Posted on 05/30/2016 7:05:39 AM PDT by rktman
What kind of war movies best capture the day set aside in remembrance of the honored dead?
Memorial Day remembers those who have died while serving in the armed forces of the United States—in war or peace. As long as our nation produces these men and women willing to “bear any burden, pay any price,” our nation earns the liberty it enjoys. That is the eternal meaning of this day. When we walk out of a theater profoundly moved by the sacrifice of our soldiers on the screen—those are movies that evoke the sentiment of the day the most.
I have done lists before of the top war films that make you cry, but this is a “Memorial Day” list, so let’s single out those history-based military movies that exclusively highlight the loss of Americans in harm’s way.
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“The Fighting Sullivans”
“War Horse” was awesome.
.
“Bat 21”
Three of my favorites, for different reasons: U-571, Unbreakable, Three Came Home.
Okay, I’m going to mention a few good Memorial Day movies that no one has mentioned yet.
So Proudly We Hail
Destination Tokyo
Operation Pacific
Battle Hymn
Never So Few
Darby’s Rangers
Wings Of Eagles
Von Ryan’s Express
The men I knew just wanted to be normal and forget all that had happened. They tried to smash it down as far as it would go. So many I dealt with were tough, honest, matter of fact, kind and even gentle. The quality of tough to endure and get the job done and gentleness and kind consideration were amazing to watch. I do not exaggerate to say they were heroes to me.
I was lucky. Dad was civil service and almost all the men that worked with him were vets of some stripe. The government had programs then for vet preference. A ten point vet had combat, wounded and so forth. One man who drove a truck survived Bataan, the death march and Cabanatuan. I only knew it because Dad told me from his service record. I was but 6 or 8 years old but I knew the whole story of that tragedy.
Wouldn’t boring be nice? Just work, family, weekends and cooking burgers and kids playing and not much else to hear or worry about?
The 50s were so simple and idyllic to me. Little boys with rolled up jeans just having a good time.
In the same vein, “Victory at Sea” is one of the greatest documentary series every produced about World War II. First aired on NBC on Sunday afternoons beginning in the late fall of 1952 and continuing into the spring of 1953. It was both a critical and financial success; critics hailed the series as an example of television reaching its potential, and subsequent airings on local stations, foreign networks and cable channels generated a surprising amount of revenue for NBC.
“Victory” was the product of having the right people in the right place at the right time. Producer Henry Salomon was a Naval officer in World War II and was assigned to the staff of Rear Admiral Samuel Eliot Morrison, who wrote the history of American navy operations during the conflict. Salomon was aware of the vast amount of operational footage that had been recorded by USN and Marine Corps photographers during the war and had viewed key sequences while working with Morrison. So, with millions of feet of film to review for the documentary, Salomon knew where to begin the search.
Additionally, Salomon had been a Harvard classmate of Robert Sarnoff, the NBC executive who ran the network’s filmed programming division. Sarnoff was the son of David Sarnoff, who had built NBC into a radio and TV powerhouse. The younger Sarnoff got his father to sign off on the documentary project and gave Salomon a huge budget by early 50s standards ($500,000).
“Victory” still holds up well, more than 60 years after its debut. Some of the combat footage is stunning; the score, by Richard Rogers and Robert Russell Bennett, is stirring and Leonard Graves’s narration is superb. Interestingly, when a theatrical version of “Victory at Sea” was released, Graves’s voice was replaced by Alexander Scourby. Mr. Scourby was probably the greatest voice artist of his era, but I still believe Graves did a better job on “Victory at Sea.”
Interestingly, actor Robert Montgomery (also a naval officer in World War II) was originally slated to narrate the documentary. But after viewing a scratchy rough cut, Montgomery ripped into Henry Salomon, calling him unfit to produce the series, and bowed out of the project. When the incident was relayed to Richard Rodgers, the composer suggested Leonard Graves, who was the understudy to Yul Brynner in the original Broadway production of “The King and I.” Graves got the job and his dramatic narration is perfect for the production.
Dolly, I don’t have the movie ping list. You and Perdogg have it.
And Perdogg is currently in the penalty box. :(
I dont have a ping list on my current computer. ;-/ ...it is on my iMac at home
Battleground
Best years of our Lives
From here to eternity
Wings /WWI
They were expendable
Don’t forget Red Badge of Courage.
Pork Chop Hill
Big Red One
Battleground! Especially the closing scene where Whitmore marches the troops off in cadence! Gives me goose bumps every time!!
Thanks for your reply. Yes I also have the Victory At Sea set plus the six volume set The Great Battles Of World War II and numerous other films of vintage World War II.
Great stuff, I never get tired of them!
1. Gone With the Wind;
2. Glory;
3. We Were Soldiers Once and Young;
4. The Patriot;
5. Gettysburg;
6. Gods and Generals;
7. Patton;
8. Victory at Sea;
9.
“Heartbreak Ridge” is in rotation this weekend, also.
9. The Bridge on the River Kwai;
10. To Hell and Back;
11. Saving Private Ryan (despite the regrettable inclusion of Matt Damon in the cast).
“Where do we get such men...”
One of my favorite war movies of all time, along with Saving Private Ryan.
Excellent writing, acting. William Holden was fantastic, Grace Kelly was my dad’s favorite actress, so I loved her when I was a kid, and she was stunningly beautiful in that movie.
Mickey Rooney was the stereotypical crazy brave Irishman, adding comic relief and also representing American courage.
Holden’s character didn’t want to be flying a jet (that awesome 1950’s Banshee), of course never wanted to be in that ditch at the end of the movie, but like untold thousands, he did his duty. Fiction yes, but so inspirational.
Of course I’m referring to “Bridges at Toko-Ri”.
“We Were Soldiers” always belongs at the top. It shows the courage, sacrifice, and ingenuity of the American fighting man
= = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Also, Col Moore & Joe Galloway didn’t ‘allow’ them to stray to the usual Vietnam - ‘in story’, a bunch of hopped up GIs and a sadistic Sgt, stupid ‘butterball’ etc...
Also, they didn’t portray the ‘enemy’ as a bunch of pajama clad farmers that were thrown into the conflict.
The enemy CO was probably at Diebienphu and the studious efforts of LtCol Moore made for quite a ‘chess match’ between the two.
The ‘Top’ was outstanding and he kept the young soldiers and young JO’s in line...
Great Movie...
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