Comandante (ST. ALi Italian Film Festival 2024) - Film Review

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Thu 19 Sep 2024 - Wed 23 Oct 2024

How do Italians make a World War II drama that downplays the fact that they were on the wrong and losing side? The answer is Comandante, a film which relates the rousing story of an Italian submarine captain who defied orders and wartime logic to rescue a crew of enemy sailors. Directed by Edoardo de Angelis, Comandante is a slick period piece which has a fairly enjoyable rhythm to it. And if you can ignore its ulterior motives, it's a fun watch.



Loosely based on a true story, the hero is submarine captain Salvatore Todaro (played very well by Pierfrancesco Favino). He's a veteran seafarer who we first see slamming into the ocean following an accident. Severely diminished by the accident (he has to wear an elaborate back brace and do yoga), Todaro accepts a mission helming the Cappellini, a hulking Royal Italian Navy submarine. Before he leaves we get glimpses of Todaro's beautiful wife and learn of his misgivings about returning to sea.

After assembling his men and giving them an inspiring pep talk, Todaro orders the Cappellini out into the Mediterranean. The destination is the Atlantic Ocean and the orders are to engage and destroy enemy vessels. The first challenge for the crew is navigating the mine-laden Strait of Gibraltar. After some difficulty, the Cappellini makes it through, although at a human cost. Once in the Atlantic, the crew come under attack from fighter planes. They manage to repel the ambush, again at a cost.

The film's main plotline emerges when Todaro trains his binoculars on a steaming merchant ship. Unsure of the ship's mission or origin, Todaro launches a successful attack. The Italians learn that the vessel was Belgian, nominally a neutral country, but actually on the side of the Allies. Todaro's decision to bomb the ship and the way he deals with the morally ambiguous situation he finds himself in afterwards takes up the rest of the film.

Comandante has pleasing aspects. The battle scenes and the scenes at sea manage to avoid the bad CGI look that can plague films like this. Smaller details, such as the sailor's appearance, their mannerisms and the way they talk to each other also give the story a nice depth. There is some excellent acting. Pierfrancesco Favino the standout, a talented actor who brings Todaro to life and probably gives him more energy and nuance than his character had on the page.

There's a fair amount of whitewashing going on here (the Italian Navy was involved in the film's production). The Italian submariners are portrayed as mere pawns in a game they want nothing to do with, and this is reflected in their simple talk of returning home to be with their families, their towns and their food (there's a lot of talk about food). And Comandante is blatantly jingoistic at times. If you can put that aside and just appreciate the film visually and stylistically, you'll sail through it.

Comandante is playing nationally as part of the ST. ALi Italian Film Festival 2024. Find information on session times, locations and tickets on the festival's official website .

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