The Pigeon That Took Rome

1962
Approved
1h 43m

IMDb RATING

5.9/10

486

YOUR RATING

Play clip2:06

Watch The Pigeon That Took Rome: He'll Be Alright

1 Video

3 Photos

Comedy War

In 1944, two American spies, posing as priests, infiltrate German occupied Rome to relay information to HQ but can only communicate via pigeons due to the imposed radio silence.In 1944, two American spies, posing as priests, infiltrate German occupied Rome to relay information to HQ but can only communicate via pigeons due to the imposed radio silence.In 1944, two American spies, posing as priests, infiltrate German occupied Rome to relay information to HQ but can only communicate via pigeons due to the imposed radio silence.

Director
- Melville Shavelson
Writers
- Donald Downes
- Melville Shavelson
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.9/10

486

YOUR RATING

Director
- Melville Shavelson
Writers
- Donald Downes
- Melville Shavelson
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 5 nominations total

Videos1

Clip 2:06

The Pigeon That Took Rome: He'll Be Alright

Photos

Top cast29

Edit

Charlton Heston

Captain Paul MacDougall…

Elsa Martinelli

Antonella Massimo

Harry Guardino

Sgt. Joseph Angelico

Salvatore Baccaloni

Ciccio Massimo
(as Baccaloni)

Gabriella Pallotta

Rosalba Massimo

Brian Donlevy

Col. Sherman Harrington

Marietto

Livio Massimo

Rudolph Anders

Oberst Krafft

Arthur Shields

Monsignor O'Toole

Debbie Price

Luigina Massimo
(as Deborah Price)

Vadim Wolkonsky

Conte Danesi
(as Vadim Wolkansky)

Lars Bloch

US Soldier

Nick Borgani

Relative
(uncredited)

Argentina Brunetti

Relative
(uncredited)

Gary Collins

Maj. Wolff
(uncredited)

James Farley

Col. Harrington's Aide
(uncredited)

Bob Gandett

The General
(uncredited)

James Garde

Messenger
(uncredited)

Director
- Melville Shavelson
Writers
- Donald Downes
- Melville Shavelson
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

6.3

6.6

6.0

6.4

6.8

6.7

6.3

6.7

The Wreck of the Mary Deare

5.5

6.5

6.3

6.2

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
At about the 8:00 minute mark, when Charlton Heston is donning a disguise as a priest he observes that he "looks like something out of the Ten Commandments." Six years earlier, Heston starred in the epic, The Ten Commandments (1956).

Goofs
Throughout the film, SS members use the Wehrmacht (German Army) equivalent ranks when addressing one another.In reality, members of the SS only used their SS ranks when addressing each other.

Quotes
Antonella Massimo: [laughingly] You ate your own Air Force, captain!

Crazy credits
The end credits are superimposed over images of American soldiers moving out of Italy. This is followed by a shot of a pigeon who winks at the camera.

Connections
Referenced in Jane (1962)

User reviews11

Review

Featured review

7/10

Enjoyable relief from "real" war flicks

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.