The trouble with saturating a genre is that sometimes really good movies fall through the cracks. In the late 1960s, renowned director Edward Dmytryk made a realistic WWII drama about Anzio, starring Robert Mitchum, Peter Falk, Earl Holliman, Mark Damon, and Arthur Kennedy. Dmytryk directed Crossfire twenty years earlier, so Robert Ryan made a cameo in this movie, with one scene and a great entrance. It was very cute to see proper respect given to the old timers, but I have to warn those of you out there who love Arthur Kennedy: he looks really old in this one, so if you like him in his youthful days, you might want to skip this movie.
Anzio reminded me of Too Late the Hero; it's very tense, gritty without being overly violent, and focuses on a small band of soldiers faced with an impossible mission. I liked both movies, so I think it's a fair bet that if you like one you'll probably like the other. In this movie, a mission goes wrong and seven hundred troops lose their lives, leaving only seven survivors. Without a radio and trapped behind enemy lines, how are they going to make it back? Or will they at all?
This isn't a cheesy war movie, nor is it overly upsetting. It's more of a matter-of-fact war movie. Some people die, some bigwigs make mistakes, and sometimes danger finds you when you least expect it. There are countless scenes where the soldiers are joking or taking it easy, and either gunfire or other noise from the enemy makes them remember they're in the middle of a warzone. If you prefer movies that film from the front lines, this one won't be your cup of tea. But if you know what to expect, and you like what you're expecting, this is a great one to rent.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. In the first scene, someone swings from a chandelier, and it might make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
Anzio reminded me of Too Late the Hero; it's very tense, gritty without being overly violent, and focuses on a small band of soldiers faced with an impossible mission. I liked both movies, so I think it's a fair bet that if you like one you'll probably like the other. In this movie, a mission goes wrong and seven hundred troops lose their lives, leaving only seven survivors. Without a radio and trapped behind enemy lines, how are they going to make it back? Or will they at all?
This isn't a cheesy war movie, nor is it overly upsetting. It's more of a matter-of-fact war movie. Some people die, some bigwigs make mistakes, and sometimes danger finds you when you least expect it. There are countless scenes where the soldiers are joking or taking it easy, and either gunfire or other noise from the enemy makes them remember they're in the middle of a warzone. If you prefer movies that film from the front lines, this one won't be your cup of tea. But if you know what to expect, and you like what you're expecting, this is a great one to rent.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. In the first scene, someone swings from a chandelier, and it might make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"