Masterpiece of Francesco Rosi with the great Gian Maria Volonté. Set against the backdrop of the First World War on the Asiago plateau, the film traces the events of the division commanded by General Leone where the young lieutenant Sassu, a former university student interventionist, serves, moved from Trentino where the fighting is minor. He is reporting directly to the commander of the Company Lieutenant Ottolenghi, a disillusioned veteran with socialist ideas that on several occasions will oppose the unnecessary or unnecessarily punitive orders of superiors to find death during another useless attack. Lieutenant Sassu, during the months of his time at the front, will witness the unpreparedness of the High Command.