The Profession of Arms

Giovanni De' Medici (Christo Jivkov) is a papal commander in the autumn of 1526, and what he wants is to stop the Emperor's German landsknechts before they reach Rome. His army is the smaller one, and he chases the enemy through a hard winter, across rivers and mud. Ermanno Olmi shows how little glory there is in the work, and the pursuit leaves Giovanni's side short of men while the road to Rome stays open.