Il dito nella piaga

For Klaus Kinski admirers "TheLiberators" is surely a film to avoid. It is perhaps the most unrealistic war movie ever. You will not believe what is appearing on the screen. Kinski and two other American Soldiers successfully defending a small Italian village from a German infantry and tank assault. In addition to the totally unbelievable script, the dubbing is appalling, especially for Kinski, who sounds more like John Wayne than himself. Throw in some kind of religious theme that appears out of nowhere, and a melodramatic middle of the film, where tears flow, and you pretty much have an idea that this is going to be a disaster of epic proportions. There is absolutely no reason to watch "The Liberators", other than Klaus Kinski, and his performance it totally ruined by the atrocious dubbing. Avoid. MERK

WAR FEVER (aka SALT IN THE WOUND) isn't a bad Italian WW2 movie but I'm not sure it's the masterpiece that other reviewers are making out. Sure it has a handful of good scenes in it but then so do lots of other films in this particular sub-genre, and it seemed quite ordinary to me for the most part.

The storyline is the most intriguing thing about it: it sees American soldiers Klaus Kinski and Ray Saunders both sentenced to death by firing squad, only to have their execution thwarted by a German attack. They escape into the countryside with a rookie soldier (spaghetti western actor George Hilton) and soon proceed to take part in various enterprises. When they reach a town they're treated as liberators by the townsfolk, but an impending German attack will soon test their mettle.

Tonino Ricci is largely mocked for his work as director for the most part but I've always found him an underrated talent. Certainly WAR FEVER is a fine looking movie in which the landscape is as much a character as the people in it. The various action sequences are all handled adroitly and the inevitable highlight comes with one of those scenes where Kinski goes absolutely crazy; it's a shame Hilton and Saunders didn't have the energy or talent to match him. But a classic? For me, WAR FEVER is a typical and ordinary Italian WW2 outing.

I was fortunate to find the Simitar VHS edition of THE LIBERATORS. While the box cover states a running time of 85 minutes, it is indeed 77 minutes, as other reviewers have noted.

I do not remember seeing any credits throughout other than THE END; in that sense IMDb proved helpful in supplying the basics.

GEORGE HILTON is a good deal more animated than he is in many of his other films (westerns and giallo are the genre I associate him with most). In uniform and clean shaven he very much looks the part of a recent West Point graduate given his first command during the Italian campaign.

A twist of fate leads him into being responsible for the execution of two fellow American GIs; their lives were thus be intertwined - the young lieutenant will come of age, and the two battle hardened veterans will achieve a state of grace through acts of sacrifice (culminating after the deaths of those who have grown close to them).

KLAUS KINSKI is eminently watchable, and thankfully the director saw fit not to rely on dialogue, but let the camera dwell on his ravaged features. His final scene is memorable, and alone worth the price of the video.

The third piece in the puzzle is a black American actor that I have never seen before; seeing as so many black jazz and blues musicians found Europe a haven it is understandable that black actors too might have chosen Europe as a new home. I found it interesting that the film is half over before he says anything.

The actress credited as BETSY DELL looked very familiar, and so I suspect this is actually a pseudonym. Can anyone tell me who she is?

The locations were such that I felt I was seeing a side of Italy that was totally unfamiliar to me.

A note on the music: it added a lot to the film.

The flavour of the film caught the anti-establishment movement of the times, and would be a nice contrast to John Wayne's THE GREEN BERETS, made about the same time if I remember correctly.

War truly is hell.

¨Il Dito Nella Piaga¨ is a Pasta War movie about a reckless trio who when is attacked their regiment they unfortunately go behind enemy lines . An coward American lieutenant called Michael Sheppard (George Hilton) commands a group to carry out the death penalty , a firing squad , against two American prisoners : Cpl. Brian Haskins (Klaus Kinski) and Pvt. John Grayson (Ray Saunders) . When , suddenly , the Nazis appear , they defend strongly themselves and then run for their lives . Later on , the trio flees , being the only force standing between advancing German troops . They , then , arrive in a little Italian town and the trio becomes into ¨liberators¨ .

George Hilton as the inexperienced lieutenant Michael Sheppard assumes the character of commando leader in this ordinary wartime movie professionally directed by Tonino Ricci , dealing with a misfit bunch who accidentally become heroes when a little town was "freed" by the trio . This stirring film packs romantic scenes , frantic thrills , perilous adventures , relentless feats , and buck-loads of explosive action and violence . The noisy action is uniformly well-made , especially deserving of mention the rip-roaring final scenes in which the motley group is really besieged , attacked by the Nazi infantry along with the powerful Tiger tanks , including some spectacular shootouts and bombing . The first half of the film allows the colorful cast of character actors to have their fun as they get their tails whipped into shape and develop shaky relationship themselves , as well as the townsfolk , as Kinski falls for a beautiful young , Betsy Bell , while Ray Saunders befriends an orphan boy , Pagani . The final part is all action , as the brave trio wreak havoc and defend against a German heavily armored squadron . Apart from the values of team spirit , cudgeled by George Hilton into his misfit group , the film is full of feats , emotion , and thrills . Fainthearted but ingenious lieutenant Hilton is leader of the motley pack together thwart the German siege that surrounds the little town , an officer with only one thirst : to liberate the Italian town against the enemy Nazi . The Uruguay-born George Hilton was a Spaghetti first-star , such as ¨ Sartana no perdone¨ , ¨Go kill and come back¨ , ¨Kitosch¨ , ¨They call me Alleluja¨ , ¨Ruthless four¨ , ¨Alleluja for Django¨ , and also played successful Giallio as ¨The strange vice of Mrs Wardh¨ , ¨The scorpion's tale¨, ¨All colors of the dark¨ , ¨My deal Killer¨ . He teams up , as co-protagonist , with the great Klaus Kinski who dominates this adventure war with his hysterical performance as a merciless soldier , he gives an overacting and puts faces and grimaces , as usual . Enjoyable as well as functional musical score by Riz Ortalani , adding an attractive but repetitive leitmotif . Adequate cinematography in Eastmancolor filmed by Sandro Mancori , a perfect remastering is extremely necessary .

The motion picture was well directed by Tonino Ricci , at his best . The recently deceased Tonino was an uneven filmmaker who began his career as an Second Unit Director or Assistant Director and writer, being his first film this "The Liberators" , or ¨Dedo En La Llaga¨, or original title "Il Dito Nella Piaga" . Ricci was a craftsman who directed all kinds genres , as Terror : ¨Panic¨ ; Giallo : "Cross Current" ; Western : "The Great Treasure Hunt" ,"Robin Hood, Arrows, Beans and Karate" , "Bad Kids of the West" ; Adventures : ¨Buck¨,¨Buck and the magic bracelet¨ , "White Fang to the Rescue" , ¨Robin Hood¨ , ¨Thor Il Conquistatore¨, "Raiders of the Magic Ivory" , ¨Bermudas : The cave of sharks¨ ; Action : ¨Rage¨, ¨Rush¨ , ¨Day of the sharks¨ , "Days of Hell" ; Sci-Fi : "Encounters in the Deep" and Mafia film : "The Big Family"

Wow. I had to watch it again to be certain, and sure enough this is one of the finest movies about war I have ever seen. That it was made as part of the Italian Euro War phenomenon of 1967 - 1970 is even more remarkable & results in a rating score that is perhaps a bit inflated, but totally earned. Don't let the low budget deceive you: this movie is a masterpiece.

The highlight of the film for me is during the climactic battle scene where three Yanks (George Hilton, Ray Saunders, and the insane Klaus Kinski) hold off a battalion of Waffentroops in a display of scrotal fortitude that needs to be seen to be believed. At one point Klaus goes bonkers, single handedly charges into an approaching German Panzer column & takes no prisoners. The rage seething from Kinski's every pore is infectious, making viewers howl with glee as he metes out death and for about a minute Klaus becomes a physical embodiment of the Hell that is war. It is a frightening, hilarious and exhilarating moment that has no precedent and nothing since quite like it.

The version I located is the 93 minute English language print of SALT IN THE WOUND, which ends on a very poignant note with George Hilton saluting a nameless cross in a generic looking American WW2 cemetery in the Italian countryside. Europe is dotted with such places, which are a physical reminder of how the world faced down evil, with American blood watering the roots of freedom for people in other lands. Another great testament to Kinski's brilliance as an actor is how even with his voice dubbed by some guy that sounds like Bert from "Sesame Street" he *STILL* plays an American G.I. that comes across as more real than any American actor could have done. That his character is a seemingly worthless, unredeemable maggot on society makes the final show of bravado in the face of the enemy even more prescient. We are, after all, a nation of killers. Kinski & the director/writer are merely messengers reminding us of this.

Kinski and Ray Saunders play two American soldiers who have committed murders so heinous that they are condemned for execution before a firing squad. George Hilton portrays the green as grass West Point graduate student playing soldier, who takes custody of the pair and finds himself on a strange journey reminiscent of THE DEFIANT ONES after the execution party is ambushed by German troops. The trio learn to hate each other's guts with respect and take shelter in a fortress like city in Ye Olde Italy that has been waiting for liberation by allied forces, leading to an awkwardly appropriate scene where the three are welcomed as conquering heroes. Surprises await as German forces target the town for annihilation & the three find out that the townspeople's first impression of them as heroes was absolutely correct.

The majority of these Italian Euro War movies are Spaghetti Westerns with tanks instead of horses. This one is different. Sure, there is the sort of heavy handed larger than life characterization of the main players which the best of the Spaghetti's are all distinguished by. There is also an intoxicating artiness to certain shots: Misty battlefields, the ancient Italian village, bizarre footage of the Panzer tanks crashing down trees in a way that makes them seem to burst right out of the screen. The film has a cartoonish hyper reality to it that makes the authenticity of costuming or equipment secondary to the moments created -- another quality shared with a Western. But at the end there's a lump in your throat, and you actually do understand something about the nature of war & the men that fought it. It is unexpectedly moving and totally unique.

Most of the Euro War movies I have encountered have a sort of imposed emotional impact that never quite resonates, artificially added onto what are essentially popcorn crunchers. I'm actually working on a theory about why the genre seems to be so universally ridiculed, which is that the writers & directors sought to add weightiness to their B-grade genre thrillers by having them be about the weightiest subject of all, World War II. The annoyance comes in having the movies essentially result in an entertainment rather than a documentary about the horrors of combat with cleverly simulated battle scenes, like PLATOON or ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT. The Italians seemed more interested in providing entertainments than lessons in history. And certainly could not have cared less about painting an accurate picture of how being caught up in such a situation would literally change a man, finding both the worst and best in their human character even without them realizing it was happening.

Well, here is one that does, and it deserves to be seen by modern day audiences restored to it's complete length (Calling Blue Underground??). People might actually be able to learn something from it, and reflect upon the price that must be paid to confront tyranny. SALT IN THE WOUND neither truly glorifies war nor does it completely condemn the practice, just examines how it profoundly shapes the men who fight it, and the change of pace will catch even the most jaded viewer off guard.

10/10