Lordan Zafranovic documents wartime events in a small Dalmatian coast village that changed hands quite frequently during World War II.
When we first arrive at the scene Mussolini's squadristi are already there but are promptly ran outta town after the capitulation of Italy. Out of the resulting power vacuum emerge even more brutal Croatian Nazi collaborators, Ustashe, before Partisan liberators triumphantly march in. Towards the end, perhaps in a politically correct effort to spread the 'bad guys' tag across all of ethnicities comprising ex-Yugoslavia, we even get a group of bearded Serbian Chetnik-Pirates for whom the Bugs Bunny cartoon seems a more suitable setting.
In the midst of all the turmoil young Partisan commander Davorin (played by Polish actor Daniel Olbrychsky who had his voice dubbed for the occasion) falls in love with Veronika (Ena Begovic), daughter of a well-off local (ever present Bata Zivojinovic also with a voice that's not his) who is viewed as a traitor by other villagers for siding with Italian ocupiers in order to save his wealth.
For someone like Davorin who holds an important position in the revolutionary movement this proves to be beginning of the end. Influenced by his newfound love he starts to slip up and make mistakes that his superiors do not appreciate in the least.
Movie is of course pro-Partisan, but it also briefly touches on some grey area issues that were at the time (early 1980s) still considered taboo in heavily censored Yugoslav movies, especially if they depicted events of NOB (People's liberation struggle - as the communists that ruled Yugoslavia referred to their WW2 involvement through Partisans). The fact this film was made a year after Marshal Tito's death when the ideological tone quickly started to loosen up, goes a long way in explaining this. As a result, the movie along with Zafranovic, probably picked up a few extra 'bold avantgarde' points at the Pula festival where it was awarded with Zlatna palma (Golden Palm) for best picture and director.
Different armed conflict scenes are almost choreographed in a misguided attempt of attaching extra symbolism and significance as if the setting and the circumstances didn't already provide enough drama. Also surprising is poor sound and picture quality, even though this was already year 1981.
However, even with it's numerous flaws "Pad Italije" holds value as a WW2 perspective from the neck of the woods we don't see depicted in cinema very often. Especially as an alternative to state-sponsored war bonanzas Veljko Bulajic and Hajrudin Krvavac were turning out in this period. In turn, it doesn't really stand the test of time, but still has its moments.
Oh yeah, did I mention that we also get to see Snezana Savic and Ena Begovic topless.
And of course no movie that has great Ranko Gucevac in it can be bad.
