La grande guerra

Monicelli is another genius and poet of the Italian cinema. We can only bless him for the long list of masterpieces he created for all of us: I soliti ignoti, Guardie e ladri, L'armata Brancaleone and of course La Grande Guerra. Two cowards, one from Rome (Sordi) the other from Lombardy (Gassman) try to save their lives during one of the most tragic moments (for Italy) of the WWI (the defense on the river Piave). While in some parts the film is truly a blame against the horrors of war, in other parts is somehow patriotic. Even the tragic final changes the protagonists into heroes, but really a strange kind of heroes, very different from the American icon (muscles and bravery). In conclusion, you will find a lot of fun but also thoughtful moments. I beg everyone who read this message to see this movies, it's truly one of the best ever.

La Grande guerra is a real lucid vision of the war that's because the point of view is moved on two characters of the common people with real emotions and feelings, so their military adventures at first creates a sense of funny but step by step everything becomes more dramatic because the war shows absurdities and contradictions that creates real human destruction. The maximum point is touched at the end. Because of this antimilitary soul in 1959 the movie was a real proof of intelligence.

When I attended the 61st Venice Film Festival in September 2004, I saw Italian veteran film-maker Mario Monicelli several times taking a stroll by himself but, given his reputation for cantankerousness and irascibility, I thought better not to bother him; you can imagine how guilty I felt when the 95-year old frail director committed suicide by jumping out of a Roman hospital window in November 2010! Monicelli, who does not get a single mention in the "Wonders In The Dark" 3000-strong list(!), belongs with other notable Italian film directors like Pietro Germi, Elio Petri, Dino Risi, and Ettore Scola whose work had long been unjustly overshadowed by the big five, namely Antonioni, De Sica, Fellini, Rossellini and Visconti.

Best-known for his classic, star-studded caper spoof BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET aka PERSONS UNKNOWN (1958) – a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar contender that is still my favourite among his films and, possibly, my favourite comedy not in the English language, period! – but THE GREAT WAR (that was equally recognized by the Academy) is probably his masterpiece. Winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival – tied with Roberto Rossellini's WWII drama IL GENERALE DELLA ROVERE starring Vittorio De Sica both here – over such superior titles as Otto Preminger's ANATOMY OF A MURDER, Kon Ichikawa's CONFLAGRATION and Ingmar Bergman's THE MAGICIAN (both 1958) – and at the David di Donatello awards, Italy's own equivalent of the Oscar, it is still underrated enough to have been given a baffling ** rating by "Leonard Maltin's Film Guide" – where, incidentally, its running time is given as 118 minutes, rather than the full 137 minutes – and the non-English-friendly Italian 2-Disc Set (which, after missing out on it a couple of times on TV over the years, is how I eventually watched it on the centenary of WWI, no less…albeit jettisoning the supplements altogether due to time constraints) is still its only home video release worldwide. The film's constant veering between drama and comedy requires some initial adjustment from the viewer but it eventually reaches an exquisite seamlessness. Leading man Vittorio Gassman had been renowned for drama up to his revelation as a comic actor in the aforementioned BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET; conversely, his sparring partner here Alberto Sordi was popular for his own comedy vehicles prior to this; indeed, Sordi would again go to war in two notable subsequent films: Luigi Comencini's similarly bittersweet EVERYBODY GO HOME! (1960) and the more typically comic THE BEST OF ENEMIES (1961; co-starring David Niven). THE GREAT WAR is an impressive Dino De Laurentiis production, notable for distinguished cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno's sinewy tracking shots along the trenches and Mario Garbuglia's award-winning expansive sets. The film also offers a showy role for De Laurentiis's actress wife Silvana Mangano as the proverbial whore with a heart of gold who possibly bears Gassman's child; interestingly, this is just one of several Gassman-Mangano teamings that included the star-making BITTER RICE (1949) and the epics TEMPEST (1958) and BARABBAS (1961). To portray the colourful supporting characters that make up the irrepressible duo's comrades-in-arms, an excellent cast of familiar character actors was dutifully enrolled: Bernard Blier, Romolo Valli, Folco Lulli, Livio Lorenzon, Tiberio Murgia (returning from BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET), Ferruccio Amendola and Gerard Herter.

Considering its significant length, it is understandable that the film follows an episodic structure but is decidedly replete with memorable vignettes: new enlistee Gassman bribing 'veteran' Sordi to avoid joining the Army in the opening scene; Gassman and Murgia's punishment for waking up late in the barracks is to have their hair completely shaved off; Gassman and Sordi asking their chaplain the way to the local brothel and he points them to Mangano's modest but highly popular dwelling; Amendola being constantly hit by the barracks' door whenever it is opened to herald a newly-arrived army bigwig on a morale-boosting tour of the trenches; cultured Valli being pestered by an illiterate private to write love letters to his beloved and read his mail and eventually having to lie to him when the local priest replies that she has married a rich old man; a messenger is killed when delivering a note from HQ that only wished a Happy Christmas to the troops (which causes the much-loved and usually well-behaved Lulli to throw a cup of brandy in his overzealous young superior' face); Murgia is constantly waxing about his love for famous actress Francesca Bertini but, when he does actually receive word from her, he tears up the letter after yet another casualty-ridden assault on their trenches; Gassman and Sordi giving their money, collected for an intended visit to a whorehouse, to Lulli's as-yet-unaware widow whom they chance to meet at the train station – subsequently joining a band of soldiers partying there amongst themselves with a minimum of girls to go around; Gassman and Sordi are continually volunteering for missions to shirk trench duties and often save their lives in the process: this stretch of good luck catches up with them at the end when the remote outpost they have ventured to is unknowingly abandoned by their army and they find it occupied by the Austrian enemy when they wake up the following morning; this leads to their heroic death when they refuse to divulge attack plans to Herter, followed by the film's sublimely ironic closing sequence where their long-suffering sergeant Lorenzon complains that these two ne'er-do-wells have once again managed to have it the easy way, cutting to an image of their lifeless bodies, and back again!

Italy, 1916. Roman Oreste Jacovacci (Alberto Sordi) and Milanese Giovanni Busacca (Vittorio Gassman) are reluctantly recruited to Italian army during Austria-Italy war . They both attempting a great number of schemes to get out for fighting and working . Giovanni bribes Oreste, believing to his fake pledges to make him evading the army . Both of whom try in every way to avoid serving the army but their circumstance dictates otherwise , as the destiny make them meeting again on the train headed to the front. However , Oreste stolen money to Giovanni they become friends and in first times are allocated to a secondary front . As two Italian soldiers find themselves in the mists of Austrian front , much against their will . Here they spend some months in relative peace and Giovanni finds time to have affair with a whore named Constantina (Silvana Mangano married to producer Dino De Laurentiis) . But war is getting everyday closer and unfortunately, they fall in the hands of a stiff officer Lieutenant Gallina (Romolo Valli) and a tough sergeant (Livio Lorenzon) . During the most important battle among Italians and Austro-Hungarians, when the Italians had to defend the river Piave from the Austrians , Giovanni and Oreste are in charge to deliver a vital message to the Italian headquarters , but they are trapped . Austrian officer (Gerard Herter) that, under life menace, starts an interrogation to find out the Italian message . The Great War is hell at its hottest , men at their mightiest , the screen at its greatest!

This is an amusing film about two rogues called to serve the army in the WWI , as all the Italian youths , as the Italian Army fought against the Austrians during World War I , being excellently re-enacted by including movements of large numbers of soldiers during battle frames that are well come-to-life . This is a zany comedy seeing the misfit couple in all kinds of troubles involving Italian Army . This entertaining Sordi and Gassman recital provides too much amusement in detailing the duo's exploits in the wartime front . Slightly muddled but generally nice performed . Lots of comedy and hilarious dialog , including some spectacular battles with hundred of extras provided by actual Italian infantry . The film relies heavily on the continuous relationship between Albert Sordi and Vittorio Gassman , but it doesn't makes tiring , neither dull but entertaining . The main premise results to be two bungler as well as coward soldiers who under twisted circumstances turn into heroes . Special mention to Silvana Mangano as prostitute Costantina who falls in love for Giovanni . Very good Italian support cast such as Folco Lulli , Bernard Blier , Romolo Valli , Carlo A'Angelo , Livio Lorenzon and Gerard Herter , among others . Evocative and adequate photography by master cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno , Federico Fellini ordinary . Imaginative as well as sensitive musical score by the great Nino Rota , conducted by usual Franco Ferrara .

The motion picture was well directed by Mario Monicelli who gets to capture the same period feeling during the Great War . Mario Monicelli was born in 1915 Tuscany and died in 2010 , Rome ; being a good writer/filmmaker expert on comedies . As he was a writer and director, known for The army Brancaleone (1966), La ragazza Con Pistola (1968) , The marquis of Grillo (1981) and his greatest hit : Rufufú (1958). In fact , his movies Rufufú (1958), The Great War (1959) were Oscar-nominate for "Best Foreign Language Film". Furthermore , The Great War won Golden Lion in Festival of Venice .

Winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1959, this film deserves more attention from movie lovers all around the world. Some critics regard "The Great War" as Monicelli's finest work - and they might be right. Set in Northern Italy during World War I, of course the film is definitely antiwar. As Monicelli once said in an interview : "I wanted to show things as they were -- as usual, badly conducted and led, and no one wanting to fight, or knowing what they were fighting for." It is history from the point of view of the humble people, with a good deal of irony. Starting as a light comedy, "The Great War" ends on a very poignant note, while it doesn't hide any of the horrors of trench warfare.

To me, Mario Monicelli and Dino Risi were the masters of Italian (tragi)comedy back in the 50s and 60s. Their best films (like this one) offer a combination of levity, social criticism and black comedy which is extremely appealing and unique. That said, Monicelli and Risi would never have done such great films without great actors. Here, Gassman and Sordi are a wonderful pair as two army mates caught in a conflict they don't really care about. The film also features beauty queen Silvana Mangano in a small but important part as Gassman's love interest.

A classic, unmissable.