2019 Movie With Prominent Roles For TRUE Combat Revolvers

[Rex G]

I just stumbled upon this trailer, then proceeded to buy the movie through iTunes. While watching, I wondered whether these guys were GIGN, but for whatever reason the script did not want to use “GIGN.” Well, at the end, it became apparent that they were pre-GIGN, and that their unit later became the GIGN.

OOPS! Wrong link. Give me a moment...

OK, trying again:

Edited to add: I remember when this original incident occurred, and also remember reading a quite good narrative of it, later, but cannot recall whether I read a book, or a very good, in-depth article. That was the day when one could still buy truly informative magazines.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T1vJnLn37g

[Wondering Beard]

I just stumbled upon this trailer, then proceeded to buy the movie through iTunes. While watching, I wondered whether these guys were GIGN, but for whatever reason the script did not want to use “GIGN.” Well, at the end, it became apparent that they were pre-GIGN, and that their unit later became the GIGN.

OOPS! Wrong link. Give me a moment...

OK, trying again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T1vJnLn37g



Edited to add: I remember when this original incident occurred, and also remember reading a quite good narrative of it, later, but cannot recall whether I read a book, or a very good, in-depth article. That was the day when one could still buy truly informative magazines.


They would be GIGN, since the unit existed already at the time. I don't know why the preview doesn't say it. I don't know if this was the first time this sort of coordinated simultaneous sniper fire was used but it was the most well known. Also, they were supported by a number of soldiers from the Foreign Legion as the 13th DBLE (Demi Brigade de la Legion Etrangere) was stationed in Djibouti at the time; the soldier's job was to take care of the Somali troops in case it all went pear shape -I think they had a certain amount of machine guns aimed at the border post.

Looks worth watching :-)

[feudist]

Uh..I didn't see a single revolver.

:confused:

[Rex G]

Uh..I didn't see a single revolver.

:confused:

One may have to see the movie, to see the revolvers being used.

Edited to add: The revolvers are visible, on their belts, for a brief moment, in the trailer.

[Rex G]

They would be GIGN, since the unit existed already at the time. I don't know why the preview doesn't say it. I don't know if this was the first time this sort of coordinated simultaneous sniper fire was used but it was the most well known. Also, they were supported by a number of soldiers from the Foreign Legion as the 13th DBLE (Demi Brigade de la Legion Etrangere) was stationed in Djibouti at the time; the soldier's job was to take care of the Somali troops in case it all went pear shape -I think they had a certain amount of machine guns aimed at the border post.

Looks worth watching :-)

I have not fact-checked the movie, and am certainly not saying it is truly and totally faithful to history. The actions of the Foreign Legion soldiers may not have been portrayed accurately. (Keep in mind, it has been decades since I read about this incident, or very much about the GIGN.) The only mention of “GIGN” was in the printed narrative, shown in the end credits portion, which, IIRC, indicated that this team later became known as the GIGN.

[Wondering Beard]

I have not fact-checked the movie, and am certainly not saying it is truly and totally faithful to history. The actions of the Foreign Legion soldiers may not have been portrayed accurately. (Keep in mind, it has been decades since I read about this incident, or very much about the GIGN.) The only mention of “GIGN” was in the printed narrative, shown in the end credits portion, which, IIRC, indicated that this team later became known as the GIGN.

It's a movie so one shouldn't expect too much historical accuracy :-)

I didn't notice the legionaries in the trailer and I'm going by what I read about the operation a few decades ago too.

From a fast look at wikipedia, GIGN was formed in 73 after the Munich massacre, which means it would be only a couple of years old at the time of this operation and thus one could say it's realistic for commanders to talk about this "new unit", as one did in the trailer.

[Lon]

I just stumbled upon this trailer, then proceeded to buy the movie through iTunes. While watching, I wondered whether these guys were GIGN, but for whatever reason the script did not want to use “GIGN.” Well, at the end, it became apparent that they were pre-GIGN, and that their unit later became the GIGN.

OOPS! Wrong link. Give me a moment...

OK, trying again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T1vJnLn37g



Edited to add: I remember when this original incident occurred, and also remember reading a quite good narrative of it, later, but cannot recall whether I read a book, or a very good, in-depth article. That was the day when one could still buy truly informative magazines.

I wanna say I read an article about this op in a Soldier of Fortune magazine years ago. I know I read about it, just can’t remember for sure.

[03RN]

How do you pronounce GIGN?

Im ashamed to admit everytime I see it I picture the guy from American Dad saying "giggity".

[HCM]

I just stumbled upon this trailer, then proceeded to buy the movie through iTunes. While watching, I wondered whether these guys were GIGN, but for whatever reason the script did not want to use “GIGN.” Well, at the end, it became apparent that they were pre-GIGN, and that their unit later became the GIGN.

OOPS! Wrong link. Give me a moment...

OK, trying again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T1vJnLn37g



Edited to add: I remember when this original incident occurred, and also remember reading a quite good narrative of it, later, but cannot recall whether I read a book, or a very good, in-depth article. That was the day when one could still buy truly informative magazines.

The YT channel 9 hole Reviews did a detailed breakdown of this incident in the latter half of their FR-F1 sniper rifle video. They use video clips from the film. You will see the revolvers and see them in use.

GIGN was a new and untested unit at this time. This incident was were GIGN "made" their initial reputation. The French military looked down on them at the time because they were "mere policemen."


https://youtu.be/mCp4NIQRBlE

[Wondering Beard]

How do you pronounce GIGN?

Im ashamed to admit everytime I see it I picture the guy from American Dad saying "giggity".

You pronounce each letter.

I've heard some French people sometimes refer to it as "jijene" but mostly they pronounce each letter, I found.

[Ndbbm]

How do you pronounce GIGN?

Im ashamed to admit everytime I see it I picture the guy from American Dad saying "giggity".

I’ve always heard it spoke G-I-G-N, each letter said. It’s an abbreviation for Groupe d'intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale. National Gendarmerie Intervention Group.

There is another movie about their retaking of a hijacked airliner and rescuing of the hostages. There’s a bit of revolver use by the GIGN members.

The movie is called The Assault, here’s a clip from it with the revolvers https://youtu.be/aveIcPFjuCM

[Le Français]

How do you pronounce GIGN?


You pronounce each letter.

Right.


I've heard some French people sometimes refer to it as "jijene" but mostly they pronounce each letter, I found.

That’s a distinction without a difference, since that’s pretty much what «GIGN» sounds like in French when you say it fast. It’s still the acronym, with each letter pronounced.

[Bigghoss]

It's on Amazon prime so I'm going to watch it now.

[HCM]

How do you pronounce GIGN?

Im ashamed to admit everytime I see it I picture the guy from American Dad saying "giggity".


You pronounce each letter.

I've heard some French people sometimes refer to it as "jijene" but mostly they pronounce each letter, I found.

I've heard Francophones say "Ji-Jene" (hard G, i= "E" like Spanish, soft g N) or spelled out but with prononcitcion Francaise: G (zhay) I (ee) G (zhay) N (en).

[HCM]

Watched 15 minutes of War on Amazon. Not 100% accurate but a Pretty good movie.

[Bigghoss]

It's a good movie. I don't know how accurate it is. I think I remember hearing that the American's role in the whole thing was greatly exaggerated in the movie. Eh, whatever. It says at the beginning and the end it's inspired by true events and they're not trying to be totally accurate.

[RAM Engineer]

Was there a specific barrel length MR73 used/issued by GIGN? Some pictures look like 4" guns and some look longer (not counting the sniper variant).

[Rex G]

It's a good movie. I don't know how accurate it is. I think I remember hearing that the American's role in the whole thing was greatly exaggerated in the movie. Eh, whatever. It says at the beginning and the end it's inspired by true events and they're not trying to be totally accurate.

I think that one needs a token American character, to interest a USA audience. It also gives the script a reason to have a significant amount of dialogue be spoken in English. The trailer implied that he was quite important. Simple economics.

[Bigghoss]

I think that one needs a token American character, to interest a USA audience. It also gives the script a reason to have a significant amount of dialogue be spoken in English. The trailer implied that he was quite important. Simple economics.

That's pretty much what I heard. If it's between shoe horning him in there or not making the movie then I'll take it. Even as it was he wasn't important so whatever.

[Le Français]

Was there a specific barrel length MR73 used/issued by GIGN? Some pictures look like 4" guns and some look longer (not counting the sniper variant).

My understanding from reading about them over the years has been that the GIGN obtained 3, 4, 5.25, and 8-inch variants, but didn’t like the longer two barrels much due to how front-heavy they made the revolvers. You probably saw photos of the 5.25-inch ones, although I think the 4-inch versions were the most popular.

[Stephanie B]

Many years ago, I read something about a Euro anti-terror group training with revolvers. The drill was to shoot the terrorist in the shoulder, spinning him away from the hostage, and then shoot him in the head. They were using magnums. My memory is faulty as to what caliber or whether it was GIGN or GSG-9.

[Wondering Beard]

Many years ago, I read something about a Euro anti-terror group training with revolvers. The drill was to shoot the terrorist in the shoulder, spinning him away from the hostage, and then shoot him in the head. They were using magnums. My memory is faulty as to what caliber or whether it was GIGN or GSG-9.

GSG9, as I remember it, was created in response to the Munich Massacre (like GIGN) and was (still is?) a police unit. As such, their first handgun was a 38 Special revolver. I'm not sure when they changed to 9mm (and the P7 wasn't it?) but I believe it was due to bad field results (as in the terrorist just wouldn't go down -perhaps during the airliner rescue in Somalia?). If the guys you're thinking of were using magnums, I'm pretty sure it was GIGN as I believe they were the only "special" police unit to use them.

In the early days of all those units, so little was known about tactics and ballistics (compared to now) that they pretty much learned it all on the job and created much of what is now being used.

[JSGlock34]

https://www.thedrive.com/content/2018/12/ff32f.jpg?quality=85&width=1440&quality=70

[AdioSS]

Is that the group that got Beretta to make the decock-only 92G?

[HoustonGP100]

Here is a link to the history of the incident.

http://foreignlegion.info/1976-loyada-hostage-rescue-mission/

I watched the movie. Interesting to watch. After reading of the incident from the above link you can conclude they took a lot of liberties with the movie.

[Wondering Beard]

Is that the group that got Beretta to make the decock-only 92G?

Not as far as I know, as they don't seem to have ever used it in their operations (they've used the Manurhin revolvers and Glocks, often 17Ls, from what I've seen). However, their parent organization (the Gendarmerie national which is basically a national level police force -though it's a bit more complicated as most things French) is the one that influenced the creation of the "G" variant.

[Totem Polar]

On the topic of GIGN revolvers, there was a run of 500 19-3s made for GIGN by Smith & Wesson in the early 70s. Fixed sight, pinned & recessed, 3” round butt. This is one of my true grail revolvers.

If only these pics were mine...

[Wondering Beard]

Here is a link to the history of the incident.

http://foreignlegion.info/1976-loyada-hostage-rescue-mission/

I watched the movie. Interesting to watch. After reading of the incident from the above link you can conclude they took a lot of liberties with the movie.

A little background: Somalia at that time was a client state/dictatorship of the USSR and the USSR, at the time, was the sponsor of nearly all "anticolonialist/leftist" terrorism. Djibouti was basically capable of controlling all entries and exits from the Red Sea (Aden being on the other side and at the time part of the People's Republic of South Yemen, you can see where this is going) . There is little doubt (though no published proof that I know of) that getting the French out of Djibouti and into the hands of the Soviet's pet local dictator would have been an enormous geopolitical coup. The reports of Russians (KGB or GRU) at the Somali border post may have never been officially confirmed but they are quite believable.

[Shades]

A little background: Somalia at that time was a client state/dictatorship of the USSR and the USSR, at the time, was the sponsor of nearly all "anticolonialist/leftist" terrorism. Djibouti was basically capable of controlling all entries and exits from the Red Sea (Aden being on the other side and at the time part of the People's Republic of South Yemen, you can see where this is going) . There is little doubt (though no published proof that I know of) that getting the French out of Djibouti and into the hands of the Soviet's pet local dictator would have been an enormous geopolitical coup. The reports of Russians (KGB or GRU) at the Somali border post may have never been officially confirmed but they are quite believable.

Actually, it was the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, referred to by some of us as the "P-Dry." It inspired one of history's great lines: A British diplomat, observing the ships departing Aden harbor carrying evacuating foreigners, noted that it was the first time he'd ever seen ships leaving a sinking rat. Probably not the last time, though.

[Wondering Beard]

Actually, it was the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, referred to by some of us as the "P-Dry." It inspired one of history's great lines: A British diplomat, observing the ships departing Aden harbor carrying evacuating foreigners, noted that it was the first time he'd ever seen ships leaving a sinking rat. Probably not the last time, though.

Good catch and great quote :-)

[JSGlock34]

64037
https://i.imgur.com/Vw9P9JU.jpeg
64038

Oh wait, revolver thread...

64039

[Bucky]

On the topic of GIGN revolvers, there was a run of 500 19-3s made for GIGN by Smith & Wesson in the early 70s. Fixed sight, pinned & recessed, 3” round butt. This is one of my true grail revolvers.

If only these pics were mine...

That’s is sweet for sure. Still I’d much rather have an MR73.

[WobblyPossum]

I really enjoyed 15 Minutes of War and an MR73 is one of my very few grail guns. What’s the story behind the Tom Cruise GIGN photos? Was it for one of the Mission Impossible movies?

[RAM Engineer]

On the topic of GIGN revolvers, there was a run of 500 19-3s made for GIGN by Smith & Wesson in the early 70s. Fixed sight, pinned & recessed, 3” round butt. This is one of my true grail revolvers.

If only these pics were mine...

This is what a S&W Speed Six would look like. An eminently practical gun that should be a standard offering.

[Rex G]

I really enjoyed 15 Minutes of War and an MR73 is one of my very few grail guns. What’s the story behind the Tom Cruise GIGN photos? Was it for one of the Mission Impossible movies?

That’s not Tom Cruise. It is Vincent Elbaz, a French actor.

See: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1793239/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_15

[Rex G]

That’s not Tom Cruise. It is Vincent Elbaz, a French actor.

See: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1793239/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_15

Well, at least I think that is not Tom Cruise, in those stills. Vincent Elbaz does resemble Tom Cruise, and he played Thierry, in the French Movie “The Assault.”

[WobblyPossum]

That’s not Tom Cruise. It is Vincent Elbaz, a French actor.

See: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1793239/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_15

I ended up googling it. Tom Cruise visited the GIGN guys in Versailles as part of the Mission Impossible: Fallout tour.

https://soldiersystems.net/2018/09/24/tom-cruise-spotted-with-mawlgign/

[Rex G]

I ended up googling it. Tom Cruise visited the GIGN guys in Versailles as part of the Mission Impossible: Fallout tour.

https://soldiersystems.net/2018/09/24/tom-cruise-spotted-with-mawlgign/

Interesting. I stand corrected.

[jtcarm]

Uh..I didn't see a single revolver.

:confused:

No GIGN either. Not even a frog.