Welcome back to Movie Recap. Today I'm gonna show you a 2008 American–Italian epic war film called,
Miracle at St. Anna. Spoiler’s ahead. Seat back, relax and enjoy the video.
The movie begins with Hector Negron, a former Afro-Latino corporal veteran during World War II,
working as a post office clerk now in New York City. As he gives postcard stamps to the clients,
Hector suddenly recognizes the man, causing him to shoot and kill with a German Luger pistol.
Afterward, Hector closes his booth as if nothing has happened.
Several hours later, a rookie reporter named Tim Boyle enters the post office
and finds Detective Tony Ricci already at the crime scene to seek information.
Fortunately, after convincing Ricci to work with him, Boyle finally makes his
first reporting news about Negron's case. Ricci then orders him to do the first investigation
in Negron's apartment with his two men. Upon getting into the apartment, Boyle
and the two officers discover a Purple Heart and a photograph revealing that Negron was once awarded
the Distinguishes Service Cross and Silver Star in the military corps. Suddenly, they decide to
bring the thing they have found inside Negron's bottom closet, containing antique specials.
As they get into New York University to talk with a professor, Boyle and the other officers
eventually learn that it's a finely carved statue head of the Primavera, a long-missing segment from
the Ponte Santa Trinita that's already 450 years old. Technically, the professor reveals that the
statue has been missing since the Nazis blew up the bridge during World War II.
Afterward, Boyle visits Negron to start the interrogation, wherein Negron admits that he
knows the man he killed at the post office. So, in flashback, Negron eventually tells
of his war experiences as a young corporal of the segregated 92nd Infantry Division in Italy.
As he and his platoon discreetly cross the Serchio River to position,
a woman named Axis Sally suddenly speaks through a radio microphone. She attempts to start a
race riot by manipulating them to surrender because the Americans will only enslave them.
Eventually, a disastrous attack ensues on German positions across the Serchio River,
causing Black American soldiers to withdraw as most of them are getting killed. On the other
hand, Second Staff Segreant Aubrey Stamps radios Captain Nokes to send backs up to grids four,
seven, nine, and one-six. However, Captain Nokes refuses to believe his reports of how far the
Germans have advanced and sets the artillery on grids two-three, two-four, and two-five instead.
Because of that, the remaining Black-American soldiers get killed,
leaving Negron stranded on the wrong side of the river with three men: Sergeant Stamps,
Sergeant Bishop Cummings, and Private Sam Train. While Negron goes with Train, carrying the Head
of the Primavera that he found in Florence, they suddenly see a haystack moving from afar.
Eventually, Negron decides to enter the barn house by ordering Bishop,
wherein Bishop rescues an Italian boy named Angelo from a collapsing building made by the explosions.
Suddenly, he rubs the Head of the Primavera as he believes that it carries magical powers.
Afterward, Bishop carries Angelo outside while
Negron meets two other men named Sergeant Stamps and Bishop Cummings.
While walking through the roads of Tuscany, the soldiers suddenly see Train walking on
the bridge as he carries Angelo on his shoulder. So, Negro orders him to go down and meet them,
Eventually, the soldiers enter a barn, wherein they meet Train holding Angelo in his arms.
Negros then convinces Train to leave Angelo because he might get Angelo killed,
but Train refuses to follow his orders. Leaving him no choice, Negro lets Train
take care of Angelo as they get into the battle. While traveling through the mountains of Tuscany,
the soldiers eventually enter a small village and enter a house full of half-Americans. Afterward,
they put Angelo on the table to treat him. The following day, Bishop tries to contact
headquarters while Train is taking care of Angelo with the help of Renata. Afterward, the soldiers
attempt to seek Renata and her father's help to show them how to get out of the village.
However, they learn that there is no safe way because the German is anywhere. But then, Renata
suddenly speaks and says she knows a way out. Despite the disapproval from her father, Renata
still comes with Hector, Bishop, and Stamps, while Train eventually grows especially fond of Angelo.
Suddenly, Train becomes Angelo's father figure throughout their journey during the battle.
Later at night, Renata talks to Bishop, wherein she tells him that the only place where the
Germans would not be is through the mountain in Pietrasanta, Lucca. On the other hand,
Negron finally gets his damaged backpack radio working and contacts Captain Nokes.
Negron then tells Stamps that Arturo eventually fixed the radios miraculously.
Afterward, Stamps talks to Captain Nokes, telling him that they're in the West of Borgo,
a Mozzano where they can see the Mountain of the Sleeping Man. Technically, there in the
West of the Serchio River someplace. However, Captain Nokes orders them to capture a Nazi
first because it's a direct order from General Almond. Unfortunately, Captain Nokes fails to
save them from the Germans surrounding them. Stamps then orders Bishop to come with
him outside, wherein they both releases their frustration toward Captain Nokes.
They think that Captain Nokes doesn't care whether they die or not; as long as they capture their
enemy, that will only be the matter for him. However, Bishop refuses to follow it and makes
Stamos remember how they get discriminated against by the Americans despite being a military soldier.
Later at night, Bishop and Stamps attend a small feast together with the villagers,
wherein they try to win Renata's heart to be their wife. However, Stamps suddenly gets pissed off as
Bishop intervenes in their conversation, so he walks out immediately. Technically,
Renata becomes entangled in a love triangle with Stamps and Bishops, which creates a
conflict between them in trying to get her. The following day, Stamps sees a local Italian
Partisan group arriving with a young German deserter, Hans Brundt, as their prisoner.
Because of that, Stamps immediately runs away to call the other soldiers. Eventually,
they find out that Grotta and his local Italian Partisan group finally capture their enemy.
As the local Italian Partisan group enters Renata's home, Stamp refuses to tell that
they got Hans to Captain Nokes. He then says they should wait for his order before informing them,
causing Bishop to get pissed off by his actions. Luckily, Hector immediately stops them as he
orders Bishop not to trigger Stamp anymore. On the other hand, Renata tells Grotta that
Stamp and Bishops are fighting about Hans, so Grotta clarifies that they'll be the ones who'll
hold the German, not Hector and his platoon. Afterward, Hector informs Stamp that the
Partisan group will interrogate Hans once they find someone who speaks German. So, Stamps says
that they have the Germans in their headquarters that can help Grotta to talk to Hans. However,
Grotta clarifies that they'll get answers from Hans first before turning themselves over to them.
But Stamps refuses to agree and suddenly points out his rifle at the Partisan group.
Meanwhile, Angelo suddenly approaches Hans, causing the partisan member to shut him up
for manipulating the child to escape. On the other hand, Stamps immediately signals
Bishop to call their headquarters and inform them about getting Hans as their prisoner.
Later, Hector talks to Angelo to get information about Hans because he can see everything.
As Hectors asks, he finds out that Angelo comes from the village of Sant'Anna di Stazzema
and that Hans wants him to run before the fire at the church. Eventually, Hector finds out that Hans
is Angelo's friend and fears the other one in the room, Rodolfo, one of the partisan members.
Afterward, Hector informs Stamps about what Angelo told him. So, Stamps orders Renata to tell Rodolfo
to get into the mountains and check what he sees because they will take the Germans down the hills.
Afterward, Hector tells Stamps and Renata that he doesn't feel good about Rodolfo,
yet they disagree with him. Meanwhile, Rodolfo finally sees
countless Germans arriving. However, he suddenly lies and tells Renata and Hector that it's safe to
get Hans in the mountains. Afterward, Stamps gives Hans to Rodolfo as Hector will watch both of them.
Eventually, Grotta reveals that the Germans start hunting them because of their reckless
actions of killing Germans in the mountains. But luckily, Paselli saves them by giving
them food as they hide. Paselli is one of the villagers from Sant'Anna di Stazzema who told
Grotta what happened to their village. Earlier, Germans begin gathering the
residents of the nearby village of Sant'Anna di Stazzema at St. Anna Church. Technically,
the German Captain is finding the 'hideout of the butterfly,' Grotta, by asking them where he is.
But none of the residents knows the answer, so the German forces mercilessly kill them all. However,
they suddenly ran out of fuel, causing them to burn the dead residents afterward.
Unfortunately, it follows a betrayal by a partisan member, Rodolfo,
who works with the Germans to look for Grotta. On the other hand, Hans, a German soldier,
helps Arturo and his brother Angelo escape when Arturo suddenly gets killed by running toward the
German Captain. So, Hans immediately pushes Angelo to run, wherein he eventually finds out that
Rodolfo's a traitor. Afterward, Hans and Angelo get separated after escaping from the Germans.
Technically, it is Rodolfo whom Negron will kill thirty-nine years later.
Meanwhile, Rodolfo suddenly kills Hans by slitting his throat after concealing those
German forces approaching the village in a counterattack in less than a few hours.
Afterward, Hector immediately comes to Hans to ask Rodolfo's name yet fails to find the truth.
On the other hand, Grotta finally learns that Rodolfo's a traitor.
However, he suddenly gets killed by Rodolfo out of control.
Eventually, Hector arrives and finds out what Hector did to Grotta.
So, Hector immediately informs Bishop and Stamps about it.
Finally, Captain Nokes arrives in the village to interrogate Hans and orders Train to get rid
of Angelo. The Americans are now preparing to leave the town ahead of a German counterattack.
However, Train aggressively disagrees, so Hector backs him up to convince Captain Nokes to let him
be with Angelo. Fortunately, Captain Nokes agrees. However, Captain Nokes finds out that Hans is
already dead before leaving the village. So, Stamps reveals that the partisan killed him.
Yet, Captain Nokes blames it on them and even puts the four of them to court-martial.
Afterward, the attempt to move out when Captain Nokes and his contingent suddenly
get killed in the opening German offensive. Because of that, the remaining Americans and
Partisans hold their ground, fighting against the Germans while Train's holding the wounded Angelo.
As Bishop and Negron hold off the Germans, Stamps keeps himself in the position of getting the
villagers to safety. However, Train suddenly dies in the attack as they are getting outnumbered.
But before Train gives himself up, he orders Bishop to put the little cross on him to
let him know who's Train's father. Afterward, Bishop carries the Privamera's head and Angelo
to get him to safety, yet he also gets killed by the Germans after that.
After seeing Bishop getting killed, Stamps continuously guide the villagers when suddenly
the Germans shoot all of them. Because of that, Stamps attacks back but fails to
survive as the Germans kill him. While attempting to retreat,
Negron eventually gets shot in the back, but luckily, he gets saved by his backpack radio.
Then, on the other hand, Arturo suddenly appears and leads Angelo to their home through his
spirit. Unfortunately, Arturo's also one of the residents who gets killed during the massacre at
St. Anna Church. Because of that, Angelo gets the Primavera's head and gives it to Negron.
Afterward, Negron provides the boy with his rosary and tells him to leave and save himself.
Luckily, a German Officer spares Negron's life from the German soldier who almost kills him.
Afterward, he gives Negron the Luger pistol, telling Negron to defend himself from the battle.
Hours later, the Americans finally arrive and secure the village as they evacuate
Negron to safety. Afterward, they get the dog tag of Train, Bishop,
and Stamps while the Team Captain announces that Negron is getting a Purple Heart.
The movie ends with Negron in a Manhattan Superior Court as the defendant in a court proceeding.
Unfortunately, Negron faces a life sentence for killing Rodolfo and gets accused of stealing an
old stolen statue head case. However, Negron suddenly gets defended at his bail hearing by
Wilder, a powerful attorney. Wilder then explains to the Judge that it's a Christmas pro bono case,
but the truth is the bail is on behalf of an unknown wealthy man.
After that, Negron finds himself in the Bahamas and eventually reunites with the Primavera's Head.
Shocked, Negron finds out that the man who bailed him is an Adult Angelo after taking out Negron's
rosary. Afterward, Angelo and Negron burst into tears of remembrance as they hold Negron's rosary.