everything you have heard about this movie is true.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

How much has to endure an Actor: to be hit with a huge paddle, to be kicked in his butt, to have put noodles in his head, to be hit with pots and saucepans. But it is not any actor, it is Anthony Quinn, who does not care of nothing to live his character, Bombolini, to his own... blood. Anna Magnani, a great tragedian actress of the Italian cinema, has the most funny replica: "The whole world knows that Bombolini's brains are in his ass!" Virna Lisi, my childhood love from "Coplan prend des risques" is beautiful and credible in the role of Caterina. A very young Giancarlo Giannini is OK. The same Hardy Krüger and Renato Rascel. Actually, Krüger is great! I've seen almost all Stanley Kramer's films, the best, in my opinion are "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World", "The Defiant Ones" and this one.

I saw this movie many years ago and i love it , any movie with Anna Magnani is A most for everybody she was an special actress is not other actress in the cinema like her maybe Jenane Moreau.in this movie she played Rosa Palmolive i remember very well watching the movie and saying how wonderful this woman is, Anthony Quinn is great in the movie they worked together in the past in wild is the wind, Virna Lisi is great here she show how good as actress she can be and how beautiful she was but the movie is LA MAGNANI is a tour de force her performance and plus is her the most amazing actress of the world cinema, the first time i saw Anna Magnani was in the movie Roma open city and i was mesmerized by her performance i feel sorry for Ingrid Bergman when she married Rosellini and he try to make her in another Anna Magnani they flopped nobody can be ANNA MAGNANI

I missed the first half hour on Turner last night, but tuned in and was thoroughly entertained. This is top notch Anthony Quinn- he is terrific, and the entire cast is excellent. Looking forward to seeing the entire film now. Unlike another reviewer, I loved his over-the-top reaction to the German Captain's telling him he wanted the village's wine. Hardy Kruger, as the captain, gives a nuanced performance that adds a great deal to the film.One of the great joys of this movie is the Italian location and extras. The economics of contemporary movie making rarely allow for true location shooting anymore, and its too bad. As these films from the 60s and 70s age, they become increasingly valuable as an historical record.This movie also has a wonderful heart- it's a celebration of what makes life worth living. Highly recommended.

The book that this movie is based was one of the biggest best-sellers of the 1960's by the author of "The Great Imposter" (also adapted into a movie starring Tony Curtis). The book was hailed by one critic as giving a sense hope in a crazy world. And that's what this story is about, a kind of modern David and Golliath. Or maybe the town-drunkard-turned-mayor versus Nazi Germany. The village of Santa Vittoria is no Rome. It's just a small town in Italy where the townspeople live very simple lives. They would be almost destitute except for one small commodity they all share: the town makes and exports wonderful wine to all parts of the world. They may not make as much as Mondavi, but it's a good living. Now, it's War World II, and the Germans have infiltrated the town. Not because they love the small-town folk of Santa Vittoria and want to protect them. They want their world-famous wine to help finance the war. But of course, the townspeople are dependent upon the wine for their livelihoods. So Anthony Quinn, perfectly cast as the town drunkard who ends up mayor, comes up with a plan. They give the Germans some of the wine and insist that they have given all the town possesses. Hardy Kruger as the German officer in charge of the operation is unconvinced. They seemed too happy and too willing to give up their wine. He knows the townspeople are hiding more wine, and he will use all means at his disposal to retrieve every last bottle. The cat and mouse game is on! Can a bunch of simple-folk led by their clownish mayor in rural Italy outwit the likes of the German army? I vastly underrated movie that is mostly hilarious from beginning until end. There are a couple of references to torture but mostly it is quite a fun plot. Will Anthony Quinn and the town through sheer determination wear down the stubbornness of Hardy Kruger and the Germans, who seem absolutely relentless in their conviction that more wine exists? And now out on DVD!Please vote for this movie on sites that have influence on DVD releases to get this movie available!