The Italian village of Santa Vittoria is a peaceful place that has endured under fascism. First they came and then they dictated. Mussolini and the Italian fascists stayed away and told the village to work, they have been defeated now. Now comes the German fascists who want Santa Vittoria occupied and producing wine vital to the country and the moral of a people. But the town mayor Bombolini might not want to do this!
Silly and sardonic but also charming and a little empty. This is the comedy epic of Italy under the Nazis and after the spell of fascism has broken. It might not be the softest use of the Second World War as backdrop to a melodrama but it is fun enough to overcome some of the issues around it. The lack of discussion about the horrors of the occupation aside, the performances that vary from embellished to excessive and the over blown cinematography, The Secret of Santa Vittoria is a worthwhile and saccharine journey with little to really discuss.
The disc is plain sadly and this may have swung me toward a more uptempo judgement but then it could have also swung it the other way so, you win and lose.
