In this tragic story that has an unrealized potential to tug at the emotions, a woman in mourning for her two sons lost in World War I is the only one in her village determined to financially support a war memorial. The village poor have too little money, and the richer are tight-fisted. She has given a whole 15 years of savings -- yet the good priest, for whom she works as a maid, is not enthusiastic about her action because he is worried that the memorial will not remind the villagers of past horrors and suffering but disguise the human cost of war in rhetoric. As the memorial's advocates begin to sustain the day, flashbacks show how the woman's youngest son shot his captain, deserted the army, and came to die of fever while in his mother's care. The priest helped her as much as possible, yet he feels compelled to tell the authorities that her son was a deserter.
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Cast
4 people
Giuliana Berlinguer Director · Massimo Felisatti Writer Giuseppe Dessi Author
United States release October 2, 1983 · Produced in Italy · Original title Il disertore
Production
RAI
Production
Italy
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Il disertore
Original language
Italian
Spoken on screen
Italian
Release dates
Italy · February 2, 1983
Theatrical
United States · October 2, 1983
Premiere · Chicago International Film Festival
Italy
September 3, 1983 · Premiere · Venice Film Festival
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