The Profession of Arms (2001 film)

The Profession of Arms
(Il mestiere delle armi)
Directed by Ermanno Olmi
Produced by Alexander Metodiev
Written by Ermanno Olmi
Starring Hristo Jivkov
Desislava Tenekedjieva
Sandra Ceccarelli
Sasa Vulicevic
Sergio Grammatico
Dimitar Ratchkov
Aldo Toscano
Fabio Giubbani
Music by Fabio Vacchi
Distributed by A-Film Distribution
Release date(s) 11 May 2001 (Italy)
Running time 105 minutes
Country Italy
Language Italian

The Profession of Arms (Italian: Il mestiere delle armi) is a 2001 Italian film directed by Ermanno Olmi.

Contents

Plot

In autumn of 1526, the Emperor, Charles V, sends his German landsknechts led by Georg von Frundsberg to march towards Rome. The inferior papal armies, commanded by Giovanni de'Medici, try to chase them in the midst of a harsh winter. Nevertheless, the Imperial armies manage to cross the rivers along their march and get cannons thanks to the maneuvers of its Lords.

In a skirmish, Giovanni de'Medici is wounded in the leg by a falconet shot. The attempts to cure him fail and he dies. The Imperial armies assault Rome.

The film is beautifully but unassumingly set, and shows the hard conditions in which war is waged and its lack of glory. It ends straightforwardly with the declaration made after the death of Giovanni de'Medici by the commanders of the armies in Europe of not using again fire weapons because of their cruelty.

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