The Vultures

Set in Tunisia during April 1943, this war comedy follows a detachment of the Foreign Legion tasked with transporting a large quantity of gold bars to a secure location. After a German ambush leaves only a few soldiers alive, the survivors find themselves divided by their intentions for the treasure. While Sergeant Pierre Augagneur and some of his comrades plot to steal the gold for themselves, Warrant Officer Edouard Mahuzard insists on following orders and fulfilling his duty. As they navigate shifting alliances and conflict, the group attempts to move the gold toward Betahoua.

Directed by Henri Verneuil, this film followed A Thousand Billion Dollars in his filmography. The screenplay was written by Verneuil alongside Michel Audiard and Pierre Siniac. The cast features Jean-Paul Belmondo as Sergeant Augagneur, Michel Constantin as Mahuzard, and Jacques Villeret as Brigadier Béral, with Marie Laforêt and François Perrot appearing as a bank manager's wife and the manager himself. Produced in France by companies including Carthago Films and Soprofilms, the movie had a budget of 30 million USD. Audience reception is similar across platforms, with a rating of 6.1/10 from 2,500 votes on IMDb and a 6/10 from 154 votes on TMDB.