July 1, 2022

I found this a rather dry, dreary attempt to insert us into the heart of an American brigade charged with blowing up an Italian Bridge as WWII nears it close. Dana Andrews, Richard Conte and John Ireland contribute gritty, authentic performances as their tough, sanguine squad face trials and tribulations - but there are lengthy periods of dialogue that, whilst well written, can bog the story down in a surfeit of individual personalities. Ultimate… read the rest.

I found this a rather dry, dreary attempt to insert us into the heart of an American brigade charged with blowing up an Italian Bridge as WWII nears it close. Dana Andrews, Richard Conte and John Ireland contribute gritty, authentic performances as their tough, sanguine squad face trials and tribulations - but there are lengthy periods of dialogue that, whilst well written, can bog the story down in a surfeit of individual personalities. Ultimately, I think it is just too close to the bone for anyone but an experienced soldier to be able to extract any value because well made, as it is, it lacks humour or pathos and conveys just too effectively the weariness of all concerned. What rescues it, to some extent, is the POV style of direction - frequently we see/hear no more than the soldiers and that does have an evocative effect during the brief, but pretty hair-raising conflict scenes.

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