Change Your Image
hackne
Reviews
The Assisi Underground (1985)
Okay movie but read the book.
The movie is based on Alexander Ramati's book called The Assisi Underground. Ramati learned of what happened when he was in Assisi after the liberation in 1944 and promised to chronicle the story of how a simple Franciscan priest and a local bishop concealed Jews during the German occupation.
The movie takes liberties with the story and adds elements (such as looking for a Italian Jewish scientist who knew Enrico Fermi) that were not there. Some action sequences did happen in the book (the train scene where British planes bomb the area) while some were altered. Colonel Muller and the SS Captain reflect their characters for the most part. It does relate correctly though the bravery of everyone working together to help save the Jews. But if you want the full story, read the book as it will give a lot more details than depicted in the movie.
Zorro: He Who Lives by the Sword (1990)
Not The Best
The story is this: An English swordsman comes to the pueblo and bullies everyone. He bullies Sgt. Mendoza and challenges him to a duel (and is stopped by the Alcade). He bullies the Alcade into submission, treats Victoria badly, insults merchants selling wares, and interferes with an auction. The Alcade, desperate to shut this guy down, has to take fencing lessons from, you guessed it, Zorro! The reason the episode is so bad is not the acting (which is decent in spite of the poor story) but how badly conceived it is. Had he been leading a gang terrorizing the populace, the story would be better. Instead you have one arrogant sword wielder walking around causing everyone to cower. A reverse Zorro! Sgt.Mendoza and his men seem unable to deal with him (he is no Zorro after all). So it takes the real Zorro to send him packing (since no one else can).
Normally I like most Zorro episodes but this one was poorly written and ill conceived.
Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983)
Good drama, bad history
When I originally viewed this series, I was enthralled. This prompted me to go out and research what is known about Sydney Reilly. The book this series is based on, Reilly:Ace of Spies by Robin Bruce Lockhart, is based primarily on what Reilly told his father. And what Reilly told him and many others were lies, half-truths, and distortions. Many researchers, some with wild claims about Reilly being a communist spy, realized much of the stories that circulated about his supposed deeds were not accurate. This is not the fault of the series or Robin Lockhart, this information was not known at the time.
The real Sydney Reilly is quite fascinating and complex individual. He did spy for the British but had personal motives (money mostly) that drove him as well. Nor did many of his exploits (stealing ship plans, helping the Japanese at Port Arthur, his association with a Moscow firm to get German warship plans) occur as he said they did. Nor did he have any association with Basil Zaharoff of Vickers as depicted in the series. But the ending is likely the most accurate. He was arrested on Russian soil after coming the meet members of the TRUST (a false front by the CHEKA to get their Russian émigré enemies identified and killed)interrogated, and executed.
A recent book, ACE OF SPIES/The True Story of Sidney Reilly exhaustively researched Reilly and is perhaps the best book as to who this fascinating person really was. Take the series as good entertainment and nothing more.
Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy (1986)
An interesting look at India & Mountbatten
This dramatization is a solidly acted depiction of the last days of the British Empire in India and Mountbatten's role in the transition from colony to independent nation. Mountbatten has many biographies out there, some less flattering than others. This depiction of him falls more or less in the middle, showing his strengths and his weaknesses. Also the show does not shy away from showing his wife, Edwina, and her relationship with Nehru (it should be noted her wild ways long before she arrived in India made her not welcome at Buckingham Palace). Much of the actual history is greatly abridged (such as the partition) so as to not delve into the complexities of the India/Pakistan split. And some things are fictionalized for dramatic purposes.
Nehru's politics is not given much examination in this depiction (he was a socialist). Gandhi's role is historically accurate (unlike the movie that bears his name, he was not an active participant in the partition) as are other things. This is a good start to understand this important moment in history. Mountbatten is still a controversial figure both in England and India over what happened as the last viceroy.