Favourite/least Favourite Movie

From among the oldies I like "The Harp of Burma", "The Battle of the Bulge" and "The Big Red One". My favourit recent movie is still "The Thin Red Line".



Quotation from "The Battle of the Bulge":

Col. Martin Hessler: Our column has made the farthest advance! We have outrun the other Panzers! The eyes of Germany are on us! The Fuhrer himself will decorate me. We have done it Conrad! We have done it!
Cpl. Conrad: Then I was wrong. We have won the war.
Col. Martin Hessler: No.
Cpl. Conrad: You mean we have lost?
Col. Martin Hessler: No.
Cpl. Conrad: I don't understand. If we have not won, and we have not lost, than what is happening?
Col. Martin Hessler: The best thing possible is happening - the war will go on.
Cpl. Conrad: For how long?
Col. Martin Hessler: Indefinitely. On, and on, and on!
Cpl. Conrad: But it must come to an end.
Col. Martin Hessler: You're a fool Conrad. Those of us who understood knew in 1941 that we could never win.
Cpl. Conrad: You mean Colonel for three years we have been fighting without any hope of victory?
Col. Martin Hessler: There are many kinds of victory. For the German Army to survive, for us to remain in uniform - that is our victory. Conrad, the world is not going to get rid of us after all.
Cpl. Conrad: But, when do we go home?
Col. Martin Hessler: This is our home.
Cpl. Conrad: And my sons? When do I see them? What will become of them?
Col. Martin Hessler: They will become German soldiers, and you will be proud of them.

 

Windtalkers was such a great topic, and they blew it in true Hollywood fashion!!

Every grenade resulted in Mushroom cloud.

Cage had an unlimited supply of ammo.

The one point they were able to make was that the talkers could not fall into enemy hands.


Cheers
Bob

 

Interesting comments gang!

Personally, I don't feel Pearl Harbour desererves the drubbing it routinely receives. Sure, the dialogue was crap and the smaltz factor was typical of the director, Michael Bay. But it also had some good, if over done flying/combat scenes, and overall was no less accurate than many other, somewhat more critically acclaimed war movies. They used the the wrong version of the P-40 in 1970's "Tora, Tora, Tora" too, for instance.

U-571 is naturally very American, but in fact does give credit to to the Royal Navy foir being the first to capture an enigma machine as the end credits roll. Plus, it's a ripper of a sub movie in its own right!!!

 

(jimbotosome @ Nov 6 2005, 01:03 PM) [post=41162]Gnomey is right. images/smilies/default/tongue.gif It was an evil thing to do. images/smilies/default/ph34r.gif I don't know what made me do it. You UKians are so earnest sometimes it is like talking at a funeral so I thought I would get the party rolling. It's hard to believe you folks are the ones that produced Benny Hill, Monty Python and The Office.

I certainly stirred the pot well didn't I? How did you like that comment about the BofB not possible without USAAF? It thought that one would get certain folks really wound up. But Gnomey perceived how ridiculous it was and figured it out so the jig is up, although I think I could have gotten more mileage out of it. Thanks Gnomey! :closedeyes:


Actually I liked Band of Brothers because it was least embellished since it was a story told by the actual folks fighting. Patton was an entertaining movie but it was obviously played to the US crowd. I didn't know the US had M-60 tanks in WWII. No wonder Patton moved so fast across Normandy.

I will try to refrain from using the "wooden spoon" in the future. Like they say, the more you stir it the worse it stinks.
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I was not too thrilled with your original post, either.

As for the British sense of gravitas...yes, we crated Monty Python and the Goons, but also remember that the central thread of British tradition is tradition...judges wearing wigs, Beefeaters in red and blue, Guardsmen in bearskins, and there is a heaviness and solemnity to that entire milieu, which is why there is the humor of Benny Hill...it's a reaction to that.

I'm glad you admitted it was a joke. I have never understood the phrase "tongue-in-cheek." But I am upset by the wave of movies over the past decade that have made the British into villains...which includes Braveheart and Titanic. The producers of the latter had to apologize to the family of William Murdoch for painting him (the Titanic's first officer) as a man who would succumb to a bribe to get Billy Zane off the ship. Murdoch's home town and family were outraged, and the producers supposedly gave 5,000 pounds to the town's school, and issued a self-serving statement pointing out that Murdoch hurls the money in Zane's face, and saves lives. That may be so, but more people will remember the movie scene than the reality, and if I was one of Murdoch's family members, I'd be furious. I'm not, and I'm upset, anyway.

I get angry when the British ethnic group gets picked on. The only other groups that can be stomped these days are fat people and hillbillies...and to a lesser extent, Muslims. It's perfectly all right to depict Britons as pompous asses with upper-crust accents or ignorant football hooligans with East End accents, or scheming villains played by Alan Rickman or David Warner. I guess the next World War II movie will depict how the Americans invaded Britain and defeated the evil swastika-clad Guards Armored Division, led by SS Obersturmbannfuhrer Bernard Montgomery, and Der Fuhrer himself, Winston Churchill.

 

(spidge @ Nov 6 2005, 11:30 PM) [post=41179]That's why I said it however I think you have a rubber grip on yours for when you play "cricket" out in the back yard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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You'll have to translate that idiom for a Yank, Geoff, what does that mean?

 

(Kiwiwriter @ Nov 7 2005, 03:20 PM) [post=41241]As for the British sense of gravitas...yes, we crated Monty Python and the Goons, but also remember that the central thread of British tradition is tradition...judges wearing wigs, Beefeaters in red and blue, Guardsmen in bearskins, and there is a heaviness and solemnity to that entire milieu, which is why there is the humor of Benny Hill...it's a reaction to that. [/b]
I have noticed most comedy is pretty high brow. But how do you account for Jamey Kennedy and Ricky Gervais? The series "The Office" had such a perfect cast I laughed till I cried. I bought all the series even the Christmas Special. I am bummed that he only wanted to do two seasons of it. To me it was every bit as funny as Seinfeld, same type of ridiculous neurotic characters. The Americans tried to redo it with their own characters on NBC but it was a dud. There's a lot to be said about chemistry.

But Kiwi, if you are serious that Brits are hyper-earnest, even in wit, then they must have been annoyed out the yin-yang in WWII by Yanks because Americans are incorrigible pranksters and have a natural irreverence, especially the teenagers.

 

Favorites: Das Boot, Saving Private Ryan, A Bridge Too Far, Band Of Brothers, Sink the Bismarck

Least favorites: Pearl Harbor, Windtalkers

 

Let me repeat this here:

Along with "Hope and Glory", "Yanks" is my favorite WW2 British Home Front film. The romantic and dramatic episodes in the film are often typically romanticized and sometimes a little far fetched -- but that is the case with most movie fare. But overall I think it is an excellent film and the acting across the board is of very high quality.

This film resonates for me -- the daughter of one of our neighbors on Rossetti avenue in Burnley had a very similar romance with an American GI (and ended up marrying him) -- We (my mother and father and I) went to the wedding. I was born and grew up in Lancashire during WW2 (the setting for this film) -- Richard Gere's character is from Tucson, Arizona (where I now live).

There are numerous authentic touches or redeeming features in this film:

*Gere's character is a Mess Sgt (cook) not the usual combat infantryman!

*In the Cinema scenes there is an authentic Concert Organ and audience sing-along (we typically sang the same songs as in the movie) --- I've got sixpence, jolly, jolly, sixpence -- I've got sixpence to last me all my life -- I've got tuppance to spend and tuppance to lend and tuppance to send home to my wife! .......... The stars at night, are big and bright -- deep in the heart of Texas .......... Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run (Run Adolph, run Adolph, run, run, run) .......... There' ll always be an England, and England shaLL be free ..........
Smoking cigarettes in cinemas was permitted and prevalent in those days. The poster for the film "Song of the Islands" starring Jackie Oakie in the lobby -- I remember seeing that film.

*Fish & Chip shop scene: ordering "fish and chips two times" "fish and chips four times" -- wrapping them up and eating them out of old newspapers.

*Walking in the blackout scenes: realistically very dark -- use of subdued flashlights.

*Older men wearing woolen flat caps.

*Stalwart Lancasire housewives nicely depicted.

*Concert in the church -- very popular in the war years -- profusion of bicycles laying on their sides on the entry pathway (we used to do that).

*Pub scenes: well done and most authentic for those days -- nice depiction of Publican -- prominence of dart game -- bitterness and frustration of British father toward American servicemen due to the death of his son in action.

*Railway station scenes -- authentic looking and sounding -- correct maroon LMS 3rd class 57 ft. railway carriages.

*Scenes showing the moors -- nice sweeping views -- typical moorland reservoir -- stone walls -- sheep (my wife, Beverly -- who was born and grew up in Ohio -- was amazed by the vast numbers of sheep on the Lancashire moors during her first visit).

*The double-decker bus: subdued blackout lighting -- two bell ring signals to start, one to stop.

*Grocers shop: authentic use of ration books -- queuing up for oranges.

*Lancashire dialect: fairly authentic -- especially by supporting actors who are mostly suitably "broad" -- phonetic examples: "all reet, lad", "doin champion", "riding two 'orses with one arse", "pretty soon tha'll be coughing thi guts up wit rest on us", "bugger off t' weer thi bloody come from", "what the bloody 'ells goin on", "ey up". Of course, the "non-Lanky" actors couldn't be expected to mouth the true rich "broad Lanky" dialect and idioms -- neither could the Lancashire born actors, for then the vast majority of the audience wouldn't be able to understand some of the dialog. My Ohio born wife, Beverly, still has a hard time understanding my family and friends when we visit Burnley -- especially when they slip into "old broad Lanky" after a few drinks in the Pub!

*Diamond pattern bomb blast tape on windows.

*School kids wearing uniforms -- caps and blazers for boys -- sashed skirts and brimmed hats for girls.

*Young child in street eating a "jam butty".

*Great Big Band music (and jitterbugging) in dance hall scenes: "I'll be seeing you", "aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, I like you very much" (Carmen Miranda),"String of pearls"", "Argentina", "Elmers tune", "Tuxedo junction", "Don't sit under the apple tree" -- and at wedding celebration: "Hands, knees and bumpsy daisy", "Hokey pokey" (you put your left foot out .....) -- women dancing with each other.

*Racial confrontation/incident at dance hall: black soldiers dancing with white girls -- I only witnessed one such incident (although there were others) but it involved West Indies servicemen instead of black GIs.

*The Yank build-up for D-Day -- the proliferation of vehicles and supplies -- GIs throwing candy and gum to local kids.

Authenticity shortcomings and problems:

*No air raid sirens -- although air raids were pretty well over by late 1943 in Lancashire, siren alerts were still fairly common.

*Bobbies not carrying gas masks and tin hats -- most Policemen carried them througout the war.

*GIs embarking trains for D-Day deployment do not have correct helmet identification markings.

*I thought ending the film with "I'll be seeing you" was a nice touch but I wish they would have used a Vera Lynn recording instead of Anne Shelton.

All in all, IMO, an excellent and authentic movie.

I think if you see this movie and "Hope & Glory" you will have an accurate understanding of what life on the British home front was like in WW2.

 

(jimbotosome @ Nov 8 2005, 08:16 AM) [post=41249](spidge @ Nov 6 2005, 11:30 PM) [post=41179]That's why I said it however I think you have a rubber grip on yours for when you play "cricket" out in the back yard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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You'll have to translate that idiom for a Yank, Geoff, what does that mean?
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It meant you needed to get a grip on yourself (nicely of course) and the spoon you were stirring would need to be the size of a cricket bat.

If you say you don't know what a cricket bat is you will get excommunicated.

 

I like "Battleground" (1949), IMO a fine black and white depiction of US combat soldiers in action (101st Airborne Division squad fighting around Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge). I think the dialogue, and especially the use of M1 (Garand) rifles, is very realistic. It is a gritty film that depicts very well the way combat soldiers acted and talked.

I thought the employment of actual veterans of the 101st Airborne who fought in the Battle of the Bulge to train the actors -- and as extras in the movie -- was a great touch that really enhanced the realism of the film.

It has been released in a VHS/DVD colorized version.

 

While not land based, I watched "In Which We Serve" last night and really enjoyed it.

Noel Coward is at his best with John Mills & Michael Wilding and a young Richard Attenborough.

I believe it was based on a true story of their ship sunk in the Med.

All I have to do now is get my copy of San Demetrio London and I will be happy. (I had it ordered from England and they had a fire and their last copy was lost) Hopefully they will get me another copy.

 

(jamesicus @ Nov 8 2005, 05:29 PM) [post=41265]I like "Battleground" (1949), IMO a fine black and white depiction of US combat soldiers in action (101st Airborne Division squad fighting around Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge). I think the dialogue, and especially the use of M1 (Garand) rifles, is very realistic. It is a gritty film that depicts very well the way combat soldiers acted and talked. I think it is commendable that every passage of conversation is not laced with the "F" word as is the case with many recent movies. That is not the way GIs in general talked in combat -- sure enough the conversation got salty at times and there were some uses of "F" word profanity too -- but not to the extent it is used in some recent movies -- that kind of detracts from those films for me.

I thought the employment of actual veterans of the 101st Airborne who fought in the Battle of the Bulge to train the actors -- and as extras in the movie -- was a great touch that really enhanced the realism of the film.

It has been released in a VHS/DVD colorized version.
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Yes...great cast of good actors/ loved James Whitmore's portrayal.

James Whitmore
Van Johnson
John Hodiak
Marshall Thompson
George Murphy
Ricardo Montalban
Jerome Courtland

By the way and a little off topic, I have always admired the Arizona flag as it is so different to all others of the 50 yet represents America perfectly.

It was a really well thought out piece of heritage as it has everything in it even the Copper Star for the copper state. Same blue and red as the US flag, the original 13 states and the spanish colours on Coranado's flag. The Spanish invasion of America reminds me of the Chief in "Dances with Wolves" when he produces the Spanish helmet given to him by one of his ancestors although that was set in Dakota.

Sorry for the drift.

 

(spidge @ Nov 8 2005, 08:03 AM) [post=41268]Quoted post[/post]</div><div class='quotemain'>..... By the way and a little off topic, I have always admired the Arizona flag as it is so different to all others of the 50 yet represents America perfectly.

It was a really well thought out piece of heritage as it has everything in it even the Copper Star for the copper state. Same blue and red as the US flag, the original 13 states and the spanish colours on Coranado's flag. The Spanish invasion of America reminds me of the Chief in "Dances with Wolves" when he produces the Spanish helmet given to him by one of his ancestors although that was set in Dakota.

Sorry for the drift.
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I think occasional "topic drift" is inevitable. I also think the Arizona flag is very well designed and superbly emblematic of this state's colorful history.

BTW, the championship trophy awarded at the annual Tucson National Golf Tournament is a full-sized, hand wrought, replica Conquistador helmet -- ala the "Dances with Wolves" helmet.

 

A little cross-post .....

One of my favorite British WW2 movies is It's in the Air (George Formby 1939) images/smilies/default/biggrin.gif . Some great GF songs -- including Our Sgt. Major -- when I later later became a Sgt. Major, my daughters used to sing that song to me. images/smilies/default/biggrin.gif

 

Kiwi,

That's an interesting view you have there. It is shared by anyone?

 

Hey Gnomey whats up bro, I just joined this site today.


Favorite- The Devils Brigade and Wake Island

Least Favorite- Longest Day and Battle Of Britain.

 

The Longest Day is a classic, but if you don't like it fair enough. Another I liked Battle of Britain but then it is one area of the war that really interests me so that is understandable. I haven't seen the two which are your favourites, what are they like?

And on another note. Welcome to the forums.

 

(laufer @ Nov 7 2005, 04:42 PM) [post=41181]From among the oldies I like "The Harp of Burma", "The Battle of the Bulge" and "The Big Red One". My favourit recent movie is still "The Thin Red Line".



Quotation from "The Battle of the Bulge":

Col. Martin Hessler: Our column has made the farthest advance! We have outrun the other Panzers! The eyes of Germany are on us! The Fuhrer himself will decorate me. We have done it Conrad! We have done it!
Cpl. Conrad: Then I was wrong. We have won the war.
Col. Martin Hessler: No.
Cpl. Conrad: You mean we have lost?
Col. Martin Hessler: No.
Cpl. Conrad: I don't understand. If we have not won, and we have not lost, than what is happening?
Col. Martin Hessler: The best thing possible is happening - the war will go on.
Cpl. Conrad: For how long?
Col. Martin Hessler: Indefinitely. On, and on, and on!
Cpl. Conrad: But it must come to an end.
Col. Martin Hessler: You're a fool Conrad. Those of us who understood knew in 1941 that we could never win.
Cpl. Conrad: You mean Colonel for three years we have been fighting without any hope of victory?
Col. Martin Hessler: There are many kinds of victory. For the German Army to survive, for us to remain in uniform - that is our victory. Conrad, the world is not going to get rid of us after all.
Cpl. Conrad: But, when do we go home?
Col. Martin Hessler: This is our home.
Cpl. Conrad: And my sons? When do I see them? What will become of them?
Col. Martin Hessler: They will become German soldiers, and you will be proud of them.
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This is spooky! It is now 10.30pm Friday night in Melbourne, I turn on the TV and "voila" Battle of the Bulge" at the beginning of that scene.

 

(Gnomey @ Nov 11 2005, 08:30 AM) [post=41442]The Longest Day is a classic, but if you don't like it fair enough. Another I liked Battle of Britain but then it is one area of the war that really interests me so that is understandable. I haven't seen the two which are your favourites, what are they like?

And on another note. Welcome to the forums.
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I have seen them both.

Devils Brigade has William Holden and a good cast. Canadian soldiers meet up with the Dirty Dozen. I think it was based on a "true" story. Italian campaign. If I remember rightly, Mark Clark and Lord Louis even get a guernsey!

Wake Island was made early days of the war and showed the Japanese invasion of the Island pretty much straight after Pearl Harbour (days). The Americans could not re inforce or re supply and the marines held on for two weeks against the might of the Japanese however they were eventually wiped out.

A similar war offering to Corregidor, Bataan etc.

I've walked the war fields of the Pacific and visited the War Graves. Rabaul, Lae, in New Guinea, Solomon Islands, (Guadalcanal) Bougainville, Nauru, Kiribati (Tarawa) etc

The relics of war are still evident in what was hell on earth. The Japanese here were as brutal a foe as anyone would ever see.