War Italian Style

War Italian Style
War Italian Style
	Original American film poster
Directed by	Luigi Scattini
Written by	Castellano & Pipolo; Fulvio Lucisano
Produced by	Fulvio Lucisano
Starring	Buster Keaton; Franco Franchi; Ciccio Ingrassia
Cinematography	Fausto Zuccoli
Edited by	Renato Cinquini
Music by	Piero Umiliani
Distributed by	American International Pictures (US)
Release date	December 2, 1965 (Italy);
Running time	85 minutes
Country	Italy
Language	Italian

Due marines e un generale (translated: Two Marines and a General, internationally released as War Italian Style) is a 1965 Italian comedy film directed by Luigi Scattini. The film puts together the famous Italian comic duo Franco and Ciccio, and the silent cinema icon Buster Keaton.

The Keaton role is a mute role, except for the words "Thank you" that he pronounces in the final scene of the film.

Plot

Two US Marines who are so incompetent that they are sent to the European Theatre of Operations end up in the Battle of Anzio where they face the Germans' giant artillery piece "Anzio Annie".

Cast

Franco Franchi as Frank
Ciccio Ingrassia as Joe
Buster Keaton as Gen. von Kassler
Martha Hyer as Lt. Inge Schultze
Fred Clark as Gen. Zacharias
Barbara Lory as Inger
Franco Ressel as Col. Jaeger
Renato Chiantoni as Uncle Luigi
Lino Banfi as German Soldier

Production

The script based largely on I cannoni di Anzio ('The Cannons of Anzio'), an unrealized project by Luigi Comencini written by Luciano Vincenzoni. All of Buster Keaton's scenes were written by Vittorio Vighi [it], who was eventually credited only as dialogue supervisor. According to Ciccio Ingrassia, Keaton directed the scenes in which he appeared.

Reception

The film is generally regarded as a missed opportunity, with much of the blame falling on director Scattini, who had little aptitude for comedy. Film historian Andrea Pergolari noted how "there is a clear attempt to do something different", "throughout the film, we keep waiting for a spark to ignite between the three comedians, but it never comes", and the film leaves the viewers "with a sense of discomfort and frustration".

References

↑ "Prima serata La7, Due marines e un generale" (in Italian). NewNotizie. 18 August 2011. Archived from the original on 13 May 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
↑ "Due Marines e un Generale (1966)". Luigi Scattini. 14 August 2008. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
1 2 3 4 5 Pergolari, Andrea; Pallotta, Alberto (2022). "Franco, Ciccio e il sogno hollywoodiano di Fulvio Lucisano". Franco e Ciccio: storia di due antieroi. Sagoma. ISBN 978-88-6506-153-4.

External links

War Italian Style at IMDb

[1] "Prima serata La7, Due marines e un generale" (in Italian). NewNotizie. 18 August 2011. Archived from the original on 13 May 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2011.

[2] "Due Marines e un Generale (1966)". Luigi Scattini. 14 August 2008. Retrieved 27 December 2011.

[Sagoma-3] 1 2 3 4 5 Pergolari, Andrea; Pallotta, Alberto (2022). "Franco, Ciccio e il sogno hollywoodiano di Fulvio Lucisano". Franco e Ciccio: storia di due antieroi. Sagoma. ISBN 978-88-6506-153-4.