Original / alternative title: El Alamein - La linea del fuoco
Categories: bombardment movies desert movies infantry movies trenches movies
El Alamein - the Line of FireDirector: Enzo Monteleone
Laguages: Italian
Italian point of view on the Second Battle of El Alamein - young student joins the army and quickly gets disillusioned with reality of the war.
In 1942 young student from Bologna volunteers to join the army and as Private Serra arrives to North Africa, where his infantry division is taking part in fights against British 8th Army near El Alamein. Serra believes in the fascist propaganda that British lines are on the verge of collapse and soon Italian army will march into Alexandria. But after arriving to his post he learns about completely different reality, reality in which Italians have been dug in on their defensive positions for a while and without much supplies their most important job is to stay low since their positions are frequently bombarded by British mortars. What keeps the British away are the minefields around, but one of the patrols find a camel that somewhat wondered through them, which makes the soldiers believe that British have actually already cleared the passages through the minefields. To make things even more surreal truck gets lots in the desert and arrives to the trenches. Inside is a horse that general planned to use for his triumphal march into Alexandria.
Italian war movie that shows how the fascist war time propaganda clashes with the reality of conflict in North Africa. We see through eyes of young student, who just joined the army how poorly equipped, sometimes poorly trained and with insufficient supplies Italian soldiers have to deal with the desert climate and dangerous enemy. It is unusual movie for Italian cinema - realistic, kept down to earth, without any spectacular scenes. But this approach somehow leaves the viewers wanting some more - Serra becomes disillusioned and... that’s about it. Even the battle scene is cameral and leaves much to be desired.
Our rating
4.8
Film value
4 / 10
Realism factor
3 / 5
Adventure factor
2 / 5
Historical accuracy
3 / 5
World War II (1936-1945) Second Battle of El Alamein (23 Oct 1942)
El Alamein - the Line of Fire war movie © 2013-2024 War Movies Info
