People are voting emotionally.

Boring, over-political, tech fuzed mess

Absolutely Fantastic

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

This documentary movie is about the battle of San Pietro, a small village in Italy. Over 1,100 US soldiers were killed while trying to take this location, that blocked the way for the Allied forces from the Germans.Huston and his crew were attached to the U.S. Army's 143rd Regiment of the 36th Division. Unlike many other military documentaries, it was claimed Huston's cameramen filmed alongside the infantrymen as they fought their way up the hills to reach San Pietro. (Huston's claim that the film was made during the battle was proved false by the research of Peter Maslowski.) Huston quickly became unpopular with the Army, not only for the film but also for his response to the accusation that the film was anti-war. Huston responded that if he ever made a pro-war film, he should be shot. And this coming from a man who served. I think that is a great statement. We can support the troops, especially when they are fighting the fascists, but that should not make us "pro-war". Whatever is between pro- and anti- war, that seems to be the right outlook.

The reality of the War in Europe was brought to the American people in the John Huston shocking documentary "San Pietro" a forgotten battle in the hills and mountains of Central Italy that ended up costing as many US military battle casualties-some 1,200-as San Pietro's own population-1,400-in the 10 days of brutal fighting it took to capture it. We see here for the first time war in the raw with real footage that make people watching it stomachs churn. The film was unlike the movies that were released by Hollywood about the war to boost moral and make us-the US-look invincible compared to those we were at war with.Released just -on May 3 1945- a week before the war in Europe ended the American people saw for the first time US servicemen in real life not in the movie killed fighting the enemy in far greater numbers then the US Government or War Department was willing to show them. Using stock footage as well as recreating the battle scenes director John Huston showed us the reality of war not at all to glorify it like the Hollywood studios did to hide it's shocking effects from the American public.New at the time the war documentary opened the door to many more documentaries as well as movies to follow over the next 70 years in showing us that war is hell and mostly to those who have to fight it. Since then war movies out of Hollywood have become far more real in their depiction of war and less patriotic which is the best thing that the war documentary achieved. And it almost landed it's director John Huston behind bars for it's anti-war message that was considered unpatriotic and defeatist at the time of its release.

I saw this film while watching my copy of the 4-DVD set "Treasures From American Film Archives"--a set of mostly ephemeral films that would have otherwise been lost."San Pietro" is a film assembled by the US War Department to chronicle one of many battles from WWII. Like so many government films made during WWII, it is narrated by a Hollywood star (director John Huston) and I assume it was made by film makers who were in military service for the war.The film's narration and images are surprisingly blunt and free from extreme patriotism--making it highly realistic and gripping. In other words, the film is not all about American victory but shows casualties and describes how difficult this battle was--not some jingoistic rant meant to glorify war and make it seem like the troops were super-human. While some might have thought this would demoralize the folks at home (hence it was held for release for two years), it was direct, informative and well-constructed. At times, it felt almost as if you were there in the action and was very compelling--and a nice tribute to real sacrifices made by some very brave soldiers as well as an important historical record.

These comments helped me a lot' It is impressive in describing both the events and the atmosphere of a desperate and costly struggle, and it is memorable in preserving its effect on those who had to live through it.This documentary movie is about the battle of San Pietro, a small village in Italy. Over 1,100 US soldiers were killed while trying to take this location, that blocked the way for the Allied forces from the Germans'Well i do watched film not the whole of it but i cant get the documentary devices the filmmaker used, uniqueness in the film e.g in Triumph of the Will everyman has got Hitler' s hairstyle and how the editing together with shots relate to what the film is about. Also why is that women and children are shown smiling? Which type of shots are mostly used? What causes this battle? Who won the Battle and what are the effects brought by this fighting apart from people dying? What is the filmmaker trying to explain to the world?Please anyone explain to me.I will be happy... Really want to know about this film Thanks a lot