Author Topic: How About WW II Movies? (Read 1310 times)

us920669 · « **on:** July 02, 2011, 02:49:35 PM »

We were killing time before going out on Memorial Day and a channel had all old war films. Caught the last half hour or so of Patton - what a great film! Next up was The Longest Day. I forgot it was in black and white. Great Germans. I was getting into it but then we had to leave - got back in time for the end of Midway. Great stuff I'm sure, but it seemed over-produced and boring. Maybe I've seen it too many times.

I guess the best new one was Private Ryan. I think best of all time was Casablanca. No soldiers or battles, but just the feel of it. Maybe it's the fact that all those people actually lived through it. Kind of spooky.

highwayman · « **Reply #1 on:** July 02, 2011, 03:46:58 PM »

i really like The big red one

XD40SC · « **Reply #2 on:** July 02, 2011, 04:22:16 PM »

one of my favorites = Band of BROTHERS.

hunt-m-up · « **Reply #3 on:** July 02, 2011, 04:45:09 PM »

The Longest Day is a good one, great cast. I like the Dirty Dozen. Not very many I don't like.

Bigeasy · « **Reply #4 on:** July 02, 2011, 05:24:05 PM »

I always liked "Kelly's Hero's". Nothing historically significant about it, just a cool movie.

Larry

lakota · « **Reply #5 on:** July 02, 2011, 07:58:11 PM »

I was going to say Kelly's Heros too. It had a good cast. I liked the General played by Carroll O'connor.

Ex 49'er · « **Reply #6 on:** July 02, 2011, 09:17:30 PM »

Where Eagles Dare with Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton is a favorite of mine. Also Stalag 17 and Mr. Roberts and last but not least, The Bridge on the River Kwai! I'm sure there are others.

Sourdough · « **Reply #7 on:** July 02, 2011, 10:50:58 PM »

Von Ryan's Express staring Frank Sinatra I thought was pretty good.

XD40SC · « **Reply #8 on:** July 03, 2011, 01:27:04 AM »

Das Boot is a great submarine movie.

yellowtail3 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 03, 2011, 06:27:08 AM »

Quote from: Ex 49'er on July 02, 2011, 09:17:30 PM

Where Eagles Dare with Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton is a favorite of mine.

Very good; I remember that film.

My favorite is probably Das Boot - best submarine flick ever made; it made me feel like I was re-reading Herbert Werner's Iron Coffins.

AtlLaw · « **Reply #10 on:** July 03, 2011, 06:32:25 AM »

Quote from: yellowtail3 on July 03, 2011, 06:27:08 AM

Das Boot - best submarine flick ever made;

+1 !

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #11 on:** July 03, 2011, 06:34:32 AM »

Quote from: highwayman on July 02, 2011, 03:46:58 PM

i really like The big red one

Call me immature but that made me laugh.

I like Kelley's heroes also.

BBF · « **Reply #12 on:** July 03, 2011, 07:23:54 AM »

Das Boot was good.......................until the last minute or so, then it got ridiculous.

yellowtail3 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 03, 2011, 07:37:11 AM »

Quote from: scatterbrain on July 03, 2011, 07:23:54 AM

Das Boot was good.......................until the last minute or so, then it got ridiculous.

I disagree, and here is why. The ending made a point about the waste & futility of the war, and most of the crew being killed gave a pretty good picture of the kind of casualties the U-boat force suffered.

mauser98us · « **Reply #14 on:** July 03, 2011, 07:57:45 AM »

I like the Naked and the Dead with Aldo Ray. Depicted the ugly side of war in the Pacific with soldiers removing gold filled teeth and ransacking dead bodies. Kinda grusome,but probably a little closer to reality.

spikehorn · « **Reply #15 on:** July 03, 2011, 11:13:22 AM »

+1 on The Big Red 1 Lee Marvin was great. Enemy at the gates is another favorite of mine. The only thing I can't figure out about that movie is why all the russians have british accents.

eye shot · « **Reply #16 on:** July 03, 2011, 12:39:17 PM »

In Harms Way & Das Boot.

powderman · « **Reply #17 on:** July 03, 2011, 12:39:55 PM »

The beach landing in private Ryan was just like my Dad described. He said you never went out the front, only over the side because the 1st 1/3 or more died quickly. POWDERMAN.

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #18 on:** July 03, 2011, 12:58:44 PM »

I heard ww2 vets came out of that movie shaking, the beach landing scene was so realistic.

gomerdog · « **Reply #19 on:** July 03, 2011, 02:41:03 PM »

Quote from: XD40SC on July 02, 2011, 04:22:16 PM

one of my favorites = Band of BROTHERS.

Band of Brothers was a mini-series, but outstanding none the less...riveting. Cool documentary at the end, as well.

1marty · « **Reply #20 on:** July 03, 2011, 05:05:12 PM »

During WW2 there was a movie with Dana Andrews called A Walk in the Sun. Everyone was making John Wayne type propaganda movies but this one really captured the feelings of GI's during the war.

LONGTOM · « **Reply #21 on:** July 03, 2011, 06:29:46 PM »

I like them all but my all time favorite is THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO with Van Johnson.
Next would be THEY WERE EXPENDABLE with John Wayne.

LONGTOM

Hodr · « **Reply #22 on:** July 03, 2011, 08:17:47 PM »

PT 109
Time in the water gives a different perspective to a future president.

Hodr

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #23 on:** July 03, 2011, 08:36:59 PM »

Love Kelly's Heros.
But don't over look some others that are good.
Looking in my collecvtion of movies.
Modern - The Great Raid, U-571, Valkarie, Windtalkers, Enemy at the gates and Pearl Harbor.
Classic- A Bridge too far (has everyone in it as a cast) I love the look on the German officers face with the White flag when offering terms of surrender.
The great escape - Again huge all star cast.
Obscure - Never so few - Steve McQueen and Old Blue Eyes.

thunderhead · « **Reply #24 on:** July 04, 2011, 04:11:29 AM »

When I was a kid I always liked A Walk In The Sun. Anyone remember that one?

gstewart44 · « **Reply #25 on:** July 04, 2011, 05:52:48 AM »

My favorites are "Saving Private Ryan" (very realistic) and "Kelly's Heroes" (just pure entertainment). "Band of Brothers" for the mini series.
Other great ones are "In Harm's Way" and "Hell In The Pacific" with Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune. Cool flik - just two actors in the entire movie.
Another entertaining good miniseries was "Private Schultz" from BBC/Masterpiece Theatre. True story about the Nazis using Jewish POWs to forge perfect British 20 pound notes. Take a look if you can find it.

spikehorn · « **Reply #26 on:** July 04, 2011, 06:36:39 AM »

Run silent run deep with Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster first time I saw it when I was about 13 it had me and my friends on the edge of our seats.

Casull · « **Reply #27 on:** July 04, 2011, 06:44:11 AM »

I've seen and enjoyed most listed here, except Das Boot. I really enjoyed Band of Brothers, as well as The Pacific. I know, both mini-series, but nonetheless excellent.

yellowtail3 · « **Reply #28 on:** July 04, 2011, 06:47:32 AM »

I thought Pearl Harbor was lame. Entertaining, I supposed... Tora Tora Tora was much better.

Quote from: Hodr on July 03, 2011, 08:17:47 PM

PT 109
Time in the water gives a different perspective to a future president.Hodr

Good enough film, good story.
For years I've heard some political ideologues use the loss of PT-109 in Blackett Straight to malign Kennedy, because... the don't like JFK, and they don't know jack about PT operations. PT-109 was lost in what was a true Charlie Foxtrot one night, but that was due to how the entire group was employed. JFK was a good PT skipper.

Excellent book on PT operations - by a guy who new JKF, and served with him - is Dick Keresey's PT-105. Best book I've come across on PT operations.

powderman · « **Reply #29 on:** July 04, 2011, 11:01:27 AM »

Just finished watching the longest day. Every film and movie I ve seen about Normandy there seem s to be a total lack of air support for the landing. We surely had carriers in the group. May watch private Ryan tonight. POWDERMAN.