La Bandera (novel)

La Bandera is a 1931 French novel written by Pierre Mac Orlan.

Synopsis
After committing a murder in Paris, Pierre Gilieth flees to Barcelona. Now destitute, he enlists in the Spanish Foreign Legion. Despite his fatalistic manner, he begins to fit in with his comrades as they embark for Morocco to fight in the Riff War. Once in North Africa, he falls in love and marries a local cabaret singer. His new life brings him a happiness he has never before known, but his past slowly catches up with him. He eventually seeks personal redemption by volunteering to join the doomed garrison of an outpost in the Atlas Mountains.

Adaptation
In 1935, the novel was turned into a film La Bandera which was largely faithful to the book. It was directed by Julien Duvivier and starring Jean Gabin as the Legionnaire and Annabella as his wife. The film was made in the poetic realist style.