The Assisi Underground

Set in 1943, this historical drama explores the efforts of the Catholic Church and the residents of Assisi to protect Italian Jews from Nazi persecution. The plot follows Padre Rufino, who is tasked by the Bishop of Perugia to escort refugees to Allied-occupied Genoa. While some German officials permit the operation, a determined major attempts to stop the rescue by hunting the refugees through various monasteries and using psychological torture to force a confession. The refugees are eventually saved through official documentation and the arrival of British forces.

The film was directed and written by Alexander Ramati and produced by Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus through the Cannon Group and Golan-Globus Productions. The cast features Ben Cross as Padre Rufino, James Mason as Bishop Nicolini, Irene Papas as Mother Giuseppina, and Maximilian Schell as Colonel Müller. The production included a credited cast of 43 actors. Released in 1985 with a runtime of 115 minutes, the movie has received a rating of 6.1/10 on IMDb based on 511 votes.