Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1960s
    Movies - 1960s Movies - P 2 Mins Read

    Pigeon That Took Rome, The (1962)

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    It is the sping of 1944 and the Americans are planning to invade German-held Rome from the Anzio beachhead. To establish whether the Germans are laying mines on the approaches to Rome, Captain Paul MacDougall (Charlton Heston) is sent to investigate.

    Assigned as his radioman is Sergeant Joe Angelico (Harry Guardino) and they contact resistance leader Ciccio Massimo (Salvatore Baccaloni) who offers them shelter at his home in Rome.

    His eldest daughter, Antonella (Elsa Martinelli) is reluctant because of food shortages, but submits in the hope that Paul or Joe will provide a husband for her pregnant sister Rosalba (Gabriella Pallotta).

    It is Joe who falls for the sister (while Paul and Antonella pair off, also) and Antonella plans an Easter dinner at which to announce her sister’s engagement. She despairs of ever finding enough food for such a function, though, until she remembers that Paul has 23 carrier pigeons (the Americans are unable to use their radio due to the Nazis communication detection equipment).

    At the dinner the air is filled with satisfied munching as guests, including Paul, eat what they imagine to be quail.

    The meal is barely digested when Paul asks Ciccio to get him four pigeons ready to fly to the American beachhead with messages – but there is only one left!

    To replace the devoured birds, Ciccio steals some German carrier pigeons. When Paul unsuspectingly puts four into flight bearing vital information, he is surprised to see them heading for the German lines!

    Cancelling out the messages that thus fall into enemy hands calls for quick thinking on the part of Paul and Joe, and it is the participation of the one remaining American pigeon that unwittingly saves the day – and Rome.

    The film’s exteriors were shot in Rome and the entire film – photographed in Panavision – exudes an infectious air of Italian sunshine and high spirits. It’s a fun-filled flight of fancy.

    Captain Paul MacDougall/Benny the Snatch/Narrator
    Charlton Heston
    Antonella Massimo
    Elsa Martinelli
    Sgt. Joseph Angelico
    Harry Guardino
    Ciccio Massimo
    Salvatore Baccaloni
    Rosalba Massimo
    Gabriella Pallotta
    Col. Sherman Harrington
    Brian Donlevy
    Livio Massimo
    Marietto
    Oberst Krafft
    Rudolph Anders
    Monsignor O’Toole
    Arthur Shields
    Luigina Massimo
    Debbie Price
    Conte Danesi
    Vadim Wolkonsky
    Steve
    Ted Knight

    Director
    Melville Shavelson

    Related Posts

    • Spirits Of The Dead (1968)
      Spirits Of The Dead (1968)
      This horror anthology has three prominent European directors - Roger Vadim, Louis Malle and Federico Fellini - each adapt an…
    • 55 Days At Peking (1963)
      55 Days At Peking (1963)
      In June 1900, Major Matt Lewis (Charlton Heston) rides into Peking with a detachment of Marines and is appalled to…
    • Cleopatra (1963)
      Cleopatra (1963)
      For her role as the last pharaoh of Egypt in Fox's gargantuan Cleopatra, Elizabeth Taylor audaciously asked for and received,…
    • This Is My Street (1964)
      This Is My Street (1964)
      Pretty Marge Graham (June Ritchie) has lived in Jubilee Terrace, South London, all her life and is trapped in the…
    • 13 West Street (1962)
      13 West Street (1962)
      Mild-mannered aeronautical engineer Walt Sherill (Alan Ladd) is brutally attacked and injured by a gang of well-dressed teenage thugs but…
    • Private War of Major Benson, The (1955)
      Private War of Major Benson, The (1955)
      Major Bernard Benson (Charlton Heston), noted for advancing with his mouth before thinking, is given a choice to be drummed…
    • Fellini Satyricon (1969)
      Fellini Satyricon (1969)
      Fellini Satyricon tells of two students in Rome circa AD 500, who go their different ways after fighting over a pretty boy. Their…
    • War of the Planets (1965)
      War of the Planets (1965)
      Following Assignment: Outer Space and Battle of the Worlds, Italian director Antonio Margheriti was approached by MGM to make four…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleMrs Gibbons’ Boys (1962)
    Next Article Dock Brief, The (1962)

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Fosters, The
      1 9 7 6 – 1 9 7 7 (UK) 26 x 30 minute episodes This […]
    • Allen Ginsberg
      1 9 2 6 – 1 9 9 7 US poet and political activist. His […]
    • Richard Clapton
      Former commercial artist Richard Clapton released his first solo […]
    • Hubba Bubba
      “Big Bubbles, No Troubles” This bubblegum first hit […]
    • Americanization of Emily, The (1964)
      US Navy Lieutenant Commander Charlie Madison (James Garner) is a […]
    • Tangerine Dream
      There were two turning points for West Berlin art […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Sport Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.