Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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43 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
VIVA BOMBOLINI!!, November 30, 2004
If you loved Anthony Quinn in "Zorba", you will adore him in "The Secret of Santa Vittoria". This gem from 1969 is a serio-comic look at the Nazi's occupation of a little mountain village in Italy during WWII.
The people of Santa Vittoria have a treasure, and it is so dear to them, they will protect it at great lengths. The treasure... well over a million bottles of the special wine, the little town of grape growers produces to deal with the "Cinzano" wine company. This business is all they have to keep their little city alive.
Having just learned from Fabio, the only University student from Santa Vittoria, the the Fascist regime has just fallen, the villagers now learn of a new problem..The Nazi's will be coming to occupy their little town, and more specifically, they will be confiscating the wine.
They turn to the newly appointed, and constantly drunk Mayor..Italio Bombolini(Quinn). How can these simple people outfox the Germans? Where, Mathamatically, can they hide a million bottles of wine? And how will they move it all? Watching it all come together is a captivating, moving and fun view.
Bombolini is the perect name for this bumbling fool. It is an absolute thrill to watch this performance of Quinn's, as he turns from the town clown to a hero of great esteem. His antics will have you laughing out loud, his loyalty to his people will paste a smile on your face, and his bravery as he stands alone against the Nazi's threats and retaliations will have you rooting for him and Santa Vittoria all the way. We are even treated to a bit of his wonderful dance. Quinn is not alone in making this film a must see, Anna Magnani adds her special talents as well. She is magnificent as Rosa Bombolini, the long suffering wife of the town clown. When it comes to Italio, her tounge is as sharp as her aim, as Quinn ducks the insults and the pots and pans coming his way as well. Virna Lisi adds her beauty and turns in a fabulous performance as the "Contessa" and Directed by the great Stanley Kramer, it is simply perfection. The cinematogrpahy and the music by Ernest Gold(nominated for an Oscar) also add greatly to the total feel of the story.
The comedy is wonderful, but there is also a serious side. The little town must make sacrifices, as they are also subjected to the brutalities of the war.
The film, by the way, took home a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture(Musical/Comedy). At nearly two and half hours,it's a feel good film, and I didn't want it to end. Hopefully this film will be restored and transfered to DVD soon. In the meantime, try and catch it on Turner, or look for a good deal on the VHS.
Get the pasta (or popcorn) and a glass of wine, and enjoy Italy for a while!.....Laurie
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Telling of Italian ingenuity, June 22, 2000
I saw this film in the 70s and it still remains with me. It's World War II and an Italian village famous for its wine is celebrating the overthrow of Mussolini's government. Villagers arrest the local fascist officials and, in a silly mood, elect the town drunk Bombalini, played brilliantly by Anthony Quinn, to be mayor. Later the party is spoiled when German army move in to occupy the territory. The occupiers want to steal the village wine supply and send it to Germany for the enjoyment of the Nazi officer troops. Bombalini must now rise to the challenge of taking his job seriously in order to outsmart the Germans and protect the wine -- his town's livelihood. This is a charming and inspiring story and telling of Italian ingenuity. Other cast members are Giancarlo Giannini and Sergio Franchi.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The book was not as good, August 28, 2005
I read the book as well, and this one breaks the usual "the-book-was-better" pattern. The movie replaces the allied bomber crew member, who bailed out of his plane, with the Italian army deserter, a great improvement for the plot. Being a third generation Italian who has seen the first generation who came to the US before 1920, I can say, the director must have gone to great lengths to find a village and extras to fit the story because I have seen them and they are priceless.
PS. And in the book, the Germans were more ruthless.
Update: It has been issued on DVD, and I obtained a copy from amazon in March of 2008.
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