning that the Moroccan film be taken as one of the early figures to symbolize critic Abdelkader Benali relies on an early set of the discourse of political complicity between the French films as the substance of analysis for his American and French empires over Morocco. book Le Cinema Colonial au Maghreb.

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(John Litel) to pick out a professional by a legion caravan under the leadership of legionnaire who is adequate enough to better Captain Gerard. This scene converges with escort the princess to her father. For an Shohat’s claim that “colonized people, like easier mission to Bel-Rashad, there must be women, require the guidance and protection a woman who will serve as a bridge to of a colonial patriarchal figure” (40). inspect the confidential planning of the Emir and his men. To scout for information, As a White male legionnaire assuming the Gerard relies on the emir’s daughter. The role of ‘protector,’ Gerard personifies the Orientalist and colonialist discourse most genuine ‘colonial patriarchal figure’ by often entangles Oriental women in the plot concealing what the mission is actually for. for they hold a deliberate readiness and With the presence of the White hero, the two eagerness to conspire with the White man native females seem to enjoy full security in against the ‘Brown’ man. Hence, despite her the middle of the Moroccan desert. The privileged social status as a princess, Cara is irony is that the Moroccan subjects that ultimately utilized into this secret frame-up. populate the desert are supposed to be the Colonel Pascal gives the captain the impending threat. The Moroccan ‘self’ turns romantic license to seduce the princess. into a domestic enemy that jeopardizes the Gerard avows: “Yes, my duties have taken safety of the native women and only the me to many strange places.” 8 Gerard is Western soldiers are able to triumph over it. known in Tangier, Fez, Casablanca, and Except for the Moroccan spahis cavalry, Larache. It is significant that the real towns almost no Arab male seems to join the of Morocco where he has been seducing convoy because, as Jack Shaheen argues, Moroccan women are named. With Gerard’s one of the Orientalist motifs dictated in sexual prowess, these places have turned Hollywood is that “as a Moroccan woman is into prostituted spaces. Gerard is a seducer infatuated with a legionnaire, Arabs are of women. terminated” (23). This image, however, When the convoy sets off to Bel-Rashad, plays against the grain. On the way, the only two native females are left on screen: princess, in her equipage, turns into a Master Cara and her servant whose depicted in the character in the course of subjugating the middle of a desert with ‘insinuating danger.’ ‘White’ captain. She seems to be leading the The camera transforms Morocco into a plain convoy now, resting and departing when, stretch of land indispersed by few oases, and where and as she pleases. Gerard’s authority with hardly any population. The only starts to beshaken as Cara returns his orders subjects depicted are a few impoverished and alters his schedule. To demonstrate my shepherds haplessly saluting the passing claim, I see the following dialogue of ample convoy. The two females are portrayed as pertinence: queens who are well protected and escorted Gerard: [to Bamboule] Are we 8 The ‘White’ captain boasts by exaggerating his ready to start? familiarity with the Moroccan space, which Bamboule: All but the lady, as you proves the traditional Orientalist topos that the might expect Sir, [Gerard gets to Western man/legionnaire is well informed of the Cara and her maiden]. Other’s territory.

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Maiden: Shush! She always rests personality’ on the plot. Regardless of after lunch [speaking about the colonial military violence, princess Cara princess] epitomizes a Moroccan model that is Gerard: I’m sorry but we have to capable of self-representation. This powerful start in ten minutes. aura of a native female character is even Cara: [disturbed by Gerard, she well articulated on the second stop of the wakes up and utters] the dancer!!!! convoy. The princess betrays symptoms of Gerard: [reminding her of his striving resistance to intentions of current duty] And the Captain in dominance and influence. The film certainly charge [of] this convoy, Paul invites critical viewers to mull over this very Gerard. particular exchange that is of exceptional Cara: [quickly stands up] refusing prominence and pertinence between the to stop when I asked it in that colonial Gerard and the anti-colonial Cara: miserable lunch, I’ll not have my convoy run like this… You’re Cara: Tell me, do you think we’re 9 impertinent! safe here? Gerard: As much as can be

expected! The princess’s swift responses and posture Cara: You French! You don’t trust are indicative of significant signs towards us much, do you? the power of reaction. Cara seems to gain Gerard: Where did you get that more presence in the narrative, permeating idea? the space of the screen. The above dialogue Cara: My father. is pictured in a close-up sequence [figure 1], Gerard: Yes. I imagine talking to visually placing Cara on an equal footing him would be quite an experience. with Gerard. The native female resists Cara: You might find some of his Gerard’s orders with imperturbable views quite different from yours. confidence affirming that the whole convoy Gerard: So many minds, so many belongs to her. Gerard, the ‘protector,’ the opinions! symbol of colonial power, envisages a Cara: And yours of course are the complete domination of colonized objects correct ones. authenticating “the idea that Orientalism Gerard: Why not? [Blatantly] operated not only as military rule, but also Cara: I’m afraid you’re a conceited simultaneously as a discourse of man Captain! [Stands up] and domination” Robert Young 38). Hollywood conceit is the last refuge of movies are not exempt from such “strategic scoundrel [Leaves off to go to her essentialism” to borrow Spivak’s expression, tent], good night.10 (Gayatri Spivak 204). The native woman Cara, however, returns Gerard’s strategy of silencing by imposing a ‘presence of 10 See minute 16.20’’, the sequence displays the native princess’s self-confidence and charismatic 9 This sequence starts at minute 13.30’’ in the impulse in divulging the arrogance of the film. (DVD). colonizer.

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Cara’s rhetorical question on ‘safety’ is but reports: “Conditions cool and unsettled. an ironic hint to sensitize the Western Advancement slow but expected to make legionnaire to his exaggerated feelings of headway soon.” 11 Such a hesitant report reliance as a security provider. Gerard’s reflects the inner state of the legionnaire ‘conceit’ somehow alludes to a form of whose eulogized prowess starts to decay vanity and the burden of colonialism before the native woman, positioning the inflicted on Morocco by the French. Her Western masculinity as a subject of criticism question is also an allegory for the Western in early American film. Princess Cara, philanthropic discourse based on the premise particularly, enjoys a conscious position as of not only civilizing but also, in the first the nucleus of the story centering the plot, place, securing and fortifying the Moroccan permeating the screen and more space and subjects. Via this sequence, the conspicuously, delivering lessons on viewer is preliminarily solicited to constitute modesty and respect to the Western man: a first impression on the emir of Bel-Rashad, “I’m afraid you’re a conceited man, and so as an ‘extreme’ icon of resistance to often, conceit is the last refuge of a colonialism. scoundrel.” 12 Simply, “the edifice of colonial authority” (Bekkaoui 68) is initially What the conversation also divulges is a forced to tremble and ultimately crumble. divergence of view between the emir and the Said’s assumption of “strategic location” colonizer: “you might find some of his [the (Said 20) is challenged in the narrative; it is emir’s] views quite different from yours,” the Moroccan character Cara, and not and the blatant stereotypes that Western Gerard anymore, that takes over the perception always consider to be error-free. ‘strategically located’ voice in the film. Yet, Princess Cara is represented in such boldness and audacity challenging Gerard’s Towards the end of the movie, a remarkable arrogance and impudence. She dares accuse travelling close-up displays her as a him of conceit and ‘scoundrelism.’ Cara magnificently valorous equestrienne [figure gains power by returning the inflicted words. 2] endeavoring to stop war, which is indeed The scene is plainly visualized through one of the scarce representations of wider framing of posture: she stands up, Moroccan women positively and indicts/warns him for conceit and goes into recognizably in early Hollywood films. her tent leaving him alone with ample Along with paying tribute to Moroccan anxiety, disturbance and perturbation. Such female characters, such scenes debunk the close-ups [see figure 1] render the space of Orientalist passivity that victimizes native cinema, the screen in particular, an excellent site where “Orientalist ideology is subverted 11 Minute 17.18, the report about ‘unsettled rather than confirmed” (Bekkaoui n. pag.). conditions’ is composed immediately after the impressive exchange between the colonizer and These feelings of unsettlement of the White the native lady. man are visually projected when the White 12 Minute 17.08, the scene significantly displays legionnaire jots down his daily records for the native woman in a standing posture while the Colonel Pascal. On the second day he ‘White’ man remains seated. The lady enters her tent leaving the soldier by himself.

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collectivities. Ultimately, ‘lovely’ Cara dies. Conclusion The French, or rather, Gerard in person is given orders to explode the dynamite next to The native Princess Cara is a filmic the fort. He himself brings about her death. antithesis that stands for Morocco’s epic Shaheen comments on this tragically closing females, who stood side by side with the scene: “Arab potentates gather around male militants in resistance to the French victorious French officers. Declaring loyalty encroachment. Cara speaks for Oriental and friendship to France, the Arabs turn in females that participate in problematizing their rifles”(361). The French ‘mission gender formulations in the legion film genre. civilisatrice’ continues to exist after By exhibiting symptoms of Western frailty massacring a group of Moroccans including in a multiplicity of sequences, the native the innocent protagonist Cara. These authority seems ultimately to be recovered, ‘decimation’ scenes clarify, in Aimé reconstructed and voiced out. In terms of Césaire’s succinct expression, “how native female representation, I believe that colonization works to decivilize the Outpost in Morocco is, on some occasions, colonizer, to brutalize him in the true sense shunning the Orientalist topos of negation of the word, to degrade him, to awaken him and defamation. Princess Cara is neither to buried instincts, to covetousness, violence, silenced nor negated. She is named, voiced, race hatred, and moral relativism” (35). The and resistant. The princess is visually ironic dimension of the film is exacerbated elevated both in space and time. Along with through the killing of the rational side of the occupying the center of the plot, her plot. Regardless of its credible portrayal of a appearance is reiterated so much so that she dauntless and determined Arab/Berber obscures the other featuring Western woman, the film must terminate such females, namely the colonial ladies. oriental accolades. Also, Cara has to meet this tragic end because “In colonial master By the end of the movie, the princess narratives, the Other of colonial discourse assumes the role of a peace process cannot be a hero, [and] neither can [s]he be negotiator, a brave cavalry woman, and a an epitome of success stories beyond [her] reconciler. In contravention of filmic own geographical territories” (Lhoussain ideology, the Moroccan princess proves to 13 Simour 355). hold ideals of wisdom and rationality and becomes an iconized symbol of truce aspiring for the suspension of hostilities 13 Professor Lhoussain Simour’s article tells the between France and Morocco and, by story of the Moorish Al-Zemmouri, whose tragic extension, between the West and the East. end at the hands of the Zuni Indians in America’s One form of ambivalence in the colonial Southwest marks off a historical amnesia in discourse is reflected through captain terms of early West-East encounter accounts. I Gerard’s controversial attitude. Why does he am hereby adapting his statement to my context. gallantly release the princess if he has to end See also Simour’s book Recollecting History her life by the end? Such Western colonial beyond Borders: Captives, Acrobats, Dancers, contradictions “create a grand hypocrisy that and the Moroccan-American Narrative of hides acts of violent control under a façade Encounters, 2014.

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of humanitarianism, also known as the Bernstein, Mathew, and Gaylyn Studlar. ‘white man’s burden’” (Bailey Jones 25). 1997. Visions of the East: Orientalism in His brutal act, especially towards Cara, Film. New York: Rutgers State alters his protagonistic role that it University. becomesdevoid of its heroic privileges and the whole burden of colonialism is “[thrown] back on the colonizer” (Saree Césaire, Aimé. 1972. Discourse On Makdisi 535). Similarly, this biased Colonialism. Trans. Joan Pinkham. representation is manifest elsewhere in the New York: Monthly Review Press. film when showing the bodies of the French barbarically killed while no massacre of the Crowther, Bosley. 1949. “'Outpost in Berber people is exposed to the viewer. We Morocco,' With George Raft as Foreign are allowed to see only one side of the Legion Officer, Opens at Capitol,” New conflict. On the other hand, it seems that Florey’s movie score points to paying tribute York Times, 25 March. The Screen In to the Moroccan Review, Web. 21 April 2015.

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