The Battle of El Alamein (1971)

Oh dear an Italian war film . I had visions that I was going to be watching either a remake of THE DIRTY DOZEN or 90 minutes of hunky Mediterrians waving a white flag shouting " We surrender " in 97 different languages . Sorry if I'm playing up to either cinematic or historical stereotypes but unlike Mussolini I didn't have high hopes . Michael Rennie as Monty ? Well I doubt if this would be getting broadcast on The History Channel . Or indeed anywhere else in BritainThe film did defeat my prejudices , but only in the first half , and it turned out to be a Pyrrhic victory and before the film reached its end titles the victory the film had over me and turned in to a defeat on the scale of Stalingrad . It is undoubtedly intriguing watching a war film from the other side . ALAMEIN isn't unforgettable human cinema in the way DAS BOOT was but does portray all sides in the conflict as being people who have families at home and it's this that is important to the characters rather than the wider politics of the conflict . Okay maybe the " War is hell " statements are overdone but it's possibly in keeping with the Italian mindset during this era . The Italians were badly equipped with obsolete equipment , very badly led and Italy would traditionally through the last couple of centuries side with the British and French often against Germany so Mussolini's pact with Nazi Germany despite being logical from a political point of view goes against the historical grain . Add to this the fact political and military leaders were quickly promoted due only to their loyalty to the Italian Fascist party and you can see why the average Italian conscript might not be too happy getting killed fighting against a democracy , especially if he knows he's probably going to be better fed in an allied POW camp than in his own army . As a battle hardened NCO realises his section is going to be led by a glory seeking officer we have all the makings of a good melodrama The film then proceeds to blow it by going out of its way to ruin the early potential . Little things such as the anachronistic Italian helmets with their 1960s camouflage patterns you can overlook if the bigger picture is impressive but it's not . The story soon loses its early focus and instead jumps from one half baked thread to another . Rommel starts getting involved in a plot that would lead to the July 1944 bomb plot . Common myth but Rommel had nothing to do with that . British equipment includes 1960s era American APCs and 1950s era tanks and march in to battle playing bagpipes which sound nothing like bagpipes . It's interesting that the film in its early stages portrays all sides as being intelligent but then in the latter stages British tank crews don't notice Italian soldiers as they nonchalantly wander around the battlefield sticking bundles of dynamites on tanks . Tanks that conveniently have straps that you can attach bundles of dynamite to . The macho heroics jars in comparison with the first half of the film that does have an anti-war feeling to it and by this stage it has become a different and much inferior movie

This isn't a bad WWII adventure, in fact a fair imitation of the big-budget Hollywood films from that vintage; the international cast is second-rate but both Michael Rennie and Robert Hossein cut a serviceable figure as General Montgomery and Field Marshall Rommel respectively - and there's a good performance by Enrico Mario Salerno as an Italian officer of the Bersaglieri.The film deals with Rommel's famous North African campaign, in which the Nazis were 'aided' by the Italian forces (more precisely, the latter served as a shield to the former, with their largely disheveled armies being deemed disposable). Interestingly, but unsurprisingly, the Fascists are the heroes here (though Frederick Stafford is portrayed as a martinet) while the Allies, i.e. the British, are the villains (at one point, they're even shown massacring a group of unarmed Germans in cold blood) - but, at least, there's one sympathetic member in George Hilton; the Germans stand somewhere in the middle: Rommel is treated as a level-headed strategist who, however, is extremely critical of the Fuehrer's unrealistic orders (and, even if the film is clearly set in 1942, is already seen to be a willing participant in what eventually became the July 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler). The cast also includes Gerard Herter (who, memorably, had been the aristocratic sharpshooter and Lee Van Cleef's alter-ego in THE BIG GUNDOWN [1966]) as a German officer who doesn't see eye to eye with Rommel.The action is frequent and well-handled, and there's even a healthy dose of comedy - at least among the Italian lines (which may well have been lost in the English translation!); besides, Carlo Rustichelli's upbeat score is a major asset...and surprisingly - but satisfactorily - the film provides a downbeat ending! I'll be following this with two other Italian war films - Enzo G. Castellari's EAGLES OVER London (1969), also with Stafford, and Sergio Martino's CASABLANCA EXPRESS (1989)...

Usually Italian films of the 60's, 70's, and 80's are considered sub par products primarily made for export to foreign markets. In many cases the WWII film followed the same formula. Take the plot of The Dirty Dozen, recycle it, add a trampoline and you have an entirely new and exportable film! (Yes, this is a dig at Cinque per l'inferno aka Five for Hell)La Battaglia di El Alamein struck me as different in that it focuses on the Italian army rather than German or American as usual for Italian war cinema of the time. The movie shows the Italian forces in a patriotic light. Some may balk at this portrayal as the Italian forces are generally characterized historically as inefficient units dogged by low morale. The movie has a generality of historical accuracy, embellished for cinematic reasons. The British are characterized as cold unfeeling soldiers, no worse than American directors portray Axis forces, though. Perhaps Battle of El Alamein portrays the Italian as a little too brave and heroic but this is the same heavy-handed treatment heroes in American films were given up until recently. The film stands out as an Italian production made for Italy's own populace. In this light any shortcomings can be overlooked. Yes, even miniature remote controlled model tanks that rumble across the desert can be overlooked. An Italian production heads and shoulders above many b-grade counterparts of this time period.

I purchased this as part of a package deal - you know the type, 4 WW 2 films in one box for under $15. Half of the films in this set were good and this is the best of the lot. It's the story of the British victory at El Alamein as told mainly from the Italian perspective. The acting isn't the film's strong suit, but it's adequate. The story is excellent and the execution of the screenplay is superlative. There are some really good battle sequences as well. Look for a decent performance from Michael Rennie as the British General Bernard Law Montgomery. He isn't a Field Marshal yet. In fact, it was this victory that earned him his Baton. Overall, a fine flick. His is the best acting job of the lot, acting NOT being the strong point of the film. I don't know how factual it is, although the overall story seems accurate enough.