loschavez There is nothing surer than how photogenic Tuscany is during either day or night. I'm very familiar with the present-day Arno River locales and people who live there. So I expected a fine film, if not something to rave about. Spoiler alert: Nothing is fine about Night Of The Shooting Stars. It's good travelogue footage missing the high points. All the actors are capable given the poor screenplay they were dealt. The writers merely dismiss any truth other than the civilians' necessarily panicked desperation when fascist bullets are flying. Despite their innate Italian faith, not one Tuscan seems to believe in any Catholic doctrine and the San Lorenzo tradition is attributed here to simplistic legend. The very idea that somehow the sensitive bishop portrayed at bogus Mass is consecrating a stout loaf of deli-baked bread is so preposterous no one could take this place for 20th century Italy.That Nazi occupiers no matter how beastly, would corral an entire village of civilians, including women, bishop and children; at their basilica and summarily blow them to bits inside, makes absolutely no sense. One has to wonder if this pair of Italian writers were blowing cocaine as they developed their silly plot. Furthermore, they WOULD have to reach for scenes like Tuscan ragazzi spying on a urinating lady and masturbating like toy monkeys, to add gravity to the situation. Later they have some oaf eating busted watermelon off a woman's teat? Give us a break! By the time this all ended, I was shooting off stars! Here's an awful movie without one iota of credibility. Two thumbs down /

David Timmer I recently spent two weeks near San Miniato (home town of the directors and setting for the film), so part of this film's charm for me was to revisit the beautiful Tuscan countryside. But it is also a moving portrayal of a painful moment in Italian history, as the advancing Allies, the retreating Germans, the Fascist Blackshirts, the anti-Fascist partisans, and deserters from the Italian Army all converge on a small hilltop town in Tuscany (called "San Martino" in the film). Meanwhile, ordinary civilians just try to survive and keep their dignity. Some of the townspeople accept the Germans' offer of sanctuary with the bishop in the cathedral; others strike out across the countryside to find the Americans. Each group faces the unanticipated consequences of their choices. I have the feeling that many of the actors were non-professionals - entire families appear in the cast list - and the editing & special effects are also kept very simple. (There's a great deal of violence, but almost no cinematic "blood and gore.") But perhaps that's in keeping with the somewhat "naive" perspective that the film strives for - the story is told through the eyes of an eight-year old girl. For a book that focuses on the same region and period, I'd recommend Iris Origo's "War in Val d'Orcia."

abrito1953 If you watch this movie you will note the importance of American fight for freedom on II World War. Italy was in a civil war, partigiani against fascists, cousins against cousins. The Taviani brothers bring on marvelous Toscany landscape all the pain of battles. The anatomy and cruelty of the war, the mourning face of a German soldier is the same as the enemy, how the civilian suffers under cross fire are revealed by takes as cutting knife. Can love survive or grow under war freedom restriction ? Was the church collaborating with fascist in some aspects ? Are open questions whose replies the directors try to give us. We can't avoid thinking about what is going on Iraque war, after all tears and stars are falling on San Lorenzo nights years by years since the end of II World War, the war never stopped in this crazy word.

il_matto For a different perspective of WWII, one should watch this essential, beautiful film. Of all the many pictures out there that deal with this tragedy, this is one I would consider necessary viewing. Amid the pain and tragedy of war, there are moments of poetry and beauty seen through a young child's eyes.