Extra Memorial Day Favorite Films Thread - Korea to Best of All

sonofatpatcher2 ^ | May 31, 2004 | sonofatpatcher2

[sonofatpatcher2]

Being somewhat older than most folks here and a film buff for all those years I could speak and listen, the thread on Favorite War films got me to thinking. There are many fine war films that have never been seen by those born past 1970, so I have put as many as I could remember. Just cut & paste the film's title into IMDb search mode and click away. IMDb is at http://us.imdb.com/ There are so many genres of films, television series and mini-series about warfare, so I will start threads to list all your favorites in each category: Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, The War Between the States, Indian Wars, Pre-World War One, World War One, Pre-WW2, World War Two (Made 1939 - 1946 & Made After 1946), Korean War, Vietnam War, Cold War, Gulf Wars, The Homefront, War Bios, Service Comedies, Foreign Wars and Best of All.

[sonofatpatcher2]

Here are my favorites:

Korean War:

1. Pork Chop Hill (1959) Greg Peck's best war film as Lt. Joe Clemons.
2. The Hunters (1958) Robert Mitchum as "The Ice Man" fighter pilot Major Cleve Saville. Great air combat photography.
3. Battle Circus (1953) Better than MASH.
4. The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1955)
5. Battle Hymn (1957)
6. The Glory Brigade (1953) Victor Mature & Lee Marvin as the infamous Corporal Bowman of M*A*S*H announcment fame.
7. Men of the Fighting Lady (1954)

Honorable Mention:
Fix Baynets (1951)
Submarine Command (1952)
This Is Korea! (1951) John Ford Documentry
Battle Zone (1952)
One Minute to Zero (1952)
MASH (1970)

Service Comedies:

1. I Was a Male War Bride (1949) That title plus Cary Grant 'in drag' makes this a must see.
2. Hallelujah Trail, The (1965) The Very Best Indian War Comedy ever made with Burt Lancaster as Col. Thaddeus Gearhart, Lee Remick as Temperance Leaguer Cora Templeton Massingale and Brian Keith as that "Good Republican" whiskey seller Frank Wallingham. Added delights are Jim Hutton's laid back Capt. Paul Slater and Martin Landau masterful comic turn as Chief Walks-Stooped-Over.
3. Operation Petticoat (1959)
4. The Americanization of Emily (1964)
5. Comrade X (1940) Clark Gable and the most beautiful woman ever in film, Hedy Lamarr, star in this view of Stalin's Russia just after his pact with Hitler. The tank chase is a special effects wonder in this pre-computer era.
6. Mister Roberts (1955)
7. To Be or Not to Be (1942) Jack Benny takes on the Nazis.
8. Cabaret (1972)

Honorable Mention:
The Pigeon That Took Rome (1962)
The Last Time I Saw Archie (1961)
Operation Mad Ball (1957)
Up Front (1951) & Back at the Front (1952) Based on Bill Mauldin's famed W.W.II cartoons: Lowbrow G.I.s Willie and Joe.
The Private War of Major Benson (1955)
Not with My Wife, You Don't! (1966)
Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious (1965)

Vietnam War:

I dismiss Apocalypse Now (1979), Platoon (1986) & Casualties of War (1989) as the Hollywood Left's version of the war. However I rank Robert Duvall acting in Acrocofshinola the best thing in it...
1. We Were Soldiers (2002)
2. Green Berets, The (1968)
3. Go Tell the Spartans (1978) Burt Lancaster & Craig Wasson as American military advisors in Vietnam prior to the major U.S. involvement.
4. The Boys in Company C (1978)
5. A Rumour of War (1980)
6. Fly Away Home (1981) (TV)
7. The Quiet American (1958) - I like Audie Murphy's version much better than 2002 version, but the Michael Caine film is more faithful to the book.
8. Lost Command (1966) Tony Quinn leads French Foreign Legion Paras from IndoChina to Algeria.

Cold War:
1. Seven Days in May (1964)
2. On the Beach (1959) Greg Peck as. Cmdr. Dwight Lionel Towers, the last Captain of the USS Sawfish.
3. Fail-Safe (1964)
4. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)- I know this is a comedy, but I put it here...
5. A Gathering of Eagles (1963) Excellent Rock Hudson-Rod Taylor story on the B-52s of Strategic Air Command.
6. Ice Station Zebra (1968)
7. Jet Pilot (1957)
8. The Dogs of War (1981)
9. The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965)
10. North by Northwest (1959)

Honorable Mentions:
Blood Alley (1955)
Big Jim McLain (1952)
Satan Never Sleeps (1962)
Sergeant Ryker (1968)
The Chairman (1969)
Telefon (1977)
Soldier of Fortune (1955)

War Bios:
MacArthur (1977) Greg Peck as Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Stalin (1992) (TV) Robert Duvall as Josef Stalin
"Ike - The War years" (1979) (mini) Robert Duvall as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Ike: Countdown to D-Day (2004) (TV) Tom Selleck delivers a strong performance as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower during the months and days leading up to the 1944 D-Day invasion, when, as Supreme Allied Commander, he oversaw the historic assault.
Patton (1970) & Last Days of Patton, The (1986) (TV) George C. Scott as Old Blood & Guts and Karl Malden as Gen. Omar Bradley
"Mussolini: The Untold Story" (1985) (mini) As a liberal, Scott decided to be fair, so he played Benito Mussolini.
The Desert Fox (1951) James Mason as Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.
To Hell and Back (1955) Audie Murphey's Bio.

Foreign Wars:
Khartoum (1966) Chuck heston as. Gen. Charles 'Chinese' Gordon
Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951) Greg Peck as Capt. Horatio Hornblower
Zulu (1964)
You Can't Win 'Em All (1970) Tony Curtis & Charlie Bronson join a band of Turkish mercenaries in 1922.
The Wild Geese (1978) Great Mecernary film with Richard Burton as Col. Allen Faulkner
Dark of the Sun (1968) Action Mercernary yarn with Rod Taylor and Jim Brown fighting in the Congo.
The Man Who Captured Eichmann (1996) (TV)
Zulu Dawn (1979)
Raid on Entebbe (1977) (TV)
The Left Hand of God (1955)
Something of Value (1957) Rock Hudson & Sidney Poitier star as the Mau Mau uprisings begin in Kenya.
Guns at Batasi (1964)

Ok, my Best of All List - A Baker's Dozen:

1. Band of Brothers (TV) mini
2. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
3. Tie between We Were Soldiers (2002) & Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)
4. Battleground (1949)
5. Casablanca (1942)
6. Battle Cry (1955)
7. They Were Expendable (1945)
8. Pork Chop Hill (1959)
9. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
10. The Great Santini (1979)
11. Wind and the Lion, The (1975)
12. The Patriot (2000)
13. Fort Apache (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) & Rio Grande (1950)

Ok, flame away! And tell me the ones I've missed...

[TheOldRepublic]

"The Big Red One"-Lee Marvin, Mark Hamil (Unless you got it in a previous list)

[Rummyfan]

Fort Apache (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) & Rio Grande (1950)

I can't argue with three of the best Westerns of all time, and three of John Ford's best. BATTLEGROUND is also one of my favorites.

[dts32041]

What no "Die Langest Tag", or Das Bootor AE's Horatio Hornblower, The Alamo, just wondering.

[dts32041]

What no Hell is for Heroes, or the Iron Cross, the Young Lions, They were Expendable, in Harms Way, Back to Bataan, Why we Fight?

Just asking.

[sonofatpatcher2]

Spit it up into three threads to try and keep it short as possible. Forgot A&E's Hornblower, but did get tonight's Ike.

Other threads:

Extra Memorial Day Favorite Films Thread - Revolution to World War One at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1145126/posts

Extra Memorial Day Favorite Films Thread - World War Two
at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1145144/posts

[MozartLover]

The Young Lions

WWII, Brando, Clift, & Martin.............a great film.

[top of the world ma]

Korean War:

War Hunt

[Deep Hoop]

Here is one you forgot:

Twelve O'Clock High -- Gregory Peck has never been better and great aerial photography.

[sonofatpatcher2]

Sure did miss "Hell is for Heroes, Cross of Iron and The Young Lions" and they are all excellent films. But I've only been working on this listing since 4AM this morning...

BTW I think Brando did some of his best work as Christian Diestl. Dean Martin's Michael Whiteacre and Monty Cliff's Noah Ackerman were no slouches either...

[Delta 21]

-The Wild Geese, Mr. Roberts, and Ice Station Zebra bumps!

[sonofatpatcher2]

Yes, Robert Redford in War Hunt (1962)... Also John Saxon and Director Sydney Pollack acting with Tom Skerritt and pre-Love Boat's Gavin MacLeod. Say, you know old Gavin lost his foot in Pork Chop Hill...

[ExSoldier]

"The Battle of Britain" is on now on AMC.

Tora! Tora! Tora! was pretty good as a documentary.

I vaguely remember Porkchop Hill and The Bridges at Toko-Ri for the Korean War. I hope my just finished script and true story on the Korean War sells to Speilberg. His guys are interested and speaking to my agent.

[dts32041]

Sean Connery "The Hill"

[sonofatpatcher2]

In case you missed your mail: The B&W French Foreign Legion film is Jump Into Hell (1955) and the IMDb website is http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0048235/

Good early IndoChina film I missed...

[sonofatpatcher2]

Re: I hope my just finished script and true story on the Korean War sells to Speilberg. His guys are interested and speaking to my agent.

God speed and luck to ya. I'm writing a screenplay on Korea myself I call "Mig Alley" that tells the jet air war from both the American and Russian pilot's views. Still a long way from finishing the first draft...

[Ciexyz]

Paul Newman made a WW 2 comedy circa 1967. It wasn't a big success but I remember seeing it in the theater and enjoying it. I believe Sophia Loren was also in it.

"The Big Red One" with Lee Marvin and Mark Hamill (who had just made Star Wars), circa late 70's, was a great and most moving film. I won't give away the ending but it was quite emotional.

[sonofatpatcher2]

Sorry, missed The Hill, too. There are so many that I fear I have passed over from a bad memory.

[Ciexyz]

Master and Commander, (2003) Russell Crowe

Horatio Hornblower (circa 1953) Gregory Peck

A&E's Horatio Hornblower series (3 seasons, the last installment in 2003) starring Ioan Gruffudd and Robert Lindsay

[sonofatpatcher2]

Re: Paul Newman made a WW 2 comedy circa 1967.

Yes, The Secret War of Harry Frigg (1968) was not funny and a turkey all around. Paul did do ok in The Rack (1956), Until They Sail (1957), Exodus (1960), Torn Curtain (1966) and Fat Man and Little Boy (1989) (5 more I missed!), but he Frigged Up in 1967...

[dts32041]

Don't worry we will get you on th straight and narrow.

BTW am watching the Combat Marathon on the Action channel, just to bring a little TV into the mix.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

The "Cross of Iron", starring James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason, 1977

Although about a German unit on the Eastern Front in the last days of the war, it is still an excellent WW 2 war film.

Action? It is directed by Sam Peckinpah, nuff said.

[sonofatpatcher2]

Forgot another old IndoChina FFL flick: China Gate (1957) with Nat King Cole, Gene Barry and Angie Dickinson at IMDb at http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0050252/ It is a Sam Fuller production, he wrote and directed many great B War Flims:
The Steel Helmet (1951), The Tanks Are Coming (1951), Fixed Bayonets (1951), The Command (Western) (1954), the laugh out loud sub flick Hell and High Water (1954), Merrill's Marauders (1962) and that's not to mention The Big Red One (1980). Gad, that's four more war films I missed...

Don't get the Action Channel. What am I missing?

TCM is starting Operation Crossbow (1965) another George Peppard flick I missed. Not his best though...

[dts32041]

I first saw Operation Crossbow, in the theaters for 50 cents.

[sonofatpatcher2]

Re: The "Cross of Iron", starring James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason, 1977. Although about a German unit on the Eastern Front in the last days of the war, it is still an excellent WW 2 war film. Action? It is directed by Sam Peckinpah, nuff said.

You are correctomundo, sir!

[sonofatpatcher2]

Re: I first saw Operation Crossbow, in the theaters for 50 cents.

Well, you weren't overcharged!

As I recall, I went to the Saturday Morning Kiddie Shows at the Ideal Theater in Corsicana, Texas, for two bits in the mid-1950s. Loved Lash La Rue (King of the Bullwhip) and it wasn't even considered S&M...};^)

[dts32041]

Naw wasn't overcharged, it was in the 60's on the b circuit, where 50 cents got you a double feature and a movie.

So great flicks The longest Day, The great Escape (did you mention that), and others.

Of course saw real stinkers to.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

I certainly agree with the pick on Audie Murphy.

"To Hell and Back" Based on the life of one Audie Murphy, and starring Audie Murphy who is one of the most decorated American soldiers in history.

And by Kerry's standards the boy with a seventh grade education should have been elected president the minute he set foot back in America. Kerry would kill for such a record as the young baby faced Murphy accomplished. But the self effacing baby faced Murphy merely settled to become a b-grade movie star until his untimely death in a plane crash. One of Murphy's best was the civil war classic, but Audie was also Good in the "The Unforgiven" with Burt Lancaster.

Click the link for a great read of his bio, especially the part on his simple tombstone that he requested, this is the stuff real heroes are made of , not the phony crap Kerry represents.

http://www.movietreasures.com/main/Audie_Murphy/audie_murphy.html

[demnomo]

Great war movie threads!!! Thanks for making my Memorial Day interesting and educational. I hadn't realized how many good war films have been made, let alone how many I have seen on theatre screens, TV and on my home video. Brings back lots of memories.

[cinFLA]

7. The Quiet American (1958) - I like Audie Murphy's version much better than 2002 version, but the Michael Caine film is more faithful to the book.

The book was anti-American. Wasn't the 1958 film pro-American?

I seem to remember a lot of controversy obout the Caine Film and how the Vietnamese government gave the film 'its blessings'.

[Chi-townChief]

You're missing Korea's "The Steel Helmut" and Vietnam's "Hanoi Hilton."

[sonofatpatcher2]

In the early 1960s I went to a 36th Infantry Division Reunion with my folks. Audie Murphy was there and I got to talk with him for a few minutes. He said the .45 Thompson was the best close combat weapon ever made if you knew how to use it. I hold that memory close as you can tell by the following photo from 1970

and my tagline...

[sonofatpatcher2]

Yes, the Audie Murphy film was slanted to be pro-American...

[AppyPappy]

Heartbreak Ridge

[sonofatpatcher2]

So many war films, so litle time! Sorry I missed Heartbreak Ridge. I must have been off in a clusterfudge...

[sonofatpatcher2]

Watching Operation Crossbow, I find it is a much better film than I recalled. Give my regards and apologies to George Peppard...

They just killed Sophia Loren. What a waste!

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

I once read an old article where he said he especially liked the m-1 carbine as his favorite weapon, because it was magazine fed and was light weight, with his small size that would have meant a lot.

It would also appear he did not need a gun to do damage. In his bio it stated he was once indicted for attemtped murder, seems he almost beat a man to death in a fist fight, but he was cleared of the charge.

[sonofatpatcher2]

Re: I once read an old article where he said he especially liked the m-1 carbine as his favorite weapon, because it was magazine fed and was light weight, with his small size that would have meant a lot.

All I can say is what he told me that night. However, if you watch To Hell And Back, he always carries an M-1 Garand or Thompson. In the Anzio scenes, he says, "Hey, give me back my Thompson!"

There is this one scene just before the TD action for his Medal of Honor. He has a M-1 carbine slung over his shoulder if I recall correctly.

The M-1 carbine is not a man-killer weapon in any event. The round is too light unless it hits a vital spot while the 30-06 and .45 will do some major damage with any hit on the torso.

IMHO Audie Murphy did not need a light weapon as he was a true warrior and used the weapons that got the job done. That being the Garand, Thompson and in a pinch, the German MG-42...

[ExSoldier]

Since this is a Korea to present list you've not included the WWII films, but I always show "The Devils Brigade" to my 9th grade classes and right now "Where Eagles Dare" is on AMC which a total B$ film, but loads of fun.

Care to cook up a WWII list? Omit the bio's on your previous list of famous folks?

[dts32041]

You ever see the Secret Invasion? It was the movie where I saw my first bare boob.

[sonofatpatcher2]

Extra Memorial Day Favorite Films Thread - World War Two
are at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1145144/posts

Check it out, I already see I've missed a few...

[sonofatpatcher2]

Alas, The Secret Invasion (1964)! Great Roger Corman cheapie with Stewart Granger, Mickey Rooney, Edd 'Kookie' Byrnes, Henry Silva and William Campbell. Believe your first sighted boob belonged to Spela Rozin or Nan Morris...

What the heck, you seen one, you've seen them all!

[dts32041]

If that is true, how come I am still so fascinated by the structure, shape, texture and magnificent design of those modified sweat glands.

[tet68]

One that you won't see very often "With the Marines at Tarawa"filmed by Capt.Louis Hayward leading a unit of the combat photographers.
A lot of early color film, contains the only actual film of a live Japanese assault.

Later he asked "Howlin Mad" Smith how he liked it. Smith told him it was great, but recruiting was down by 20%!

[tet68]

All of these are available at Belle and Blade videos on the webb.
They have just about everything!

[x1stcav]

You left out "A Walk in the Sun" about the 36th Texas Infantry in Italy in WWII.

Otherwise a decent list what withg the addition of "Steel Helmet" as another has suggested. What about "Enemy at the Gate"?

[sonofatpatcher2]

Re: If that is true, how come I am still so fascinated by the structure, shape, texture and magnificent design of those modified sweat glands (i.e. boobs).

Well, as old Doc Sanders always said to me, "Take two and call me in the morning."

[sonofatpatcher2]

Yes, With the Marines at Tarawa (1944) Louis Hayward produced fantastic color work for the time. IMDb site http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0037468/

[dts32041]

It only took about forty posts to get this thread off point.

[sonofatpatcher2]

Re: "You left out "A Walk in the Sun" about the 36th Texas Infantry in Italy in WWII."

You need to check out the WW2 thread at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1145144/posts

BTW, other films that were about the 36th 'Texas' Infantry Division are:

Force of Arms (1951) was all about the T-Patchers. http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0043553/

Go for Broke! (1951) Van Johnson & the story of Japanese-American soldiers who fought in Europe during World War II and were attached to the 36th. http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0043590/

In Story of G.I. Joe (1945) most of the plot came from Ernie Pyle's columns about the 36th, including "The Death of Captain Waskow" that may be read at http://www.pbs.org/weta/reportingamericaatwar/reporters/pyle/waskow.html

And of course: The Battle of San Pietro (1945) John Huston's story of the 36th 'Texas' Infantry Division in the fight for a small Italian village. By far the best World War Two documentry ever made. http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0036630/ John Huston filmed several T-Patchers talking about what they would do after the war. After the battle, he filmed those killed being put into mattress covers (WW2 bodie bags). He edited the audio of their hopes over the pictures of their dead bodies. Powerful stuff. Too hot for the Pentagon of the time and they classified the film for some 40 years.

I guess you notice my sonofatpatcher2 ID. My late father was in the 36th when it was federalized in 1940 and returned there after service in the 1st Special Service Force in late 1944.

For films about the 1SSF there is the excellent The Devil's Brigade (1968) at http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0062886/ and at http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/1st%20Special%20Service%20Force
The Force CO, Col. Robert T. Frederick, later became the Commanding General of the 36th.

And the so-so Anzio (1968) at http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0062673/ At least in Anzio they got it right in a 1SSF non-com running a mobile house of ill repute in an ambulance and shipping it on an invasion LST from Naples to Anzio.

Lastly, the 1SSF was one of the few untis to wear campaign ribbons for both the European and Asian Theaters. From the Kiska Task Force to Italy to Southern France the Baggy Pants Devils took no name and kicked a lot of Axis hinnies. The flag of the 1SSF had a place for a motto, but it has been left blank. The closest they came to one, is has been said, was "Aw, screw them krauts!"

My old man had a more colorful version...