Peppone & Don Camillo

[Remgain]

I don't know if you ever saw their movies.
They were the major (communist) and priest (catholic, always with a Moschetto 91 on the top of the belltower) of a small village in the Po valley in North Italy, just after the end af WW2.
They were antagonists, always in a struggle (also fisical!) to prevail over the other one, with lots of funny situations, but their final goal was always to improve their people and country.
In that period, Italy was very close to a civil war. There were lots of weapons hidden, and several deads.
Their movies capture very well the feeling of those years.



Well, do you think that they could be and interesting couple of pulp miniatures?
I do!

Marco

[KeyanSark]

I saw many of their films some years ago when they aired in the spanish public TV and loved them!

[Vanvlak]

Beutifully played by Fernandel and Gino Cervi; and there's statues of the pair in the town of Brescello, where the films are set. I LOVE those old films. Grand.
Even mayor Peppone's 'compari' would make a nice bunch of characters.

[Bugsda]

Never heard of the characters but I like the idea, the miniatures would be great

[white knight]

Would be cool.

Brigade Games' ww2 pulp horror range has some vampirehunting French priests that look a bit like Don Camillo.

[Doomhippie]

Yep, two of my heroes from my childhood...

[Aaron]

Sounds grand! I wish more of this stuff was shown in the states, but of course everyone here "knows" that all socialists and communists are evil and eat puppies for breakfast. 

[Remgain]

Aaron,

did you see any movies?

The idea for the movies came from the novels, and I'm sure they were translated in English as well.
And the choice of the actors was GREAT!

The two characters were great friends, all the stories started with them argumenting about something.
The major is the local leader of the communist party and defends the "people".
The priest is the leader of the anti-communist group of little field owners.
But at the end they cohoperate for the benefit of the whole community.

As I told, the scenario is at the end of WW2, and there are a lot of weapons all around.
At the beginnings sounded as the communists were better armed, but at the end the priest was much better armed!

Really, if you can, don't miss the movies and/or the novels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Camillo

Marco

[JollyBob]

Great idea! I read one of the Don Camillo novels a few years ago, but I've never seen any others anywhere. Thoroughly enjoyed it, very funny.

Although Don Camillo is theoretically supposed to be the hero (at least in the book I had), both characters are so stubborn and reactionary they are as bad as each other. Like two mountain goats butting heads while everybody else either ignores them or just enjoys the show.

I can imagine Italy in the late forties was a very interesting place to live!

[Doomhippie]

That's the thing with any ideology (including any religion). They are as humane as the people who are heading them. And in these stories both protagonists have to learn to respect all people. If I remember correctly there was one movie where Pepone actually helped to smuggle some anti-stalinist activists into (or out of?) the Soviet Union. And he did, even though Comrade Stalin was his "god". There is always a human being behind any facade.

[Yankeepedlar01]

I still have all the novels from the sixties and regularly reread them, they are a hoot as well as offering several gaming possibilities. They were available from Penguin in paperback at one time, but not seen any for a while on sale at book fairs.

[Yankeepedlar01]

That's the thing with any ideology (including any religion). They are as humane as the people who are heading them. And in these stories both protagonists have to learn to respect all people. If I remember correctly there was one movie where Pepone actually helped to smuggle some anti-stalinist activists into (or out of?) the Soviet Union. And he did, even though Comrade Stalin was his "god". There is always a human being behind any facade.

Don Camillo and the Hells Angels, I think.

[Remgain]

Doomhippie,

you're right!
They always start from their untouchable positions, but at the end both do what the common sense, and not religion nor the party, suggest.

Once Peppone helped Don Camillo in milking and feeding the cows, that were starving to death, during a Communist farmers strike.
Another time Don Camillo played the bells for a young "red comrade" killed during some heavy riots.
And when the old teacher of both died, Peppone, as comunist mayor, accepted her last will of being buried with the Monarchy flag on her coffin.

I remember the speech
"I, as a comunist, and a mayor, cannot accept this attack to the young Italian democracy.
But I, as former schoolboy of Miss Cristina, assure you that she will be buried with her flag.
And if anybody doesn't agree, I'll kick him in the ass out of the window!!"
And Don Camillo, smiling: "I surrender... in front of the power of violence..." 
GREAT!

Marco

[Westfalia Chris]

I´d buy a pair! And then we´d have to get Crouchie or Tobsen or someone to make a Soviet-built tractor. 

[Bugsda]

Thanks Remgain, you've tickled my enthusiasm. I'll be looking out for the books and the films