Classic WW2 Movies?

hidinginthebush · 16-09-2010 10:16am #1

I was recently watching telly with my dad and he stuck on the Battle of Britain (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064072/), now, usually I'd leave the room in protest as I used to have no interest in these older films at all, but against my better judgement I stayed and actually loved every second of it!

Can anyone recommend me some other great films about WW2? All I've seen from that genre apart from TBOB is the Great Escape (excellent) and Escape to Victory (loved this too though it's not so much about the war). Should be watching A Bridge Too Far over the next few days too. I've also seen band of brothers, which I thought was incredible, but would rather some of the older classics. Anything else I should be checking out?

maquiladora · 16-09-2010 10:58am

hidinginthebush · 16-09-2010 11:03am

Das Boot, I forgot that was on my to-watch list! Cheers, gonna give the other 2 a gander too

Lemming · 16-09-2010 11:15am

Make a point of watching a bridge too far. You wont be disappointed. As for some other classics;

D-Generate · 16-09-2010 11:18am

I quite like the Heroes of Telemark

It doesn't hold a candle to The Bridge On the River Kwai though. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050212/

bnt · 16-09-2010 11:50am

One that got overlooked but has been more appreciated recently: The Big Red One.

mike65 · 16-09-2010 12:19pm

Is this a list thread?

John Frankenheimers 1964 WW2 epic The Train is well worth seeing. A glorious B&W widescreen canvass about the looting of French art which is being transported to Germany by train as the retreat gets underway and the attempts to stop same by a group of Resistance and railway workers. Based on a true story that was rather less exciting as it was paperwork that delayed the train not derring-do.

Burt Lancaster leads the French (no attempt at an accent!) and Paul Scofield is the Nazi overseeing the plan to move the art. Frankenheimers tone is downbeat there is no happy ending and life is cheap. Well worth seeing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1r4-w_QJFM

losthorizon · 16-09-2010 1:29pm

I always like World War 2 Movies with a twist

In King Rat the main Character is dealing with the Japanese to get along at the expense of the other inmates. You admire his business skills but cant admire him as a person - great film.

The Eagle has Landed - Despite a terrible Irish accent by Donald Sutherland this is a great film and portrays the Germans in a sypathetic and honerable light. Michael Caine is great in the film. Watch out for a bit part by Larry Hagman ie "JR". It boils down to a plan by the Germans to kidnap Churchill in England and bring him back to Germany.

The McKenzie Break - Another strange WW2 film and shot in Waterford around Bonmahon. Based on a true story although the events happened in Canada and were set in Scotland in the film (but shot in Waterford). It revolves around an attempt by some German POWs to escape from prison and make it back to Germany. None of the characters are likeable including the Irish one.

My favourite film set during World War 2 Is The Life and Death of Col. Blimp but its not a war film per se it just deals with the effects of war. Churchill wanted to ban it when it came out . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFStj7I6n_c

For me, the best war film of all time is Downfall but I suppose its not old enough to be considered a classic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp1RXmM1-60

I know you said WW2 but there are a good few WW1 Movies made even before WW2!
All Quiet on the Western Front (the 1930s version) is a very powerful film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiObc2XmVqw
The trailer doesnt do it justice.

And good in a corny way is Wings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8-UneHJsV0&feature=related

mike65 · 16-09-2010 1:44pm

The McKenzie Break, good shout, shot on the Copper coast (as the stretch between Tramore and Dungarvan is now known) and Comeragh mountains.

Bridges and trains (as mentioned above) are always good for a war movie, providing as they do elements to be overcome or controlled in some way. The Bridge at Remagen with George Peppard, Ben Gazzara and Richard Vaughn is a good example of a "try to capture/try to destroy" bridge flick and unlike A Bridge Too Far (which I like) it doesn't attempt to be any grander than it is though there is the usual "War is Hell" undertow at the end. Again based loosely on a true incident and filmed in Czechslovakia during which the Soviets invaded!

Kess73 · 16-09-2010 2:00pm

bnt wrote: »

One that got overlooked but has been more appreciated recently: The Big Red One.

A brilliant war film indeed. But the op should avoid the original cut of the film, and watch the reconstruction version. There is a huge difference between the two versions and the reconstruction version makes for a much better viewing experience as all the added footage really does pull the story together in a manner not unlike how the Dude's rug could pull a room together.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Big-Red-One-Reconstruction-Special/dp/B000803PRM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1284641930&sr=8-1

hidinginthebush · 16-09-2010 2:11pm

Wow thanks for all the replies guys! I can't wait to get stuck into some of these, I know it's sort of a lost genre, but there's just something so charming about these films (well the ones I've seen anyway), the sort of muted colours, the Brits with their chirpy accents (my most memorable quote from the battle of britain is "oh there's another one of those yellow-nosed bastards", in relation to getting shot at by a getman plane) and stiff upper lips, yanks with their over-bearing heroics, and germans always prowling in the corner like evil cats.

I apologise to the mods that this has become a bit of a list thread, but there were literally no threads on these films so I figured I'd give it a shot, plus every film that's get mentioned seems to be followed by someone calling it an absolute classic, so making the younger generations aware to these classics can't be all that bad? (It took me 26 years to discover the battle of briatin)

Also, guns of navarone, I forgot that one, absolute classic!

nix · 16-09-2010 2:32pm

Auvers · 16-09-2010 3:04pm

great movie about a squad of allies trapped after a suicidal mission in japenese terrority on a disputed island in the pacific, good performances and a exciting ending make this a must watch

Dont really have to say much about this classic

Lemming wrote: »

Thes two are a must also

maquiladora · 16-09-2010 3:58pm

losthorizon wrote: »

My favourite film set during World War 2 Is The Life and Death of Col. Blimp but its not a war film per se it just deals with the effects of war.

+1

I wouldn't really consider it a WW2 film since it spans several decades and is more a character film than anything else but it really is an amazing film for its time.

maquiladora · 16-09-2010 3:59pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ouJ_WyS9v8

Iomega Man · 16-09-2010 4:02pm

can't forget "A midnight Clear"......

Morlar · 16-09-2010 4:03pm

bnt wrote: »

One that got overlooked but has been more appreciated recently: The Big Red One.

Part of that was filmed in Trim castle btw.

Skerries · 16-09-2010 7:54pm

watching world war 2 films always reminds me of Sunday afternoons when you could be guaranteed that there would be one on

a bunch of convicts and rapscallions sent on a suicide mission

wild_geese.jpg&t=1

not a wwii film but bloody brilliant all the same with a great cast

only watched this recently but it is a great romp on the lines of Kelly's Heroes

Lemming · 16-09-2010 8:48pm

Auvers wrote: »

great movie about a squad of allies trapped after a suicidal mission in japenese terrority on a disputed island in the pacific, good performances and a exciting ending make this a must watch

Great film; the ending is superb and will have you on the edge of your seat. I'd completely forgotten about that film, so cheers for that reminder Auvers.

How could I forget the Guns of Navarrone and The Dirty Dozen either. Great films

Tomohawk · 16-09-2010 11:00pm

Don't forget "Battle of the Bulge" (1965), it's got Henry Fonda, Telly Savalas, Danno from Hawai 5-0, a young Charles Bronson and lots of tanks. Made in widescreen 1960's colour, oh yes!

And then there's my personal favourite "Come and See" (1985) which is a disturbing russian made war film. Once seen, never forgotten, it's that powerful...

I'd also second the recomendations on Das Boot, The Big Red One and Cross of Iron, all excellent films. Lastly check out Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and Stalingrad (1993) told from the Wehrmacht's point of view.

indough · 17-09-2010 4:34am

has von ryans express been mentioned yet?

Mackman · 17-09-2010 5:23am

Some great movies mentioned, especially love "Where Eagles Dare" and "The Dirty Dozen".

Ill add

A great movie, and very accurate to the events on the day of Pearl Harbour. At times it seems more like a documentary than a movie.

Plus, it doesnt have Ben Affleck in it

Skerries · 17-09-2010 9:10am

Mackman wrote: »

Plus, it doesnt have Ben Affleck in it

Bonus!

Cole · 17-09-2010 10:39am

The Sparrow · 17-09-2010 11:29am

Sahara is one of my favourite war movies. Bogart at his best as a tank commander in the desert fighting the Nazis over a water hole after the fall of Tobruk in North Africa.

One thing that really stands out in this thread are the brilliant posters for all of these movies.

Morlar · 17-09-2010 11:38am

Couple more, both starring Dirk Bogarde - one based immediately postwar

& one based immediately pre-war

mike65 · 17-09-2010 11:42am

NO LIST THREADS
The Films Forum is for discussion, not making lists. If you wish to talk about something be prepared to outline why you are mentioning it. Don't simpley write:
Film X
Film Y
Film Z
It's unimaginative, it's boring and nobody wants to read it. Any such threads will be locked or deleted!

Any chance this rule can be enforced again? What could have been developed into an interesting thread has ended up a bunch of posters....

Morlar · 17-09-2010 12:36pm

mike65 wrote: »

Any chance this rule can be enforced again? What could have been developed into an interesting thread has ended up a bunch of posters....

Or we could rename the thread

'Favourite movie posters of classic WW2 movies (& you can add your own review if you feel like it or have time) '

& keep everyone happy.

losthorizon · 17-09-2010 1:39pm

Its Funny how WW2 movies have gone out of fashion really. You can go years now without seeing one in the cinema. I suppose Cinema goers in the USA dont want to be reminded of war when "their boys" are overseas.

Im a Powell and Pressburger nut so "49t Parallel" is worth checking out as is "One of Our Aircraft is Missing"

mike65 · 17-09-2010 2:43pm

I was thinking about the derth of WW2 flicks - U-571 (ahem!) Inglorious Bastards, Valkerie and er thats it in recent years. The Dambusters remake is still coming I think, that Tom Cruise Battle of Britain flick which would be have been released this year never got made thankfully. There are some others floating about from the last decade on TV - Movies 4 Men has a few, they all appear to have been made on a modest budget by continental companies.

Another of the action packed 60s films was Tobruk which features some of the biggest explosions ever set off for a movie, starring George Peppard (yet again). As usual history is messed with as the Long Range Desert Group was a British 8th Army operation which was staffed by British, Kiwis and Rhodesians but in the film it features a senior Canadian officer (so they could cast an American - Rock Hudson) and the obligitory "good Germans" in this case Jews who are out for revenge (Peppard as a Jew seems like stretching casting to its limits!). Not bad flick though hopefully someone will make a proper film about the LRDG one day.

Morlar · 17-09-2010 3:02pm

There have been a couple of straght to dvd releases in the last year so they do keep churning them out. Most notable of which is probably

MV5BMjEzNzQwMjYwOV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDQ4MzgxMw@@._V1_.jpg

MV5BMjEzNzQwMjYwOV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDQ4MzgxMw@@._V1_.jpg

Not a great movie but the production values are quite good and Gabriel byrne & rest of the cast deliver. Some good visual effects. It's not often communist commissars are shown herding unarmed russian 'volunteers' into the path of tanks and machine guns to slow the german advance so there are a few interesting aspects of this movie. The recreation of the look and feel of the siege of Leningrad is also very impressively portrayed and another strong point of this movie.

Classic WW2 Movies?

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