ALFA TAU! 1942
This one is an Italian war film made during the Italian involvement in World War Two. The Italians, like all the other combatants knocked out flag-wavers for the home front. This one is about the crew of the Italian submarine, "Enrico Toti".
The film starts out in port and deals mainly with the everyday life of the various officers and crew of the submarine. We see the crew go through training and having a glass or two after hours. We get to see the lives of their women folk and their families as well. There is also the odd British air-raid to break up the routine. This goes on for a good two thirds of the film.
When the "Enrico Toti" finally goes to sea, the pace really bumps up a couple of notches. There is a run in with several British torpedo aircraft. (actually Italian SM- 79 Sparrow bombers) The sub is hit by one of the torpedoes but the torpedo luckily is a dud. The crew manage to down one of the British aircraft with their anti-aircraft fire.
There is now a hook up with a German U-Boat for the transfer of a wounded man to the Germans. The submarine is then sent to help the crew of a damaged Italian Air Force tri-motor floatplane. They help repair the aircraft and see it off.
Now comes the defining moment for the "Enrico Toti" The submarine becomes involved with a British Royal Navy submarine. Both ships are on the surface and are quickly barking at each other with their deck guns. The range rapidly closes as the two ships try to nail the other with a torpedo. The Italian anti-aircraft weaponry chases the British submarine's gun crew below decks. The main deck gun then manages to put several rounds into the Royal Navy submarine, sinking her. The "Enrico Toti" now returns to home port for repairs and to drop their wounded.
The battle depicted in the film actually happened. The "Enrico Toti" and HMS "Triad" ran into each other at dawn on 15th October, 1940, in the Gulf of Taranto. HMS "Triad" was the only Royal Navy submarine lost to an Italian submarine. There were no survivors from the "Triad".
The "Enrico Toti" spent most of the war as a training boat with the odd run to carry supplies to North Africa.
The first part of the film is heavy going, but once the action starts, it turns into a well mounted wartime flag-waver. The cast is made up of mostly Italian Navy submariners.
The film was directed by Francesco De Robertis. This is the second war film from the director that I have seen. The other title was 1952's, CARICA EROICA.
This one is an Italian war film made during the Italian involvement in World War Two. The Italians, like all the other combatants knocked out flag-wavers for the home front. This one is about the crew of the Italian submarine, "Enrico Toti".
The film starts out in port and deals mainly with the everyday life of the various officers and crew of the submarine. We see the crew go through training and having a glass or two after hours. We get to see the lives of their women folk and their families as well. There is also the odd British air-raid to break up the routine. This goes on for a good two thirds of the film.
When the "Enrico Toti" finally goes to sea, the pace really bumps up a couple of notches. There is a run in with several British torpedo aircraft. (actually Italian SM- 79 Sparrow bombers) The sub is hit by one of the torpedoes but the torpedo luckily is a dud. The crew manage to down one of the British aircraft with their anti-aircraft fire.
There is now a hook up with a German U-Boat for the transfer of a wounded man to the Germans. The submarine is then sent to help the crew of a damaged Italian Air Force tri-motor floatplane. They help repair the aircraft and see it off.
Now comes the defining moment for the "Enrico Toti" The submarine becomes involved with a British Royal Navy submarine. Both ships are on the surface and are quickly barking at each other with their deck guns. The range rapidly closes as the two ships try to nail the other with a torpedo. The Italian anti-aircraft weaponry chases the British submarine's gun crew below decks. The main deck gun then manages to put several rounds into the Royal Navy submarine, sinking her. The "Enrico Toti" now returns to home port for repairs and to drop their wounded.
The battle depicted in the film actually happened. The "Enrico Toti" and HMS "Triad" ran into each other at dawn on 15th October, 1940, in the Gulf of Taranto. HMS "Triad" was the only Royal Navy submarine lost to an Italian submarine. There were no survivors from the "Triad".
The "Enrico Toti" spent most of the war as a training boat with the odd run to carry supplies to North Africa.
The first part of the film is heavy going, but once the action starts, it turns into a well mounted wartime flag-waver. The cast is made up of mostly Italian Navy submariners.
The film was directed by Francesco De Robertis. This is the second war film from the director that I have seen. The other title was 1952's, CARICA EROICA.
