"Massacre In Rome" has the ever excellent Richard Burton in a World War Two German uniform again, this time playing a leading figure in a true story regarding the murder of innocent Italians after a partisan attack on a German parade.
Naturally, Burton has plenty of Italian co-stars, English audiences of a certain age might instantly recognise the likes of Giancarlo Prete ("Giancarlo Pete" as I call him) from "Space 1999" which of course, had the backing of Italian broadcaster RAI, he also appeared in "The Last Shark" with Vic Morrow....a "Jaws" rip-off that IS worth watching. The settings are lovely and for fans of "The Protectors" the architecture will look familiarly Mediterranean and charming.
If the film has a weakness, it's in the form of Leo McKern as Burton's superior. A man who was wonderful in films like "The Day The Earth Caught Fire" and "X The Unknown" gives an over-the-top performance that's almost as laughable as Anthony Hopkins as Hitler in "The Bunker". Peter Vaughan and Anthony Steel have minor roles and either one of them would've been better in McKern's important role. At least one Italian official was made to be a bumbling, almost comical figure, which was totally out of place in this film.
Marcello Mastroianni as the film's Italian lead is rather too earnest in his moral battle with Burton's character. Whilst it's obvious that an Italian priest with an outwardly cordial relationship with a German officer might use his connections to try to get the reprisal executions stopped or at least delayed, it must surely have been obvious that a mere Lt Colonel has little chance of stopping the process, once the wheels had started turning. In fact, Burton's direct superior suggests that the only man who had a chance of getting the Germans to relent, was the Pope. The film suggests that the Vatican kept out of it as the Germans were seen as the lesser evil when compared to the atheist forces of the Soviet Union.
As a "war movie" this one is an oddity and I bet that Richard Burton hardly had a second thought about taking it on, even "Another German uniform.... I'll get myself typecast!" It's a true story that deserved to be told, and even with McKern's hammy performance, I rate this movie 10/10.
Naturally, Burton has plenty of Italian co-stars, English audiences of a certain age might instantly recognise the likes of Giancarlo Prete ("Giancarlo Pete" as I call him) from "Space 1999" which of course, had the backing of Italian broadcaster RAI, he also appeared in "The Last Shark" with Vic Morrow....a "Jaws" rip-off that IS worth watching. The settings are lovely and for fans of "The Protectors" the architecture will look familiarly Mediterranean and charming.
If the film has a weakness, it's in the form of Leo McKern as Burton's superior. A man who was wonderful in films like "The Day The Earth Caught Fire" and "X The Unknown" gives an over-the-top performance that's almost as laughable as Anthony Hopkins as Hitler in "The Bunker". Peter Vaughan and Anthony Steel have minor roles and either one of them would've been better in McKern's important role. At least one Italian official was made to be a bumbling, almost comical figure, which was totally out of place in this film.
Marcello Mastroianni as the film's Italian lead is rather too earnest in his moral battle with Burton's character. Whilst it's obvious that an Italian priest with an outwardly cordial relationship with a German officer might use his connections to try to get the reprisal executions stopped or at least delayed, it must surely have been obvious that a mere Lt Colonel has little chance of stopping the process, once the wheels had started turning. In fact, Burton's direct superior suggests that the only man who had a chance of getting the Germans to relent, was the Pope. The film suggests that the Vatican kept out of it as the Germans were seen as the lesser evil when compared to the atheist forces of the Soviet Union.
As a "war movie" this one is an oddity and I bet that Richard Burton hardly had a second thought about taking it on, even "Another German uniform.... I'll get myself typecast!" It's a true story that deserved to be told, and even with McKern's hammy performance, I rate this movie 10/10.