# The Top Twenty War Movies You Love and Hate



## Pong (Jul 7, 2010)

Quite simple thread actually, list the ten war movies you thought seemed really excellent and list ten that made you throw up in your mouth!









10. Tora! Tora! Tora!
The only movie about the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that is spot-on.





9. Kelly’s Heroes
Not exactly a movie based on real events, but Clint Eastwood is awesome, and is still awesome.





8. Saving Private Ryan
Spielberg’s last (I think) war movie and I’m waiting for more from him.





7. The Hurt Locker
Tense scenes and excellent cinematography make this one of my favorites of the year.





6. Bridge Too Far
A bit long though certainly one worth watching.





5. Battle of Britain
Who can ever make another film about the Battle that can match the set of this?
Quite lengthy, but I love the exquisite dogfight scenes.





4. Letters from Iwo Jima
Eastwood’s last film about the Marines on Iwo was good, but this one is even better.





3. The Train
A hour and a half of awesomeness in black and white.





2. Battleground
A gem I found on TCM, and a surprisingly accurate!

And I’ll leave the number one spot blank, since for me there is no definitive war movie. I still have to keep searching and waiting for more!

And for the worse, I think I'll name the top three I don't really appreciate.





3. Enemy at the Gates
A couple of cheesy romantic scenes kept me from writing this on the Favorite list. A couple of excellent scenes (Especially the one with Ed Harris in the factory), but I don’t really like Jude Law.





2. Thin Red Line
Somehow, I don’t like this film. Great actors, great story, but I don't like it.





1. Pearl Harbor
PH is the worst of the worse. Ben Affleck is presumed dead, and then comes back, Alec Baldwin is the haired version of Jimmy Doolittle, and B-25s take off from a nuclear carrier. And the romantic scenes were the ones that blew me off the film. I bet they got a time machine from Marty McFly and helped out Doolittle with his hair problem, brought Affleck back from the Channel and helped them get a nuclear carrier. How realistic.
​
So, post the war films you love and hate if you have the time!

-Arlo


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## Njaco (Jul 7, 2010)

You hit all the marks. "Pearl Harbour" and "Thin Red Line" were HORRIBLE! I would add "Stalingrad" to the list of Great movies - great storyline, and very realistic. Other personal favorites would be "Sahara" with Bogey and "12 O'Clock High" with Peck.


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## RabidAlien (Jul 7, 2010)

I'd agree with all of the above, except that I'd move "Enemy at the Gates" up to the "favorites" list (not top, but its on there). The romance scenes I was able to stomach because Zaitzev and Chernova did apparently have a love-affair during the war, but he never went and found her afterwards. The shooting was excellent, and I still get a laugh out of the scene during the big tractor-factory fight when Z is making his way to his shooting position, you can see the two smokestacks in the background, with two figures wearing BRIGHT ORANGE slowly climbing up the side of the chimneys...in broad daylight. Soon thereafter, the two smokestacks blow up. Hello, set crew!  

Sahara with Bogey is probably one of my all-time favorites of the classics, and recently found "Pride of the Marines" on TCM that is taking its place on my list. I will also put "Schindler's List" up at the top of my favorites.


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## michaelmaltby (Jul 7, 2010)

Cross of Iron - Sam Peckinpaw's eastern front effort. Cheesy romance but some great action. Loved the book - loved the film.

MM


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## Colin1 (Jul 7, 2010)

I don't really have a particular order, so forget the numbers, I'm just serialising

1. Ice-cold in Alex
2. Tora Tora Tora
3. Battle of Britain
4. D-Day 6th June - The Longest Day
5. Hell in the Pacific
6. Heroes of Telemark
7. Platoon
8. Where Eagles Dare
9. The Battle of the Bulge
10. The Desert Rats

Some fictions in there so no need to define authenticity obviously but the factual-based ones were mentioned for being entertaining and watchable, rather than meticulously accurate

1. Pearl Harbour
2. 300

Both spectacular howlers, both with previous attempts that far outclassed the remakes. The 300 Spartans more closely resembled 300 Roman Centurions in attire but it was a far more worthy attempt than the slop served up by 300.


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## syscom3 (Jul 7, 2010)

The following four are among the best movies (of all genres) ever made:
Das Boot (in origional German). 
All Quiet on the Western Front.
Patton
The bridge Over the River Kwaii

These five are well worth watching:
The Dam Busters
Stalag 17
Where Eagles Dare
Merrils Maurauders
From Here to Eternity

Rubbish:
Pearl Harbor

Overrated:
Schindlers List

Has anyone seen this?
Merry Christams Mister Lawrence
Action in the North Atlantic


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## evangilder (Jul 7, 2010)

Patton and MacArthur were both great. 12 O'clock High and Command Decision were great ones too.

For bad, I would definitely agree that Pearl Harbor was a piece of $hit.


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## B-17engineer (Jul 7, 2010)

1.Memphis Belle 
2. Saving Private Ryan
3 Tora Tora Tora 
4 Black Hawk Down
5 The Hurt Locker
6Flags of our Fathers
7Letters from iwo Jima
8 Stalingrad
9 Kelly's Heroes
10. A bridge to Far

Pearl Harbor is the only one I saw and really hated.


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## BikerBabe (Jul 7, 2010)

Love - in no particular order:
Kelly's Heroes. 
Battle of Britain.
Napola. 
The Eagle Has Landed.
Das Boot. 
Enemy At The Gates.
Stalingrad.
Flammen og Citronen. (Flame and Citron)
Der Untergang.
Full Metal Jacket.
Dr. Strangelove - or does that count as an anti-war movie? 

Booooriiiiiinnnnng:
Pearl Harbour. Hopeless plot.
The Flying Leathernecks. Hopeless.
Valkyrie. Just as bereft of humour as the entire Nazi ideology.


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## tonyb (Jul 7, 2010)

Good thread.8)
My favourites in no particular order are -

Memphis Belle - it has B-17's in it so what's not to like?
Where Eagles Dare - Burton and Eastwood = magic
Downfall - don't normally go for subtitled movies but this was just awesome!
Battle of Britain - wonderful action sequences,excellent for it's time.
Saving Private Ryan - the first 20 minutes are some of the best (and sad) action scenes I've ever seen
Enemy at the Gates - don't know what it is about it but I just like it
Flags of Our Fathers - very moving and beautifully filmed
Tora Tora Tora - What Pearl Harbor should have been
633 Squadron - who can resist Mossies in action? 
Windtalkers - yes it got canned by most critics but I like it.

Worst movies imho - 

Pearl Harbor - Ben Affleck,what more do I need to say?
Thin Red Line - I fell asleep to this snorefest...zzzz
U571 - oh dear.....

Cheers,
Tony.


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## vikingBerserker (Jul 7, 2010)

I'd have to add "All Quiet on the Western Front" to the favorites. You guys have hit all my other ones.


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## Njaco (Jul 8, 2010)

"Sink the Bismark" and "Pursuit of the Graf Spee (Battle of the River Platt)" were both good movies in my opinion.

Forgot about "Windtalkers" - how they could ruin such an important part of the war is beyond me!


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## Pong (Jul 8, 2010)

I should add this two, so the list will turn to eleven. 





Pure awesomeness.

Does anyone else hate the film _Flyboys_? I didn't like it.


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## Wildcat (Jul 8, 2010)

Nice thread Pong. I agree with "The train" - fantastic movie!! here are some of my favourites;

Too late the hero - one of my all time favourite films 

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl6LHhzmlHA_

Between heaven and hell - great little flick

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY7ziEyQDlE_

Hell to Eternity - the story of Guy Gabaldon with the great Jeffery Hunter!

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ4o1Uj5OAQ_

Merrill's Marauders - A childhood favourite

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QwVESiCAfg_

Away all boats - Another great film from the 50's

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agjn0q6nOxE_

Hamburger Hill - probably my favourite Vietnam war movie

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1DLINtHYis_

Platoon - we've all seen it, great movie and Tom Berenger was awesome 

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPi8EQzJ2Bg_

ANZACS - Actually a mini series, but one the the best depictions of Aussies at war. No trailer, but here's a clip.

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uYOXnVn8Zw_

The dirty dozen - You can't go wrong with this great cast!

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=377De8wshjk_

Kelly's Heroes - who doesn't like this movie?

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beAQVm1j56w_

The eagle has landed - another good movie with a great cast

_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD9soYn4tQA_

As for the war movies I dislike - Pearl Harbor, The thin red line, U-571, Hellcats of the Navy and windtalkers are all up there.


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## Timppa (Jul 8, 2010)

My favourites:

1. Lewis Milestone: All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
2. Stanley Kubrick: Full Metal Jacket (1987)
3. Edvin Laine: Tuntematon Sotilas ("Unknown Soldier") (1955)
4. Bernhard Wicki: Die Brücke (" The Bridge") (1959)
5. Fyodor Bondarchuk: 9 Рота ( "The 9th Company") (2005)
6. Brian De Palma: Casualties of War (1989)
7. Steven Spielberg: Saving Private Ryan (1998 )
8. Stanley Kubrick: Paths of Glory (1957)
9. Terrence Malick: The Thin Red Line (1998 )
10. Mark Robson: The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954 )

These films are not very entertaining though, as everyone of them gives at least a glimpse of what war is really about. Also none of them has a happy ending.

Edit: I have not seen Eastwoods' two Iwo Jima films nor Elem Klimov's Idi i smotri ("Come and See"). The would have most likely removed Malick's film from the top 10, as it was indeed too long.


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## Vassili Zaitzev (Jul 8, 2010)

Pretty much hit all of my favorites. I agree with Pearl Harbor, U-571, and Windtalkers being a piece of crap. BB, would've to rate Valkyrie higher then what you put it at. Not the be all end all movies, but I was suprised how accurate Hollywood made it, only spinning up a few details for drama.


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## renrich (Jul 8, 2010)

In no particular order and with eleven:
Zulu
Sahara
Battleground
Saving Private Ryan
Task Force (Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan)
12 O'Clock High
Black Hawk Down
We Were Soldiers
Battle of Britain
Gettysburg
Pursuit of the Graf Spee


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## BombTaxi (Jul 8, 2010)

In no particular order, I really rate:

Zulu
Zulu Dawn
Thin Red Line
Hamburger Hill
Memphis Belle
Full Metal Jacket
Downfall
Tora Tora Tora
Das Boot


I find both Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down vastly overrated, and the Iwo Jima films are actually sat here in front of me waiting to be watched. Hurt Locker is on my must-buy list


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## RabidAlien (Jul 8, 2010)

Has anybody seen "The Red Baron" or "Max Manus" (I think that's the movie title, about the Dutch resistance fighter, Max Manus)? Red Baron's always rented out when I try to find it here, and nobody seems to have heard of Max Manus.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1029235/


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## BikerBabe (Jul 8, 2010)

RabidAlien said:


> Has anybody seen "The Red Baron" or "Max Manus" (I think that's the movie title, about the Dutch resistance fighter, Max Manus)? Red Baron's always rented out when I try to find it here, and nobody seems to have heard of Max Manus.
> 
> Max Manus (2008)



Red Baron: Yup, it's okay for a sunday afternoon's worth of entertainment, even though the flying scenes are pretty cheesy. You can tell in most cases that it's faked.
Never heard of the other one....erm, well...as you say. *giggle*


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## T Bolt (Jul 8, 2010)

*10 Best War Movies*
*Kellys Heros.* All time favorite I think I watched it twenty times on TV before getting my first VCR
*A Bridge Too Far.* Very realistic 
*Memphis Belle.* My Dad liked it and he flew in B-17s and B-24s with the 8th Air Force
*Patton.* George C. Scott was Patton
*The Great Escape.* Great cast. Great true story 
*Stalag 17.* As long as I’m on POW movies. Dad was a guest of the Germans in 45’ and also 
loved this movie.
*Air Force.* How often do you get to see a B-17D as the star of a movie 
*Tora Tora Tora.* Did a good job of showing it from both sides.
*The Dirty Dozen.* Just great
*The Longest Day.* Another one I’ve watched countless times
*Von Ryan’s Express.* Another great POW escape movie (Sorry, couldn’t hold it to 10)

*Worst War Movies*
*Battle of the Bulge.* Seemed like the writers had only the vaguest Idea about the subject matter. Battleground was much better
*Casablanca Express.* Horrible movie. Too bad it was Glenn Ford’s last. And was that really Sean Connery’s son?
I'm sure there's more that I have forced myself to forget


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## B-17engineer (Jul 8, 2010)

Forgot Patton. Great movie! The part where the He-111's attack.....

Tora Tora Tora has some B-17's were those C's?


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## T Bolt (Jul 8, 2010)

B-17engineer said:


> Tora Tora Tora has some B-17's were those C's?



No. Should have been though. That was a later model with the big tail, probably a B-17G with the chin turret removed. The B-17s that were caught at Pearl were mostly the early models with the skinny tails although I think a few might have been 'E's, the first model with the big tails.


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## B-17engineer (Jul 8, 2010)

Ahhhh thanks Glenn


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## jrw1238 (Jul 8, 2010)

I guess my 10 favorites in no particular order would be , hmmmmmmm....

Battleground
Hamburger Hill
Full Metal Jacket
Fighter Squadron- A bit cliched, but has some excellent P-47 footage.
Zulu
THe Bridges at Toko Ri
Das Boot- have seen it in both German and English
12 O'clock High
Saving Private Ryan- Probably the most graphic war movie made.
Sahara - The one with Bogie

Can't add too much to the worst list, I can only say that U-571 does deserve to be there.


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## BombTaxi (Jul 8, 2010)

jrw1238 said:


> Can't add too much to the worst list, I can only say that U-571 does deserve to be there.



U-571 is a piece of rubbish, and I refuse to watch it on principle, as it tells the story of the Royal Navy's capture of Enigma equipment as if the US Navy actually did it, and also portrays U-boat crewmen murdering merchant seamen as if it was a piece of German naval doctrine. Overall, an affront to both the Royal Navy and the Kreigsmarine, and one that the cast, director and studio should all be ashamed of.


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## Njaco (Jul 8, 2010)

BombTaxi said:


> U-571 is a piece of rubbish, and I refuse to watch it on principle, as it tells the story of the Royal Navy's capture of Enigma equipment as if the US Navy actually did it, and also portrays U-boat crewmen murdering merchant seamen as if it was a piece of German naval doctrine. Overall, an affront to both the Royal Navy and the Kreigsmarine, and one that the cast, director and studio should all be ashamed of.



I agree wholeheartedly Bomb but I'm surprised at your selection of 'bad' war movies. A few there like "Full Metal", "Das Boot" and "Zulu" (I will agree with "Zulu Dawn"  ) I thought were done far better than anything previous especially "Das Boot". Can't think of a more realistic sub movie.


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## syscom3 (Jul 8, 2010)

T Bolt said:


> No. Should have been though. That was a later model with the big tail, probably a B-17G with the chin turret removed. The B-17s that were caught at Pearl were mostly the early models with the skinny tails although I think a few might have been 'E's, the first model with the big tails.



What makes you think early model B17's were available 30 years after the war?

If youre looking for absolute historical accuracy in regards to ships and airplanes; then no movie would be possible.


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## BombTaxi (Jul 8, 2010)

Njaco said:


> I agree wholeheartedly Bomb but I'm surprised at your selection of 'bad' war movies. A few there like "Full Metal", "Das Boot" and "Zulu" (I will agree with "Zulu Dawn"  ) I thought were done far better than anything previous especially "Das Boot". Can't think of a more realistic sub movie.




That list was my 'good ones' Njaco.
8)


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## v2 (Jul 8, 2010)

10 Best War Movies:

1. A Bridge Too Far.
2. Murphy's War.
3.Battle of Britain.
4. Memphis Belle.
5. Bridge on the river Kwai.
6. Tora Tora Tora.
7. The Great Escape. 
8. Schindler's List. 
9. The Guns of Navarone.
10. Empire of the Sun.


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## ToughOmbre (Jul 8, 2010)

Favorite War Movies (not in any specific order)

Saving Private Ryan
Tora Tora Tora
Patton
When Trumpets Fade
We Were Soldiers
Flags of Our Fathers
The Dirty Dozen
Bridge On The River Kwai
The Longest Day
Wake Island
The Purple Heart
They Were Expendable
From Here To Eternity
Heaven Knows, Mr Allison

Bad ones.....(there are more)

Pearl Harbor
The Thin Red Line

TO


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## fastmongrel (Jul 8, 2010)

My favourite 10 in order
1: The Cruel Sea
2: Zulu
3: The Caine Mutiny
4: Das Boot
5: Stalag 17
6: Captive Heart
7: Ice Cold in Alex
8: Sahara
9: Aces High
10: Run Silent Run Deep

The Red Badge of Courage might have made it into the top 10 if the MGM hadnt cut John Hustons original to ribbons. Though it is frustratingly possible to see traces of what it might have been it is still a good film.

Worst war movie anything made in the last 30 years why do they think big explosions make up for dire dialogue, historical inaccuracy and lazy stereotyping.


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## Zniperguy114 (Jul 8, 2010)

Saving Private Ryan is one of the best WWII movies to date. A Great movie about one great battle in the last great war.


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## renrich (Jul 8, 2010)

TO, you reminded me of a war movie which, IMO, belongs on the list. They Were Expendable, of course. Not just a good war movie but a truly great example of John Ford at his best and the hopeless efforts of the troops in the PI.


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## syscom3 (Jul 8, 2010)

Anyone remember "The Naked and the Dead"? Or how abouts "In Harms Way"? Or how about "None But the Brave"?


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## Njaco (Jul 8, 2010)

"In Harms' Way" I thought had one of John Waynes' best performances.


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## jrw1238 (Jul 8, 2010)

One that I thought of was Fly Boys. Good WWI aviation movie. The Neuport replicas looked good except for the Fake Rotory engines. Flying sequences were good and the CGI was execellent.


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## Njaco (Jul 8, 2010)

* cough* 'hack' - Get a copy of "Blue Max" and you will forget all about "Flyboys".


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## N4521U (Jul 8, 2010)

Just reading thru these lists brings to mind, 

Johnny Got His Gun?
Beach Red?
No Time for Sergeants?
Inglorious Bastards?
Father Goose?
Mash?
The Seven Samurai?
Mr Roberts?
Boy in the Striped Pajamas? OK and finally
The Russians Are Coming!

I'll go away now. Bill


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## vikingBerserker (Jul 8, 2010)

This is getting harder and harder to limit to only ten. I'd forgotten about _The Blue Max_ (one of George Peppard's finer roles) and _Hells Angels_.


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## BikerBabe (Jul 9, 2010)

Agree, VB. I had forgotten all about M*A*S*H, love that one too - the original movie, that is.


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## Gnomey (Jul 9, 2010)

Everybody has pretty much summed up all the good ones now and I agree with them all. The same goes for the bad ones I would agree with those too. Pearl Harbour, U-571 and The Thin Red Line are all terrible for their own reasons with for me Pearl Harbour and U-571 as the worst two just for the stupid story line of Pearl Harbour and the criminal historical inaccuracy of U-571. Off the top of my head I can't think of any more that I truly hate on the same scale as those two and conversely those that I love as those mentioned are the ones I would choose.

I am going to add that even though neither of them are movies (although each of the episodes could be considered as a short film). Band of Brothers and The Pacific really do stand out from the crowd in the way few films or TV programs have ever done.


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## vikingBerserker (Jul 9, 2010)

I really need to see The Pacific, I've not heard one bad thing about it.


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## syscom3 (Jul 9, 2010)

Who liked "The Memphis Belle"?

I rate it 8 out of 10. Its more of a composite story of the heavy bombers, rather than a single story about a single aircrew.


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## BombTaxi (Jul 9, 2010)

I loved Memphis Belle. However, I understood that it was the fictionalisation of an actual event, the final mission flown by the first crew to complete a full tour of 25 missions?


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## B-17engineer (Jul 9, 2010)

vikingBerserker said:


> I really need to see The Pacific, I've not heard one bad thing about it.



They don't spend as much time introduction the characters is my only gripe.


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## Colin1 (Jul 9, 2010)

Looking at some of the posts
a 'top ten' is a bit restrictive, there's alot of good films being mentioned.

Caught one this afternoon, A Matter of Life and Death (1946), with David Niven as a Mosquito pilot who survived when he should have died. God then holds a hearing to decide what his fate should be. The defence was a British doctor and the prosecution was a War of Independence American, I think the character was called Abraham Farlan but the actor was unmistakeably Raymond Massey.

Not essentially a war film but enjoyable.


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## jrw1238 (Jul 9, 2010)

Njaco said:


> * cough* 'hack' - Get a copy of "Blue Max" and you will forget all about "Flyboys".


Yep the Blue Max would be on my list. The only thing that bothered me about that movie was that they relied heavily on the Moth.


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## renrich (Jul 9, 2010)

I thought that the Memphis Belle was well done. I have often posted that Task Force was one of my favorite war movies. I believe I saw it in 1949 when it first came out. Besides Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan it had a fellow in it whose name escapes me who was an ace in WW2, McCampbell's wing man I think. He was in movies for a while and played in another very good war movie, directed by Stanley Kubrick, I think and starring Kirk Douglas. Has anyone else seen Task Force, remember the name of the ace turned actor and the name of the war movie( actually First World War and an anti-war movie) where the former ace was shot by a firing squad?


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## jrw1238 (Jul 9, 2010)

I am going to add that even though neither of them are movies (although each of the episodes could be considered as a short film). Band of Brothers and The Pacific really do stand out from the crowd in the way few films or TV programs have ever done.[/QUOTE said:


> I agree with you on both series. I tthink they also show the difference of the enemise we were fighting in both theaters of operations. Both IMO are a must see.


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## renrich (Jul 9, 2010)

OK, I answered my own question. Wayne Morris played a Navy pilot in Task Force and he was an ace in WW2, I believe. He also played with Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory, an outstanding war film in which Wayne Morris plays a French soldier picked out as an example to be shot by firing squad. Does anyone besides me like Task Force. I think it does a heck of a job describing Naval Aviation from the early twenties through WW2.


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## RabidAlien (Jul 9, 2010)

Glad to see TO mentioned "When Trumpets Fade"...not one that was heavily publicized, due to the fact (in my opinion) that the general entertain-me-now-dammit public simply could not handle the grisly and gory reality that is the insanity of war, much less the lower levels of hell that was the Hurtgen campaign. The movie itself only depicts three days' worth of battle, but oh holy crap how it depicts them! My recommendation, do not eat before watching this movie. Its too real.

Also loved John Wayne's "They Were Expendable"...great depiction of the struggle to survive in the Philippines during the opening stages of the war, and the lengths the troops went to in order to try to hold off the tide of the Japanese troops. I found myself yelling at the screen "don't do it!" every time Wayne had to send another PT boat crew over to Bataan to man the lines there, because they didn't have enough boats to go around. Of course, they never heard me.


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## Waynos (Jul 9, 2010)

Colin1 said:


> Looking at some of the posts
> a 'top ten' is a bit restrictive, there's alot of good films being mentioned.
> 
> Caught one this afternoon, A Matter of Life and Death (1946), with David Niven as a Mosquito pilot who survived when he should have died. God then holds a hearing to decide what his fate should be. The defence was a British doctor and the prosecution was a War of Independence American, I think the character was called Abraham Farlan but the actor was unmistakeably Raymond Massey.
> ...



That is one of my all time favourite films ever since I first saw it as a child. I've always been a fan of Niven (First of the Few! Another classic, but not to be confused with a documentary  ) while the Doctor was played by Roger Livesey, another actor I love to see who also played in Colonel Blimp in another classic from the same team.


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## T Bolt (Jul 9, 2010)

I remember that movie too, but under another title "Stairway to Heaven" Great movie. Kim Hunter was in it too as a nurse. She looked much better than she did in Planet of the Apes with all the monkey makeup. Tried to find it a few years back and could only find old VHS tapes at outrageous prices. I'll have to look again


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## wheelsup_cavu (Jul 10, 2010)

BombTaxi said:


> I loved Memphis Belle. However, I understood that it was the fictionalisation of an actual event, the final mission flown by the first crew to complete a full tour of 25 missions?


Robert Morgan said that a lot of the movie was fiction in his book. 







The book is a biography of his entire life up to the year 2000 and not just a book about his war years.
I've read it a couple of times and I liked the book. 


Wheels


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## Pong (Jul 10, 2010)

vikingBerserker said:


> This is getting harder and harder to limit to only ten. I'd forgotten about _The Blue Max_ (one of George Peppard's finer roles) and _Hells Angels_.



Mods can you rename this thread to "The Top Twenty Movies You Love and Hate"? 

Oh, man how can I forget _Thirty Seconds over Tokyo_ and _Bataan_? One of my B&W favorites!


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## Colin1 (Jul 10, 2010)

T Bolt said:


> ...Kim Hunter was in it too as a nurse. She looked much better than she did in Planet of the Apes with all the monkey makeup...


Oh...
I don't know...


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## herman1rg (Jul 10, 2010)

Colin1 said:


> Looking at some of the posts
> a 'top ten' is a bit restrictive, there's alot of good films being mentioned.
> 
> Caught one this afternoon, A Matter of Life and Death (1946), with David Niven as a Mosquito pilot who survived when he should have died. God then holds a hearing to decide what his fate should be. The defence was a British doctor and the prosecution was a War of Independence American, I think the character was called Abraham Farlan but the actor was unmistakeably Raymond Massey.
> ...



I agree on this film but David Niven played a Lancaster pilot.


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## syscom3 (Jul 10, 2010)

How many have seen "The Best years Of Our Lives"?

It won the "best picture of the year" for 1946

One of the characters is a B17 navigator. In a couple of scenes, he wanders around some authentic aircraft bone yards. Interesting now to see war weary B17's painted in training command markings, all lined up to go to the smelter.

This is a definitely one of the best movies (of any genre) ever made and everyone should check it out.


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## ToughOmbre (Jul 10, 2010)

syscom3 said:


> How many have seen "The Best years Of Our Lives"?
> 
> It won the "best picture of the year" for 1946
> 
> ...



Have seen it, a great movie. And the bone yard scenes are the best! Also the scenes of them flying home in the B-17.

TO


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## Waynos (Jul 10, 2010)

T Bolt - if your player is multi region you can get this movie on a double movie disc along with Colonel Blimp or on the Powell and Pressburger box set, both on R2. Not sure about R1 release. try looking on Play USA, they are very good and the postage is free.

Regarding the plane Niven was flying. Its interesting that it has been identified as a Mossie and a Lanc, I always thought it was a Wellington.

Makes me wonder, did it actually say or show the plane in the movie, or are these our own presumptions?


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## ToughOmbre (Jul 10, 2010)

RabidAlien said:


> Glad to see TO mentioned "When Trumpets Fade"...not one that was heavily publicized, due to the fact (in my opinion) that the general entertain-me-now-dammit public simply could not handle the grisly and gory reality that is the insanity of war, much less the lower levels of hell that was the Hurtgen campaign. The movie itself only depicts three days' worth of battle, but oh holy crap how it depicts them! My recommendation, do not eat before watching this movie. Its too real.



RA, I always tried to envision what combat must have been like in the ETO. While no depiction could ever duplicate reality, "When Trumpets Fade" gave me a good idea of what it might have been like.



RabidAlien said:


> Also loved John Wayne's "They Were Expendable"...great depiction of the struggle to survive in the Philippines during the opening stages of the war, and the lengths the troops went to in order to try to hold off the tide of the Japanese troops. I found myself yelling at the screen "don't do it!" every time Wayne had to send another PT boat crew over to Bataan to man the lines there, because they didn't have enough boats to go around. Of course, they never heard me.



And George Montgomery, who was a real life PT boat commander in WW II, gave the movie great credibility.

TO


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## Njaco (Jul 10, 2010)

Anybody mention "Paths of Glory"? One of Stanley Kubrick's forgotten gems. One of the most realistic WWI battle scenes - enough to rival "All Quiet...."


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## syscom3 (Jul 10, 2010)

Good one NJACO.

Also one I just thought of was "PT-109". It was always aired around Thanksgiving, as a tribute to JFK.


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## hawkeye2an (Jul 10, 2010)

Thanks guys, reminded me of a lot of good ones I haven't seen in a while. I'm pulling out Band of Brothers to put in the VCR tonight.


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## Colin1 (Jul 12, 2010)

Waynos said:


> Makes me wonder, did it actually say or show the plane in the movie, or are these our own presumptions?


in all honesty
my own presumptions, a Mosquito over-flies him while he's on the beach and if it's a ten-man Lancaster crew and not a two-man Mosquito crew, why's there only Trubshaw waiting for him in heaven? Where's the rest of the crew?


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## renrich (Jul 12, 2010)

Njaco, I mentioned Paths of Glory a few posts before you. That was the film a real live ace, Wayne Morris was shot by a firing squad. It was a very good war film.


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## herman1rg (Jul 12, 2010)

Just posting for the sake of accucracy (pedants corner is open)

A Matter of Life and Death : George R, Busby, Michael Powell, and Emeric Pressburger : Free Download Streaming : Internet Archive

if you look there you can watch the film, if you watch till approx 6 mins in and just after I'm fairly sure that is the cockpit of a Lancaster.


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## Waynos (Jul 12, 2010)

You know herman, I just gonna have to put the DVD on tonight now


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## Njaco (Jul 12, 2010)

renrich said:


> Njaco, I mentioned Paths of Glory a few posts before you. That was the film a real live ace, Wayne Morris was shot by a firing squad. It was a very good war film.



Sorry, renrich, don't know how I missed that!


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## renrich (Jul 13, 2010)

Not a problem, Njaco. What intrigues me about that film, aside from the quality of it, is that Wayne Morris had a so so acting career in films which were mainly B westerns until getting that role in a very serious and artistic film. Of course, he mainly just had to act horrified that he had been picked out to be executed. and perhaps he got the role because he looked somewhat French.


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## Colin1 (Jul 13, 2010)

renrich said:


> ...he looked somewhat French


Some folks were just born unlucky...


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## herman1rg (Jul 13, 2010)

Waynos said:


> You know herman, I just gonna have to put the DVD on tonight now



So Waynos did you watch it?


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## Waynos (Jul 13, 2010)

Yes mate, you were spot on. Not only do you see the canopy framing but, just before that, you get an exterior shot (actually a model) but both shots definitely depict a Lancaster.


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## Juha (Jul 16, 2010)

In no particular order, sorry still 11 after hard process of elimination, I really rate:

Kelly’s Heroes
Stanley Kubrick: Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Edvin Laine: Tuntematon Sotilas ("Unknown Soldier") (1955)
Parikka: Talvisota, the original film
Mark Robson: The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954 )
Zulu
Battle of Britain
Ashquit: The Way to the Stars (1946)
Das Boot
Sam Peckinpah: Iron Cross
The flight of Intruder

A couple which I couldn’t watch very long when shown in TV
U-571
Pearl Harbor

I didn’t like Rukajärven tie because of the numerous tactical mistakes in the film.

Juha


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## skipperbob (Aug 4, 2010)

Just a quick note, in Paths of Glory, Wayne Morris wasn't shot - he played a French officer who was a coward and picked a man who had witnessed his cowardice to be one of those shot. The Col.(Kirk Douglas) realized it and put him in charge of the execution. Paths of Glory is certainly one of the greatest war movies ever made.

Others on my list -

Twelve O'Clock High - My all-time favorite with Gregory Peck!

Away All Boats - Good story and effects about a subject not covered very much, action on an attack 
transport in the Pacific.

Objective Burma - A terrific story with Errol Flynn and in this movie he is not the invincible hero but a 
commander of a raid behind Japanese lines who makes tough choices and some mistakes.
Very realistic look at the war for being made in 1945.

The Story of GI Joe - Another remarkable movie made in 1945, this one based on Ernie Pyle who follows an
infantry unit through the fighting in Italy. Vividly shows the suffering of the men going up 
against the tough German defenses. And the ending, when the beloved commander of 
their company is brought down on a mule having been killed and his men pay their 
respects before moving on, you will never forget it!

A Walk in the Sun - Another powerful movie about an American unit marching down a road to try and
capture an important farm house from the Germans.

As far as bad movies go, certainly at the top is Pearl Harbor but one of my biggest disappointments was the Memphis Belle. A great story and they went to all that trouble to get those B-17s together - I couldn't wait to see it - and they totally ruined it with a ridiculous story line and terrible acting.


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