bkoganbing Martin Ritt who partnered with Paul Newman in such films as The Long Hot Summer, Hud, and Hombre did this rather unknown work that was critically well received back in the day, but remains fairly unknown to today's filmgoers. I remember well seeing 5 Branded Women in theater back in the day and never saw it again until very recently.The women are Yugoslavs who have all been seduced and abandoned by one German sergeant played by Steve Forrest. All slept with him for various reasons, all are trying to survive the best way they can. After partisans capture Forrest with one of them, all of them are shorn of their hair as reminders of what fraternization with the enemy means. The five woman so branded are Silvana Mangano, Jeanne Moreau, Vera Miles, Barbara Bed Geddes, and Carla Gravina. Gravina is pregnant by Forrest. The Germans banish the women because they remain walking symbols of partisan reprisals. As for Forrest that son of the fatherland is shorn of something that doesn't grow back.The women stick together because all they have now is each other. Not for long because when a partisan band headed by Van Heflin sees the now armed women deal with a Nazi patrol, they get accepted in the band. But their rules are pretty strict as they all find out.War is a brutal business and guerrillas fighting occupiers make it the most brutal kind of war. The mixed feelings that director Ritt leaves you with, you are supposed to have. You watch 5 Branded Women and especially if you are a woman you wonder what you might do to survive.5 Branded Women is both an anti-war film and a film that shows you just what you might have to do to repel an invader. Nice ensemble performances from the whole cast and a strong if mixed message is delivered.

Jonathon Dabell Not quite an exploitation piece, but not quite a solemn-and-sincere drama either, Five Branded Women is a fascinating early picture from Martin Ritt. Initially greeted with passable but hardly rave reviews, the film was somewhat ahead of its time and would probably play much better now than it did when released. The strong anti-war sentiments, the streak of feminism, and the film's persistent refusal to be yet another play-it-safe flagwaver, make it the sort of film which questions attitudes and prejudices rather than simply falling into line with them. It has some surprisingly powerful sequences during the course of its 100 minutes, it must be said.During WWII, in Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia, five women are accused of consorting with the enemy after sleeping with womanising German officer Sgt. Keller (Steve Forrest). Four of them have actually succumbed sexually to the charms of the promiscuous Nazi soldier; the fifth is innocent as, beyond kissing him, she chose not to consummate any kind of relationship with him. Reviled by their own people for what they have done, the five women – Jovanka (Silvanna Mangano), Daniza (Vera Miles), Marja (Barbara Bel Geddes), Mira (Carla Gravina) and Ljuba (Jeanne Moreau) – are shaven bald and kicked out of town. They wander aimlessly through the countryside, bitter and angry at being treated so harshly simply for falling in love, and eventually decide to redeem themselves by joining up with the local partisans, led by the ruthlessly disciplined Velko (Van Heflin). It is an uneasy alliance at best, but gradually a mutual respect forms between the women and their comrades-in-arms.Five Branded Women is well-acted and well-written throughout. It fares especially well when highlighting the cruel ironies and senseless contradictions of war. Ljuba begins to enjoy the company of a German prisoner, but is reluctantly compelled to shoot him in the back when he tries to run away. Daniza is branded unjustly when she didn't even sleep with the Nazi – however, when she sleeps with one of her own men (subsequently falling asleep while on watch) she is sentenced to death for misconduct. Many films over the years have pointed out the idiocies and wastefulness of war, and Five Branded Women is another to add to that list – but it presents its points powerfully, economically and persuasively, thanks in no small part to the stark photography. It has a surprisingly high calibre cast for this sort of thing too, with the least well-known of the main actors (Mangano) being, curiously, the one entrusted with the meatiest role. She acquits herself very well, being neither outshined nor out-acted by her illustrious co-stars; her physically strong but emotionally stronger heroine acts as a real focal point for the whole story. Overall, Five Branded Women is a surprisingly tough, fresh and worthwhile war film, one that is particularly ripe for rediscovery.

tavm Just watched this World War II drama directed by Martin Ritt on Netflix streaming. The title characters are played by Silvana Mangano, Jeanne Moreau, Carla Gravina, Barbara Bel Geddes, and Vera Miles. They've all been involved with the Nazi soldier played by Steve Forrest though one of them had only kissed him. As a result, they all got their hair shorn by the men who think they're the lowest of the low for sleeping with the enemy. But they start redeeming themselves when they shoot many Nazi soldiers in an attempted raid of a sheep ranch. I'll stop there and just say this was quite a compelling movie that addressed the complexities of the way men and women acted during wartime that got them certain punishments they wouldn't have otherwise during a time of peace. And the performances of the above are all greatly done especially that of Ms. Mangano as well as that of Van Heflin who plays the reluctant commanding officer who accepts these women into his unit. Among the other male supporting cast, Harry Guardino and Richard Basehart also deserve kudos for their performances. Really, all I'll say now is I highly recommend 5 Branded Women.

Michael O'Keefe Just short of two hours is lengthy for 1960. This melodrama is set in Middle Europe during WW2 and does have its moments. Five young women are scorned and humiliated for consorting with Nazis. Now with shaved heads, they band together to prove their patriotism and set out to fight the Germans. The resistance fighters don't want their help; so they seem to be fighting both forces...plus themselves. Strange casting is very obvious; and this moody movie may be hard for some to get into. War buffs will watch. I watched because of the enticing Vera Miles. Beside Miss Miles the very diverse cast includes: Barbara Bel Geddes, Silvana Mangano, Van Heflin, Richard Basehart, Jeanne Moreau and Steve Forrest. War causes people to do regrettable things.