GABRIEL SALVATORES

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBB. 

Italy, 1991.  A.M.A. Film, Penta Film, Silvio Berlusconi Communications.  Screenplay by Enzo Monteleone.  Cinematography by Italo Petriccione.  Produced by Silvio Berlusconi, Mario Cecchi Gori, Vittorio Cecchi Gori, Gianni Minervini.  Music by Giancarlo Bigazzi, Marco Falagiani.  Production Design by Thalia Istikopoulou.  Costume Design by Francesco Panni.  Film Editing by Nina Baragli.  

A platoon of Italian soldiers are sent to take over and occupy an idyllic Greek island during World War II.  Upon arrival they are surprised to find the island deserted and so enjoy themselves by basking in the beautiful sun and gorgeous beaches. It turns out that the inhabitants of the place were actually hiding in the mountains, so after they are discovered and the Greek locals decide that the Italian soldiers aren’t so harmful, they resume their lives to a normal degree while their enemies continue having a marvelous time. Gabriele Salvatores’ gorgeously shot drama is perfectly harmless, a sun-filled comedy with zero conflict and absolutely no dramatic momentum. For some it will be a pleasant evening of cinema, for others it will be an overly shallow piece of fluff.

Academy Award:  Best Foreign Language Film