Alfredo Varelli Movies

Set during World War II, The Assisi Underground deals with the efforts made by a handful of hardy European souls to rescue Jews from the Holocaust. Ben Cross plays a dynamic young Catholic priest who puts his own life on the line to save thousands of refugees from Nazi-occupied Italy. While the role of the Vatican in the war is still a matter of hot debate, there can be no denying that individuals like Cross existed: in fact, virtually every event depicted in this film is based on an actual event. Featured in the all-star cast are James Mason, Irene Papas, and Maximillian Schell. When originally released, Assissi Underground clocked in at 178 minutes, resulting in a well-intentioned but frankly boring wartime epic. The producers whittled the running time down to 118 minutes for its general release. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This Italian drama tells the story of Christ's crucifixion from the viewpoint of the Roman emperor's procurator in Israel who must try to quell a Jewish revolt. In a bizarre twist, John Drew Barrymore plays both Jesus and Judas in the film. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In this sword and sandal epic set during Rome's attack on ancient Greece, both the Roman and Carthaginian armies are battling for possession of Syracuse. Brave Archimedes is assigned to head the defense of the city. He is temporarily distracted after his lover gets pregnant and her evil step-brother takes her to Roman soldiers. The experience affects her so deeply that she loses her memory. She then marries a Roman dignitary. Archimedes also marries and many years pass. Now the Greek hero must head for Rome to form a new alliance. There he sees his long-lost love. She sees him too and instantly regains her memory, but to spare her son unnecessary grief, she does not tell her son. Later the Romans renege and again attack Syracuse. This time, the Roman fleet is destroyed and so are the respective spouses of the star-crossed lovers. Finally freed of their constraints the two marry, but for the sake of their son, they still restrain from telling him the truth about his father. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The official credits for the Italian-made Stranger on the Prowl read: "written and directed by Andrea Forzano." In truth, Andrea Forzano was two people: screenwriter Ben Barzman and director Joseph Losey, both of whom had been blacklisted by Hollywood and were forced to work under pseudonyms. Essentially a two-person character study, the film stars Paul Muni as a down-and-out crook on the lam. Muni befriends a young street urchin (Vittorio Mazzunchelli, billed as "Manunta" in many prints) in an Italian port city. At first amused that the boy is a sneak thief, Muni tries to deflects the kid from a life of crime. Tipped off by a woman anxious to collect the reward for Muni (who is wanted for murder), the police pursue the two lost souls. Muni sees to it that the boy manages to escape, but is himself gunned down. A weak-tea imitation of the Italian neorealist movement, Stranger on the Prowl was cut by 18 minutes for its English-language release (in Britain it was titled Encounter). The full, original 100-minute Italian version, released in 1951, was known as Imbarco a Mezzanote. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Canadian-born actress Lois Maxwell, best known for her portrayal of Miss Moneypenny in the "James Bond" films, heads the cast of the Italian costume melodrama Amori e Veleni. Maxwell plays Sweden's Queen Christina, who makes a diplomatic visit to Rome. The queen's former lover, Count Santinelli (Amedeo Nazzari), falls in love with a Roman lady-in-waiting. Though deeply hurt, Christina takes the old "duty over love" route. The film's English-language title is Loves and Poisons, a reference to the Borgia-like intrigues taking place in the background. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

"The Machine Gun" is a formidable opponent for a retired general in this exciting adventure. ~ Rovi