''I due colonnelli'' (internationally released as ''The Two Colonels'') is a
1963
Events January
* January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Co ...
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
directed by
Steno. The character of Totò took inspiration from a similar character he played in ''
Totò Diabolicus''.
Plot
The story is of Italian and British troops facing off on the Greek-Albanian border in 1943. Both sides take, lose, and retake a border village countless times during the entire movie. The village is taken and retaken by both sides so many times that the locals don't even pay attention to the battles any more and openly collaborate with whichever side is occupying the village at that time. Both sides use the same hotel as their HQ and a friendship and mutual respect even develops between the two opposing commanding officers. This goes on until the Germans arrive and order the Italian commander to destroy the village killing its inhabitants, an order the Italian commander refuses to carry out bringing on a death sentence. His men refuse the German officer's order to fire and are also condemned to death. The British recapture the village just in time to save the Italians, all rejoice at the news that Italy has just asked for an armistice.
Cast
*
Totò
Antonio Griffo Focas Flavio Angelo Ducas Comneno Porfirogenito Gagliardi de Curtis di Bisanzio (15 February 1898 – 15 April 1967), best known by his stage name Totò (), or simply as Antonio de Curtis, and nicknamed ''il Principe della risata ...
: Colonel Antonio Di Maggio
Regio Esercito
The Royal Italian Army ( it, Regio Esercito, , Royal Army) was the land force of the Kingdom of Italy, established with the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy. During the 19th century Italy started to unify into one country, and in 1861 Manfr ...
*
Walter Pidgeon
Walter Davis Pidgeon (September 23, 1897 – September 25, 1984) was a Canadian-American actor. He earned two Academy Award for Best Actor nominations for his roles in '' Mrs. Miniver'' (1942) and ''Madame Curie'' (1943). Pidgeon also starred in ...
: Colonel Timothy Henderson
Royal Fusiliers
*
Nino Taranto
Nino Taranto (28 August 1907 – 23 February 1986) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1924 and 1971.
Life and career
Born in Naples, Taranto started his career as a child actor in 1918 starring in some loca ...
: Sgt. Quaglia
*
Giorgio Bixio Giorgio may refer to:
* Castel Giorgio, ''comune'' in Umbria, Italy
* Giorgio (name), an Italian given name and surname
* Giorgio Moroder, or Giorgio, Italian record producer
** ''Giorgio'' (album), an album by Giorgio Moroder
* "Giorgio" (son ...
: Soldier Giobatta Parodi
*
: Mazzetta
*
Nino Terzo
Nino Terzo (22 May 1923 – 8 May 2005) was an Italian actor.
Life and career
Born in Palermo as Antonino Terzo, he worked intensively in the avanspettacolo and revue theater, entering the stage companies of Totò, Peppino De Filippo, Franco ...
: Soldier La Padula
*
Scilla Gabel
Scilla Gabel (born Gianfranca Gabellini; 4 January 1938) is an Italian film, television and stage actress. She appeared in 50 films between 1954 and 1982.
Career
Born in Rimini, Italy, one of five children, Gabel entered the cinema industry as ...
: Iride
*
Gérard Herter
Gérard Herter, also known as Gerhard Haerter, Gerard Haerther, Gerald Herter, Gerard Herter, and Gerhard Herter (born 12 April 1920 in Stuttgart, died 6 February 2007 in Munich) was a German actor of the 1950s and 1960s who played many villains ...
: German General von Tirpitz
*
Roland Bartrop (as Roland von Bartrop): Major Kruger
*
Andrea Scotti : Iride's husband
References
External links
*
1963 films
Films directed by Stefano Vanzina
Italian comedy films
Italian World War II films
Films set in Axis-occupied Greece
Films set in Albania
Films shot in Lazio
1963 comedy films
Films with screenplays by Giovanni Grimaldi
Films scored by Gianni Ferrio
1960s English-language films
English-language Italian films
1960s Italian-language films
1960s multilingual films
Italian multilingual films
Macaroni Combat films
1960s Italian films
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