When members of the Italian resistance kill a group of marching Nazis in Rome during World War II, Commander Richard Burton is ordered by his superior officer, Leo McKern, to choose who will die in retaliation, 50 per Nazi at least. He must deal with his conscience, denying he has one, but facing it when confronted by priest Marcello Mastroianni who reminds him that one day his Immortal soul will come up on trial against a different tribunal. At least Burton decides that those men who are chosen to die will have a quick, painless death, and great deal is put into showing the executions and the look on Burton's face as they are carried out. Indeed, that trial has already begun, and if he didn't believe he had a soul before then, he would definitely be doubting it at that moment.
A powerful war drama with spiritual aspects is very well done, showing the determination of the resistance to deal with a force they know could destroy them but have no choice. As it is said buy one character here, during the war in Italy, there were two sides of the Italians, those pro fascism and those against, and as the war began to wrap up, it seemed that there were more anti-fascists than pro. The cast is excellent, with Burton very sedate compared to McKern who is visibly grazing as the bodies of the German men killed in an explosion are viewed on the street. Burton doesn't want to carry out the orders of the Luftwaffe officer, but he knows the consequences of disobeying them, hoping that McKern will see reason once he gets over his emotions. There the message becomes clear: risk losing your life or your soul should life go on, a great dilemma for a plot well carried out.
A powerful war drama with spiritual aspects is very well done, showing the determination of the resistance to deal with a force they know could destroy them but have no choice. As it is said buy one character here, during the war in Italy, there were two sides of the Italians, those pro fascism and those against, and as the war began to wrap up, it seemed that there were more anti-fascists than pro. The cast is excellent, with Burton very sedate compared to McKern who is visibly grazing as the bodies of the German men killed in an explosion are viewed on the street. Burton doesn't want to carry out the orders of the Luftwaffe officer, but he knows the consequences of disobeying them, hoping that McKern will see reason once he gets over his emotions. There the message becomes clear: risk losing your life or your soul should life go on, a great dilemma for a plot well carried out.