San Pietro

Starring: Mark W. Clark (uncredited), John Huston (narrator)
Directed by: John Huston (uncredited)
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Short, Documentary, War
Length: 32 minutes
1945

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Documentary about the battle of San Pietro, a small Italian village where 1,100 United States soldiers lost their lives in World War II.

Review:

Tim: I have heard San Pietro(or The Battle of San Pietro, as it's also called) referred to as perhaps the greatest anti-war movie ever made. I'm not sure I would go that far, but it is certainly an impressive documentary short from John Huston. The movie gives us a behind-the-scenes look at a costly, bloody battle in World War II. We go behind the lines, seeing dead soldiers and contemplating at why they gave their lives. This is certainly an anti-war film, and that's the main feeling you have leaving it.

I wasn't blown away by the footage. There are some absolutely shocking scenes (dead soldiers were almost never shown on film during WWII) and some amazing footage of actual battles. However, too much of the film comes across blurry or showing open fields and small explosions in the distance. These real-life scenes give audiences a view of battle, but I felt like they were a bit removed. I'm not suggesting the filmmakers should have been any closer, but there's just a few too many scenes that don't actually show anything.

John Huston does a good job narrating the film, and the movie does move along fairly quickly. It doesn't drag much and at just over 30 minutes, it never feels too long or drawn out.

I do applaud the filmmakers for the personal risks they took to obtain the footage they did. As I mentioned, there are a few scenes that are incredible to watch, where you actually fear for the safety of the film crew. The movie provides a fascinating look at life for average soldiers during the second World War.

While I enjoyed this film, I wouldn't consider San Pietro one of my favorite war documentaries. I think it was certainly effective in its time, but it lacked a bit of punch for me. I wanted the message to be a bit clearer, when the filmmakers opted for subtlety. Still, this is an impressive short, and it really makes you think about the folly of war.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: N/A