Posted on 05/31/2004 8:46:46 AM PDT by 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...
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!
Later he asked "Howlin Mad" Smith how he liked it. Smith told him it was great, but recruiting was down by 20%!
All of these are available at Belle and Blade videos on the webb.
They have just about everything!
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"?
Well, as old Doc Sanders always said to me, "Take two and call me in the morning."
Yes, With the Marines at Tarawa (1944) Louis Hayward produced fantastic color work for the time. IMDb site http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0037468/
It only took about forty posts to get this thread off point.
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...
BTW The Devil's Brigade is now showing on Turner Classic Movies...
Some of the ones that get away are spoofs. The High Road to China with Selleck is one of those - the music is beautiful and the story (fairy tale) is delightful. Another is Eight Heads in a Duffle Bag, this is hilarious nonsense.
I'll agree it was a turkey, but Paul Newman has such gorgeous blue eyes...and I was a teenager at the time. (!)
Let's not forget "Troy" (2004, Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Peter O'Toole) -- the boys of Troy are showing us how combat went down three thousand years ago.
"The Enemy Below" - Robert Mitchum and Kurt Jurgens in a DE vs U-Boat flick.
"The Bridge at Remagen"
"Red Dawn"
"Starship Troopers"
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