Actual but slowly told story of how the Catholic Church helped to
save several hundred Italian Jews from being executed by the Nazis
during the 1943 German occupation of italy . Based on real events about a simple priest who turns into the rescuer of the persecuted by Nazis , he is Padre Rufino (Ben Cross) who's assigned by his superior Bishop Nicolini (James Mason) to hide fugitives against Gestapo Capt. Von Velden (Karlheinz Hackl) . Clandestinely within the shield of a convent , the brave friar helps shelter and escape Jews from the Nazis in World War II Assisi . At the beginning, a reluctant , stiff abbess (Irene Papas) opposes that the Jews remain refugees in the convent due to their sacred vows, but later, all the dangerous initiatives of the valiant priest are supported. In a desperate bid for freedom the friar masquerades in set-ups in order to outwit the German plans in occupied Assisi . An eventual capture leads him to prison where he'll face inevitable tortures . At the ending the scenes where the kind priest , the nasty Gestapo captain and the good Nazi officer (Maximiliam Schell) , finally confront each other is a high point.
An enjoyable and sensitive film about sacrifice and freedom fighters , a good-will gesture from the famous producers Yoram Globus , Menahem Golan : Cannon . This story is inspired on actual facts and based on the nonfiction novel by director Ramati himself , in similar style to ¨The Scarlet and the Black¨ by Jerry London based on the novel titled ¨The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican¨ by J. P. Gallaher¨, played by Gregory Peck as priest Hugh O'Flaherty . An agreeable and attractive story about a good friar and a local bishop set up a pipeline for hundreds of Jews to hide and getaway from Nazis . This interesting story drags in some place but is well realized and contains atmospheric cinematography by Giuseppe Rotunno , though a perfect remastering being extremely necessary because of the film copy is worn-out ; as well as an adequate musical score by Dov Seltzer. It's an appropriate production by Yoram Globus , Menahem Golan, and John Thompson , acceptabily filmed by Alexander Ramati , though boringly told at times , and entirely on location in Assis. The theatrical versions runs 115 min , being edited from 178 minutes , a nice idea from the producers.
This true story of how an Italian Catholic priest helped smuggle Jews out of German-occupied Italy was professionally directed by Alexander Ramati . In fact he directed other two stories about unfortunate people attempting to escape : ¨And the Violins Stopped Playing¨(1988) based upon the novel by the director, Alexander Ramati, with Horst Buchhold , Didi Ramati, it is the true story about a group of Romani's (gypsy) in occupied Poland during World War II as they confront the atrocities and tragedies of a forgotten holocaust , this ethnic group was targeted for extermination in a campaign that was second only to the campaign against the Jews and ¨The Desperate Ones¨ (1967) also starred by Irene Papas and Maximilian Schell about Polish refugees trying to enter Afghanistan. Rating : 6/10 . Decent and good feeling movie that will appeal to WWII buffs.
