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Actors: Anthony Quinn, Anna Magnani
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about The Secret of Santa Vittoria |
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Late in the Second World War, word comes down to the little town of Santa Vittoria (north of Rome), that the Italian fascist government has surrendered. This means little to the locals. But when the German Nazis move in and word comes that they intend to confiscate or destroy the town's wine, people get upset! Bombolini, the town drunk (Quinn), has a plan to hide more than a million precious bottles right under the eyes of the German platoon leader, Captain von Prum (Krueger). This 1969 drama is based on the popular novel by Robert Crichton.
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar
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The Nazis have invaded the serene Italian village of Santa Vittoria and they enter in typical fashion. They jack-boot their way into complete domination. Or so they think (for after all, they are the superior race!). In “The Secret of Santa Vittoria,” Anthony Quinn certainly presents one of his best roles as the bumbling, erratic Bambolini who becomes the town's mayor (no one else would want it!)when the occupation becomes imminent. Santa Vittoria has a secret--they are holding over a million bottles of wine--all of which the Nazis want. The villagers have come
together and hidden the wine and no one will tell where. Clever and cute, but the Nazis don't play games and the local commandant is determined to find where it is, even resorting to blackmail and murder. Quinn is at
home here, as he obviously relishes this role--and why shouldn't he, as he's teamed up with
fellow Oscar winner Anna Magnani (“The Rose Tatoo”), who plays his termagant wife. At times funny and at times indeed tragic, “The Secret of Santa Vittoria,” directed by
Stanley Kramer, is a solid story about human dignity and that there can be good, after all, among all the evil.
--Bill Hobbs, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of The Secret of Santa Vittoria |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50%
Time/Era of Movie:
- 1930's-1950's
War Thriller
Yes
Specific to
- WW II
Technology/treasure/info search
Yes
Romance
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- farmer
- politician/elected ruler
Age:
- 40's-50's
Eccentric:
Yes
- eccentric
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- short/standard straight (man)
Body type
- fat (man)
Events of movie makes character more...
- tougher
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Italian
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn wavy
Body type
- ample bosom & buttocks (woman)
How much in movie?
- 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Italian
Main Adversary
Identity:
- enemy army
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 60%
- 80%
Specific kind of enemies?
- right wing dictatorship
Ethnicity/Nationality
- German
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Italy
Small town?
Yes
Small town people:
- nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
Misc setting
- cave
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately messy visuals of dead
- very gory visuals of deaths and torture
Movie makes you feel...
- encouraged
How many deaths in film?
- 3-4
Kind of violence:
- guns
- knives
Any profanity?
- None
Is this movie based on a
- book
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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