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The Last Assault

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Wikipedia article




'The Last Assault' (; English: 'We, on the Front Lines') is a 1986 Romanian drama film directed by Sergiu Nicolaescu. It is set during World War II, during the period when Romania joined the Allies against the Axis.

Plot



Horia Lazr (Alexandru) is an eager but inexperienced officer given a command of Romanian troops. His unit marches across Transylvania, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia, during which it suffers heavy casualties. Much of the second half of the film covers the Siege of Budapest, including German efforts to relieve it.

During the course of the war, Lazr forms a relationship with Silvia (Onesa), the daughter of General Marinescu (played by Nicolaescu himself).

Production



In lieu of working German tanks, T-34's with German markings and some modifications were used instead. Some of the filming took place at the Vcreti Monastery during March 1985. Damage was committed during the filming, the worst being a fracturing of a marble cross given by Constantine Mavrocordatos, one of the monastery's founders.

Sergiu Nicolaescu wrote in his memoir that 'The Last Assault' was the most censored of those films directed by him. The Leadership Council for Socialist Culture and Education forced the removal of a few key scenes: one involving violence committed by Hungarian soldiers; the removal of the Romanian Army from Budapest, on orders from Stalin, so that the Soviet Red Army could be the first to reach the Hungarian Parliament building; and the drama involving General Gheorghe Avramescu, who was accused by the Soviets of treason and was later executed (his daughter committed suicide while in detention).

One scene involves a pianist found by Romanian troops within a bombed out home in Budapest; Nicolaescu claimed this as a reference to the story of Wadysaw Szpilman (who was actually in Warsaw), which was later dramatized in Roman Polanski's 'The Pianist'.

Reception



The film was successful upon release. Many commented that 'The Last Assault' felt like an American film, which Nicolaescu took as a compliment. It was selected as the Romanian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 59th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Cast



* George Alexandru as Lt. Horia Lazr

* as Silvia Marinescu

* Valentin Uritescu as Sgt. Saptefrati

* Ion Besoiu as Col. Cmpeanu

* tefan Iordache as officer Assakurthy

* Sergiu Nicolaescu as General Marinescu

* Mircea Albulescu as Horia Lazr's father

* Silviu Stnculescu as Soviet general

* Colea Rutu as Sgt. Pliushkin II

* Emil Hossu as soldier Munteanu, ex-political prisoner

* Vladimir Gitan as Soviet Lt. Igor Ivanich Bodnarenko

* as Cpl. Petre Mrgu, from Treznea

* as German General Reinhardt, commander of an armored division

* as German Maj. Franz

* as soldier Petcu

* Stelian Stancu as Major Badiu, commander of the infantry regiment

* Eusebiu tefnescu as German tank commander

* as soldier Firu

* as soldier Lic

* as German Lt. Peter Ungwart

* as Romanian corporal

See also



* List of submissions to the 59th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film

* List of Romanian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

References




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