Journal of Film Preservation - FIAF

to instituting and promoting a broad political and social agenda that
tied notions of physical well-being to systematic hygienic practices.
In their popular feature-length film Itto (Benoît-Lévy and Marie
Epstein, 1934), Benoît-Lévy and Marie Epstein address the
introduction of French medical assistance to Morocco. Filmed on
location in the Atlas mountains, the exotic landscape served as the
mise-en-scène for a story of forbidden love and tribal rivalry that
serves as a counterpoint to the “great works” of French colonial
humanism. The film features Pierre Darrieu, an exemplary agent of
French medical expertise, who has been assigned to lead medical
campaigns throughout the Atlas Mountains. Having been introduced
to a Berber village by French soldiers who were being held hostage,
Darrieu proves his powers of healing to the local population by
saving their sheep herd from the ravages of an epidemic. As the true
scientific healer, in opposition to the local sorcerers who appear
intermittently throughout the film, Darrieu consistently demonstrates
his magical abilities to heal the sick.
Itto is named for the daughter of the Moroccan resistance fighter
Hamou El Amrar. The story is based on this legendary figure who
fought against French pacification efforts between 1914-1920. Itto’s
lover, Miloud, is the son of the leader from a neighbouring tribe.
Itto’s relationship to Miloud, though tolerated at first, is subsequently
forbidden by Itto’s father, once it has been established that Miloud’s
tribe entered into a truce agreement with the French. Itto and
Miloud consummate their love and attempt to elope together, but are
stopped by Hamou’s men, who wound Miloud and return Itto to her
father. Miloud is then picked up by a French patrol squadron and is
nursed back to health by Darrieu. During this time, Itto’s pregnancy
comes to term and she gives birth to a baby girl in difficult
circumstances.
Another newborn now appears when Françoise, Darrieu’s wife, has a
child who, in narrative terms, equalises the loss of her brother Jean
in a desert skirmish. Jean had introduced Darrieu to Françoise in the
opening segment of the film and the symbolic exchange of her
brother for the newborn represents Françoise’s initiation into the
perils of humanitarian French colonial frontiersmanship. Shortly
thereafter, Itto’s daughter falls ill and the servant girl, Aïcha, suggests
that the “white sorcerer” examine the child. After walking all night
with the child, Aïcha arrives at the souk where Darrieu makes his
weekly rounds. Darrieu determines that Itto’s daughter has
diphtheria and inoculates her with the vaccine. When a diphtheria
epidemic ensues, Darrieu is sought out by other mothers from the
region.
Meanwhile, the stockpile of diphtheria vaccine, mistaken for crates of
ammunition by Hamou’s men, is stolen in a raid on a nearby French
supply depot. With no serum left, Darrieu’s own newborn child
becomes infected by diphtheria and Darrieu is resigned to waiting for
the arrival of more serum. It begins to snow. When the stolen serum
21 Journal of Film Preservation / 63 / 2001