French Military Uniform (Symbol)
In the film's opening scene, Lieutenant-Colonel Philippe orders a captured FLN member to wear a French military uniform as he leads paratroopers into the Casbah to reveal Ali's hiding spot. The uniform the interrogated torture victim must wear is a symbol of the French victory over the FLN insurgency. After everything he has been through, the FLN member has a look of disbelief on his face when made to wear the uniform. As insignificant as it may seem, the uniform represents defeat to the man, who knows he has given over the last of the rebel group's head organizers.
Tapeworm (Symbol)
Philippe's use of the "tapeworm" analogy to describe the insurgency is itself a symbol of his condescending attitude toward the FLN and their political aims. When addressing his men, Philippe talks of terrorist organizations as being akin to tapeworms: no matter how many segments you cut off, the worm will survive until the head is destroyed. With this symbol, Philippe reveals his contempt for the FLN by likening the rebel group to a parasite that invades the body.
Executed Prisoner (Symbol)
The Algerian prisoner executed in Ali's prison is a symbol of the French colonial government's brutality. While serving time in prison for running a street gambling table, Ali witnesses the guillotine execution of a fellow Arab prisoner. While guards march him to the execution, the Arab prisoner shouts phrases of Algerian liberation and "Allahu akbar," eliciting several echoes of solidarity from other prisoners. Pontecorvo includes this scene to show how the brutality against his people that Ali witnessed in prison motivated him to join the FLN upon his release.
Napalm (Symbol)
The napalm dropped on Vietnamese civilians that Ben M'Hidi cites during the press conference is a symbol of hegemonic violence. When a reporter criticizes the FLN for tactics like concealing bombs in baskets, Ben M'Hidi, the leader of the resistance, suggests that the FLN's tactics are benign when contrasted with the napalm dropped by the U.S. that killed thousands of innocent civilians in Vietnam. He cements his point by saying he would be more than happy to hand over his baskets for bomber jets, thereby accusing hegemonic powers such as the U.S. and France of nation-sponsored terrorism.
Retaliatory Punch (Symbol)
The punch Ali throws at the French settler who trips him when he is running from the police is a symbol of Ali's willingness to sacrifice his safety to retaliate against injustice. When a policeman sees Ali running an informal gambling table, Ali runs away. The sight of an Arab Algerian running prompts a group of white French settlers to assume he is up to no good, and one of them trips Ali as he passes. Although Ali has time to get up and run away before the cop reaches him, instead of fleeing, Ali throws a punch at the smug Frenchman who humiliated him. With this symbolic gesture, Pontecorvo establishes that Ali would rather maintain his dignity and put himself at risk than let injustice and humiliation slide.
