The Best of Enemies

The Best of Enemies I due nemici is a 1961 film directed by Guy Hamilton that was an Italian and British coproduction set during the WWII East African Campaign but filmed in Israel. It stars David Niven, Alberto Sordi and Michael Wilding. It was nominated for three Golden Globe awards in 1963

Initially taking Richardson and another British serviceman as POWs Blasi decides to let the two escape to tell the British high command how destitute and hopeless his forces actually are in the hope that the Allied forces will leave them be and not harass their hasty retreat northward. The British brass however is unflexible and, put in command of a motorized detachment, Richardson is given the mission of pursuing and rounding up Blasis unit. Enraged at this lack of chivalry Blasi becomes passiveaggressive and tries in all manners to sabotage the custody of his men by the British force, then African tribal warriors which earlier in the film declared themselves first for the Italians and then for the British ambush the convoy and ransack it of anything of value, taking even shoes and boots off the Europeans feet. Isolated, unarmed and surrounded for hundreds of kilometers by hostile African wilderness the enemies must make the best out of their situation and find a way to cooperate to survive. The film concludes with the Ethiopians allowing both parties safe passage, provided that the Europeans take their war away with them.

Source: Wikipedia