Torpilles humaines

The film offers a meticulous and evocative portrayal of Italian naval special operations during World War II, focusing on a less frequently depicted aspect of underwater warfare: the use of explosive motorboats known as M. T. M. (Motoscafo Turismo Modificato). These small, fast, and heavily modified boats, designed for a single operator to pilot toward enemy vessels before ejecting, represent a highly specialized and perilous form of naval sabotage. The film's detailed depiction of M. T. M. Craft and their operational challenges distinguishes it within the broader corpus of Italian WWII naval films that cover the Decima MAS, a subgenre rich with many entries exploring various missions and tactics.

Technically, the film excels in capturing the claustrophobic tension and precision demanded by such operations. The cinematography uses sharp contrasts and careful framing to emphasize the precarious balance between stealth and destruction, employing shadows and light to evoke the oppressive and dangerous environment of underwater and coastal sabotage missions. Though the effects-miniatures and practical explosions-reflect the technological limits of the 1950s, they are used judiciously to enhance immersion rather than distract, effectively conveying the brutal reality of covert naval warfare without sensationalism.

At the heart of the film is its inspiration from the real-life attack on the Bay of Souda (Baia di Suda) in Crete, carried out by the Decima MAS in March 1942. This bold raid employed M. T. M. Boats launched from a submarine to target British naval assets anchored in the bay, resulting in the sinking of the heavy cruiser HMS York and the Norwegian oil tanker Pericles. This operation marked a significant tactical success for the Italians, and notably, all operators survived-a detail the film alters, with some attackers not surviving. This deviation appears to be a deliberate narrative choice, possibly as a tribute to those Decima MAS members who died in other missions, most poignantly the ill-fated April 1941 attack on Malta, where 18 Italian sailors and raiders lost their lives. This subtle homage deepens the film's reflective and somber tone, emphasizing the real human cost behind such daring feats.

While the film's primary focus is on the daring sabotage mission, it also devotes careful attention to the perilous aftermath experienced by crews trapped in submarines-a less common but important theme within the WWII naval war genre. The depiction of submarine crews stranded underwater awaiting rescue is handled with considerable psychological nuance. Unlike many WWII naval films that center on submarine warfare tactics or command decisions, this film intimately conveys the claustrophobia, anxiety, and fragile hope of men isolated on the mediterranean floor. Tight framing and an effective sound design-highlighting hull creaks, muffled breathing, and the eerie silence of the depths-immerse the viewer in the desperate plight of trapped submariners. Though secondary to the sabotage narrative, this element offers a realistic glimpse into the rescue operations and dangers faced by the Decima MAS and their comrades, underlining the broader risks inherent in underwater naval warfare. This treatment aligns the film with a smaller but notable subset of submarine films that explore similar psychological and survival themes, such as Das Boot (1981) and other less mainstream productions dedicated to the torment of trapped submarine crews.

Within the specific niche of Italian naval sabotage films centered on the Decima MAS, the movie engages in dialogue with titles like I sette dell'Orsa maggiore (1953) and La donna che venne dal mare (1954). Compared to the somewhat romanticized and heroic tone of I sette dell'Orsa maggiore, which focuses on commando raids with a more overt patriotic framing, this film adopts a noticeably more subdued and contemplative mood. It eschews melodrama and overt glorification in favor of exploring the moral ambiguity, psychological pressure, and stark realities of underwater sabotage warfare. Likewise, La donna che venne dal mare blends war themes with personal drama and romance, a contrast to this film's focused, mission-driven narrative and measured performances.

An important comparative reference is The Silent Enemy (1958), a British-American production that addresses underwater warfare in the Mediterranean and prominently features Italian naval divers from the Decima MAS employing underwater chariots (Maiali). Whereas The Silent Enemy dramatizes British countermeasures against Italian underwater mining and sabotage with a focus on Allied heroism, this film provides a more intimate, less propagandistic perspective by focusing on the Italian operators themselves. It presents their missions with a nuanced realism that includes setbacks and human losses, rather than portraying a purely triumphant or villainous image.

The acting throughout is restrained and sober, fitting the film's neutral tone, which is notable given the era's penchant for more overtly propagandistic or heroic war films. The performances underscore professionalism, camaraderie, and the psychological toll of such high-risk missions without lapsing into melodrama or exaggeration. This approach emphasizes collective endurance and sacrifice over individual heroics, adding to the film's contemplative character. A faint but perceptible anti-war sentiment subtly permeates the narrative, lending the film an additional layer of depth and distinguishing it from many more nationalistic contemporaries.

Visually, the direction of photography skillfully uses light and shadow to build an atmosphere that is both authentic and emotionally charged. The interplay between darkness and illumination accentuates the precariousness of the operatives' missions and the psychological burden they bear, creating an immersive tone that transcends the technical limitations of the period. Production design and location work convincingly recreate the coastal and underwater arenas where these dangerous operations unfolded.

By focusing on the seldom-depicted M. T. M. Explosive motorboats and integrating the Baia di Suda raid with respectful fictionalization, the film adds a fresh and significant perspective to the WWII naval war genre. Its nuanced exploration of sacrifice, technical detail, and the psychological complexity of submarine entrapment firmly establish it as a distinctive and valuable cinematic representation of Italy's underwater warfare legacy during World War II.

The Italian navy in the second world war, was strong and efficient, but somehow only had negative results to saw (good for us Greeks). But there was one area of the naval war in which the Italians were not only the first but also the best. The unorthodox naval war of modern times was their invention, and no other navy, including the British, was ever capable to match them.

This film, made only a few years after the real event, tells the story of the most famous and successful enterprise they ever accomplished, against the British navy in Crete, in 1941. We follow the training and the personal stories of the members of this group of special men who prepare themselfs for a most dangerous mission and finally we see the scene of the attack, very well made for the time. The film is patriotic rather than antiwar but since Italy was on the side that lost the war, you get to see a lot less propaganda than in the American films of the kind.