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The Great War

Name: The Great War
Director: Mario Monicelli
Released: 1959
Duration: 137 min

Representation Score

4.1/10

Fair

1959

Approved

Director

Mario Monicelli

Runtime

137 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Mario Monicelli’s work subverts the traditional war epic by focusing on the struggles of ordinary people. While the film lacks diversity in terms of gender and sexual orientation, it excels in its cultural critique of state power and institutional failures. The narrative emphasizes the lived experiences of the working class, avoiding a monolithic portrayal of the Italian soldier by highlighting regional and socioeconomic divisions. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its anti-establishment tone. It replaces nationalist myth-making with a nuanced view of ethics, where survival becomes a necessary response to a corrupt military command.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Great War have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film features an all-male cast in a military setting, with no visible LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities.

How does The Great War portray gender?

Limited

The story focuses on a strictly patriarchal environment where women are mostly absent, serving only as distant memories or motivations rather than active participants.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Great War?

Fair

The cast is ethnically uniform, emphasizing Italian regional identities and highlighting the socioeconomic tension between the educated class and the peasantry.

How does The Great War represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film sharply critiques Western institutions and patriotism, portraying the military hierarchy as a corrupt system that exploits the working class.

Does The Great War include disability representation?

Limited

Disability is represented through the physical trauma of combat, underscoring the futility of war without giving characters much control over their lives.

Present on Screen

Offers a sophisticated critique of traditional Western institutions and military hierarchies.
Highlights regional and socioeconomic divides within Italy to avoid a monolithic portrayal.
Humanizes the working class through a lens of moral relativism and survival.

Limited or Absent

Lacks any visible representation of LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities.
Features a strictly patriarchal environment with almost no women's ability to drive the story or presence.
Ties disability representation solely to the physical trauma of combat.

Official Synopsis

Italy, 1916. Oreste Jacovacci and Giovanni Busacca are called, as all the Italian youths, to serve the army in the WWI. They both try in every way to avoid serving the army.

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