France survive Henry sending off
The World Cup holders still called most of the shots in the second half, despite being down to ten men, and perhaps deserved to edge the match.
However, Alvaro Recoba spurned the best opening when he rounded Fabien Barthez but was unable to find an inviting target with the goal gaping.
Late openings at both ends saw Gonzalo Sorondo's saving block divert Sylvain Wiltord's shot off target, and substitute Federico Magallanes force a smart save from Barthez.
To their credit, Les Bleus showed they were prepared to scrap it out, even when circumstances appeared to be conspiring against them.
David Trezeguet had been pulled up for off-side when clean through on a couple of occasions, and Frank Leboeuf was rueing his misfortune when he was forced to hobble off after only 16 minutes, with Vincent Candela deputising.
It took an instinctive save from Barthez, who denied Recoba's deflected effort with an outstretched boot, to keep the scoresheet blank before the flashpoint of the entire match occured after 25 minutes.
Henry was battling for the ball in midfield when he flew into a reckless challenge on Marcelo Romero.
Referee Felipe Ramos Rizo instantly produced the red card, in response to the dangerous tackle from the Arsenal attacker.
It meant France had to play 65 minutes with only ten men, knowing that defeat would send them spinning out of the tournament, less than a week since they opened the finals against Senegal.
Yet Roger Lemerre's side still dictated much of the play, with Trezeguet nodding over a Wiltord centre, and Emmanuel Petit closest of all, on 35 minutes, with a free kick that curled over the wall but hit a post.
Dario Silva antagonised the French players with some late challenges, and ridiculous play-acting, and his tackle on Patrick Vieira warranted some punishment.
Sebastian Abreu was cautioned for his part in a flare-up with Petit, although the Chelsea midfielder could have seen red for putting his elbow into the Uruguayan.
Romero and Pablo Garcia were also shown the yellow card in a robust opening period, and Dario Silva followed soon after the interval for clipping Bixente Lizarazu's heels.
The pattern of the game remained the same with Wiltord's lob comfortably gathered by Fabian Carini, and the Juventus keeper did well to tip over a cultured attempt by Candela.
After 53 minutes, Recoba had the best chance of the game when he easily rounded Barthez but then, inexplicably, refused to regain his composure and rushed a poor finish wide of an empty net.
Abreu and Desailly headed wide at either end, before Trezeguet had a powerful drive beaten out by Carini.
The Uruguayan shot-stopper continued to be the busier of the two keepers, but he was outjumped by Vieira and Trezeguet's shot had to be hooked away.
Recoba was a constant threat to the French defence, and 'Chino' floated a couple of decent attempts just off target, before there was drama at both ends in injury time.
Sorondo made a despairing lunge to divert Wiltord's goalbound shot off target for a corner and then, crucially, Barthez kept Les Bleus in the tournament by blocking an effort from Magallanes, when a goal seemed certain.
France rallied to deserve at least a point and they now need to beat Denmark by two goals to seal a place in the next round, but how they miss their influential skipper Zinedine Zidane.
France: Barthez 7; Thuram 7, Lizarazu 7, Leboeuf 6 (Candela 16m,8), Desailly 7; PETIT *9, Vieira 8, Micoud 6, Wiltord 6 (Dugarry 90m); Henry 4, Trezeguet 7 (Cisse 80m,6)
Uruguay: Carini 8; Lembo 6, Montero 7, Garcia 7, Sorondo 8, Rodriguez 7 (Guigou 72m,6); Romero 7 (De los Santos 70m,7), Varela 7; RECOBA *9, Silva 6 (Magallanes 7), Abreu 6.
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