L'ultima speranza

Director Leopold Lindtberg grew up in Austria in the early 20th century. As German fascism cast its shadow across Europe, Lindtberg emigrated to Switzerland where, after several years of controversial film-making during and after World War II, he was eventually naturalized.

The Last Chance is a work of historical fiction which draws its power from consistent plausibility made possible by its historic and geographic context. The story takes place mostly in the Italian and Swiss Alps late in Mussolini's rule. It follows two young POWs - one British and one American - who escape from a prisoner transport train in Northern Italy and hatch a scheme to hike across the mountains to neutral Switzerland.

The relationships these soldiers develop along the way - with those who help them, inform on them, shelter and clothe them, and particularly those who come to depend on them - show us a side of World War II which is not often well-explored in non-propaganda films of the era. Although The Last Chance is powerfully anti-war, it is by no means a propaganda film. Rather, it is a thoughtful work of social realism depicting the power and value of humanity to overcome its own tendencies toward collective insanity.

Filmed near the end of world war II under what must have been very challenging conditions, Lindtberg's few advantages must have been that it would be easy enough to find destroyed villages, burnt out buildings and talented actors willing to make a film celebrating the human spirit for little money. The exceptional realism of the sets, the effortless cinematography, and the talented international cast (very few of whom are known for any other films) make the film very easy to watch, and no suspension of disbelief is required as the script, story and action of the plot seem to fit right in place.

There are no recognizable stars in The Last Chance, but the casting is perfect and there are some very powerful performances. The two leads (John Hoy and Ray Reagan - neither of whom ever made another film) are very good, and most of the Italian cast members give noteworthy performances.

Praised as a masterpiece of suspense by none other than Alfred Hitchcock, The Last Chance is a war film which contains very little battle action, and a surprising amount of philosophical dialog. It may be one of the lowest-budget films to win both a Palme D'Or (1945) and Golden Globe (1947), and the courage of its director in making it when the outcome of the conflict it depicts was far from clear is mirrored in the courage of the protagonists. Lindtberg also drew from his own intimate experience with central Europe during the war to create the memorable characters and story line of this brave film, and it shows.

I think that pretty sums up this film.

The other reviews say it very well. And to them, I say "ditto" to those reviews that praise this film. But you want something more specific, don't you? Fair enough.

It's a story of refuges trying to get away from the Nazis, and we begin with a British and American soldier for much of the film, as they make their way into a village. Later, they are joined by a British officer and civilian refuges.

Along with the other characters, we are treated to some very believable people, as three dimensional as you get, and the directing and camera work lets us follow the story, as well as the people and their emotions, in this odyssey.

There are heroics, but these are incredibly believable heroics, and we get the full "motivation" for everything that happens. The camaraderie of the times is beautiful, and is something missing in today's movies.

This is a "smart" movie. Not only do we get awesome intellectually stimulating ideas, drama, and story, but we also get awesome camera, directing, and action. This is well paced, certainly more fluid and active than 95% of the movies that have been made since 1965, if I am to pick a year in which a modern era begins.

Thumbs up. If you get a chance, this is a movie that will excite you on all levels, for all audiences.

"The Last Chance" is a production by the European branch of MGM and has a most unusual cast. None of the actors are particularly famous and they speak many different languages.

The film is set in Italy just after the ouster of Mussolini. The country is excited to see the Fascist regime go...and for two stranded soldiers, an American and British one, who are thrilled that they can finally relax and not worry about being captured. However, their joy is very short-lived, as the Germans soon pour into the country and they take control. Now the two men need to be on their guards again. Along the way, they meet many lovely Italians who assist them as well as many other refugees seeking freedom in nearby Switzerland. What's to become of all these displaced people?

The movie came out about six months after the war in Europe had ended and it brings attention to refugees...who were seldom talked about in movies of the day. Well written, compelling and worth seeing.

This is a wonderful movie. The copy I saw was not good, but that did not detract from the emotional and realistic story. It provides, as much as anything can, what seems to be a legitimate sense of the desperation that these refugees must have felt as they were driven from their homes by the war around them. Exceptional story in a raw but effective production.

This film tells the story of a troupe of escaped prisoners and persecuted minorities on the run in Italy during WW2 trying to make it to freedom in Switzerland. The location setting stands this film apart as well as the fact that we never see a German Nazi's face. They are only seen from a distance or passing by outside. We do get betrayal within a group of villagers, a priest who shelters refugees, and an escape plan that has to constantly change. Ultimately, the film is predictable and some characters can be annoying. Something else to consider is that the 3 main characters were all real-life soldiers who had ended up in Switzerland. Two of them were prisoners of war who had escaped from Italy and 1 had to make an emergency landing after a bombing mission and was detained there. It is this fact that swung the balance in favour of keeping onto this film to view again as we get a slice of reality. Unfortunately, the sound quality is poor.

It's always interesting to learn something new about WW2 and I never knew the role of the Italian Resistance on their home turf. So, I appreciate the topic.