MASSACRE IN ROME (1973)
DIRECTOR: George Pan Cosmatos
CAST: Richard Burton, Marcello Mastroianni, Leo McKern, John Steiner, Anthony Steel, Giancarlo Prete, Renzo Palmer, Duilio Del Prete, Brook Williams, Alain Gerard and Anthony Dawson.
REVIEW: I cannot recall ever coming across a European war film as moving as this one. It will stun you, shake you and leave you reeling long after you've gotten up and shut the VCR off (if you're not still in shock).
During the German occupation of Rome, Italian partisans set off a bomb killing 32 German soldiers. An SS Colonel (Richard Burton) is assigned to pick 320 hostages to execute as a reprisal. He is torn between his humanity and duty to the Fatherland.
A long series of scenes in which Burton decides to have all Italians awaiting the death penalty picked begins well, with the audience expecting this. Then, when he does not have enough men, Burton must dig deeper and deeper into the prisons, eventually picking innocent Jews who have done nothing to warrant execution. Then, when it's too late, there comes a realization that a foul-up sent too many hostages to be executed. It all moves so fast, and watching this movie I was on the edge of my seat almost getting up trying to stop Burton myself. I almost had to shut the VCR off, watching a normal man have the duty of having to pick innocent people to be killed. It's no easy task knowing you will be responsible for the execution of over 300 innocent people, and Burton plays the role to the core. His face to face encounter with one of the main characters - now hostage himself - at the climax is chilling and comes as a total surprise and shocker.
Cosmatos directs the few action and suspense scenes with great flair. One long, drawn out sequence involving a bomb planted in an alleyway is incredibly tense. Camera angles cut quicker and quicker, the music builds, the pace slows down to a minimum. The sound of German jackboots pounding on the pavement grows louder and louder . . . Cosmatos uses ordinary sounds and images to their maximum potential, with results only directors such as Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah have achieved.
The supporting cast is filled with a number of familiar faces. The most memorable role comes from over-actor John Steiner (THE LAST HUNTER) as Burton's loyal friend who has a hidden motive: he knows the war is going to be over soon and manages to weasel his way out of the massacre so he is not on the Allies' "Most Wanted" List. Renzo Palmer (EAGLES OVER LONDON), Anthony Dawson (THE DIRTY HEROES), Alain Gerard (THIRTY SIX HOURS OF HELL) and Giancarlo Prete (HORNETS' NEST) also appear in small, important parts throughout.
Finally, the film's final few minutes pack a pretty gut-wrenching punch. The names of all 330 victims scroll for several minutes, until you feel sick. I wasn't reading the names, but just watching as they kept coming and coming . . . and coming . . . 330 people is a lot, and when you realize most were innocent and had lives and families, it brings the feeling even closer to home. A narrator states name-by-name that most every German involved in planning or executing the massacre was given a harsh sentence, but almost none of these sentences were carried out.
The UK home video of MASSACRE IN ROME is of pretty good quality. Colors are accurate but not very intense. There are a few speckles and scratches throughout. The film looks to be boxed at 1.37:1 on my TV, with slivers of black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. I believe the film is presented uncut.
MASSACRE IN ROME is one of those movies you will watch once and be blown away by. It's not one you are likely to watch again. If it's good, serious one-time drama you are looking for, this is a fine film.
SGT. SLAUGHTER'S RATING: 5 Bullets
