A local chapter of nuns in Italy do their bit for good by giving refuge to Jewish children who they smuggle out of an Italian internment camp. Their actions are noted by the camp commander but he and his men turn a blind eye to it. However when Mussolini is disposed the Germans take over the area and the camp. When one of the nuns is shot dead outside the camp, it is evident that the stakes have been raised but yet Mother Katherine is determined to preserve.
(Edit: another user correctly spotted that I had mistaken the work of this Thomas with that of his brother Gerald, but since it was a mistake I made, I have left it in all its glory). With "Carry On" and "Doctor" series director Ralph Thomas at the helm I wasn't exactly hoping for much from a film that otherwise looked like it could be an engaging drama about the fate of children during the war. As it is though the film is played very straight and has nothing in common with the type of films that Thomas is more famous for. Of course this is not to say that it is brilliant because, in being so straight, it is surprisingly bland. Everything is painted in black and white (no nun pun intended) and the emotions are very basic and broad. The situation itself may make it interesting for some but to me I got tired of the very obvious struggles and relationships within the story and must admit that none of it really captured my imagination or my heart.
Thomas delivers it with a constant air of sincere seriousness throughout but yet this is part of the problem as he seems afraid to do anything too complex or interesting with it. The script doesn't help him as it is full of flat lines and cloying sentiment. Maybe I'm being unfair to expect more but these two things prevent it from being anything better than a basic family drama. The cast generally aren't able to step up beyond this. The officers are generally quite colourful characters but the nuns are mostly dull and lacking character. Palmer is the stern one and there are pretty ones, older ones, disapproving ones c; none of them have much to work with and the performances match the basic level of the performance. The children are the poshest and most English "Italian Jews" that I have ever seen and they simply don't convince and show a real laziness in the casting side of things.
Overall then a sincere and serious drama that plays it all very straight and offers nothing complex, challenging or interesting to work with. The cast plod along with this approach and aren't able to do much to counter the safe material served up. Undemanding families will maybe enjoy it as a matinée.
(Edit: another user correctly spotted that I had mistaken the work of this Thomas with that of his brother Gerald, but since it was a mistake I made, I have left it in all its glory). With "Carry On" and "Doctor" series director Ralph Thomas at the helm I wasn't exactly hoping for much from a film that otherwise looked like it could be an engaging drama about the fate of children during the war. As it is though the film is played very straight and has nothing in common with the type of films that Thomas is more famous for. Of course this is not to say that it is brilliant because, in being so straight, it is surprisingly bland. Everything is painted in black and white (no nun pun intended) and the emotions are very basic and broad. The situation itself may make it interesting for some but to me I got tired of the very obvious struggles and relationships within the story and must admit that none of it really captured my imagination or my heart.
Thomas delivers it with a constant air of sincere seriousness throughout but yet this is part of the problem as he seems afraid to do anything too complex or interesting with it. The script doesn't help him as it is full of flat lines and cloying sentiment. Maybe I'm being unfair to expect more but these two things prevent it from being anything better than a basic family drama. The cast generally aren't able to step up beyond this. The officers are generally quite colourful characters but the nuns are mostly dull and lacking character. Palmer is the stern one and there are pretty ones, older ones, disapproving ones c; none of them have much to work with and the performances match the basic level of the performance. The children are the poshest and most English "Italian Jews" that I have ever seen and they simply don't convince and show a real laziness in the casting side of things.
Overall then a sincere and serious drama that plays it all very straight and offers nothing complex, challenging or interesting to work with. The cast plod along with this approach and aren't able to do much to counter the safe material served up. Undemanding families will maybe enjoy it as a matinée.