La grande guerra

I saw this in Czechoslovakia way back in 1960's and still remember it. I am glad it lists here as a "comedy", it sure is one. That is why it will not be available to us on video of any format in any language under any circumstances. It subverts the "enetertainment' concept. An alternative ? Try Roberto Begnigni, the schlemiel nouveau.

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.

To the ghost of Mario Monicelli,

Ciao ancora! The Great War/La Grande Guerra is the second movie directed by you that I watched over the last two weeks. I come from a patriotic country. And the only war films I have seen are mostly the American and British ones and the awful Indian ones. But your film was unique compared to all of them. It is almost a film which a commercial film audience could enjoy though I guess the hardcore patriots would not identify with the two cowardly lead characters. But they are characters anyone with a soul could relate to. Your film hardly ever had a dull moment. It was hilarious. There were so many instances when I laughed my ass off.

The traitorous deserting characters were so tongue in cheek. The characterization is pure genius. The Destouches character from Celine's Journey to the End of the Night came to mind while I watched Oreste and Giovanni stumble through their life in the army. You did a great job portraying the horror of war despite the antics of the two protagonists. It is always the poor and the wretched who are doomed to fight the wars of the rich. Not an original message, but your treatment of this theme was unique.

Vittorio Gassman is such an amazing actor. In India, someone who looked like him would never play a loser. Now I have watched three movies where he plays total losers.

I will be stealing more of your movies over the next few weeks, Mario.

Best Regards, Pimpin.

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.