Watch The Battle of San Pietro

The Battle of San Pietro is a landmark war documentary film directed by John Huston and released in 1945, just a few months after the US Army had liberated the Italian city of San Pietro during World War II. The film offers a gritty and unvarnished look at the brutal reality of war, focusing on the bloodiest battle fought by the Allied forces in the Italian campaign.

The movie begins with an eerie and haunting sequence showing the ruins of San Pietro, which was destroyed by German forces during their retreat. The camera captures the ruins and rubble of the city, the corpses of civilians and soldiers scattered everywhere. The voice-over narration tells us that it took the Allied forces four days of fierce fighting to capture San Pietro and that the battle left more than a thousand American soldiers dead or wounded. The film's tone is somber and sobering, preparing the audience for what's to come.

The rest of the movie is a vivid and unrelenting account of the battle for San Pietro, as told through the eyes of the soldiers who fought, and surviving footage captured by Huston's camera crew. The film makes no attempt to sugarcoat the horrors of war or to glorify the soldiers' heroism. Instead, it presents an unflinching and often graphic depiction of the battle that highlights the costs and futility of war.

We see soldiers charging up hill slopes, dodging bullets and shells, and firing at enemy positions. We see tanks and planes bombing and firing at strategic locations that are held by German soldiers. We see wounded soldiers writhing in pain and crying out for help while their comrades struggle to carry them to safety. We see corpses strewn in the streets and in buildings, both of soldiers and civilians, and the fighting is relentless and seemingly endless.

Throughout the battle, General Mark W. Clark, commander of the US Fifth Army, is seen directing and strategizing, and occasionally making appearances before the camera. His calm and determined demeanor is a stark contrast to the chaos and violence around him, and his presence underscores the intensity of the conflict. His narration provides insight into the challenges that the Allied forces faced during the battle, and he reaffirms his belief in the justness of their cause.

The film also includes scenes of the soldiers resting and taking shelter from the fighting, providing moments of respite from the unrelenting violence. These scenes help to humanize the soldiers and to show that they are not mere instruments of war but human beings, who are terrified, exhausted, and homesick.

One of the film's most iconic scenes is a shot of soldiers charging up a hillside, only to be cut down by enemy fire. The camera captures the bodies tumbling down the hill, and the scene ends with one soldier's lifeless hand reaching out towards the camera. The scene is visceral and shocking, and it stands out as a stark reminder of the human cost of war.

The film ends with a reminder that San Pietro was not the end of the war but just one battle among many. The voice-over narration tells us that this battle could have been avoided if diplomacy and reason had prevailed, highlighting the tragic consequences of war.

The Battle of San Pietro is a documentary that is both a tribute to the soldiers who fought in the Italian campaign and a critique of war's devastating effects. The film's straightforward and honest approach has influenced many war documentaries that followed it, and its impact can still be felt today. It is a powerful and moving testament to the human toll of war and a reminder of the need for peace.

The Battle of San Pietro is a 1945 war movie with a runtime of 38 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.6.