# What is your favorite WW2 movie



## imalko (Apr 2, 2009)

I don't know if there was similar thread already but anyway...

My favorite movies on WW2 are "Enemy at the Gates" and "Stalingrad", just to name the few. Out of the "older" titles my favorite is "Patton". George C. Scot was incredible in that movie.

There is also another interesting Czech movie - "Tmavomodry svet" (Dark Blue World) on Czech pilots in RAF service during Battle of Britain.

How about you guys?


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## MacArther (Apr 2, 2009)

I'll agree with you on "Stalingrad" even if it was a bit long for one sitting. Also, I like "Saints and Soldiers", as well as "The Great Raid". For the older movies I'd have to say that "The Longest Day" and "A Bridge Too Far" take the cake for me. Oh and can't forget "Battle Of Britain" featuring REAL aircraft from both sides in dogfights (although admittedly the 109s are the Spanish version with different engine).


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## imalko (Apr 2, 2009)

You are absolutely right about "Battle of Britain" movie. I can't believe I have forgotten about that one!  
It has special place in my collection.

"Bridge too far" is also excellent movie. Sean Connery was great in that one.

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## BombTaxi (Apr 2, 2009)

I'm a big fan of Memphis Belle, even if it gets a little on the sentimental side at times. I'm also fond of The Thin Red Line, but it's too long to watch too often...


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## Njaco (Apr 2, 2009)

First would be "Saving Private Ryan" followed by "Stalingrad". But one old movie that I love is "Sahara" with Bogey.


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## RabidAlien (Apr 2, 2009)

I'd have to say "Enemy at the Gates" (despite historically inaccurate love-affair and Zeitzev's 'tender' side) and "The Great Raid". "Shindler's List" will always be at the top of any list about fav movies of mine. Older stuff....can't beat "Sahara" or "Bataan"!


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## mkloby (Apr 2, 2009)

Mine is Band of Brothers... if you count that a movie.

If not - Saving Private Ryan


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## GrauGeist (Apr 2, 2009)

Wow...tough call as far as a single favorite although "All Quiet on the Western Front" (both the 1930 and the 1979 release) would rank up there at the top...

As far as WWII goes, I'd say for a classic, I'll go with "Cross of Iron"

For a more recent work, I'll say "Flags of Our Fathers"

And for best war comedy, a total classic in every sense: "Kelly's Heros"!


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## Thorlifter (Apr 3, 2009)

Yeah, can't pick just one. I like these for different reasons

Schindlers List
Saving Private Ryan
Midway
Enemy at the Gates
Battle of the Bulge
Bridge over the River Kwai

Just to name a few. I have many many more.

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## Marcel (Apr 3, 2009)

GrauGeist said:


> Wow...tough call as far as a single favorite although "All Quiet on the Western Front" (both the 1930 and the 1979 release) would rank up there at the top...



Ditto that, I have the 1930 version and it's great.


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## 109ROAMING (Apr 3, 2009)

The ones that are up there

"Battle of Britain"
"The Great Escape"
"Where Eagles Dare"
"U571"
"The Eagle has Landed"
"Black book"

others to hard listing them all


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## Maglar (Apr 3, 2009)

U571 was the first war movie I ever saw at age 7, what a thriller! Saving pvt. Ryan was pretty good, and I love Band of Brothers even though thats a mini-series..


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## seesul (Apr 3, 2009)

Dark Blue World 
_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkHTQKWrdj0_


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## 109ROAMING (Apr 3, 2009)

Only saw that for the first time the other week Seesul! Some bloody GREAT footage of Spitfires! Awesome movie


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## Maglar (Apr 3, 2009)

I'm suprised no one said Pearl Harbor, that was a pretty great movie.


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## 109ROAMING (Apr 3, 2009)

yeah "Tora Tora Tora" was pretty good from memory


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## Geedee (Apr 3, 2009)

Only one movie stands out that I can watch time and time again...Kellys Heroes !

I have others like the Battle of Britain, Murphy's War and I wont even start mentioning all those brilliant John Wayne movies....

I'm not a fan of all these new re-releases of old classics like Pearl Harbour, because the CGI stuff is too clinical and doesnt look right. Having said that I do have the Memphis Belle (had to get that as with two sories under my belt in 'Forts, its a great reminder)

I do find a lot of the older fims fun to watch as has said previously, to spot the 'errors...usual stuff like White Half-tracks painted up with the German Cross, the 109's (Buchon's) pretending to be Hurricanes in certain clips in the Battle of Britain, the amazing ability for absolutely every aircraft ever built, that gets into trouble and start going down to sound exactly like a Stuka on it dive bomb run.

I am absolutely dreading the modern remake of The Dambusters. Some films should be left alone !

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## beaupower32 (Apr 3, 2009)

I liked the Tuskegee Airmen. But all time favorite would be The Memphis Belle.


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## 109ROAMING (Apr 3, 2009)

Geedee said:


> I am absolutely dreading the modern remake of The Dambusters. Some films should be left alone !



F##king oath mate

Yet another modern day f##k up  

I heard Guy Gibson's dog is going to be called something ...... 

Has the potential to be a good movie but I have very high doubts it will do Guy Gibson and his men proud

.......


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## Wildcat (Apr 3, 2009)

I love alot of the older war movies, however my absolute favourite would be "too late the hero"


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## ToughOmbre (Apr 3, 2009)

Saving Private Ryan
Band of Brothers (OK, it's a mini series, not a movie)
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Flags of Our Fathers
When Trumpets Fade
The Great Raid
The Longest Day
The Purple Heart
They Were Expendable
Wake Island
Wing and a Prayer 
Bataan

TO


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## Wayne Little (Apr 3, 2009)

Gee....that's a toughie....would rate Saving Private Ryan way up there at Number 1 I think...but there are a few...including Where Eagles Dare, The Great Escape...never tire of watching Bogie in Sahara....


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## MacArther (Apr 3, 2009)

Has anyone heard about the miniseries "The Pacific"? Its going to be made by the same people that did Band of Brothers. The tentative release date is February 2010, which is making die from waiting so long....


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## seesul (Apr 3, 2009)

Saints and soldiers is a good movie as well 
_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us-0akvhbFE_


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## renrich (Apr 3, 2009)

"Saving Private Ryan," "They Were Expendable," "Battle of Britain," and "Task Force." Das Boot also


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## Negative Creep (Apr 3, 2009)

Not sure if I have one particular favourite. I really like Stalingrad but the only version I have has terrible 'English with German accent' overdubbing. I'd also list

Saving Private Ryan
Days of Glory
Cross of Iron
The Longest Day
Flags of our Fathers
Letters from Iwo Jima
The Big Red One
Below (a horror rather than a war film though)
The Thin Red Line

and I'm sure I've forgotten some


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## rochie (Apr 3, 2009)

you guy's have mentioned most of my faves, but i'll add 

reach for the sky
the war lover
the flying leathernecks
sands of iwo jima
windtalkers


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## Butters (Apr 3, 2009)

1: Das Boot
2: Midway
3: Battle of Britain

And it wasn't a movie, but I thought it was great : Piece of Cake

JL


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## ToughOmbre (Apr 3, 2009)

Maglar said:


> I'm suprised no one said Pearl Harbor, that was a pretty great movie.



"Pearl Harbor"? You should start a new thread, "Worst WW II Movies of All Time".

Or how about "Worst Movies of All Time"?

TO


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## Amsel (Apr 3, 2009)

Flags of our Fathers

Private Ryan

A Thin Red Line

Farewell to the King (not widely known but great film about the Pacific)


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## Njaco (Apr 3, 2009)

TO, I think we did and that was #1 witha bullet!

GeeDee, forgot about "Murphy's War". Watching the first flight of that Duck off the water sends shivers down my spine. Freaking great!!


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## GrauGeist (Apr 3, 2009)

I should have mentioned that a good "horror" movie based in WWII was "The Keep" with Jurgen Prochnow...

I thought it did a great job of showing the true friction that existed between the Wehrmacht and the SS...plus a decent storyline and effects...


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## Thorlifter (Apr 3, 2009)

Murphy's war was a pretty good flick. I'll have to look for that one to add it to the pile I already have.


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## Glider (Apr 4, 2009)

If I have to pick one then it would be the longest day and if anyone can find a copy of the book I suggest that its worth a read.

Small piece of information regarding the film you may or may not know. The actor Richard Todd plays the part of John Howard the Major in charge of the assult on Pegasus Bridge. In real life Richard Todd was the first officer to meet up with John Howard's assult team and helped hold the bridge until it was relieved. 

Must be an odd feeling to play a role in an action you actually took part in with another actor playing you.


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## Amsel (Apr 4, 2009)

Didn't know that!


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## Geedee (Apr 4, 2009)

Njaco said:


> TO, I think we did and that was #1 witha bullet!
> 
> GeeDee, forgot about "Murphy's War". Watching the first flight of that Duck off the water sends shivers down my spine. Freaking great!!



"Flyyyyyy, you Bastard....flyyyyy"

Best bit of the film !. I defy any-one watching not to be on the edge of their seat willing that Duck to get get flying.


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## Njaco (Apr 4, 2009)

Me too. Greatest peice of aerial (?) filming!


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## RabidAlien (Apr 4, 2009)

I forgot to mention in my post, but "When Trumpets Fade" is an amazingly horrific look at the Hurtgen Forest campaign. Just thinkin about it gives me goosebumps!


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## rochie (Apr 4, 2009)

almost forgot - 
full metal jacket
hamburger hill
platoon


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## drgondog (Apr 4, 2009)

mkloby said:


> Mine is Band of Brothers... if you count that a movie.
> 
> If not - Saving Private Ryan



I count it as a movie - and Band of Brothers is definitely my number one.

Saving Private Ryan, 12 O'Clock High, Command Decision would fall into a close second.


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## ToughOmbre (Apr 4, 2009)

RabidAlien said:


> I forgot to mention in my post, but "When Trumpets Fade" is an amazingly horrific look at the Hurtgen Forest campaign. Just thinkin about it gives me goosebumps!



That one is on my list as well RA.

Relatively underrated, but one of the most realistic portrayals of what combat in the ETO must have been like.

TO


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## Bluehawk (Apr 4, 2009)

- Bridge Over the River Kwai
- The Longest Day
- The Guns of Navarone
- Dirty Dozen
- Shoa


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## Gnomey (Apr 4, 2009)

Definitely Band of Brothers (even though it is not technically a movie). As for the rest there are so many I doubt I can even remember them all. Of course there is Saving Private Ryan up there as well. In addition there is The Longest Day, Flags of our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, When Trumpets Fade, Battle of Britain and I could go on and on...


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## Marcel (Apr 5, 2009)

I thought "Band of Brothers" was way better than "Saving private Ryan". The last one was nice enough to watch, but I didn't think it exceptional.
I liked "Flags of our Fathers" and I thought it's twin brother "Letters from Iwo Jima" was even better, especially as it now told the story from "the other side".


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## RabidAlien (Apr 5, 2009)

100% agree, Marcel.


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## yankeeclipper747 (Apr 5, 2009)

New: Saving Private Ryan Band of Brothers, Classic: The Longest Day Battle of Britian


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## Cota1992 (May 19, 2009)

Decsion Before dawn (1950) filmed in the ruins- about a German medic spying for the Americans in the last days of the war- Everything is perfect except the tanks are american. Shows the German knack for paperwork, everything's real and spot on.
First scene there's 2 MG-42s laying on the ground and a burning German251 halftarck laying there. Also in the movie is a attack on a bridge by a sqaudron of P-47s.
I was turned on to this movie by a friend who was a 80th Infantry Division vert and there for the last few months of the war- he said it was the best thing going for realism.

Of course I like all the classics and have a feeling there's more truth in the little details of Kelly's Heros then we might think...


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## vikingBerserker (May 19, 2009)

#1 Patton
#2 Hell's Angles - the greatest aerial combat movie ever made 
#3 Blue Max


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## Thorlifter (May 19, 2009)

The one I enjoy watching the most is Battle of the Bulge or Patton. I like the visual affects of Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List, and Band of Brothers better, but those are very intense movies and not completely relaxing to watch.


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## Ferdinand Foch (May 19, 2009)

There's a lot of WW2 movies that I love, but I'll just do the top 5. 

1. Saving Private Ryan.
2. A Bridge Too Far.
3. The Pianist.
4. The Longest Day. 
5. Saints and Soldiers. 

Wouldn't mind seeing Days of Glory though. Hey, has anyone seen a movie about a uprising in a Concentration Camp. I forget what it was called, but it starred Harvey Keitel.


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## Cota1992 (May 19, 2009)

Ferdinand Foch said:


> The
> 
> 
> 
> Wouldn't mind seeing Days of Glory though. Hey, has anyone seen a movie about a uprising in a Concentration Camp. I forget what it was called, but it starred Harvey Keitel.



Escape from Sobibor was the movie about the camp uprising but it had Alan Arkin and Rutget Hauer- good movie.
Escape from Sobibor (1987) (TV)


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## vikingBerserker (May 19, 2009)

Ferdinand Foch said:


> Hey, has anyone seen a movie about a uprising in a Concentration Camp. I forget what it was called, but it starred Harvey Keitel.



The Grey Zone? If that's the one it was excellent.


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## Ferdinand Foch (May 19, 2009)

vikingBerserker said:


> The Grey Zone? If that's the one it was excellent.



Yeah, that was the one, The Grey Zone. Thanks VB! It was a good movie to see, even though I did become sick and a little freaked out about some parts, especially during the shower scene.


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## Ferdinand Foch (May 19, 2009)

Cota, haven't seen Escape from Sobiblor, but it sounds interesting.


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## Cota1992 (May 19, 2009)

Ferdinand Foch said:


> Cota, haven't seen Escape from Sobiblor, but it sounds interesting.



I somehow missed The Gray Zone and camp movies are of interest to me. I just looked it up- I did read the book it's based on a few times years ago.
Good deal all the way around- I told you about a camp movie you haven't seen and I learned about one I missed, cool.
It's going on the list right now!


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## Flyboy2 (May 19, 2009)

Ferdinand Foch said:


> Cota, haven't seen Escape from Sobiblor, but it sounds interesting.



Its pretty good.. I really like that one...

What did everybody think of the movie Valkyrie?


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## Thorlifter (May 19, 2009)

I won't watch it because I won't support that piece of s**t Tom Cruise in any way, shape, or form. I won't even pirate the movie and download it illegally.


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## imalko (May 19, 2009)

Having watched this movie and been very disappointed myself I can understand your point.


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## Doughboy (May 19, 2009)

Here are my favorites...


Valkyrie
Das Boot
When Trumpets Fade
Enemy At the Gates
Letters of Iwo Jima
A Bridge to Far"Battle of the Bulge 
Saving Private Ryan.

There probably is more, but I can't think of them.


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## Doughboy (May 19, 2009)

Flyboy2 said:


> Its pretty good.. I really like that one...
> 
> What did everybody think of the movie Valkyrie?


Loved it(my favorite ww2 movie).


 I won't watch it because I won't support that piece of s**t Tom Cruise in any way, shape, or form. I won't even pirate the movie and download it illegally. 




Tom Cruise did a *GREAT* job.


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## Flyboy2 (May 19, 2009)

I'll have to agree with Doughboy... Even though Tom Cruise is a piece of crap, I thought Valkyrie was a great movie, definately one people should see


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## Vassili Zaitzev (May 19, 2009)

Let's see, to name a few. 

Band of Brothers
Saving Private Ryan
Stalingrad
Battle of the Bulge
Battle of Britain

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## BikerBabe (May 21, 2009)

Kelly's Heroes
Battle of Britain (despite miserable editing, pan/scan and 60's hairstyles)
Saving Private Ryan (despite the main sob story)
Das Boot
Der Untergang
The Eagle Has Landed
Where Eagles Dare
Flammen og Citronen (The Flame and the Lemon)

And my all-time fave, even though it's a mini series: Band of Brothers.
I'd _wish _- oh I wish! - that messrs. Spielberg Hanks would give the Battle of Britain the same treatment...but that's just a daydream, I'm afraid. Just imagine the production costs...*yelps*


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## imalko (May 26, 2009)

Some great movies on your list, Maria. 

Somehow I missed to mention "Der Untergang" in my original post, but its one of my all time favorite war movies. Filmed with great authenticity and Bruno Ganz's portrayal of Hitler was amazing to say the least.


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## vonmallard (May 26, 2009)

The War Lover (love the B-17 beating up the airfield sceen)
Das Boot
Air Force (another B-17 movie)
12 O'clock High
Cross of Iron
Passage to Marsailles (love Humphry Bogart)
Casablanca
and any John Wayne war movie


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## Bluehawk (May 28, 2009)

I do want to see Valkyrie... after so many decades of viewing WWII films and reading, to miss something like that just seems silly, for whatever may be gleaned from it.


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## Cota1992 (May 29, 2009)

I used to own the War Lover on VHS many moons ago- the B-17 beating up the field is priceless..


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## Hansie Bloeckmann (Jan 18, 2018)

Casablanca- The Bridge on the River Kwai, Where Eagles Dare and The Great Escape.


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## Hansie Bloeckmann (Jan 24, 2018)

Geedee said:


> Only one movie stands out that I can watch time and time again...Kellys Heroes !
> 
> I have others like the Battle of Britain, Murphy's War and I wont even start mentioning all those brilliant John Wayne movies....
> 
> ...


How about Korean War era? Only one movie comes to mind: "The Bridges at To-Ko-Ri William Holden was as great in this as he was in "The Bridge On The River Kwai"!!


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## swampyankee (Jan 24, 2018)

Casablanca

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## Hansie Bloeckmann (Jan 25, 2018)

swampyankee said:


> Casablanca


Without a doubt. Bogey at his all-time best- and Ingrid Bergmann- Wowser--


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## billrunnels (Jan 25, 2018)

Gregory Peck in Twelve O'Clock High

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## Tim Moore (Jan 25, 2018)

I have to agree with Bill. I watch Twelve O'clock High two to three times a year. I own a first edition of the book, and it just isn't the same as the movie. Now, here is the sad thing. I can sit there and watch "Target For Today" over and over. It is a very dry documentary, not meant to be entertaining. It is available on YouTube and DVD. It takes quite a long time to get to the actual mission, but if you watch it, you will see all the planning and preparation for the missions. The actual mission footage is breathtaking. On a final note, both Twelve O'clock High and Target for Today were meant to be watched while sipping single malt Scotch.

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## Airframes (Jan 26, 2018)

'Twelve o' Clock High' was used (and still might be) at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (UK) in the lectures/studies on leadership - quite an accolade for a movie.

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## XBe02Drvr (Apr 7, 2018)

Das Boot

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## Fishboy (Jun 10, 2018)

Of the “newer” movies, Saving Private Ryan has to be my number one. Agree with others that Dunkirk is a disappointment.

Twelve O’Clock High is a fantastic movie. Also have to list They Were Expendable and In Harm’s Way.

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## Zipper730 (Jun 10, 2018)

Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan.

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## Smokey Stover (Jun 28, 2018)

I have to agree Platoon and Enemy at the gates were decent enough movies. Kubricks Full metal jacket deserves and honourable mention along with Apocalypse now. But for realism and effect i still think Saving private ryan is a great war movie, even for the first ten mins of the film depicting the D-day landings. But in the same vein, the mini series Band of brothers was equally good.
But my personal favourite for sentimental reasons and not so much because its a great film. I'd have to say First light. Based on the memoirs of battle of britain spitfire pilot Geoff Wellum.
Also a Russian war film called White tiger, is well worth a look if anyones not familiar with it.


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## vikingBerserker (Jun 28, 2018)

12 O'clock High, Das Boot and Patton I will always watch if on.

I liked Band of Brother's but got more into The Pacific

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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jun 28, 2018)

vikingBerserker said:


> 12 O'clock High, Das Boot and Patton I will always watch if on.
> 
> I liked Band of Brother's but got more into The Pacific



I was the opposite. I like The Pacific, but found Band of Brothers much better. Epic show!

I’m looking forward to the 8th Air Force installment , if it ever comes out.

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## Tieleader (Jun 28, 2018)

The Eagle has Landed (Micheal Caine is great in anything!)
Das Boot . But it has to be the unedited long directors cut to get the full feel of seesawing between boredom and absolutel terror. (SPOILER!)The ending with the captain dying with the boat was heartbreaking...


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Jun 28, 2018)

Tieleader said:


> The Eagle has Landed (Micheal Caine is great in anything!)
> Das Boot . But it has to be the unedited long directors cut to get the full feel of seesawing between boredom and absolutel terror. (SPOILER!)The ending with the captain dying with the boat was heartbreaking...



Das Boot is my absolute favorite. And I agree about the unedited directors cut. I also think it should only be watched in German. The voices in the translations were terrible.

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## pgeno71 (Jun 28, 2018)

A lot great movies already mentioned, but one I like and watch any time it's on TCM, is _Play Dirty_. Michael Caine and Nigel Davenport as British commandos in North Africa. If you don't know it, I recommend taking a look..


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## Tieleader (Jun 28, 2018)

DerAdlerIstGelandet said:


> Das Boot is my absolute favorite. And I agree about the unedited directors cut. I also think it should only be watched in German. The voices in the translations were terrible.


Agreed. I have the english subtitle german DVD version. So much better. What I really love about that movie was the many and creative ways the crew amused themselves when not on duty. It makes a great counterpoint to the stark terror they all experienced whilst being depth charged. I'm just glad TVs don't have a smell-o-vision capability (at least yet). Can't even imagine the smell of that boat after three weeks...

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## XBe02Drvr (Jun 29, 2018)

Tieleader said:


> Can't even imagine the smell of that boat after three weeks...


Fresh out of refit and overhaul, a diesel boat lives up to its reputation as....STINKPOT, never mind after three weeks underway. Kind of like a training command T-34 can't ever get the essence of puke completely scrubbed out of it, no matter how hard you try.
Cheers,
Wes


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## Smokey Stover (Jun 29, 2018)

vikingBerserker said:


> 12 O'clock High, Das Boot and Patton I will always watch if on.
> 
> I liked Band of Brother's but got more into The Pacific



Yes! How could i have forgotten Das Boot. A truly great war film. And so many subtle accurate moment of realism with a touch of the bizarre too. Like when all the crew are singing "long way to tipperary".....  The film does well to portray the good, bad and truly terrifying aspects of war and life aboard a ww2 U-boat. That's one job i would not have liked, probably second only to bomber crewman.

Red Tails was an ok war film, if a little inaccurate. Kinda reminds me of Memphis Belle. Too much artistic license and not enough realism. The Mighty Eighth im trying to get around to watching so that's another one on my list to view.


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## Tieleader (Jun 29, 2018)

XBe02Drvr said:


> Kind of like a training command T-34 can't ever get the essence of puke completely scrubbed out of it, no matter how hard you try.


Isn't that what trainers were made for?


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## XBe02Drvr (Jun 30, 2018)

Tieleader said:


> Isn't that what trainers were made for?


Guess so. Military trainers, anyway. Had a commercial/instrument student who'd been a line mech on Tweet-37s at a Primary Training base. He said cockpits on those always stank.
But the ultimate vomit comet was the T-39 Sabreliner RIO trainer. It had an F-8 radar set in the nose that fed three F-4 style RIO stations in the cabin which had all windows blanked. The pilots were Marine (mostly F-8) fighter pilots enjoying a stateside tour of duty, and the "targets" were A-4s flown by Phantom pilots in training for Topgun or RAG instructor duty. Needless to say, docile radar interception runs invariably turned into dogfights, and the student RIOs, for whom this was their first flight experience, found it pretty rough going. That little Sabreliner, with it's automatic slats, could turn and burn like a fighter. Only time I ever lost my lunch in the air was when I hitched a ride from JAX to Key West in one of those pukemobiles. The stench was overpowering, and the pilots couldn't be satisfied with straight and level. They liked to indulge in "porpoise flight", deviating rapidly 500 feet above and below their assigned altitude, alternating positive and negative Gs. Garaunteed to elevate your stomach.
Cheers,
Wes

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## GrauGeist (Jun 30, 2018)

Airframes said:


> 'Twelve o' Clock High' was used (and still might be) at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (UK) in the lectures/studies on leadership - quite an accolade for a movie.


It was a good enough movie that it spawned a TV series.

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## Hansie Bloeckmann (Jun 30, 2018)

GrauGeist said:


> It was a good enough movie that it spawned a TV series.


Trying to recall- was it actor Robert Lansing that had the starring role in "12 O'Clock High"--?


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## Airframes (Jun 30, 2018)

Gregory Peck.

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## Smokey Stover (Jun 30, 2018)

Bit of an obscure one this. Dont know how many of you know of or have seen it, but worth a look.
_View: https://youtu.be/AALrrgEOlvU_


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## GrauGeist (Jun 30, 2018)

As Terry noted, Gregory Peck for the movie.

In the TV series, it was Robert Lansing and Paul Burke


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## Tieleader (Jun 30, 2018)

XBe02Drvr said:


> and the pilots couldn't be satisfied with straight and level. They liked to indulge in "porpoise flight", deviating rapidly 500 feet above and below their assigned altitude, alternating positive and negative Gs. Garaunteed to elevate your stomach.


Come on, like the T Birds or Blue Angels don't push it when they take up reporters?!


XBe02Drvr said:


> ultimate vomit comet


Going to have remember that one!


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## Tieleader (Jun 30, 2018)

Smokey Stover said:


> Bit of an obscure one this. Dont know how many of you know of or have seen it, but worth a look.
> _View: https://youtu.be/AALrrgEOlvU_



David Bowie was a truly talented artist. I miss him !

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## XBe02Drvr (Jun 30, 2018)

Tieleader said:


> Come on, like the T Birds or Blue Angels don't push it when they take up reporters?!


Ops officer in the F-4 RAG squadron had done a tour in the Blues. He said giving journalists a ride is a delicate balance between giving them an impressive thrill and scaring them or embarrassing them. He said at least a couple times a year he'd get one who would "flunk" his preflight briefing, and he wouldn't let them get in the airplane. Tact and diplomacy are a necessary part of the job.
Cheers,
Wes


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## Tieleader (Jun 30, 2018)

XBe02Drvr said:


> Ops officer in the F-4 RAG squadron had done a tour in the Blues. He said giving journalists a ride is a delicate balance between giving them an impressive thrill and scaring them or embarrassing them. He said at least a couple times a year he'd get one who would "flunk" his preflight briefing, and he wouldn't let them get in the airplane. Tact and diplomacy are a necessary part of the job.
> Cheers,
> Wes


Guess I understand. Had the great pleasure in going up in a Dehaviland (sp?) Vampire trainer a while back. The pilot kept it under 3Gs but still felt like I was stuck in cement. Couldn't lift my head to look, but I'm sure he had a big grin on his face!


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## XBe02Drvr (Jun 30, 2018)

Tieleader said:


> Guess I understand. Had the great pleasure in going up in a Dehaviland (sp?) Vampire trainer a while back. The pilot kept it under 3Gs but still felt like I was stuck in cement. Couldn't lift my head to look, but I'm sure he had a big grin on his face!


Gs are a bit of a challenge if you haven't experienced them before, especially if you're the hostage. So much better when you're the terrorist! Any time one of my students showed signs of distress, the plane was instantly theirs. Nothing like control of the situation to squelch airsickness and ease fear and stress.
Cheers,
Wes


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## pgeno71 (Jul 1, 2018)

Smokey Stover said:


> Bit of an obscure one this. Dont know how many of you know of or have seen it, but worth a look.
> _View: https://youtu.be/AALrrgEOlvU_



Great choice Smokey Stover. _Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence_ is one of those movies that provide a different perspective on the war. Your post also makes me want to put on my CD of _Diamond Dogs_.

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## CORSNING (Jul 1, 2018)

*Saving Private Ryan*, awesome. A true classic.
*Pearl Harbor*, way far fetched, but entertaining.
*Wind Talkers*, an amazing true story that most did not know about.
damn good entertainment too.
*Band of Brothers*, several views excellently broken down.
*Silent Night*, a true story about the wars last Christmas and a
few solders from both sides finding a little piece and sanity
near wars end. I have seen this movie twice now and it
has become a movie that my wife and I will watch every
Christmas from now on.

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## Smokey Stover (Jul 4, 2018)

pgeno71 said:


> Great choice Smokey Stover. _Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence_ is one of those movies that provide a different perspective on the war. Your post also makes me want to put on my CD of _Diamond Dogs_.


Diamond Dogs..? Maybe its a temporary mental block, but remind me what kind of film this is plz....


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## Smokey Stover (Jul 4, 2018)

BikerBabe said:


> Kelly's Heroes
> Battle of Britain (despite miserable editing, pan/scan and 60's hairstyles)
> Saving Private Ryan (despite the main sob story)
> Das Boot
> ...


There is a BBC mini series called "First light" about the memoirs of bob ace Geof Wellum. It's not heaped in historical inaccuracies as other bob films and has a lot more realism about the huge and daunting job of repulsing the Luftwaffe and negating any chance of invasion of the British mainland. Not to mention of course the German armed forces, especially the Army and Navy were highly dubious about the barges and canal boats that would have been used to ferry the Wehrmacht across the channel that at best can be highly volatile. Not to mention without total air supremacy the Royal Navy would have surely annihilated the German attempted landings on mainland Britain. The biggest blunder made by the luwftwaffe and its leaders was not understanding the huge importance of Radar and the English ability to not have to fly continuous fighter sweeps/patrols over the south coast. And i have read many accounts of German aircrew who were shocked to see RAF formations vectored right onto the approaching bomber/fighter formations that Germany were convinced would prove the turning point. Also worth noting all the British commonwealth pilots were drafted in and put straight into combat during those tough summer months. Also should be noted of the volunteers from neutral countries such as the USA + its Eagle squadrons. I think as well once the American people seen how much devastation had been caused in London, it kind of sent a wave of sympathy towards the British public for standing strong in the face of such devastation. And not only was the mood changing towards England, more and more Americans sympathise with another nation that looked and talked like the US. And i imagine the feeling was, if little Britain can stand firm and repulse the nazis, then America would surely have the belief they could smash and control German aggression if indeed the US did ever enter the war.


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## XBe02Drvr (Jul 4, 2018)

Smokey Stover said:


> I think as well once the American people seen how much devastation had been caused in London, it kind of sent a wave of sympathy towards the British public for standing strong in the face of such devastation. And not only was the mood changing towards England, more and more Americans sympathise with another nation that looked and talked like the US. And i imagine the feeling was, if little Britain can stand firm and repulse the nazis, then America would surely have the belief they could smash and control German aggression if indeed the US did ever enter the war.


The US at the time was almost as polarized and gridlocked as it is now. The "progressive intelligensia", mostly clustered near the coasts, were paying attention to what was going on in Europe and the far East, and shuddering in their shoes, while the "conservative heartland", comfortable in their isolation, and aghast at the heresies of the New Deal, were leery of "foreign entanglements" and committed to "America First". It took Nanking in ruins, and then London in flames (London, epicenter of the English-speaking world!) to hit Americans at a gut level and start to elevate "America First" from a national to a global ambition, which resonates to this day.
Without the images of St Paul's against a flaming sky, Roosevelt could never have gotten away with Lend-Lease or swapping destroyers for bases, or escorting convoys, or most importantly, "a hundred thousand planes next year".
Cheers,
Wes

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## Smokey Stover (Jul 4, 2018)

XBe02Drvr said:


> The US at the time was almost as polarized and gridlocked as it is now. The "progressive intelligensia", mostly clustered near the coasts, were paying attention to what was going on in Europe and the far East, and shuddering in their shoes, while the "conservative heartland", comfortable in their isolation, and aghast at the heresies of the New Deal, were leery of "foreign entanglements" and committed to "America First". It took Nanking in ruins, and then London in flames (London, epicenter of the English-speaking world!) to hit Americans at a gut level and start to elevate "America First" from a national to a global ambition, which resonates to this day.
> Without the images of St Paul's against a flaming sky, Roosevelt could never have gotten away with Lend-Lease or swapping destroyers for bases, or escorting convoys, or most importantly, "a hundred thousand planes next year".
> Cheers,
> Wes


Personally i think Roosevelt did a fantastic job. And lets not forget, The US were basically fighting a major war on two fronts. The ETO & PTO at the same time. The resources needed to do that as well as send tons and tons of supplies not just to Britain but to Russia and many other nations under threat of invasion/occupation. Roosevelt went out on a limb to help Britain despite his need to keep American opinion stable and away from what was really happening, with regards to lend lease and constant steady supplies of military hardwear. I heard in early 41 something like 50% of US aircraft production was switched ove to helping the British stay in the war. Some could argue that had England been defeated the outcome might have been so different. But thankfully the bravery and tactical savvy of the RAF fooled the Germans into a war of attrition. And despite the very real fear of invasion. I still think it would have been a bloobath for the Germans had they attempted to invade the British coast

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## swampyankee (Jul 4, 2018)

XBe02Drvr said:


> The US at the time was almost as polarized and gridlocked as it is now. The "progressive intelligensia", mostly clustered near the coasts, were paying attention to what was going on in Europe and the far East, and shuddering in their shoes, while the "conservative heartland", comfortable in their isolation, and aghast at the heresies of the New Deal, were leery of "foreign entanglements" and committed to "America First". It took Nanking in ruins, and then London in flames (London, epicenter of the English-speaking world!) to hit Americans at a gut level and start to elevate "America First" from a national to a global ambition, which resonates to this day.
> Without the images of St Paul's against a flaming sky, Roosevelt could never have gotten away with Lend-Lease or swapping destroyers for bases, or escorting convoys, or most importantly, "a hundred thousand planes next year".
> Cheers,
> Wes


Isolationism and its opposite were somewhat unrelated to the left-right spectrum, with isolationist Progressives and internationalist conservatives. Also, many isolationists were more than happy to intervene, especially in places like Central America and the Caribbean. There were also people quite happy with Germany slaughtering its way through Eastern Europe and offended by Japan behaving similarly in China. The politics were very confused.

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## XBe02Drvr (Jul 4, 2018)

Smokey Stover said:


> it would have been a bloobath for the Germans had they attempted to invade the British coast


From an American perspective, it seems there were a significant number of Britons of the wealthier classes who weren't all that offended by Nazism, thinking maybe it had some good ideas, such as anti-Semitism and Teutonic superioriy. (weren't the Angles and the Saxons both of German DNA?) Then all of a sudden, there they were, just across the river, and not seeming to show any sign of friendliness toward their island dwelling cousins. In fact they were being downright nasty, jettisoning ordnance on their blood relations!
Funny how a thing like that can have a unifying and hardening effect on the public will, isn't it?
"We will fight them on the beaches, we will fight them in the streets, and on the landing fields;...we will never surrender!" And we thought Japan would have been a tough nut to crack?
Cheers,
Wes

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## XBe02Drvr (Jul 4, 2018)

swampyankee said:


> The politics were very confused.


Aren't they always? Electoral mandates are illusory. They carry the seeds of their own undoing.
Cheers,
Wes


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## Hansie Bloeckmann (Jul 4, 2018)

XBe02Drvr said:


> From an American perspective, it seems there were a significant number of Britons of the wealthier classes who weren't all that offended by Nazism, thinking maybe it had some good ideas, such as anti-Semitism and Teutonic superioriy. (weren't the Angles and the Saxons both of German DNA?) Then all of a sudden, there they were, just across the river, and not seeming to show any sign of friendliness toward their island dwelling cousins. In fact they were being downright nasty, jettisoning ordnance on their blood relations!
> Funny how a thing like that can have a unifying and hardening effect on the public will, isn't it?
> "We will fight them on the beaches, we will fight them in the streets, and on the landing fields;...we will never surrender!" And we thought Japan would have been a tough nut to crack?
> Cheers,
> Wes


There was a society, started by Lady Astor- that leaned toward the Hitlerian concept of a Europe under Nazi rule- One of fat-boy Churchill's cabinet, Lord Halifax, and also Neville Chamberlain were trying to negotiate with Mussolini to intercede with Hitler, to keep England out of another global European blood-bath a la 1914-1918. Trying to get Hitler to keep his word (as with the Czechoslovakian 1938 "Peace In Our Time" fubar, would be a difficult task indeed. 
Hitler was a meglomaniac, his word was not to be trusted by anyone- The anti Jewish scenario, and both invading Russia in June 1941, and Hitler's declaring was on America, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, were among his many mistakes- His pact with the Japanese detailed that Germany would then declare on America only if and when America should attack Japan- Hitler got that one "bass-ackwards" and paid the price by May 1945- a whole continent laid to waste- millions died in the death camps and in battle fields from Normandy to Kiev, Athens and Tobruk, and points in between. I hope that the Brits pilloried Lady Astor and her followers--

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## swampyankee (Jul 4, 2018)

XBe02Drvr said:


> From an American perspective, it seems there were a significant number of Britons of the wealthier classes who weren't all that offended by Nazism, thinking maybe it had some good ideas, such as anti-Semitism and Teutonic superioriy. (weren't the Angles and the Saxons both of German DNA?) Then all of a sudden, there they were, just across the river, and not seeming to show any sign of friendliness toward their island dwelling cousins. In fact they were being downright nasty, jettisoning ordnance on their blood relations!
> Funny how a thing like that can have a unifying and hardening effect on the public will, isn't it?
> "We will fight them on the beaches, we will fight them in the streets, and on the landing fields;...we will never surrender!" And we thought Japan would have been a tough nut to crack?
> Cheers,
> Wes


There were — and are — a not insignificant number of Americans who view nazi racism and antisemitism quite favorably.

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## XBe02Drvr (Jul 4, 2018)

swampyankee said:


> There were — and are — a not insignificant number of Americans who view nazi racism and antisemitism quite favorably.


Yes, and to quote the USFS: "Climatic conditions are favorable for the spread of wildfires."
Wink, wink. Nod, nod.
Wes


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## fubar57 (Jul 4, 2018)

Kelly's Heroes..."woof woof'

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## Fishboy (Jul 4, 2018)

XBe02Drvr said:


> Fresh out of refit and overhaul, a diesel boat lives up to its reputation as....STINKPOT, never mind after three weeks underway. Kind of like a training command T-34 can't ever get the essence of puke completely scrubbed out of it, no matter how hard you try.
> Cheers,
> Wes


You know it’s interesting. I spent about 3 1/2 years on a US nuke fast attack based out of San Diego. Among other times at sea, we went on deployment to the western Pacific in 79. Mission to track Soviet boomers up near the Bering Sea. The longest we spent submerged continuously was 66 days. Now I know that the ventilation and atmospheric cleanup systems were night and day different on the boat I was on compared to the U-boats in WW2. But I remember the smells... or lack of. You’d walk by the garbage facility and you’d see it was just oozing, and you knew it had to stink to high heaven. But you’d detect it faintly, but not overpowering. I guess we got used to the slow accumulation of odors over the deployment. Kind of like the frog in a pot of water....if it’s hot initially he’ll jump out. Start out cold and slowly heat it up, he’ll boil to death. You always smelled petroleum products like fuel oil, etc. 

At the end of the 66 days, we pulled into a Guam and in the process ventilated the boat with fresh air. I remember that it smelled and tasted “different”. It was then you realized just how foul the air had been.

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## GrauGeist (Jul 4, 2018)

XBe02Drvr said:


> ...were leery of "foreign entanglements" and committed to "America First"...


That was a key part of Washington's farewell address over two hundred years ago.



fubar57 said:


> Kelly's Heroes..."woof woof'

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## XBe02Drvr (Jul 5, 2018)

GrauGeist said:


> That was a key part of Washington's farewell address over two hundred years ago.


It wasn't mere coincidence that I worded it that way.
Cheers,
Wes


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## XBe02Drvr (Jul 5, 2018)

fubar57 said:


> Kelly's Heroes..."woof woof'


To get back to the original topic, I'd like to toss in a vote for "Shogun", the mini series. Not WWII, but arguably a pre- pre- prequel.
Cheers,
Wes


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## parsifal (Jul 5, 2018)

One of my favourites is Yamato, a Japanese film about the loss of the famous ship. Its similar in structure to Saving Pte Ryan. I just prefer the subject material


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## fubar57 (Jul 5, 2018)

XBe02Drvr said:


> To get back to the original topic, I'd like to toss in a vote for "Shogun", the mini series. Not WWII, but arguably a pre- pre- prequel. Cheers, Wes



Why is my favorite WW2 movie set in WW2 not suitable for the "What is Your Favorite WW2 Movie?" and your pre-pre-prequel set in the 1600s is?


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## XBe02Drvr (Jul 5, 2018)

fubar57 said:


> Why is my favorite WW2 movie set in WW2 not suitable for the "What is Your Favorite WW2 Movie?" and your pre-pre-prequel set in the 1600s is?


Sorry, didn't mean to hit you with negative waves, man! I was acknowledging your implication that we had drifted off topic and needed to make a course correction. Didn't make myself clear, I guess. I always get a kick out of Kelly's Heroes.
"We've been working on the railroad.....". One of my favorite scenes in the video pantheon.
Cheers,
Wes


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## Ironheart (Jul 5, 2018)

I agree, so many to choose from …..David Bowie was great in Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence. Peter O'toole in Lawrence of Arabia. To End All Wars with Robert Carlyle, Kiefer Sutherland and Sakae Kimura was an emotional experience! I did enjoy Flags of our Father but too bad it was not historically correct...….the Flag raiser was my cousin Harold Schultz not that medic! Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan.....too many to list!


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## YF12A (Jul 5, 2018)

Twelve O'Clock High. But I am a bit biased as my neighbor was in the 306th from 1942 until 1944 and saw it all happen. He told me some of the things portrayed in the movie did happen, some obviously didn't, but said it did capture the intensity well. This from someone who flew in the first raid over Germany and was Lead pilot for the 306th on the Schweinfurt mission

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## Elvis (Jul 5, 2018)

imalko said:


> I don't know if there was similar thread already but anyway...
> 
> My favorite movies on WW2 are "Enemy at the Gates" and "Stalingrad", just to name the few. Out of the "older" titles my favorite is "Patton". George C. Scot was incredible in that movie.
> 
> ...


FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE!

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## YF12A (Jul 5, 2018)

From a Naval standpoint, I always thought "The Enemy Below" is a great movie about Convoy duty that never gets the credit that those men and ships deserve compared to "Midway" or others more of that kind.


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## Barrett (Jul 5, 2018)

“Task Force” may remain the best WW2 naval aviation movie. The Midway portion is sorta generic but well done, even with a TBD mock-up. Real SBD and F4F. The radio script is out of the FDO manual. Best line, “Do you know any satisfyin’ profanity?”


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## XBe02Drvr (Jul 5, 2018)

YF12A said:


> a great movie about Convoy duty


Did you actually watch the movie in recent history? I saw it again last week. The destroyer in the movie is on an independent mission in the South Atlantic, far from the convoy lanes. The U-boat is headed for a rendezvous with a surface raider to transfer some sensitive intelligence information. That is why both Captains are suspicious as to why the other is out here in this godforsaken corner of the ocean. It's a truly spell binding contest of minds and nerves as the two Captains duel it out in their remote patch of ocean. It's high on my list. I've been in a diesel boat sitting on the bottom in a hidey hole in the Gulf of Mexico while a P-3 testing out a new piece of ASW apparatus came looking for us. Took him just about 20 minutes. Glad we weren't a Russian boomer. One of them couldn't hope to hide anywhere in the Gulf.
Cheers,
Wes


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## Gekko13 (Jul 6, 2018)

The Human Condition I, II, III
Fires on the Plain
The Burmese Harp
Colonel Kato’s Falcon Squadron


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## vikingBerserker (Jul 6, 2018)

Ironheart said:


> I agree, so many to choose from …..David Bowie was great in Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence.



I saw that like a month ago, he really did a great job.


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## Elvis (Jul 6, 2018)

Elvis said:


> FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE!


Ha! I started this and never finished it.
I actually count a number of WWII movies as favourites, the following not withstanding....

Where Eagles Dare
The Battle of Britain
Saving Private Ryan
The Train
Enigma
The Heroes of Telemark
The Great Escape
633 Squadron
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (2005 - hey, it take place during the war so it counts!)
Operation Crossbow
Von Ryan's Express
Saboteur
The 39 Steps (1935)
The Lady Vanishes (1938)
The Birdmen (aka "Colditz: Escape of the Birdmen")
Raiders of The Lost Ark
Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade

...I'm sure there's more, but that's all I can remember off the top of my head, and anyway....the hot dogs are ready. _Bon Appetite!_


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## taly01 (Jul 7, 2018)

"Cross of Iron" is a really good WW2 movie, in fact i'd say its a masterpiece. Its about about a German infantry platoon on Eastern front and has many interesting storylines that are plausibly true, and realistic depictions of combat and equipment.



> _Cross of Iron_, Sam Peckinpah's only war film, "is a forgotten masterpiece that has never really managed to overcome its troubled and expensive production."

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## Elvis (Jul 7, 2018)

Good call Taly01.
While watching _Ice Cold in Alex_ (aka _Desert Attack_) just now, was reminded of a couple more movies I forgot to add to my prior list...…

_The Dam Busters_...and..._Play Dirty_


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## swampyankee (Jul 7, 2018)

Not a movie, but a mini-series: _A Town like Alice.
_
It's not just the soldiers that were PoWs.

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