The Best of Enemies (1962)

Wonderful character development!

Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

"The Best of Enemies" is a comical farce set during WWII and concerns fighting between the Italians and Brits in North Africa. Instead of being a film about large armed forces, it's about a bunch of misfits on all sides and primarily is about two annoyingly stubborn officers. The reviews for "The Best of Enemies" are so good that I decided to force myself to see the entire film and I resisted the impulse to turn it off and cut my losses. After all, a lot of people really liked it and I wanted to see why. And, for the life of me, I still have no idea why the other reviews are so positive. While this isn't a terrible film, it just never felt very satisfying and I kept hoping it would get better. Overall, I didn't find it very funny nor did I particularly enjoy it--and I think the kooky musical score only made this worse.

As far as I know The Best Of Enemies is the only film ever done about a forgotten part of World War II, the campaign in Ethiopia. The first nation to fall to Fascist aggression is ironically the first liberated by it. When Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa was captured by the British there was great rejoicing in the United Kingdom which at that point didn't have a lot to rejoice about. That incident is most important in the climax of the film.David Niven and Albert Sordi play beautifully off against each other as they take turns being each other's prisoners. Neither is a professional soldier and that's important as discipline from both armies kind of breaks down as the two try to get back to the war from the back outposts of the Ethiopian desert that both small companies are stuck in.I will say The Best Of Enemies does give credence that the Italians were not best of soldiers during World War II. Best scene in the film is when the native Ethiopians surround both and want the weapons they have and prove to be better strategists than either commander. The native chief gives out with a timely warning about taking your white man's war back to your own countries. The Best Of Enemies is a fine comedy with perfectly matched leads and even has some serious messages we should listen to.

It is so many years since i have seen this film because ??? you tell me why this film is not on DVD other than the younger generation would not want to see it, both main actors were splendid no matter if they were not "great actors" who are the great actors anyway it is mostly a matter of personal enjoyment anyway.of course i would buy it if it were on DVD,i am 60 years old it may be a "generation thing" and i can understand the need to make a profit to reproduce the film on DVD but why is it so difficult to show the film on TV.The mix of Italian and British humour is quite rare on film and as this movie works so well this is yet another reason for a showing on TV.I can get this film on VHS from Amazon for over £30 plus i no longer have a video recorder -but im thinking about it because i would so love to see this film again.

My father fought in the desert against the Italians whom he considered to be ..."not very warlike - fortunately".Not very motivated,not particularly interested in killing and even less interested in dying for a few hundred square miles of sand,he passionately shared their philosophy of non - confrontation.Only when the respective High Commands demanded a "push forward" did the two opposing armies fire a few desultory shells in vaguely the right direction.This kind of situation cannot be allowed to exist in war and overnight,quite out of the blue,the Italians folded up their tents and disappeared to be replaced by the far less sanguine Germans,including,my father believed,a Punishment Battalion who,driven forward by threats of execution,flooded into the British Lines two nights later and were wiped out.Taking this to indicate that the Germans meant business,all thoughts of peaceful co - existence were swept from his mind,but he retained a rueful affection for the reluctant Italian soldiery,sure that the concept of a Punishment Battalion would be alien to their very nature. Watching "The Best of Enemies" merely serves to vindicate his belief. Civilised Italian Officer (Mr A.Sordi) goes mano a mano with civilised British Officer (Mr D.Niven)in a theatre of war neither of them feel particularly committed to.Not eager to inflict further casualties on each other's men they seek for a satisfactory "laissez - faire" solution rather than wipe each other out. As might be expected from intelligent,well-educated, sophisticated European men,they find a mutual rapprochement,even a mutual affection that traverses nationalistic concerns. Mr Niven fits into his role like a man slipping on a beautifully-made riding boot,displaying the ruling-class's noblesse oblige.Here is a man who wouldn't dream of being rude or arrogant towards his men,but woe betide any officer who screws up. Signor Sordi,with the confidence of a thousand years of civilisation behind him,heir to the proud Roman tradition,but pragmatic enough to realise the "bigger picture" Released with very little razzamatazz in 1962,"The Best of Enemies" is a gentle,amusing look at a situation that is neither gentle nor amusing in itself.Pleasingly old-fashioned in its submission that honour and chivalry can still prevail and make even the most trying conditions ju st a little more tolerable,it gives Mr Niven one of his best later roles one,I suspect,he would prefer to be remembered for rather than the anodyne "Pink Panther".