I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

It is so many years since i have seen this film because ??? you tell me why this film is not on DVD other than the younger generation would not want to see it, both main actors were splendid no matter if they were not "great actors" who are the great actors anyway it is mostly a matter of personal enjoyment anyway.of course i would buy it if it were on DVD,i am 60 years old it may be a "generation thing" and i can understand the need to make a profit to reproduce the film on DVD but why is it so difficult to show the film on TV.The mix of Italian and British humour is quite rare on film and as this movie works so well this is yet another reason for a showing on TV.I can get this film on VHS from Amazon for over £30 plus i no longer have a video recorder -but im thinking about it because i would so love to see this film again.

My father fought in the desert against the Italians whom he considered to be ..."not very warlike - fortunately".Not very motivated,not particularly interested in killing and even less interested in dying for a few hundred square miles of sand,he passionately shared their philosophy of non - confrontation.Only when the respective High Commands demanded a "push forward" did the two opposing armies fire a few desultory shells in vaguely the right direction.This kind of situation cannot be allowed to exist in war and overnight,quite out of the blue,the Italians folded up their tents and disappeared to be replaced by the far less sanguine Germans,including,my father believed,a Punishment Battalion who,driven forward by threats of execution,flooded into the British Lines two nights later and were wiped out.Taking this to indicate that the Germans meant business,all thoughts of peaceful co - existence were swept from his mind,but he retained a rueful affection for the reluctant Italian soldiery,sure that the concept of a Punishment Battalion would be alien to their very nature. Watching "The Best of Enemies" merely serves to vindicate his belief. Civilised Italian Officer (Mr A.Sordi) goes mano a mano with civilised British Officer (Mr D.Niven)in a theatre of war neither of them feel particularly committed to.Not eager to inflict further casualties on each other's men they seek for a satisfactory "laissez - faire" solution rather than wipe each other out. As might be expected from intelligent,well-educated, sophisticated European men,they find a mutual rapprochement,even a mutual affection that traverses nationalistic concerns. Mr Niven fits into his role like a man slipping on a beautifully-made riding boot,displaying the ruling-class's noblesse oblige.Here is a man who wouldn't dream of being rude or arrogant towards his men,but woe betide any officer who screws up. Signor Sordi,with the confidence of a thousand years of civilisation behind him,heir to the proud Roman tradition,but pragmatic enough to realise the "bigger picture" Released with very little razzamatazz in 1962,"The Best of Enemies" is a gentle,amusing look at a situation that is neither gentle nor amusing in itself.Pleasingly old-fashioned in its submission that honour and chivalry can still prevail and make even the most trying conditions ju st a little more tolerable,it gives Mr Niven one of his best later roles one,I suspect,he would prefer to be remembered for rather than the anodyne "Pink Panther".

The 'capture' sequence of the English patrol and the Italian patrol was filmed in Israel, a little way into the Negev Desert from the seaside town of Eilath.I was an American student attending Tel Aviv University, on school break at the time, when the director of production hired me to play the role of the Ethiopian Bandit Chief who conducts the capture. However, one problem presented itself, though I was an 'African' American, I was not dark complected enough to play an Ethiopian! The solution proposed was for me to 'live-on-the-beach' for a week until my skin was dark enough. This was the first and only time in my life that I was "paid to be Black!" Friends and family still chuckle about this singular 'experience' even today.

This movie is really great, it's not full of special effects or things like those, but it is made very well. Then, there's a great actor like Alberto Sordi, but the others actors are very good too: I think they have been very good to perform two kind of people: the italians and the english. It's very nice and sometimes comic, I think everyone should see it!