ItalianSoldiers(SpaghettiRequiem)isaportraitofayouthfulandexceptionaladventurewhichunfoldsduringanunforgettablesummer.WearebehindthescenesofCAPTAINCORELLI'SMANDOLINbyJohnMadden('ShakespeareinLove')-starringNicolasCageandPenelopeCruz:abunchofItalianactorssinging,cookingandcharmingtheentireset,andahistoricalbackgroundbothunknownandshocking.Adarkpageinthesecondworldwar.Theyoungactorsfeelhappyandveryfortunatebutgraduallybecomeincreasinglyawarethatessentiallytheyhavebeenhiredtoplayageneralchoruswhichleaveslittleroomforanyindividualexpressionoftheirtalent.Andmore,theyareconstantlyaskedtoplaythestereotypeditalianclichè,whichisnotsodistantfromreality.Intensiverehearsalsincludesinging,dancingandmilitarytraining.Theyareconstantlyineachother'scompany,onandoffthesetandareaccomodatedinahotelwhichquicklytakesonafamilyatmosphere.