In this off-beat wartime drama, a young Italian
soldier stationed in Ethiopia gets into deep trouble after
a toothache compels him to set off in search of a dentist.
He pauses at a desert oasis and sees a beautiful young woman
bathing there.
He loses control and rapes her.
Afterward he feels bad and spends the entire evening with
her.
Unfortunately, during that time he hears a wild animal and
fires a shot which ricochets off of a rock and mortally wounds
the hapless girl.
Unable to help her, the soldier shoots her in the head and
then buries her body.
As the soldier resumes his journey, a little time passes and
he and his buddies see two natives wearing strange white garments,
just like the poor girl he ravaged and killed.
They are obviously pariahs and suddenly he realizes why they
are lepers and so was the girl! Soon the soldier discovers
an open sore on his hand that will not heal.
Believing that he too has the dread degenerative disease he
suddenly remembers his family and fiancee in Italy and wants
to see them desperately.
Unfortunately, he cannot get home and so ends up seeking solace
and forgiveness in the dead girl's native village.
Cast:
Nicolas Cage, Ricky Tognazzi, Patrice Flora Prazo, Giancarlo
Giannini, Gianluca Favilla, Georges Claisse, Robert Liensol,
Vittorio Amandola, Franco Trevisi
Director:
Giuliano Montaldo |
