![Last Chance for Life / Ultimatum alla vita 1962]( "Last Chance for Life / Ultimatum alla vita 1962")
Year: 1962
Duration: 01:31:47
Directed by: Renato Polselli
Actors: Franca Bettoia, Cristina Gaioni and Valeria Moriconi
Language: Italian (English subs)
Country: Italy
Also known as: Ultimatum alla vita, Aux mains des SS
Description: Rare war drama considered to be lost. One more partnership of director Renato Polselli and Anthony Steffen, here still signing with his real name Antonio de Teffé, in a role of a Nazi. Steffen joinhed the partisians in his youth. It also stars German cute Franca Bettoia, who later become Steffen's girlfriend.
Ultimatum alla vita is a war drama in which women prisoners of the Germans begin to fight for the partisan cause.
Polselli (Reincarnation of Isabel and Oscenita) switches his mood to one of deep thought and utter seriousness. “I knew that in the 50s, Italian cinema was restrained in what it could say. So, I decided to make films that could ask questions and try to raise more dangerous topics. One such film I saw at the cinema, now lost, was critical of the American invasion of Italy. The politicians were afraid of movies like this, and tried to ban them.” While on the subject of Ultimatum alla vita, Polselli changes direction and starts talking about mistreating his actors! “I have never really had a problem with actors in my films. The only actor who gave me trouble was Fabrizio Capucci, who plays the role of ‘Hans’ in Ultimatum alla vita. Capucci was always so stupid and full of himself. Eventually, after putting up with his behaviour, I beat him up! After that, Capucci was fine on set and did what I asked of him.”
Trying to find out the whereabouts guerrilla group, the Nazis seized five women suspected of having links with the rebels. One of these five - Mara, the daughter of the former head of a detachment of Italian Army General Barry. Another girl, Anna, is really a partisan, and the rest - the occasional victim. But despite all the efforts of Captain Schneider, threatening to execute underage sister Mary, to achieve anything of captives he fails. Meanwhile, the son of Schneider - Hans secretly in love with the daughter of the guerrilla commander, agreed to transfer its message to his father. But the general did not decide to risk for the sake of the daughters of detachment ...
Review: Last Chance for Life. Who in the 70's almost a symbol of brutal, obscene movies, carolers on the screen all the possible and impossible perversion, and everywhere sought sexuality, Renato Polzelli early in his career took off usual, does not stand out from the main channel of the Italian cinema picture. Such as the gothic horror "Beloved Vampire," sketch comedy "Adventures in the motel" or even war drama "The ultimatum of life."
However, the military drama is the last name only. And instead of wearing Nazi Germans form easily viewed quite different peronazhi - in antique tunics and sandals. Because «Ultimatum alla vita» all possible means appealing to the classical tragedy, with its divine predestination, unearthly passion and Heroes with a capital letter. And the fatal love, of course. How do without it!
And the partisans and Nazis - only the background against which the grand effect, most worthy of implementation in marble amphitheater banal than celluloid film. And the fact that at times from the sublime to the ridiculous - one step Polzelli never cared. So he took off his tragedy with the agility of a born Thrasher, a lot of not caring that having a single horn submachine gun, his heroine in long bursts fired off a whole night of villains; bullet wounds formed without damaging the garment, and the heavy German grenade thrown to the upper tier dungeon in one easy hand movement. These little things have never bothered with Sophocles Euripides - why would they then come to mind Renato Polzelli?
After all, he was shooting adventure film, not battle canvas, and the sense of the history of rock that broke out between mortal enemies, and erased from the face of the earth separately taken the castle. Sudden love between the daughter and the son of the commander of the partisan German garrison commander - of the same order as the sense of Medea to Jason, Ariadne to Theseus, Helen to Paris the. This love is able to destroy the city, especially if it is applied equally ancient revenge. Barry Mara, the heroine of the film Polzelli equally burn two flames: the love of the young Hans and revenge for her murdered by the Nazis little sister. In this role, she, like the ancient Greek Electra, will not stop at nothing. And it does not matter how many rounds actually holds submachine horn - shoot it stops.
Other heroines, along with Mara prisoners by the Germans in adapted under the commander's castle, remain in the background. Although, strangely enough for Polzelli, they spelled out quite juicy: gone mad from torture and death of their loved Marcella, cheeful Ciccio prostitute and mistress of the hotel where the guerrillas were hiding, Syria - just a random victim Moloch of war. But against the background of the story of Mary plays special paints. A special case is Anna, the only real partisan of women arrested by the Germans. She plays the role of the Furies, unchain the divine wrath. After fleeing with Mara, Anna drives the forces that are directed to the final purifying catharsis. Another of her role in the plot is not provided, but because - stiff upper lip and cold stare to become Valeria Moriconi, who played Anna, the only graphic means.
However, for the epic female characters lost central male. Hans Schneider - the image only sacrificial capable to give their lives for their love, but who can not fight for this love. Surrender to the will of rock and floating down the river - the only one in the "Last Chance for Life" who would not have found a place in the ancient Greek amphitheater. The impression that the whole thing takes place in the '70s, Polzelli would make his woman. But in the early 60's lesbian relationship on movie screens were not accepted. I had to stop at "pale young man with burning eyes."
Who knows, maybe it was the desire to portray human emotions "beyond" shoot "bare nerves" and "rock feel" and has led to the investigation of Polzelli extreme sexuality. Anyway, as «Ultimatum alla vita» any one time, nor later did not cause much excitement. After all, these days (and fifty years ago) to modernize the ancient heroes rather than empower ancient mentality today. A pity. After all, if we accept the convention of the ancient Greek theater, which was accepted in the film for Italian director himself, perhaps even without knowing it, the movie will even quite good. Not all Italians could also be a neo-realists of the time!
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Download:
Last Chance for Life
English subs
