It is so unusual to watch an Italian war film, and I talk of a large audience, popular audiences war film I mean, speaking not of the British or American side, as we usually see, but of the Axis side, and focusing on the Italian army. Every war epic goer, or even anyone interested in WW2, knows that Italian army was not particularly brilliant in North Africa, compare to the Afrika Korps I mean. It was not the fault of poor soldiers, under fed and equipped, who were considered as under soldiers by their officers, more busy chasing local Arab women and living, eating, sleeping in luxury, using silver plates and drinking Champagne and eating caviar for dinner, those jerks, YES JERKS, who had nothing to do with a master commander as Rommel was. A true soldier, fighting besides his men sharing everything with them. Italians, however, fought bravely in Russia, because they were mainly under German commandment. Yes, I love this film showing the italien side for once !!!! Even if it not exactly the accurate truth in the technicalities, it shows the real human side of this war, no good vs evil ones, the true position of the German and Italian armies - lacking men, fuel, tanks and ammo - compared to the Eighth one, lead by Monty, splendidly played by Mike Rennie, whose resemblance with Montgomery was astounding. Robert Hossein however doesn't look like Rommel at all, but his characterization, despite this, is more than OK. The main strength of this film is that it avoids the usual clichés, and also shows so anti war matters, very rare in the war spaghetti features. They glorify war and heroism in most cases. The action scenes are usual, nothing exceptional. I put this film among my all times war favorites, despite it i not a great film.
Review of The Battle of El Alamein
