If the title isn't enough of a warning, The 25th Hour is a very heavy movie. Starring the fantastic Anthony Quinn as a Romanian peasant, this WWII movie will absolutely make you cry. He starts the movie happily married to Virna Lisi and working their little farm. When Virna rebuffs the advances of another man, he tries to get Tony out of the way. He writes Tony's name down on a list of Jewish residents and hands it over to the occupying Nazi soldiers. Despite his endless protestations that there was a mistake on the list and he's not Jewish, he gets sent to a concentration camp.
My greatest frustration with this movie is the unrealized potential. It could have showcased Anthony Quinn's great talent (which we all know he has) instead of hiding it. It felt as if director Henri Verneuil purposely tried to make his lead actor look bad. In the most emotional scene of the entire film, the camera cuts away from Tony, giving another actor, Michael Redgrave, a closeup for no reason. Had Tony been on the receiving end, he would have reduced the audience to a puddle of tears.
However, great actors know ways to get around their director. Just ask Alec Guinness, whose big monologue was filmed from behind his back in The Bridge on the River Kwai; he continually tilted his head so his face would be visible. Anthony Quinn earned a Hot Toasty Rag nomination for his performance in this film. Despite humor where it shouldn't have been and less camera footage than he deserved, Tony was still wonderful. If you like him in The Secret of Santa Vittoria or Wild Is the Wind, rent this one - but bring your Kleenexes.
My greatest frustration with this movie is the unrealized potential. It could have showcased Anthony Quinn's great talent (which we all know he has) instead of hiding it. It felt as if director Henri Verneuil purposely tried to make his lead actor look bad. In the most emotional scene of the entire film, the camera cuts away from Tony, giving another actor, Michael Redgrave, a closeup for no reason. Had Tony been on the receiving end, he would have reduced the audience to a puddle of tears.
However, great actors know ways to get around their director. Just ask Alec Guinness, whose big monologue was filmed from behind his back in The Bridge on the River Kwai; he continually tilted his head so his face would be visible. Anthony Quinn earned a Hot Toasty Rag nomination for his performance in this film. Despite humor where it shouldn't have been and less camera footage than he deserved, Tony was still wonderful. If you like him in The Secret of Santa Vittoria or Wild Is the Wind, rent this one - but bring your Kleenexes.