Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- warm
- spirited
- classic movie night
- war comedy night
What critics said
Critics broadly recognized the film’s appealing Italian setting and comic wartime premise, though its oversized style and broad lead performance divided opinion.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Bombolini coordinates Santa Vittoria’s townspeople to hide more than a million bottles of wine from German troops.
The drunken Bombolini is mistakenly elevated to mayor and gradually rises to the demands of protecting the town.
The town’s enormous wine supply drives the plan, conflict, and negotiations with the German occupiers.
The film presents a lively Italian town, large crowds, and heightened performances within a World War II occupation story.
Films like The Secret of Santa Vittoria, and why
Life Is Beautiful
shared blend of wartime comedy, community solidarity, and humane ensemble drama
The Night of the Shooting Stars
shared Italian village setting, comic resistance to fascism, and bittersweet wartime humanism
To Be or Not to Be
shared World War II setting, broad comic tone, and civilians improvising against occupying forces
Movie Details
- Director
- Stanley Kramer
- Release Date
- 1970-01-02
- Runtime
- 139 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (68)
Cast
- Anthony Quinn
- Anna Magnani
- Giancarlo Giannini
- Virna Lisi
- Hardy Krüger
- Wolfgang Jansen
- Peter Kuiper
- Sergio Franchi
- Renato Rascel
- Patrizia Valturri
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, ScreenPix Apple TV channel, ScreenPix Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Secret of Santa Vittoria about?
- A drunken villager becomes an accidental mayor and leads his Italian community in a comic wartime scheme to save its wine from German occupiers.
- What is The Secret of Santa Vittoria like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Secret of Santa Vittoria as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Secret of Santa Vittoria violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Secret of Santa Vittoria as mild.
- What did critics think of The Secret of Santa Vittoria?
- Critics broadly recognized the film’s appealing Italian setting and comic wartime premise, though its oversized style and broad lead performance divided opinion.
- Which films are like The Secret of Santa Vittoria?
- Films with a similar feel include Life Is Beautiful, The Night of the Shooting Stars, and To Be or Not to Be.
- How long is The Secret of Santa Vittoria?
- The Secret of Santa Vittoria runs 139 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Secret of Santa Vittoria?
- In United States, The Secret of Santa Vittoria streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, ScreenPix Apple TV channel, ScreenPix Amazon Channel .
