The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

During WWII, two soldiers (Charlton Heston and Harry Guardino) are sent on a secret mission in Nazi-occupied Rome. However, the organized resistance they are told to make contact with doesn't really exist--it's just a couple pathetic souls. So, the two soldiers just hide out in the city--making note of the German forces and sending messages back to headquarters with homing pigeons. There's MUCH more to the film than this, but I don't want to give too much of the plot to you--in case you haven't seen it.While the above sketchy outline doesn't sound the least bit funny, the film is very much a tongue in cheek comedy. LOTS of complications develop as well as romance. The bottom line is that the film is a decent light comedy--the sort of thing they began making in the 60s and 70s--once memories of this god-awful war began to fade. A cute but slight story worth your time.By the way, the Irish priest (Arthur Shields) might well remind you of Barry Fitzgerald by his look and performance. Well, that's because despite the different stage names, Shields WAS Barry Fitzgerald's brother! Also, while a small role, I loved Rudolf Anders' performance later in the film. Seeing this German commander losing his mind was HIGHLY entertaining and his phone conversation was the best part of the film.

This is one odd bird of a movie. It's really a time capsule of war movies that were meant to be date war movies in the 60's. In the 30's to 60's the traditional date war movie had our heroes in training meeting their love interest and then going to war, this is the way real life often goes and it works if it's done right, although it's hard to find a balance. When you have both elements you can get a decent summer time date war movie that keeps both sexes interests involved. In the 60's these type of films were still made and still are to this day I suppose, but the 60's tried to tweak the date war movie by adding comedy along with the love interest and war combat. This one has little war drama, little love interest (mostly light hearted) and sad to say, little comedy (that works well), it was made for its target audience of the day, mid aged WW2 vets and their wives, and it was probably very well received. I will say that I did chuckle a couple of times so it's not a total loss and everyone seems to act well and it was regarded well in it's time to receive some notice from the Academy, these points and with Charlton Heston makes it worth watching for war movie buffs. We've seen just about everything else. You can catch it on TCM (USA) when they do their 31 days of Oscar run as they did Feb 2009. 5 of 10.

There are certain actors who should not do comedy and Charlton Heston was one of them. His no nonsense granite personality of integrity was out of place in a film like The Pigeon That Took Rome. The part looks like it was written for Rock Hudson.Heston does his best however as an infantry officer who together with an Italian speaking sergeant Harry Guardino is sent days before the Allied liberation of Rome into the Eternal City. The cautious Allies want to find out if Hitler really means to evacuate and leave it an open city or will he fight for it.A prime mover in the underground is Monsignor Arthur Shields at the Vatican playing a character based on the one that was the central figure in the later film The Scarlet and the Black that starred Gregory Peck. He gets Heston and Guardino, disguised as priests, into the home of Salvatore Baccaloni with daughters Elsa Martinelli and Gabriella Pallotta and their little brother Marietto.That family has its own problems, Pallotta is pregnant via another American who was a flier later killed by the Nazis. She's got to get married and quick and sizes up Guardino as a likely prospect.With Nazi communication detection techniques Heston is forced to use those old reliable carrier pigeons. But when Baccaloni plans a feast for the daughter he uses those same pigeons that could signal the Allied advance into Rome as disguised quail. What to do?The only time Heston ever successfully essayed comedy was in the Private War Of Major Benson in which his stern countenance was played against by the kids of the military school and his lady interest Julia Adams. It doesn't work in The Pigeon That Took Rome and a lot of potentially funny stuff just falls flat. Chuck's next visit to Rome was The Agony And The Ecstacy. He was a much better Michaelangelo than a spy.

I also consider this a sleeper. Found it humorous, well played and well written. Heston as serious soldier on off beat mission. Ilsa Martinelli (far from plains of Africa) as love interest, but not so lovely as big chested actress who plays her sister. Harry Guardino in yet another GI role. Barry Fitzgerald even more typecast as Irish priest. Good character actors for kid and bumptious dad. Great bit by Randolph Anders as Werhmacht Oberst. Worth looking for. Couldn't help comparing this "war" movie with Band of Brothers.