The Great War (1959) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie takes place on the Italian front of World War I, primarily in the Piave River region near the Austro-Hungarian border. The story shifts from military training districts to frontline outposts and includes sequences on trains heading toward the front lines.

• italian front
• piave river
• world war 1
• setting
• austro-hungarian border

The narrative is set in 1916 during Italy's involvement in World War I on the Alpine front. This places the story during the intense fighting between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, leading up to the Battle of Caporetto.

• 1916
• world war 1
• italian front
• alpine front
• historical period

The film explores three interconnected themes: friendship between two very different men bound by shared peril, the tension between duty and self-preservation as soldiers weigh survival against loyalty, and ultimate sacrifice where characters face execution rather than betray their comrades.

• friendship
• duty
• sacrifice
• war themes
• self-preservation

The two central protagonists are Oreste Jacovacci, a cautious and initially self-serving conscript played by Alberto Sordi, and Giovanni Busacca, a hot-tempered but loyal comrade played by Vittorio Gassman. Supporting figures include Captain Castelli, who embodies military discipline, and Sergeant Barriferri, who represents the procedural side of warfare.

• oreste jacovacci
• giovanni busacca
• castelli
• barriferri
• main characters

Oreste is a cautious, self-serving conscript whose primary motivation is self-preservation. However, as the story progresses, he forms a fragile bond with Giovanni and gradually shifts toward loyalty and moral resolve. His arc moves from pragmatism to ultimate sacrifice in defense of his friend.

• oreste jacovacci
• character
• alberto sordi
• self-preservation
• loyalty

Giovanni is driven by pride, courage, and fierce loyalty to his comrade Oreste. His hot-tempered nature gives way to solidary as war intensifies, and his willingness to confront danger head-on, including humiliating encounters with the enemy, defines his character's dignity under pressure.

• giovanni busacca
• character
• vittorio gassman
• pride
• loyalty

Oreste and Giovanni start with mutual mistrust but are forcibly bound together by the shared peril of frontline combat. As they navigate fear and scarce resources, their initial cynicism transforms into a deep bond that ultimately shapes their fate, with each character's loyalty tested by extreme moral pressure.

• friendship
• oreste
• giovanni
• comrades
• bond

The movie explores how soldiers are torn between fulfilling their military duties and surviving by any means necessary. The tension peaks when characters consider passing information to the enemy to escape danger, illustrating the fragile line between integrity and expediency in war.

• duty
• self-preservation
• war ethics
• moral choice
• survival

The film culminates in a collective act of self-denial where characters face execution rather than betray their comrades or country. This quiet courage, even when misunderstood or unrecognized, becomes the war's defining moral moment, a sacrifice that saves military intelligence but results in death.

• sacrifice
• execution
• courage
• war hero
• moral choice

The harsh Italian front setting, with its constant threat of attack, capture, and difficult moral choices, forces the conscripts into situations where survival becomes paramount. The proximity to enemy lines and the looming Caporetto defeat create an atmosphere of perpetual danger that shapes every decision the characters make.

• italian front
• war setting
• caporetto
• front lines
• character choices

Caporetto represents the peak of the Italian military struggle in World War I and serves as the backdrop for the story's climax. The catastrophic defeat looms over the characters, heightening the tension and stakes of their situation as they face capture and death sentences.

• caporetto
• battle
• italian defeat
• world war 1
• military defeat

The movie blends dark comedy from the Commedia all'italiana tradition with the inherent darkness of war, creating a bittersweet tone. Moments of levity prevent the story from becoming purely bleak while still acknowledging the brutal realities of combat and the poignant development of the protagonists' friendship.

• comedy
• drama
• tone
• commedia all'italiana
• bittersweet