Le meilleur ennemi

I saw this movie on TV years ago. Sadly I haven't seen it for at least five years, not even on cable. The story deals with the interplay between Italian and British units, mostly focusing on the commanding officers on each side. Sordi and Niven couldn't have been better in their roles. Against the backdrop of the African WW2 campaign the two sides seem to be more of a nuisance to each other than effective participants in the war, but towards the end of the movie we are given a reminder of the tendency to become egotistic as being a major world power involved in a campaign which totally ignores the native population in the country being fought over.This is a very appropriate touch to the movie. The two sides(Brits & Italians) were not the only game in town. I would love to see this movie out on video or DVD and would purchase it immediately.

It is so many years since i have seen this film because ??? you tell me why this film is not on DVD other than the younger generation would not want to see it, both main actors were splendid no matter if they were not "great actors" who are the great actors anyway it is mostly a matter of personal enjoyment anyway.of course i would buy it if it were on DVD,i am 60 years old it may be a "generation thing" and i can understand the need to make a profit to reproduce the film on DVD but why is it so difficult to show the film on TV.The mix of Italian and British humour is quite rare on film and as this movie works so well this is yet another reason for a showing on TV.I can get this film on VHS from Amazon for over £30 plus i no longer have a video recorder -but im thinking about it because i would so love to see this film again.

The 'capture' sequence of the English patrol and the Italian patrol was filmed in Israel, a little way into the Negev Desert from the seaside town of Eilath.

I was an American student attending Tel Aviv University, on school break at the time, when the director of production hired me to play the role of the Ethiopian Bandit Chief who conducts the capture. However, one problem presented itself, though I was an 'African' American, I was not dark complected enough to play an Ethiopian!

The solution proposed was for me to 'live-on-the-beach' for a week until my skin was dark enough. This was the first and only time in my life that I was "paid to be Black!" Friends and family still chuckle about this singular 'experience' even today.

This movie is one of my favorites. Niven is hilarious as is Sordi. They play off each other beautifully and the script is a laugher from beginning to end. Sordi's wide-eyed expressions and expressive Italian style complimented Niven's traditional Brit, "Jolly ho, Old Pip!" making a wonderful film. The soccer game between the Italians and Brits using a round Ethiopian basket is a classic scene. I love this film, have seen it at least a dozen times and will see it again every chance I get. Hey, join in and see it too. You will not be disappointed.

This is a great movie. Last time I saw it was in the late 60s of the last century in local LA TV station and the first time was at a film festival in Peru in the early 60s as I was still living there. I still remember the acting from Sordi contrasted with that of Niven. The former bombastic and mercurial and the latter always calm and cool. The setting in the North African? wilderness-desert during WW II shows these enemies irritating each other with military moves until they are drawn together when they realize they might fall victim to the natives. I have been looking for this movie in VHS earlier and now on DVD. Has it been lost?