Rommel, ... you magnificent bastard ... I READ YOUR BOOK!
Posted on 06/04/2004 6:35:39 PM PDT by ABG(anybody but Gore)
In honor of the 60th Anniversary of D-Day this weekend, and lest it be forgotten, the 62d Anniversary of the Battle of Midway(which is always ignored for some reason) which is today: I just figured it would be a fun topic to discuss for a Friday night.
Ground rules: Movie Name, and why you think it's the best.
I'll get the ball rolling and nominate one that isn't so well known: Battleground, 1950, starring Van Johnson, (and a very young Ricardo Montalbam). Band of Brothers might be the best made for TV mini-series ever made, but they had to have borrowed a few scenes about the Battle of the Bulge from this classic about the 101st Airborne and Bastogne.
Speaking of which: Band of Brothers is disqualified as it is not a film you could go into the theaters to see. As brilliant as it is, I don't imagine very many people are going to want to spend about 10-15 hours in a seat, and pay for it at the same time. IMO, it stands on its own as something truly unique.
Stalingrad. In german.
Winter War. In Finnish.
Patton! This is a great potrayal of the genius and ego mania that made George S. patton feared by the Germans.
Can someone tell me what the "D" in D-Day stands for?
La Grande illusion (1937)
Decision Day but I heard other stories say that it means really nothing, just a nick name meaning "The Day".
In the interim I found this: http://www.faqfarm.com/History/WWII/2338
Apparently it's from D-Day, H-Hour.
I`d say Saving Private Ryan simply because it had that line by Tom Hanks at the end "Earn this" meaning don`t let my sacrifice be in vain, which to me stuffed it right up the arse of the French.
"Patton" Wonderful study of leadership.
"12 O'Clock High"; great psychological study of a commander wrestling with the age-old dilemma of how to take care of your men and accomplish the mission when accomplishing the mission means sacrificing some of your men. The scene near the beginning where the general relieves the wing commander is classic.
Dr. Stangelove,
Das Boot,
Bridge on the River Kwai,
Stalag 17,
Mash,
Breaker Morant,
Braveheart,
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, and
Zulu.
2. The Great Escape. Think of all the stars that were in that movie.
Battle of Britain (1969) - excellent pre-US-involvement-era movie (great aerial photography too)
A Bridge Too Far (1977) - historically accurate, by all accounts
The Longest Day (1962) - 'nuff said
Cross of Iron
The Longest Day
Saving Private Ryan
Zulu
12 O'Clock High
Run Silent, Run Deep
We Were Soldiers
The Blue Max
Patton
The Red Badge of Courage
All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Military Movie of all times:
Midway
Release date: 1976
Pat Morita - RAdm Ryuno Sukekusaka
Glenn Corbett - Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron
Christopher George - Lieutenant Commander Clarence Wade McClusky
Cliff Robertson - Commander Carl Jessop
Edward Albert - Lieutenant Thomas Garth
Yuki Shimoda - Officer aboard carrier Hiryu
Clyde Kusatsu - Commander Watanabe
Henry Fonda - Admiral Chester W. Nimitz
Gregory Walcott - Capt Buckmaster
Robert Mitchum - Vice Adm. William "Bull" Halsey Jr.
Honorable mention:
1. Band of Brothers
2. Stalingrad
3. Das Boot
4. We Were Soldiers
5. Run Silent, Run Deep
6. Tora! Tora! Tora!
7. Bridge on the River Kwai
8. The Longest Day
9. Patton
10. The Red Badge of Courage
11. 12 O’CLOCK High
12. From Here to Eternity
13. All Quiet on the Western Front
14. In Harm's Way
15. A Bridge Too Far
16. Battle of Britain
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