The film stars Oreste Jacovacci and Giovanni Busacca, which meet at the roll-call for the First World War. Despite them being two completely different individuals, they are united in their lack of enthusiasm for the war. They aren't cowards but they do act like chickens, fooling around all the time. They train and soon go to war together. During the training section, Giovanni falls in love with prostitute Costantina, this doe not last long, and they are sent to the front. There they are stuck in the trenches, waiting for the orders to go over the top and die.
Despite having a morbid storyline, it's actually (sort of) a comedy. It is, however, an Italian comedy and most humour is lost on all non-Italians. It still has it's funny moments, and is like a 'Life is Beautiful' in the trenches. It takes a while to get into, but when it gets going, 'The Great War' is a moving, heart-warming and devastating picture.
The two main characters, Oreste and Giovanni, are incredibly likeable, well-acted and very human. Thus making the ending even more devastating. It's a war film, it's unlikely to have a happy ending so I'm barely giving anything away. The film is most memorable for it's finale, but does everything else pretty good as well.
Few films are about the First World War, let alone Italy's involvement. This film shows us a side of the war, few people knew happened or what it was like.
TO CONCLUDE
It's tough to create a comedy-war film, but Monicelli pulls it off.
SCORE
75
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