The Three Pilots

The Three Pilots (Italian: I tre aquilotti) is a 1942 Italian war drama directed by Mario Mattoli. The story follows three young men training to become pilots in the Italian air force, charting the friendship, ambition and hardships they share as they pass through demanding military instruction. Leonardo Cortese, Carlo Minello and Alberto Sordi head the cast, with Michela Belmonte, Paolo Carlini, Galeazzo Benti and Carlo Ninchi also appearing. The picture was filmed at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome and on location at the Accademia Aeronautica in Caserta, lending authenticity to its aviation setting. The screenplay was written by Mattoli together with Alessandro De Stefani and Vittorio Mussolini. Beyond its place among the aviation-themed productions of wartime Italian cinema, the film is remembered chiefly as one of Alberto Sordi's earliest screen appearances, made years before he emerged as one of Italy's most celebrated comic actors.