HThis is a low-key World War II drama directed by Edoardo De Angelis, based on a patriotic true story about the decency of non-fascist Italy during the Battle of the Atlantic. The film, made with the help of the Italian Navy, was selected for the opening gala of last year's Venice Film Festival, where Luca Guadagnino's Challengers was canceled due to a screenwriter's strike.
Pierfrancesco Favino plays submarine commander Salvatore Todaro. His frank courage and certain poetic sensibilities inspire the fierce loyalty of his subordinates. He also continues to suffer from a back injury and is seen receiving treatment at the beginning of the film. Negligent doctors dressed him in a crude corset and told him that “fascism is pain.'' (Maybe so, but wouldn't it be painful for other people?)
Todaro is forced to sink a (neutral) Belgian ship that fires on him first and is loaded with machinery parts for Britain's enemies (his men, while Churchill is brandishing a gangster-type Tommy gun using a famous photograph as a dart board). He takes pity on the survivors in the leaking lifeboat and makes the bold decision to pick them up and take them to a safe harbor. He shared his men's desperately meager rations and cramped quarters with them, and told the Belgian commander that some would have to sleep in the conning tower, and then avoid fatal flooding when they had to dive. It will happen and the Belgians will have to decide for themselves which side to choose. This will become this soon. Inevitably, there are murmurs among Belgians about “fascist” and ungrateful sabotage and the outbreak of rebellion.
This is a reasonably engaging story, told in a straightforward, complex, and undemanding way. It's less problematic than Wolfgang Petersen's Das Boot and perhaps closer to Jack Hawkins' naval drama The Cruel Sea. Favino also brings his own strong, self-conscious masculinity to the film. To some extent, of course, this is whitewashing Italy's fascist past. The film effectively distills moments of selfless heroism, finding Italian soldiers who disobeyed standing orders from their fascist commanders and actually helped the enemy, or the Allied Republicans.
However, there are some very unique and erotic scenes in Todaro's home life that emphasize that being stuck in a submarine with sweaty, horny guys doesn't mean anything bad is going to happen. Maybe it's for the sake of it. His wife is shown half-naked playing Cavalleria Rusticana on the piano while the baby sleeps in the crib. It's a very Favino-like movie.
