The Scarlet and the Black

The Scarlet and the Black is a 1983 made for TV movie starring Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer. This production should not be confused with the 1993 British television miniseries Scarlet and Black, which starred Ewan McGregor and Rachel Weisz.

In 1943, the Nazi military occupies Rome. Pope Pius XII John Gielgud is approached by General Max Helm and SS Head of Police for Rome Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Kappler Christopher Plummer. The Colonel expresses concern that escaped Allied prisoners may attempt to seek refuge in the Vatican, and requests permission to paint a white line across St. Peters Square in order to mark the extent of Vatican sovereignty. The Pope grants his permission, but when the SS officers leave, he sees out of the window that the white line had already begun to be painted.Kapplers main antagonist is Monsignor OFlaherty Gregory Peck, an Irishborn Vatican priest who runs an underground organization which provides safe haven and escape to escaped POWs, Jews, and refugees in Rome. OFlaherty is assisted in this enterprise by others, including locals, clergy and the diplomatic corps. The Nazis attempt to destroy the group, but Kappler is frustrated by OFlahertys successes, due to his cleverness, disguises, and stressing the limits of the Vaticans neutrality. ........

Source: Wikipedia