DIRECTOR: Sergio Grieco
CAST: Peter Strauss, Tina Aumont, Pier Paolo Capponi, Howard Ross, Massimo Serato, Franco Ressel, Massimo Righi, Dada Gallotti, Giuseppe Castellano and Calisto Calisti.
REVIEW: Bad boy Peter Strauss stars in this surprisingly excellent Italian war-action movie. Filled with heroes and adventure immediately reminiscent of a 1930s, Man of Legend turns out to be one of the most entertaining adventure flicks to ever grace my TV screen.
During World War I, a German soldier (Peter Strauss) takes the identity of a dead German soldier - Otto Josef Klems - in order to avoid being shot for desertion. Flash forward to eight years later: the French foreign legion is fighting in Morocco, and Strauss/Klems is onboard. He winds up deserting to meet the wife of the real Klems. Then, on his way back to his unit, he is caught in a sandstorm and captured by Arab warriors. As he is about to be killed at their hands, he runs into an Arab whom he had met earlier in the picture. Then, a la Lawrence of Arabia, the Arabs begin to trust Klems. He teaches them how to use modern weapons and tactics in their fight against the invading Spanish army, eventually becoming accepted as a fellow Arab and assuming yet another new identity …
Top acting comes from Peter Strauss as Klems, a man faced with plenty of problems the average Joe doesn't run into every day. He is continually forced to change sides during wars in which he wants no part. He is faced with joy, sadness, bitterness and many other emotions. He handles the dramatic scenes perfectly, never coming off less than 100% convincing. In the action sequences, Strauss is never less than capable, often handling the stunts by himself and even walking around totally naked in one extended scene!
He is supported by a multitude of great Italian actors; Pier Paolo Capponi (Commandos) is great as an Arab chief who hates Klems because of his Western heritage, but eventually comes to trust him and finally love him as his own son-in-law. Howard Ross has a bit in the opening sequence as the real Otto Josef Klems. This scene runs several minutes and is all filmed through Strauss' eyes, and both characters are frightened. The scene is incredibly intense and the outcome quite shocking. Add to the ever-long list Giuseppe Castellano (Battle Force) in a brief cameo as a French Legion truck driver; Franco Ressel as Klems' annoying platoon leader; Massimo Righi (The Battle of El Alamein) as the Arab soldier whom Klems frees; and the great Massimo Serato as a French General.
Kudos go to the technical crew of the film, who have put together some stunning battle sequences. One long scene involves hordes of Arab horsemen battling Spanish armored cars. This battle is filled with wide shots capturing the scope of the battle, plenty of huge explosions, and lots of quick cutting and hand-held camera action to put you right in the midst of the hand-to-hand combat. It's all nail-biting excitement which will put you on the edge of your chair.
The writers have done a great job turning this legendary saga into a great movie, filling it with plenty of plot twists and humor. One funny scene has Klems report to his commander totally nude, claiming that the Arabs have stolen his clothes. The ending, in which everything falls apart in a matter of a few minutes, is depressing and the final shot will leave you feeling empty and disappointed. Not disappointed in the film - but disappointed for Klems' ultimate fate.
Man of Legend is a great little Italian action flick, one war buffs should definitely check out. It's fun and engrossing and quite appetizing.
RATING: 5 Bullets
