Massacre in Rome

People watch war movies for action, but rarely to be reminded of their humanity, and this film touches more to the latter. There's not much action, but there is a lot of character in this fact-based drama. Burton plays the same historical character that Christopher Plummer impersonated in the televison drama THE SCARLET AND THE BLACK, Col. Herbert Kapler, an art-loving, but genocidal, Nazi officer, who carried out the massacre. The real Kapler also authorized the execution of the priest that Rosselini's OPEN CITY was based on. Both films are worthy companions to this one, and together all three convey what Rome was like during the days of Nazi occupation.

If you pick this for striking scenes of violence,you'd do better to go elsewhere. What remains in my mind after watching it are the performances - especially Richard Burton and Peter Vaughn as soldiers resigned to taking and giving orders they'd rather not take and give - and the methodical way in which the reprisals are ordered, arranged and then carried out.

Every time I hear of some brutal crime, I wonder how it ever began, how people could commit such acts.

But this film gave me an understanding of the process whereby one act/decision leads to another, which leads to another... until there's no stopping it, even if anybody wanted to.

On paper a war movie by producer Carlo Ponti and the director of 'Rambo' doesn't sound at all promising; especially as it stars Richard Burton and Marcello Mastroianni, who had between them made probably more junk than any reputable pair of actors then alive. But as Burton burns the midnight oil while he and his colleagues attempt with mounting desperation to find 320 eligible candidates then in custody for summary execution in reprisal for a bomb attack by partisans the film (co.adapted by Robert Katz from his own 1967 book 'Death in Rome') probably does a better job of fulfilling Godard's declaration that the most harrowing account of a massacre would be one detailing the logistical nightmare it would be for the perpetrators than Costa-Govras's 'Section Speciale' a couple of years later.

Being an Italian production it boasts authentic location work in Rome itself, along with several familiar British faces in the supporting cast (including Peter Vaughn as Field Martial Kesselring, who later served five years for giving the nod to the whole ghastly business).

This movie has a chilling subject matter, but there are a few too many unnecessary distractions along the way, which prevent it from getting down to the heart of the story as quickly as it should. It's still worth seeing, however, especially for fans of Richard Burton, who gives a compelling performance as a man caught in a mechanism that far surpasses him and forces him to do unthinkable deeds. And all this despite the obvious fact that Burton is miscast as a German officer with a distinctly British accent. (**1/2)

Excessive Retribution: Marcello Mastroianni, Richard Burton and the Ardeatine Caves Massacre

This film, which is well worth seeing, is dedicated to a particularly cruel event from the Second World War. In retaliation for a bomb attack that killed 33 members of the South Tyrolean police regiment, the National Socialist occupiers murdered 335 Italian civilians in the extensive cave system in the south of Rome.

The film, produced by Carlo Ponti (1912-2007), meticulously recreates the assassination attempt and subsequent massacre. The less than glorious role of Pope Pius XII is also made clear. GOLDEN GLOBE winner Marcello Mastroianni shines as Father Pietro Antonelli, who is determined to prevent disaster. His opponent is ACADEMY AWARD nominee Richard Burton as SS-Obersturmbannführer Herbert Kappler. The resistance fighters are played by Giancarlo Prete (places the bomb as a street sweeper) and Delia Boccardo. The original is by Robert Katz, the music is by ACADEMY AWARD winner Ennio Morricone (THE HATEFUL EIGHT) and the direction is by George Pan Cosmatos.

The German rental title "Tödlicher Error" can almost be described as a misrepresentation of history, the massacre in the Ardeatine Caves was an exorbitant act of retaliation!!!

Well worth seeing, but very painful history lesson!