Review: Anzio


As the title suggests, a film about the fight in Anzio, Italy during WWII. It was a battle that resulted in a whole mess of Allied casualties due to incompetence higher up. Robert Mitchum plays a war correspondent following the Allied forces who ends up having to join in the fight. The Allied soldiers include a seemingly bloodthirsty Peter Falk, Earl Holliman, and Reni Santoni, whilst Arthur Kennedy, Patrick Magee, and Robert Ryan play the short-sighted Allied brass (the latter a glory/publicity-hound). Wolfgang Priess plays a Nazi Field Marshall.

 

Director Edward Dmytryk (“The Caine Mutiny”, “Warlock”, “Mirage”) seems to be trying to keep up with John Sturges (“Hell is for Heroes”, “The Great Escape”) and Robert Aldrich (“Attack”, “The Dirty Dozen”) in this 1968 all-star (well, all-character actor, perhaps) war movie. The results are pretty disappointing, though any film with tanks armed with flame throwers can’t be a complete turd. There’s a good war movie in here, but the problem is aside from the characters played by Robert Mitchum and Reni Santoni, the only characters to really stand out are the brass (particularly Arthur Kennedy and Wolfgang Priess), and since the brass don’t really get involved in the action, neither does the audience as a result. The talented Earl Holliman is especially wasted as the guy who is apparently the senior officer of the platoon, but never seems likes it with Mitchum around.

 

The problem with casting a guy like Robert Mitchum as a war correspondent is that he’s Robert Freakin’ Mitchum in a war movie. Ain’t no way he’s playing some pussy detached observer. As a result, he comes off like he’s the one leading the damn platoon and it comes across very confusingly and silly. Mostly though, it’s just dull, livened up only whenever the terrific Peter Falk turns up to wipe everyone else off the screen via the force of sheer personality. The real film lies with him, unfortunately no one here seems interested in him and his character seems to get lost in the shuffle after about 30 minutes.

 

There’s some good action, particularly towards the end, but it’s all for nought because the characters are so damn underdeveloped. Despite a fun, boozy, brawling opening, “The Dirty Dozen” it ain’t. Give it a miss unless you’re interested in seeing the romantic comedy stylings of Reni Santoni! The culprit here is Harry A. L. Craig (“Lion of the Desert”, with Anthony Quinn), adapting the novel by Wynford Vaughan-Thomas. It’s all about the script, folks. Solid music score by Riz Ortolani (“A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die”, “The Fifth Musketeer”) is a highlight.

 

Rating: C

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