. ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁said ▁of ▁Mass u ▁that ▁he ▁will ingly ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁tort ure ▁on ▁sus pected ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁F L N . ▁However , ▁he ▁ins isted ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁never ▁subject ▁anyone ▁to ▁any ▁treatment ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁not ▁first ▁tried ▁out ▁on ▁himself . ▁ ▁In ▁G illo ▁P onte cor vo ' s ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁film ▁The ▁Battle ▁of ▁Al gi ers , ▁a ▁controvers ial ▁dep iction ▁of ▁the ▁events ▁in ▁Al gi ers ▁between ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁b anned ▁in ▁France ▁for ▁five ▁years ▁after ▁release ▁for ▁perce ived ▁pro - Al ger ian ▁lean ings , ▁the ▁principal ▁French ▁character ▁Col . ▁Math ieu ▁is ▁a ▁composite ▁based ▁on ▁Mass u ▁and ▁several ▁of ▁his ▁sub ordinates , ▁likely ▁including ▁Roger ▁Tr in quier ▁and ▁Marcel ▁B ige ard . ▁▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁coup ▁d ' état ▁The ▁Al gi ers ▁put sch ▁of ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁began ▁when ▁the ▁current ▁government ▁suggested ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁negoti ate ▁with ▁the ▁F L N , ▁bringing ▁the ▁inst ability ▁and ▁in effect iveness ▁of ▁the ▁Four th ▁Republic ▁to ▁a ▁head . ▁On ▁ 1 3 ▁May ▁right - wing ▁elements ▁seized ▁power ▁in ▁Al gi ers ▁and ▁called ▁for ▁a ▁Government ▁of ▁Public ▁Saf ety ▁under ▁General ▁de ▁Ga ulle . ▁Mass u ▁became ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Public ▁Saf ety ▁Committee ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁the