No, or the Vain Glory of Command

No, or the Vain Glory of Command (Non, ou a Vã Glória de Mandar) is a 1990 Portuguese film directed by Manoel de Oliveira. The film, starring Luís Miguel Cintra and Miguel Guilherme, depicts a series of defeats from the entire military history of Portugal – the assassination of Viriathus, the Battle of Toro, the failed attempt of Iberian Union under Afonso of Portugal and Isabella of Spain and the Battle of Alcácer Quibir – and the Lusiads episode of the Island of love, which are told through flashbacks as a professorish Portuguese lieutenant recounts them while marching through a Portuguese African overseas territory in 1974, during the Portuguese Colonial War (1961–74). He easily draws his comrades into philosophical musings, while the little contingent suffers surprise attacks by groups of independentist guerrillas.

It was screened out of competition at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival.

Cast

 * Luís Miguel Cintra – 2º Lt. Cabrita, Viriato, Dom João of Portugal
 * Diogo Dória – Soldier Manuel, Lusitanian warrior, Dom João's cousin
 * Miguel Guilherme – Soldier Salvador, Lusitanian warrior, Alcácer warrior
 * Luís Lucas – Cpl. Brito, Lusitanian warrior, Alcácer nobleman
 * Carlos Gomes – Soldier Pedro, Alcácer warrior
 * António S. Lopes – Soldier, Lusitanian warrior, Alcácer warrior
 * Mateus Lorena – Dom Sebastião
 * Lola Forner – Princess Dona Isabel
 * Raúl Fraire – Dom Afonso
 * Ruy de Carvalho – Preacher at funeral, Suicidal warrior (as Rui de Carvalho)
 * Teresa Menezes – Venus (as Teresa Meneses)
 * Leonor Silveira – Tethys
 * Paulo Matos – Radio operator, Vasco da Gama, Camões
 * Francisco Baião – Prince Dom João
 * Luís Mascarenhas – Dom Afonso V
 * Duarte de Almeida – Baron of Alvito