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This is a pretty fair package from Columbia Pictures. It contains a nicely restored widescreen presentation of the film in its entirety, and in the correct 2.35:1 ratio with sharp, vibrant images. The French 2.0 surround track has more kick and dimensionality than the original English mono track. Special features include some rough-looking trailers for this film and a handful of other WWII movies, as well as subtitles in several languages. You can also find a full-screen transfer on the opposite side of the disc.
CONCERNING THE FILM:
(from my website, www.angelfire.com/film/eurowar)
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American director Edward Dmytryk headed to Italy to shoot “Anzio”, one the most lopsided World War II epics to come out of the 1960s. Despite some good intentions, this film fails as both an anti-war drama and an action piece.
The film stars Robert Mitchum (”The Enemy Below”) as Dick Ennis, a cold and cynical war correspondent that does his work on the front lines with the infantrymen. When the squad he is accompanying gets cut off behind the German lines due to an ambush, he must pick up a gun and help them fight their way back to Allied lines.
The movie has a lot going for it, right from the start. Every actor looks comfortable, especially Mitchum. Robert Mitchum has never been one of my favorite American actors, simply because he always seems to be acting – despite the dimensionality of the part, Mitchum can never seem to break out of a box. Here, he looks to be having plenty of fun and seems quite natural in the role. Mark Damon (”Between Heaven and Hell”) provides the necessary dramatic opposite as an infantryman who can’t seem to agree with Ennis on his policies. Arthur Kennedy (”Attack and Retreat)”) is the exact opposite of Ennis’ character as the incompetent General Lesley, who takes too much time establishing a solid beachhead and allows the Germans to launch an offensive, pinning his men down on the beach. Peter Falk (”Situation Normal, All Fouled Up”), on the other hand, is totally wasted as Corporal Rabinoff, a soldier who has become addicted to combat. Earl Holliman (”Armored Command”) is the Sergeant in command of the squad, and he makes the most out of a clich?d-role by giving his character personality. Be sure to watch for Robert Ryan, Anthony Steel, Arthur Franz and Patrick Magee as Allied Generals.
There is only one big battle sequence, which expertly staged and filled with tanks, extras and big explosions. However, its effectiveness is limited because of two key flaws. Primarily, American soldiers are seen to stand up in the open and rush German machine-gun nests, only to be mowed down by overwhelming enemy fire. Secondly, there’s a ridiculous scene in which Ennis and a soldier engage in a discussion about the war right in the middle of a fight, despite the fact that bullets and artillery shells are landing all around them! The final, small-scale, climactic showdown with German snipers was much more suspenseful, due to some excellent editing and great music score.
One major flaw in the film is, unfortunately, the script. It’s as if “Anzio” can’t decide if it wants to be a gung-ho flag-waver, or a downbeat, anti-war story. The first half the film is filled with humorous, almost slapstick scenes, although some of Mitchum’s dialog hints that this is going to change … and it does, in fact the focus turns around 180 degrees. Throughout the second half of the film, the action stops dead in its tracks so that the characters discuss issues of personal sacrifice, what constitutes above and beyond the call of duty, etc… until it’s been repeated so much that you can’t stand to hear anymore. For all of this discussion, the conclusion is pretty forced. Mitchum says something along the lines of, “Men kill each other because they like to. Maybe if we all sit back and realize it, we could stop the killing and get along.” That statement defines over-emphasis. Instead of being a history lesson about the real Anzio campaign, the film turns into a social commentary on Vietnam.
The on-location shooting served the proceedings well, as the film looks like sunny Italy in every frame. The scene in the Italian house looked excellent, and Dmytryk uses wide angles throughout to show off the scope of the Italian locales. The score ranges from victorious and rousing to mournful and depressing, which contributes a great deal to the mood of some important scenes – such as the entry into liberated Rome and the significance of one character’s death in the sniper sequence.
“Anzio” is a mixed bag, but despite a lack of focus on one central theme, it manages to be entertaining and satisfying as a drama, with enough well-staged action scenes to hold it together and help obscure the muddled anti-war sentiments.
OH. David Janssen DID NOT appear in this film, contrary to the belief of many viewers, who may have this title confused with INCHON! (released in 1980)
The Allied landing at Anzio was not unopposed. Allied forces were bogged down in trench fighting for almost three weeks before they could move inland against the Germans. In this film facts get turned around but the basic story is intriguing. A rather stoic Robert Mitchum plays a pacifist battle-hardened war correspondent who must come to grips with his own convictions. Under Edward Dmytryk’s direction Mitchum’s character seems to have more military smarts than the professionals do, thus making his character a bit of a conundrum. That’s what makes this film so interesting. Peter Falk, Earl Holliman and Reni Santoni are good as the stereotypical GIs that Mitchum goes out on patrol and has to fight his way back with. Riz Ortolani created a good suspenseful score and there are some really good action sequences. The good cast, which is a great asset, includes Robert Ryan, Arthur Kennedy, Patrick Magee and Mark Damon.