The Best of Enemies
“Meet the craziest pair of soldiers ever to play at war! - they're both prisoners - but who captured whom?”
Synopsis
During World War II, a plane full of RAF fighter crashes in the Ethiopian desert and they are met upon by an enemy Italian patrol that allows them to go free. But, when the Brits are given orders to attack the Italians, lots of problems ensue.
Top Cast
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David Niven
Maj. Richardson
Alberto Sordi
Capt. Blasi
Michael Wilding
Lt. Burke
Harry Andrews
Capt. Rootes
Noel Harrison
Lt. Hilary
Amedeo Nazzari
Maj. Fornari
Aldo Giuffrè
Sgt. Todini
David Opatoshu
Bernasconi
Tiberio Mitri
Pvt. Moccia
Alessandro Ninchi
Sub. Lt. Del Pra
Pietro Marascalchi
Cpl. Bortolini
Bruno Cattaneo
Pvt. Mattone
Giuseppe Fazio
Sgt. Spadoni
Ignazio Dolce
Sentinel
Ronald Fraser
Perfect
Duncan Macrae
Sgt. Trevethan
Bernard Cribbins
Col. Brownlow
Michael Trubshawe
Col. Brownhow
Release History & Theatrical Window
August 6, 1962
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Guy Hamilton
- Screenplay & Story
- Suso Cecchi d'Amico, Furio Scarpelli, Agenore Incrocci, Jack Pulman
- Original Score
- Nino Rota
- Original Title
- The Best of Enemies
- Country of Origin
- Italy
- Spoken Languages
- Italian, English
- Runtime
- 1h 44m
- Production Studios
- DDL Cinematografica
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Guy Hamilton
Suso Cecchi d'Amico, Furio Scarpelli, Agenore Incrocci, Jack Pulman, Luciano Vincenzoni
Nino Rota
Giuseppe Rotunno
Tatiana Casini Morigi
Dino De Laurentiis
Department Leadership Roster
Suso Cecchi d'Amico
Screenplay
Furio Scarpelli
Screenplay
Giuseppe Rotunno
Director of Photography
Guy Hamilton
Director
Agenore Incrocci
Screenplay
Nino Rota
Original Music Composer
Jack Pulman
Screenplay
Dino De Laurentiis
Producer
Dario Cecchi
Costume Design
Mario Garbuglia
Production Design
Ezio Frigerio
Costume Design
Tatiana Casini Morigi
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Best of Enemies.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Best of Enemies.
War: World War II
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Movies categorized under War
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Best of Enemies
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Best of Enemies about?
During World War II, a plane full of RAF fighter crashes in the Ethiopian desert and they are met upon by an enemy Italian patrol that allows them to go free. But, when the Brits are given orders to attack the Italians, lots of problems ensue.
Who directed The Best of Enemies?
The Best of Enemies was directed by Guy Hamilton.
Who stars in The Best of Enemies?
The principal cast of The Best of Enemies includes David Niven, Alberto Sordi, Michael Wilding, Harry Andrews, Noel Harrison.
When was The Best of Enemies released and how long is it?
The Best of Enemies was released in 1961 with a total runtime of 1h 44m.
Who composed the musical score for The Best of Enemies?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Best of Enemies was composed by Nino Rota.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Best of Enemies?
The Best of Enemies holds official age classifications: GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).