Il grande attacco (1978)

Director:

Umberto Lenzi

Writers:

Cesare Frugoni (writer)
Umberto Lenzi (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 February 1978 (Italy)

Genre:

War | Drama

Plot:

A story of how World War II affected the lives of a German family and an American family, both of whom had sons and fathers fighting in the war. |

Plot Keywords:

War Correspondent | General | North Africa | Soldier | Desert

Cast

Helmut Berger	...	Lt. Kurt Zimmer
Samantha Eggar	...	Annelise Ackermann
Giuliano Gemma	...	Captain Martin Scott
John Huston	...	Sean O'Hara
Stacy Keach	...	Major Mannfred Roland
Ray Lovelock	...	Lt. John Foster
Aldo Massasso	...	Lt. William McShane
Venantino Venantini	...	Michael
Ida Galli	...	Sybil Scott (as Evelyn Stewart)
Orson Welles	...	Narrator (voice)
Edwige Fenech	...	Danielle
Henry Fonda	...	General Foster
Aldo Barberito	...	SS major
Rik Battaglia	...	American commando
Andrea Bosic	...	Mimmo Parnat

Also Known As:

The Biggest Battle (Philippines: English title) (USA)
Battle Force
Die große Offensive (West Germany)
The Battle of the Mareth Line
The Great Battle
The Greatest Battle

Runtime:

Germany:101 min | USA:90 min | Finland:103 min (DVD) | Sweden:107 min | France:100 min

Country:

Italy | West Germany | Yugoslavia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Tabernas, Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Dania Film

Trivia:

Italian censorship visa # 71521 delivered on 7-2-1978.

Movie Connections:

Edited from La legione dei dannati (1969)

Umberto Lenzi's Battle Force

Umberto Lenzi used a more American sounding alias for this

video version of a film also known by at least half a dozen other

names. If ever there was a prime candidate for a really good DVD

transfer and deleted scenes restoration, this might be it.

The big name cast meet at Berlin in 1936 after the Olympics.

British correspondent John Huston, German officer Stacy Keach,

and American general Henry Fonda exchange pleasantries and

small tokens of friendship, denying that the three countries would

ever be at war. We know better. Eventually, but indirectly, the paths

of the three men cross in North Africa. Fonda's ne'er-do-well son is

heroic there, Huston wanders around there, and Keach dies there.

Trying to follow all of these paths, plus those of characters who

really have nothing to do with the main plot, gets to be a chore.

Samantha Eggar is Keach's half Jewish wife. The main characters

are set, but then the film begins jumping forward in time to major

European battles without much characterization or set up. We

seen Fonda's son get through the war, and Fonda himself spends

the rest of his scenes in an office waiting for word about him.

Sadly, someone forgot to tell Huston he was playing a Brit, since

he makes no attempt at an accent. It is funny to hear him call his

protege "Yank" in a completely Midwestern American accent.

Orson Welles provides ominous narration to try to keep the

proceedings moving along, but characters are introduced, play

their little scene, and are dropped immediately. The vignettes

eventually get in the way of some very spectacular war footage, not

much of it being stock. There is a tank battle that probably looked

fabulous on the big screen. The English speaking actors are

alright, but much of the Italian cast is badly dubbed.

Despite some top flight talent, "Battle Force" feels like a miniseries

sliced into a ninety minute film. Lenzi seems more interested in

action than dialogue, and it shows. I do not recommend this,

except for the action scenes.

This is unrated, and contains strong gun violence, physical

violence, mild gore, and some profanity.