The Fifth Army began to attack the Reinhard/Bernhardt Line on 5 November, and the attacks continued into December. World War II documentary, directed by John Huston, about the 9-day battle in 1943 as Allied forces and Italian troops fought Nazi troops in Italy. He was too late. A nasty battle was fought there in December 1943, after which the Germans withdrew. Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko. The Germans launched a counterattack on 16 December to cover their withdrawal as they retreated to positions farther north at Cedro Hill, Mount Porchia, San Vittore, and the western spurs of Sambcaro.[5]. There has been no effort to enhance it at all. There are no approved quotes yet for this movie. Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2001. He didn't talk to me hardly at all until I left home for 5 years during the Vietnam War. Unfortunately poor editing made for a lot of lost opportunities. Marshall wanted Americans to know the costs of victory, and the depth of the contributions made by fighting men. Movie & TV guides. The Battle of San Pietro. The Germans occupied San Pietro in September 1943 to prepare the defenses. The Battle of San Pietro, John Huston's documentary about the WWII Battle of San Pietro Infine, was considered too controversial by the U.S. military to be seen in its original form, and was cut from five reels to its released 33 minute-length. Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2016. Of course, Average Joe citizen didn’t know that. The Battle of San Pietro wouldn't be released until near the end of the war, after Huston was forced to submit it to a round of official censorship that somewhat blunted, but certainly didn't eliminate, its impact. Department of the Army. This film is still moving and powerful in a low-key but deeply affecting way. Some 1,100 men died in the battle. There is little detail and or explanation of what is occurring or a larger picture view. The original town of San Pietro Infine was destroyed in the battle; the modern, rebuilt town of the same name is located a few hundred meters awayCoordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}41°26′40″N 13°57′31″E / 41.44444°N 13.95861°E / 41.44444; 13.95861. The … [6] Among German casualties was athlete Luz Long, who won the silver medal for the long jump at the 1936 Summer Olympics. We came away with a new respect and appreciation for our uncle (who returned safely from the war in 1945 but has since passed away). In 1943, John Huston arrived at San Pietro to film a battle; one that was pivotal to the eventual liberation of Rome. The fact the enemy remains almost unseen only adds to the foreboding atmosphere. After that, the main Allied effort was against the German defenses on Mount Sambúcaro and Mount Lungo, which dominated the narrow valley on the northeast and southwest respectively. It's a film made by the US government perspective, very cautious and for lack of a better word, just not interesting. [United States. The Battle of San Pietro Quotes. This changed the German defensive strategy greatly, and the Germans now regarded their former allies as enemies and moved to disarm Italian units and occupy important defensive positions. The Battle of San Pietro is a documentary film directed by John Huston about the Battle of San Pietro Infine sixty miles from Naples during World War II. He believed that a society which understands war will work harder to support its fighting men. 32 min. He didn't leave the house at all after he retired ,until he died. This would of brought the idea of the significance of this battle. By mid-January, Fifth Army had reached the formidable Gustav Line defenses and commenced the first Battle of Monte Cassino, which started on 17 January 1944. The US Army which commissioned the film refused to show it because it was too honest in its portrayal of the high cost of battle and the difficulties faced. So Huston gathered some infantrymen and artillery to reenact the fucking thing. A better approach IMO would of been to give a brief history of the battle for Italy clear back to Northern Africa. Powerful viewing, vivid and gritty. . The Battle of San Pietro (1945) is a 38-minute-long Army documentary film made by John Huston, director of The Maltese Falcon, who had joined the military for World War II and been assigned to the U.S. Army Signal Corps.. Basically, The Battle of San Pietro was one elaborate fake. ;] -- World War II battles fought in Italy told from the infantryman's point of view. Stories from the Italian Campaign of WWII. [2] They set up a defensive apparatus in the whole territory, in particular on Mount Sambúcaro[nb 1] and Mount Lungo, which overlooked the Mignano Gap. October 22, 2020 Leave a comment Uncategorized By Leave a comment Uncategorized By The Battle of San Pietro was part of the overall campaign to breach the Bernhardt/Reinhard Line, some 10 km (6.2 mi) deep at that point. Even those who died in the battle were shown. Get this from a library! Although the Allied powers were victorious, the Axis managed to evacuate over 100,000 men and 10,000 vehicles from Sicily across the Straits of Messina during the first seventeen days in August. The Battle of San Pietro (Film) By. The Reinhard was the southernmost of the three and was the German fall-back position from the Barbara Line and Volturno Line further to the south as German forces retreated gradually up the peninsula. They evacuated all non-essential Italians from the town, meaning women, children and old men; they conscripted able-bodied men to help set up the defenses and requisitioned available vehicles and beasts of burden. Second, to provide a […] The invasion at Salerno was ultimately successful, although the Allies sustained heavy casualties, and subsequently captured nearby Naples on 1 October. Destruction was wrought by a combination of close combat, both Allied and German mortar and artillery, and German "scorched earth" policy. This knowledge is essential to appreciating San Pietro. The battle destroyed the town of San Pietro Infine completely. So Huston gathered some infantrymen and artillery to reenact the fucking thing. It was very difficult to watch. very cautious and for lack of a better word, just not interesting, Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2015. The battle is also remembered as the first in which the troops of the Royal Italian Army (Regio Esercito) fought as co-belligerents of the Allies following the armistice with Italy. 509-PIB S-3-Journal Italy (11/43) Combat Operations in Italy. The defensives lines were called the Reinhard Line, Gustav Line and Hitler Line, placed 18 kilometres (11 mi) one from the other, taking advantage of the point at which the Italian Peninsula is narrowest; they served as a formidable series of obstacles in the path of the Allied march toward Rome. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. The battle of San Pietro. Pictorial Service. Can experience the suddenness of life and death moments as the assaulting infantry run, stop, tumble and die as they are suddenly shot or exploded by landmines or mortar shells. About; Contact; Front Page; Home; Test; Videos; Menu back . It was shot by Jules Buck. The armored attack failed due to mines and anti-tank fire. (82) IMDb 6.6 38min 2007 13+. It captures the human and psychological costs of war to the men who fight it, which is why, although the film was initially shelved because commanders thought it was too depressing for wartime audiences, Chief of Staff George Marshall believed it should be shown to all Americans. As a piece of reportage, this 35 minute documentary is hard to beat. The battle of San Pietro was a crucial event in the Allied Campagne to liberate Italy. Over 1,100 US soldiers were killed while trying to take this location, that blocked the way for the Allied forces from the Germans. The film is Exactly What It Says on the Tin, telling the story of the battle of San Pietro Infine in December 1943. Combat Operations in Italy. I bought it on the off-chance because I'd read about it and thought it was worth the risk of a few quid. The line passed directly through the town of San Pietro Infine, blocking the Mignano Gap, the pass through which Route 6, the main road up the center of Italy from Naples to Rome, ran toward Cassino and the entrance to the Liri valley. Top 200 of all time 150 Essential Comedies. The main attack of the 36th Division started at 12:00 on 15 December. He was too late. This was about some of the largest loses in the European battle campaigns. The battle occurred just before the Allies landed in Anzio a month later. It took six weeks of heavy fighting—from early November to late December—to overcome the German defenses. Shocking. His name was Dennis Pershing Stanley. The entire hill mass is about 10 km (6.2 mi) long and 6 km (3.7 mi) wide. This documentary movie is about the battle of San Pietro, a small village in Italy. During that time, the Fifth Army sustained 16,000 casualties. The Allied invasion of Italy from the south followed the Allied successes in North Africa. The main battle around San Pietro, an ancient town of no particular note in the mountains of central Italy, pitted German forces against the Allies, primarily American infantry, from December 8 … Documentary. Contents #Documentários #NazismoThe Battle of San Pietro é um documentário de 1945 dirigido por John Huston. When I came home after the war he was my best friend. Select the department you want to search in, Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2017. The Germans occupied the mountains and the Americans were charged with driving them out beginning with a disadvantaged location. The Battle of San Pietro Infine (commonly referred to as the "Battle of San Pietro") was a major engagement from 8–17 December 1943, in the Italian Campaign of World War II involving Allied forces attacking from the south against heavily fortified positions of the German "Winter Line" in and around the town of San Pietro Infine, just south of Monte Cassino about halfway between Naples and Rome. The fight was over and the Allies had won. In 1943, John Huston arrived at San Pietro to film a battle; one that was pivotal to the eventual liberation of Rome. Both armies were under the command of the 15th Army Group, commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander. This film does just that. Sambúcaro usually appears with the alternative name "Sammucro" on Allied military maps of the period. Over the next five weeks, 500,000 Allied soldiers, sailors, and airmen fought German and Italian forces for control of the island. The Battle of San Pietro was completed over the objections of Huston's superiors and rarely shown until long after the war ended: considering that these films were designed to build morale, a documentary about a battle lost at a terrible cost in manpower and material was not what anyone was hoping to see" (Deming 2010). He still stayed at home. He was shot twice on the way up the boot. This movie reminded me of the "History" movies they showed us in 3rd grade. Both the battle and the plight of the civilian population have inspired numerous accounts, most famous of which is the John Huston film The Battle of San Pietro. The Battle of San Pietro is a 1945 documentary film about the Battle of San Pietro Infine sixty miles from Naples during World War II. This documentary movie is about the battle of San Pietro, a small village in Italy. Commercial Portrait Photographer. After four successive Allied attacks and German counterattacks, the Germans pulled back from San Pietro since the dominating ground on both flanks, Mount Lungo and the Sambúcaro peaks, was now in II Corps' possession. San Pietro was a small town in the path of the Allied campaign to clear Italy of Germans. The German Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) Albert Kesselring—had marked out the "Winter Line" as three parallel defensive systems to the south of Rome. I didn't really feel safe. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 24, 2013. The Germans retreated to the island of Sicily and on the night of 9/10 July 1943, an Allied armada of 2,590 vessels launched one of the largest combined operations of World War II: the Allied invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky). Documentary of the US efforts to take Italy by acclaimed director John Huston. The highway through the Mignano Gap to the Liri Valley was nicknamed "Death Valley" by members of the attacking force. On the eastern side, the Reinhard went from the Sangro River to the Adriatic Sea (along which length it was identical to the Gustav Line); then, in the west, it bulged south from Cassino to incorporate the mountains overlooking the approaches to the Liri Valley and then moved west to the mouth of the Garigliano River. On 8 September, before the main invasion at Salerno by Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark's U.S. Fifth Army (which contained significant British units), the surrender of Italy to the Allies was announced. The narration has the potential to put one to sleep. The quality of the footage was dire, as was the sound. Huston's film sets the scene with shots of the … Even with the extra cuts, Huston's weary narration accentuates the despair, even though the grim footage speaks for itself. Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery's British Eighth Army advanced from the east following the Second Battle of El Alamein and the British-American invasion of French North Africa by Lieutenant General Kenneth Anderson's British First Army in Operation Torch had led to the surrender of almost 250,000 Axis forces in North Africa in May 1943. He would go to work, come home ,and except for work...he never left the house. The 143rd Infantry, assisted by the 504th PRCT, would continue to push west along the shoulders of Sambúcaro and take San Vittore del Lazio while to the south of Route 6 the 142nd Infantry, supported by the Italian 1st Motorized Group, were to capture Mount Lungo. The Germans occupied the mountains and the Americans were charged with driving them out beginning with a disadvantaged location. Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2016. documentary quality, good accuracy, sensitive photography, can feel the civilian hurts, pain and suffering the collateral deaths, realistic. (The Reinhard was also called the Bernhardt Line.) San Pietro Italy. The battle occurred just before the Allies landed in Anzio a month later. Short US Army documentary film by the famed director John Huston. Not often does a documentary focus on a microcosm representation of the ugly carnage of war. Indeed, as the attack progresses, the battlefield itself develops characteristics that, with gnarled trees and barren hillsides, seem more like something from a horror film. The eventual Allied victory in the battle was crucial in the ultimate drive to the north to liberate Rome. At least once on the battlefield a soldier is hit, and probably killed, a few feet in front of the camera's unwavering gaze. We wanted to see what our "Uncle Bub" had gone through and could not have been more impressed with the work of the embedded filmographers. First, to secure the meditteranean which would permit the Allies to build up their strength for the Channel crossing in 1944. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 1, 2020. 0. Panzer-Grenadier-Division) and a battalion of the 71st Infanterie Division,[4] all part of German Tenth Army's XIV Panzer Corps. This knowledge is essential to appreciating San Pietro. A quick brief display of a regional map and the fact the Germans had a intense defensive line across Italy. The objectives of the Italian Campaign, executed by Generals Montgommery and Patton, were twofold. Four of the 16 tanks survived. This documentary movie is about the battle of San Pietro, a small village in Italy. He came home from the war and got a job working at a small post office as the post master. We would very much recommend it to those interested in understanding this particular battle, troop movements, and the overall Allied thrust against the Axis powers at this stage of the war in Italy. By late 1943 the fighting had reached the Winter Line (also known as the Gustav Line). It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. The direct attack on the German positions in and around San Pietro began on 8 December by Major General Geoffrey Keyes' II Corps of the Fifth Army. The Battle of San Pietro. 88-ID (H-2/350) Monterumici (04/45) mentary made during World War II, “San Pietro” (aka “The Battle of San Pietro”) was the second of John Huston’s non-fiction war trilogy, after “Report from the Aleutians” (1942), and before “Let There Be Light” (1946). The battle destroyed the town of San Pietro Infine co… These were strategically important positions because they allowed the control of the long stretch of Route 6, important for the advance of the Allies. German forces then withdrew to the north, towards Rome, and dug in along a series of well-fortified lines. DIRECTOR. Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2016. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The invasion was launched by the American Seventh Army, under Lieutenant General George S. Patton Jr., and the British Eighth Army, under Lieutenant General Sir Bernard Montgomery. In an effort to break the German defenses in the town, two platoons from the 753rd Tank Battalion attacked with 16 Sherman tank and tank destroyers. It presents the battle in the Liri Valley as a costly campaign rather than a remarkable victory for the Americans. It was released in the U.S. in 1945 but shown to U.S. troops earlier. The entire film, about 30-40 minutes, was very moving to us. I noticed except going to work and his house...I didn't go anywhere. I bought this video because my husband's uncle fought in Italy during WW2, possibly with the 36th Division, 143rd Infantry Regiment, which took part in the Battle of San Pietro in Italy in 1943. Some of the images have been used before in the likes of The World At War, but most of it is exclusive and all of it supremely watchable. ; United States. John Huston's team made the battle intensely personal, filming right in the middle of the action and highlighting the men who had participated with extreme close-ups and details. RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR. With Joseph Ayre, Kenny Blyth, Helen Clapp, Elliot Cowan. [7] The highway through the Mignano Gap to the Liri Valley was nicknamed "Death Valley" by members of the attacking force. This documentary movie is about the battle of San Pietro, a small village in Italy. It paid off wonderfully: it takes a few minutes for decades of simulated movie warfare to wear off and for you to realise at what extraordinary risk the cameramen (none of whom are reported to have died as far as I know) took the footage. War. Written and directed by John Huston . The Battle of San Pietro was preceded by Allied attacks on the Camino hill mass at the entrance to the Mignano Gap (named for the small town on the road at that point). Simultaneously a tribute to the … "Great Olympic Friendships: Jesse Owens, Luz Long and a beacon of brotherly love at the Nazi games", Fifth Army at the Winter Line (15 November 1943 – 15 January 1944), United States Army Center of Military History. This film gets up close and personal to the American situation in the village of San Pietro, Italy, and the carnage ensued during battle to drive the Germans out. See actual footage of the Battle of San Pietro in Italy during the year 1944. One of Agee’s favorites was John Huston’s “The Battle Of San Pietro,” which he wrote about in the May 26, 1945 issue of The Nation: “The attitudes which have pervaded most of our combat films are seldom questionable and usually something to be proud of, but there is a major advance here. The Battle of San Pietro stands as the best documentary in the history of documentary filmmaking that I have ever seen. War Department. Unfortunately poor editing made for a lot of lost opportunities, Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2017. But this audience was a group of stateside staff officers invited to a screening of director John Huston’s film The Battle of San Pietro.The first film of its kind, purported to depict American soldiers in combat against the Germans at the Italian mountain town of San Pietro Infine, it portrayed with harsh realism the struggle of one of World War II’s most difficult … The positions were defended by two battalion sized elements of the 15th Panzer Grenadier Regiment (29. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. The fight was over and the Allies had won. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 12, 2014, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2014. Over 1,100 US soldiers were killed while trying to take this location, that blocked the way for the Allied forces from the Germans. The Second Battle for San Pietro The main effort of the 36th Division was scheduled to start at 1200 on 15 December, with San Pietro as the objective. Do not require a replacement had to bin empty box. We thought the film was of reasonably good quality, considering the conditions under which it was made and the passage of time. The US Army ended up refusing to show the film because it was too honest in its portrayal of the high cost of battle and the difficulties faced. Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2016. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 10, 2008. Rubbish waste of money the disc wasn’t even in the box and that’s no joke l am flumming mad at amazon. Italian units ceased combat, and the Royal Italian Navy sailed to Allied ports to surrender. This movie set out to look war in the face and tell the truth, and that's what it does. San Peitro was at a strategic location between Naples and Rome. I would say that this is a very dry look at this event. In the center, the 141st Infantry would attack San Pietro itself. TV-14. Over 1,100 US soldiers were killed while trying to take this location, that blocked the way for the … 33. Best Horror Movies. San Peitro was at a strategic location between Naples and Rome. During that time, the Fifth Army sustained 16,000 casualties. Advertisement for an EUCMH Partner in he USA. The Allies then invaded the Italian mainland in early September 1943 at Salerno (Operation Avalanche), in Calabria (Operation Baytown) and Taranto (Operation Slapstick). As a point of historical interest, the assault on Mount Lungo was aided for the first time by the 1st Italian Motorized Group,[3] part of the recently reconstituted Italian army, now fighting on the side of the Allies. For the John Huston film about this battle, see. The Battle of San Pietro was part of the overall campaign to breach the Bernhardt/Reinhard Line, some 10 km (6.2 mi) deep at that point. The Battle of San Pietro Infine (commonly referred to as the "Battle of San Pietro") was a major engagement from 8–17 December 1943, in the Italian Campaign of World War II involving Allied forces attacking from the south against heavily fortified positions of the German "Winter Line" in and around the town of San Pietro Infine, just south of Monte Cassino about halfway between Naples and Rome. The manufacturers seem utterly unaware that this important and remarkable film is in fact by John Huston. What really benefits the film is that by focusing on one unit operating in one geographical area, the viewer is able to get a better sense of the terrain and battle continuity. No interviews with soldiers, or battle tactics - maybe I missed that?? The U.S. 36th Division, then planned a further effort for 15 December. The Reinhard was actually a southern bulge in the stronger Gustav line to the north. It is also the only movie with a complete record of an infantry or foot soldiers battle. After a week of intense attacks and counterattacks, the U.S. 36th Division's 143rd Infantry Regiment the 3rd Ranger Battalion and the 504th Parachute Regimental Combat Team (504th PRCT) commanded the heights of the Sambúcaro mass. It took six weeks of heavy fighting—from early November to late December—to overcome the German defenses. He would write me letters 2-3 times a month. 36th Division in World War II, San Pietro, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_San_Pietro_Infine&oldid=1013327930, World War II operations and battles of the Italian Campaign, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 21 March 2021, at 00:35.