A wonderful black comedy set during the first world war with two very enticing leads, some strong moments and great banter. It's missing that extra something to make it an all time great, but even at over two hours it's pretty briskly paced and fun. Great and appropriate ending too.

Sordi and Gassman are terrific, there's some funny bits and touching commentary, and the film is very well shot with realistic battlefields. I'm at a loss to explain why I wasn't more taken with it. Maybe it was too scattershot, too episodic. While this does sort of mimic the chaos and randomness of war, I never felt like I could settle into the movie. I didn't get fully engaged with this film, although I do recognize its assets. One of them being the fantastic, and very appropriate, ending.

A true masterpiece by the geniuses Mario Monicelli and Age Incrocci, La Grande Guerra is one of the best war movies ever made. Uncannily, it manages to be at once more comedic and more serious and tragic than others in its genre, by emphasizing the social reality behind conscription and the striking ironies and senselessness of war. In the end it is also a reexamination of the meaning of heroism, not as the superhuman feat of fearless and flawless paragons.