Mediterraneo (1991)

In WW2, an Italian Army unit of misfits occupies an isolated non-strategic Greek island for the duration of the war.

Director:

Gabriele Salvatores

Writer:

Enzo Monteleone

Stars:

Diego Abatantuono, Claudio Bigagli, Giuseppe Cederna

Won 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Diego Abatantuono	...	Nicola Lorusso
Claudio Bigagli	...	Raffaele Montini
Giuseppe Cederna	...	Antonio Farina
Claudio Bisio	...	Corrado Noventa
Gigio Alberti	...	Eliseo Strazzabosco (as Luigi Alberti)
Ugo Conti	...	Luciano Colasanti
Memo Dini	...	Libero Munaron
Vasco Mirandola	...	Felice Munaron
Vana Barba	...	Vassilissa
Luigi Montini	...	Pope
Irene Grazioli	...	Iazu
Antonio Catania	...	Carmelo LaRosa

Storyline

Greek Sea, World War II. An Italian ship leaves a handful of soldiers on a little island; their mission is to spot enemy ships and to hold the island in case of attack. The village of the island seems abandoned and there isn't a single enemy in sight, so the soldiers begin to relax a little. Things change when their ship is hit and destroyed by the enemy, and the soldiers find themselves abandoned there. Actually, the island isn't deserted and when the Greeks understand that those Italians are harmless, they come out of their hiding places in the mountains and continue their peaceful lives. Soon the soldiers discover that being left behind in a God-forgotten Greek island isn't such a bad thing, after all...

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Plot Keywords:

nostalgia | donkey | escapism | painting | church | 

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Taglines:

Sent to invade a remote Greek island, eight misfit sailors discover a magical place where anything can happen!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, language and drug content

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian English Greek Turkish

Release Date:

31 January 1991 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Mediterráneo

Filming Locations:

Kastellorizo Island, Dodecannese, Greece

Box Office

Gross USA:

$4,532,791

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,532,791

Company Credits

Production Co:

A.M.A. Film, Penta Film, Silvio Berlusconi Communications

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min 86 min (international)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The plane that lands on the improvised football field is a German built Fieseler Fi 156 "Storch", a liaison aircraft. It was able to take off after just 50m of runway and remain airborne at speeds below 50km/h. It was used extensively on all fronts by all armies of the Axis Powers.

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Quotes

Nicola Lorusso: Life isn't enough. One life isn't enough for me. There aren't enough days. Too many things to do, too many ideas. Every sunset upsets me because another day has gone by.

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Connections

Referenced in La crociata dei buffoni - The Last Summer (2014)

User Reviews

Watch it and then go for a holiday

A beautiful movie that addresses life's simple pleasures.

Marooned on an island, this band of soldiers are left with nothing to do and no war to fight. They mull around waiting for their apparent "call up" while soaking up along the Mediterranean. As their thoughts of war wane, they begin to explore the meaning of life.

With minimal dialogue, the juxtaposition between death (war) and life (the sea) is remarkably achieved through brilliant cinematography. With the sea as a backdrop, we are asked to question our existence and deduce our priorities.

This film will make you go for a holiday!