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The Two Colonels
The Two Colonels
Directed by	Steno
Written by	Bruno Corbucci; Giovanni Grimaldi
Produced by	Gianni Buffardi
Starring	Totò; Walter Pidgeon
Cinematography	Gino Santoni
Edited by	Giuliana Attenni
Music by	Gianni Ferrio
Distributed by	Titanus
Release date	1963;
Running time	96 min
Country	Italy
Languages	Italian; English

The Two Colonels (Italian: I due colonnelli) is a 1963 Italian comedy film directed by Steno and starring Totò and Walter Pidgeon.^[1]^[2] The character of Totò took inspiration from a similar character he played in Totò Diabolicus.^[3]

Plot

The story is of Italian and British troops facing off on the Greek-Albanian border in 1943. Both sides take, lose, and retake a border village countless times during the entire movie. The village is taken and retaken by both sides so many times that the locals do not even pay attention to the battles any more and openly collaborate with whichever side is occupying the village at that time. Both sides use the same hotel as their HQ and a friendship and mutual respect even develops between the two opposing commanding officers. This goes on until the Germans arrive and order the Italian commander Di Maggio to destroy the village killing its inhabitants, an order the Italian commander refuses to carry out bringing on a death sentence. His men refuse the German officer's order to fire and are also condemned to death. The British recapture the village just in time to save the Italians, all rejoice at the news that Italy has just asked for an armistice.

Cast

Totò: Colonel Antonio Di Maggio Regio Esercito
Walter Pidgeon: Colonel Timothy Henderson Royal Fusiliers
Nino Taranto: Sgt. Quaglia
Giorgio Bixio: Soldier Giobatta Parodi
Toni Ucci: Mazzetta
Nino Terzo: Soldier La Padula
Scilla Gabel: Iride
Gérard Herter: German General von Tirpitz
Rowland Bartrop (as Roland von Bartrop): Major Kruger
Andrea Scotti : Iride's husband

References

^ "Gli urlacci di Totò e un emulo Constantine". La Stampa. 18 January 1963.
^ Alberto Anile. I film di Totò (1946-1967): la maschera tradita. Le mani, 1998.
^ Masolino D'Amico. La commedia all'italiana. Il Saggiatore, 2008.