Director Francesco Rosi has 'freely' adapted 'A Year on a High Plateau' by Emilio Lussu in which the author relates his experience of the horrors of trench warfare as an infantry officer.
There is no doubting the technical excellence of this film. The muted tones and sweeping camerawork of Pasqualino de Santis together with the ominous score of Piero Piccioni are riveting and Signor Rosi has beautifully choreographed the scenes of mass slaughter. The question is of course does the film engage our emotions? In my case I'm afraid not. There are too many scenes where the director is trying to make a point and is simply laying it on with a trowel.
The author himself, a highly principled and respected politician, was still alive when the film was released and was no doubt surprised at the fate of his character in the final scene! He thought that although some episodes were faithfully re-enacted the film's spirit was far removed from that of his original.
He is portrayed here as Sassu by Mark Frechette in one of two Italian films he made following his debut in Antonioni's 'Zabriskie Point'. His is a sincere and understated performance and it is a great pity that this actor was such a troubled soul who was to meet a bizarre end while serving a prison sentence for robbery!
The character of mad General Leone, based upon General Giacinto Ferrero, is played by veteran Alain Cuny. This role is a gift to any self-respecting character actor and his performance is utterly mesmerising. It comes as no surprise that Mr. Frechette is dubbed but it does seem strange that Monsieur Cuny is also dubbed considering he had been appearing in Italian films since the early 1950's. This does not however detract from his magnificently menacing portrayal. The 'socialist' element here and knowing Signor Rosi's work, there has to be one, is personified by the Ottolenghi of Gian Maria Volonte whose far-Left leanings have been well documented.
Upon its release this film met with a great deal of resistance from the military authorities. It has this in common of course with 'Paths of Glory' with which it has inevitably been compared. It must be said that although made on a smaller budget and in black-and-white, Stanley Kubrick's film packs a bigger punch as does the underrated 'Westfront' of G. W. Pabst.
Whatever its merits Francesco Rosi's film lacks the subtlety of those two films but still serves as a grim reminder that whichever way you look at it, war is hell.
