Five Branded Women (aka Jovanka E Le Altre) (1960)

Set in 1943 Nazi occupied Yugoslavia, a German officer (Steve Forrest) has slept with several of the town's women, none of the women knowing about the others. Resistance fighters catch the German making love with a village girl (Jeanne Moreau) and castrate him. The girl, along with the German's other lovers (Silvana Mangano, Vera Miles, Barbara Bel Geddes, Carla Gravina) have their heads shaved and are driven out of the town. Based on the novel by Ivo Perilli and directed by Martin Ritt (THE LONG HOT SUMMER). An Italian-American production, this is a very potent anti war film without hitting us over the head. How does one hold on to one's humanity in the midst of war? With women as the central characters, we get a more in depth view of the struggle to survive against surmounting circumstances. Views are changed and softened as they come to terms of the reality of what war is. The film's view of humanity is guarded. Will there ever be peace or is war part of man's inherent nature? The excellent score is by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino. With Van Heflin, Richard Basehart, Harry Guardino and Alex Nicol.