Massacre in Rome

Massacre in Rome
UK DVD Cover
Directed byGeorge P. Cosmatos
Written byRobert Katz
George P. Cosmatos
Based onDeath in Rome
by Robert Katz
Produced byCarlo Ponti
StarringRichard Burton
Marcello Mastroianni
Leo McKern
John Steiner
Anthony Steel
Renzo Montagnani
Delia Boccardo
CinematographyMarcello Gatti
Edited byFrançoise Bonnot
Roberto Silvi
Music byEnnio Morricone
Production
companies
Champion Films
Fiduary Films
Distributed byNational General Pictures
Release date
  • 4 October 1973 (1973-10-04)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryItaly
LanguagesItalian
English

Massacre in Rome (Italian: Rappresaglia) is a 1973 Italian war drama film directed by George Pan Cosmatos about the Ardeatine massacre which occurred at the Ardeatine caves in Rome, 24 March 1944, committed by the Germans as a reprisal for a partisan attack against the SS Police Regiment Bozen. The film was based on the 1967 book Death in Rome by Robert Katz. An Italian court gave producer Carlo Ponti and director Cosmatos a six-month suspended sentence for their film which claimed Pope Pius XII knew of and did nothing about the execution of Italian hostages by the Germans. The charges eventually were dropped on appeal. The names of the victims are shown in the closing credits, as opposed to the cast credits and crew members.