Late in the Second World War, word comes down to the little town of Santa Vittoria (north of Rome), that the Italian fascist government has surrendered. This means little to the locals. But when the German Nazis move in and word comes that they intend to confiscate or destroy the town's wine, people get upset! Bombolini, the town drunk (Quinn), has a plan to hide more than a million precious bottles right under the eyes of the German platoon leader, Captain von Prum (Krueger). This 1969 drama is based on the popular novel by Robert Crichton.
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The review of this Movie prepared by David Loftus
The Nazis have invaded the serene Italian village of Santa Vittoria and they enter in typical fashion. They jack-boot their way into complete domination. Or so they think (for after all, they are the superior race!). In “The Secret of Santa Vittoria,” Anthony Quinn certainly presents one of his best roles as the bumbling, erratic Bambolini who becomes the town's mayor (no one else would want it!)when the occupation becomes imminent. Santa Vittoria has a secret--they are holding over a million bottles of wine--all of which the Nazis want. The villagers have come
together and hidden the wine and no one will tell where. Clever and cute, but the Nazis don't play games and the local commandant is determined to find where it is, even resorting to blackmail and murder. Quinn is at
home here, as he obviously relishes this role--and why shouldn't he, as he's teamed up with
fellow Oscar winner Anna Magnani (“The Rose Tatoo”), who plays his termagant wife. At times funny and at times indeed tragic, “The Secret of Santa Vittoria,” directed by
Stanley Kramer, is a solid story about human dignity and that there can be good, after all, among all the evil.
The review of this Movie prepared by Bill Hobbs
