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 in 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 came 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:

On a magical Greek island a soldier is about to discover that it is better to make love instead of war [Australian theatrical]

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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

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 island the movie is set on is called Megísti in Italian, Mes in Turkish and Kastellorizo in Greek. It is the easternmost inhabited Greek island and is located just 1 mile off the coast of Turkey.

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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. Then I'm moved, because I'm alone, a tiny dot in the universe. I'd like to watch sunsets with my mother or with a woman I might love. I'd like to spend the nights alone, or maybe with a beautiful slut which is better than alone Did the Turk leave any of that stuff? "Dunno" was his name. If things were always this way, if they ...

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Connections

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

User Reviews

Medditerraneo:Classic Italian Humour

I am not one for Italian movies but this was a cracker. If you have to go by the sub-titles then pay attention at the beginning when the soldiers are in the process of securing the town and they engage a chicken.....its a bit of humour that has stayed with me for years since watching it.

It is one of those feel good movies that you just don't want to end...highly recommended.

In an age where any discerning movie goer struggles to find a decent movie at a video shop because of all the crassy Hollywood type movies that are churned out, this is a must watch movie.