You're going to have to be a die-hard WWII fan to make it through the three-hour drama The Battle of Neretva. It's a Yugoslavian picture, and everyone speaks their own language, from Italian to German to Croatian. So, not only are you going to sit through a tedious few hours, but you're going to have to read subtitles while you're doing it.
In the titular battle, German troops are moving in to destroy a bunch of Yugoslavian peasants, and they're trying to reach Neretva for protection. The film goes back and forth to see both perspectives, but obviously you're not supposed to be rooting for the Germans. Curd Jurgens is the head honcho general giving orders, and Hardy Kruger is the colonel fighting alongside the ground troops. Curd is very calm and authoritative, and Hardy has some good scenes where he's conflicted about accepting his orders. Franco Nero is obviously on the Italian side, and Yul Brynner tries to protect the local peasants.
Even though the film stars four good-looking men, this isn't a movie to rent when you're just looking for a good time. It's definitely heavy, and geared far more towards history buffs than folks who like 1960s flicks. It has some really emotional parts to it, so if you do decide to stick with it, you'll see a well-made war drama. In one scene, the peasants know they have no more hope and are going to get slaughtered by the bombs and ground troops. They stand firm together and start singing a patriotic anthem; the Germans continue to fire, but the music affects them as well. In another, Sylva Koscina is a medic and hears her name being called by wounded and dying men in battle. She tries to work quickly and reach all the men in time, but she also doesn't want to abandon someone as he takes his last breaths. A good frame of reference is if you liked The Longest Day and War and Peace (the Russian version), you'll be in a good position to appreciate this one.
In the titular battle, German troops are moving in to destroy a bunch of Yugoslavian peasants, and they're trying to reach Neretva for protection. The film goes back and forth to see both perspectives, but obviously you're not supposed to be rooting for the Germans. Curd Jurgens is the head honcho general giving orders, and Hardy Kruger is the colonel fighting alongside the ground troops. Curd is very calm and authoritative, and Hardy has some good scenes where he's conflicted about accepting his orders. Franco Nero is obviously on the Italian side, and Yul Brynner tries to protect the local peasants.
Even though the film stars four good-looking men, this isn't a movie to rent when you're just looking for a good time. It's definitely heavy, and geared far more towards history buffs than folks who like 1960s flicks. It has some really emotional parts to it, so if you do decide to stick with it, you'll see a well-made war drama. In one scene, the peasants know they have no more hope and are going to get slaughtered by the bombs and ground troops. They stand firm together and start singing a patriotic anthem; the Germans continue to fire, but the music affects them as well. In another, Sylva Koscina is a medic and hears her name being called by wounded and dying men in battle. She tries to work quickly and reach all the men in time, but she also doesn't want to abandon someone as he takes his last breaths. A good frame of reference is if you liked The Longest Day and War and Peace (the Russian version), you'll be in a good position to appreciate this one.