In the second world war films?......?

Question

why do the films always portray the italians as jokers, cowards, diss-organized, lazy, e.t.c
I have never seen a war film which puts the itallians in a good light.
No offence to any itallians reading this!

Answer 1

I'm sure that there were courageous Italian soldiers in WWII.
Unfortunately their armed forces as a whole basically seemed to be good at surrendering very quickly, and not very good at fighting when they did.
It sounds like an insult, but facts are facts.
My uncle in the desert rats of WWII told me that the Italians were looked on as cowards by both the Germans and the British (and the Arabs!).They must have had reasons to think this.
The jokes about the Italians always wearing white underpants so they could make a surrender flag, and the advert for surplus Italian rifles for sale-"good condition - never fired, small dent from being dropped once" are not without historical precedent.
It is sad that the nation who once ruled Europe 2000 years ago, with an empire which brought the beginning of European civilisation under one banner through force of arms, turns out poor soldiers in modern times.

Maybe this is why the films never portray Italians in a good light.There is precious good to tell.

Answer 2

Would you show anyone in a good light who were hand in hand
with the germans ie fraternisation kissing cousins .
That's why you'll never find a book about Italian war heroes,
they were like they're leader 'Il Duce' cowards getting in with the
germans they thought they had teamed up with the winning side.
the underlying factor was not that they did'nt want to fight they
chose the wrong side .So I don't know why people make
excuses Comrades in Arms no more no less take the shame

Answer 3

Probably because the Italians WERE disorganised ,lazy and cowardly as an army.
More importantly they were on the wrong side.
Watch "Von Ryan`s Express" - you`ll find a very good and positive portrayal of the Italians in the Prison Camp scenes.

Answer 4

I think it's getting at the fact that the Italians sided with Germany then quickly changed sides when things turned sh*t shaped. Italy was ONE of the countries that thought they'd have and easy ride and enjoy the spoils of war until Hitler turned on them.
As the old joke goes most Italian soldiers war wounds were from being shot in the backside as they ran away.
As already stated, they chose the wrong side.

Answer 5

My grandfather was in a small tank unit, they crested a dune
in the Sahara and the came across an entire battalion
as they got ready to leave rather sharpish they saw two start walking carrying a white flag....
Many of them were never really into the idea of fighting even b4 it began. Ethiopia etc is one thing fighting real sons of B which we were is quite another.
So they were never really effective the only branch of their armed services that really served with distinction was the navy.

Answer 6

I think it comes about from when Italians were taken prisoner by the Allies in Africa, there was a photo of loads of Italian prisoners marching along guarded by a few soldiers and the prisoners were actually carrying the guards weapons for them.

Answer 7

I can't speak from experience but the italians did not cover themselves in glory in WW2. They're nation and people were divided, the truth is they weren't a military power, the general public and to a lesser extent the army had no interest in war. Mussolini dragged them into it.

Answer 8

Coz the main purpose of war films seems to be to reinforce false stereotypes. The Germans, Austrians, Czechs, Russians and Japanese aren't given the best of treatment either, are they

Answer 9

"Captain Corelli's Mandolin", Nicholas Cage. This I think fills your criteria of a war film that puts Italians in a good light.

Answer 10

They were not known for their courageous ways that is why they are protrayed in this way, they didn't really want to be involved in the war