''Battle of Sutjeska'' (also known as ''The Fifth Offensive'') is a 1973 Yugoslav partisan film directed by Stipe Delić. It tells the story of the famous

Battle of Sutjeska Case Black (german: Fall Schwarz), also known as the Fifth Enemy Offensive ( sh-Latn, Peta neprijateljska ofanziva) in Yugoslav historiography and often identified with its final phase, the Battle of the Sutjeska ( sh-Latn, Bitka na Sutjesci ) ...

, the greatest engagement of the Yugoslav Partisan War. The film is one of the most expensive ever made in Yugoslavia. It was selected as the Yugoslav entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the

46th Academy Awards The 46th Academy Awards were presented on Tuesday, April 2, 1974, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. The ceremonies were presided over by Burt Reynolds, Diana Ross, John Huston, and David Niven. ''The Sting'' won 7 ...

, but was not accepted as a nominee.Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences It was also entered into the 8th Moscow International Film Festival where it won a Special Prize.

Plot

German-occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1943; under the faithful leadership of Marshal Tito, the Yugoslav Partisans have, for a number of years, put up a staunch fight against the occupying Axis powers. Despite being out-gunned, outmaneuvered and vastly outnumbered, they managed to recuperate in a harsh mountainous region called Durmitor in northern Montenegro. However, their respite is short-lived as the combined foreign and domestic Axis powers begin an encirclement offensive, outnumbering them 6:1. The Partisans have no choice but to fight their way out of the encirclement, then head towards eastern Bosnia. They finally clash with the Axis on the plains of Sutjeska in south-eastern Bosnia. Various people are caught up in the fighting, such as a

Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...

n who lost all of his children during the war. As the fighting intensifies, the story and the scenes are drawn more and more into the colossal battle as both sides are forced into a conflict that can only be described as a living hell. Battle scenes are interlaced with the personal agonies and fates of the main characters, from supreme commanders to ordinary soldiers. The offensive ends in failure for the Axis, but the Partisans are in no mood to celebrate — they have suffered devastating losses. Still, on they march.

Cast

* Richard Burton as

Josip Broz Tito Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito (; sh-Cyrl, Тито, links=no, ), was a Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman, serving in various positions from 1943 until his deat ...

* Ljuba Tadić as

Sava Kovačević Sava Kovačević ( sr-cyrl, Сава Ковачевић; 25 January 1905 – 13 June 1943) was a Yugoslav Partisan divisional commander during World War II, and one of the heroes of the communist Partisan movement. Early life Kovačević was ...

Bata Živojinović Velimir "Bata" Živojinović ( sr-Cyrl, Велимир "Бата" Живојиновић; 5 June 1933 – 22 May 2016) was a Yugoslav and Serbian actor and politician. He appeared in more than 340 films and TV series, and is regarded as one of ...

as Nikola *

Miroljub Lešo Miroljub Lešo (27 July 1946 – 5 March 2019) was a Yugoslav and Serbian actor. He appeared in more than ninety films since 1968. Lešo played the role of ''Slavko'' in the television series ''Otpisani''. He was born and died in Belgrade B ...

as Boro * Irene Papas as Boro's Mother * Milena Dravić as Vera * Bert Sotlar as Barba *

Boris Dvornik Boris Dvornik (; 16 April 1939 – 24 March 2008) was a Croatian actor. Biography Born in Split to the family of a carpenter, Dvornik discovered acting talent at an early age, while performing in children's plays. After studying to become an e ...

as Ivan *

Rade Marković Radomir "Rade" Marković ( sr-cyr, Радомир Раде Марковић; 14 October 1921 – 10 September 2010) was a Serbian actor. He performed in more than ninety films. He was married to actress Olivera Marković from 1945 until they div ...

as Radoš * Ljubiša Samardžić as Stanojlo *

Milan Puzić Milan ( , , Lombard language, Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the List of cities in Italy, second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 ...

as Member of the Partisan Headquarters *

Kole Angelovski Nikola "Kole" Angelovski (born 14 March 1943) is a Macedonian actor. He appeared in more than fifty films since 1962. Selected filmography External links * 1943 births Living people Macedonian male film actors Male actors from Skopje ...

as Stanojlo's Friend *

Stole Aranđelović Stojan "Stole" Aranđelović (12 June 1930 – 8 April 1993) was a Serbian film actor. He appeared in 120 films between 1955 and 1993. He was born and died in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Selected filmography * ''Crveni cvet'' (1950) - Oficir * ...

as The Priest * Relja Bašić as Capt. Stewart * Branko Špoljar as Member of the General Staff *

Petar Banićević Petar Banićević ( sr-Cyrl, Петар Банићевић; 8 February 1930 – 4 September 2006) was a Serbian actor. The "Petar Banićević" award is given annually by the National Theatre in Belgrade The National Theatre ( sr-cyr, Наро ...

as Capt. William Deakin * Günter Meisner as Gen.

Rudolf Lüters Rudolf Lüters (May 10, 1883 – December 24, 1945) was a German general who served in the Wehrmacht, during the Second World War. Biography He joined the army on November 2, 1902 as Fahnenjunker and participated in the First World War where ...

Anton Diffring Anton Diffring (born Alfred Pollack, 20 October 1916 – 19 May 1989) was a German-born character actor who had an extensive career in the United Kingdom from the 1940s to the 1980s, latterly appearing in international films. He appeared in ove ...

as Gen. Alexander Löhr * Michael Cramer as Col. Wagner * Orson Welles as

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Sutjeska, The 1973 films Films set in 1943 Yugoslav war films Partisan films War films set in Partisan Yugoslavia World War II films based on actual events Films set in Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbo-Croatian-language films 1970s English-language films English-language Yugoslav films Films directed by Stipe Delić Films with screenplays by Ugo Pirro Films scored by Mikis Theodorakis Cultural depictions of Josip Broz Tito Films with screenplays by Wolf Mankowitz Films about Josip Broz Tito Yugoslav World War II films 1973 war films Films about Yugoslav Resistance

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links