A scrap of life
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | A scrap of life |
| Original title | The Bold and the Brave |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1956 |
| length | 93 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Lewis R. Foster |
| script | Robert Lewin |
| production | Hal E. Chester |
| music | Herschel Burke Gilbert |
| camera | Sam Leavitt |
| cut | Aaron Stell |
| occupation | |
| |
A Scrap Of Life is a 1956 American war film directed by Lewis R. Foster.
action
Willie and Dave, two American recruits, recover in a camp during the 1944 Italian campaign. When a soldier is killed by a sniper shot in the head, both are shocked. A patrol is sent out to find the shooter. Davie runs into him in the underbrush. Despite his surprise advantage, Dave, who confessed his fear of the fight to his friend Willie, cannot fire on him. Sergeant Wollaston comes to Dave's aid and kills the enemy gunman who was already aiming at Dave.
When Dave Wollaston thanks him the next morning, the sergeant is deeply religious. The unit is given a four-day break. While Dave and Willie are having fun, Wollaston visits an old church. Willie and Dave want to do something good for Wollaston and pay Fiamma to visit the sergeant. Fiamma meets Wollaston when he purchases a crucifix from a street vendor and invites him to dinner. Wollaston's desire for buttermilk upsets her. She takes him to a nearby farm and watches in amazement as he pours buttermilk into himself. He tells her about his alcoholic father, his mother who left him and his uncle who adopted him and trained him in the faith. In the evening he brings Fiamma home, but flees in a panic when she tries to kiss him. When he returns to her, Fiamma reassures him that her feelings are not bad. She persuades him to spend the rest of his free time with her.
When Fiamma talks about marriage and sincere love on the last day, Wollaston's resistance collapses. He kisses her, gives her the crucifix and vows to return and marry her. Fiamma meets Dave in a pub, to whom she wants to give the money back because she fell in love with Wollaston. Dave is pleased and promises not to say anything about her business or Fiamma's previous life as a prostitute. Wollaston arrives and is congratulated by Dave. A soldier enters the bar, recognizes Fiamma and wants to go to a room with her. Wollaston can drive the soldier away, but he forces Fiamma to tell about her past. The angry sergeant leaves the bar. The weeping Fiamma follows him and asks for forgiveness. When Wollaston refuses and tears the cross off her neck, she tells him about her business with Dave, which only angered Wollaston even more.
At camp, Willie wins $ 1,000 playing dice and is asked to retaliate. Dave tries to stop him, but Willie, who wants to open a restaurant in New Jersey with the profit, continues. He is soon followed by bad luck. When an air raid occurs, Willie and his opponent continue to play. Fortune returns to Willie and he makes a profit of $ 30,000. Willie can't be really happy because he is sent on a patrol by the still angry Wollaston. The sergeant also denies him the time to hide the money. Dave confronts Wollaston with his belief that he is a hypocrite and afraid to forgive someone. Wollaston allows Dave to hide the money.
The patrol attacks a farmhouse that is occupied by Germans. Again, Dave had panic attacks during the fight. After the Germans have dispersed, the men seek refuge in the house. Wollaston's group includes Willie and Dave, Smitty and the seriously injured Wilbur. Wollaston fears that there are more enemies in the area and orders Wilbur to be left behind. The men rebel, and Wollaston allows Smitty to dress the wounded man's wounds. A short time later, a German tank attacks the house. Wilbur and Smitty die. During a ceasefire, Wollaston is able to rescue Willie from the rubble, noticing that he has stuffed his uniform with the money he won. Furious, Wollaston grabbed the bills and threw some on the floor. The tank fires again, Wollaston is wounded. Willie tries to take the money from the floor, is hit and dies. Dave's courage is strengthened by the death of his friend. He can destroy the enemy tank. He collects his friend's money and informs Wollaston that he wants to send the money to Willie's wife. He wants to tell her that he died getting it for her. When asked what Wollaston is willing to die for, he hands Dave the crucifix. Dave lifts the sergeant on his shoulders and returns with him to camp.
Reviews
“War film made-up which, through its pseudo-realism, has a deeper impact. The actors, especially Mickey Rooney, play their roles in a remarkable way. "
"A war drama that deprives itself of the hoped-for deeper effect due to its pseudo-reality."
background
- By the Superscope method, the film was displayed with an aspect ratio of 2.0: 1.
- The Director participation of Mickey Rooney went unmentioned.
- The film was shot on a ranch in the Simi Valley, California.
- Mickey Rooney and Ross Bagdasarian composed the title song of the film .
Awards
- 1957: Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor
- 1957: Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay
Web links
- A scrap of life in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ A scrap of life. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .
- ↑ 6000 films. Critical notes from the cinema years 1945 to 1958 . Handbook V of the Catholic film criticism, 3rd edition, Verlag Haus Altenberg, Düsseldorf 1963