War Movies - Based on a true story

Based on a true story is usually very, very, literal.

Can we start with three movies that are favourites of mine for differing reasons.

1. The Dambusters
2. The Man Who Never Was!
3. Hell to Eternity. (Based on US marine hero Guy Gabaldon)

Whether intentional or not, I saw many messages in these movies.

Look forward to your critiques on some of yours!

 

U571!!!!

 

Band of Brothers (although not technically a movie) is still based on a true story. Although it misses somethings from the book, it generally holds true with only some bits with things amiss.

 

I am adding the 1955 "Cockleshell Heroes" to your first two Spidge. Of particular interest, the number of casualties depicted in the film is correct.

 

Battle of the River Plate
Tora, Tora, Tora

Both quite faithful with names, combat units and episodes. Well, as far as I know and have read anyway!

Would include Sink the Bismarck as well but not sure about names.

Cheers

Andy

 

I am adding the 1955 "Cockleshell Heroes" to your first two Spidge. Of particular interest, the number of casualties depicted in the film is correct.

In real life "Operation Frankton".

One of my all time favourite British actors, Victor Maddern played Sergeant Craig.

You would never know that he refused parts if there was to be profanity.

He was a British actor in everything like Pepper & Salt.

See how many of these you remember!

• Seven Days to Noon (1950) – Jackson (trigger-happy soldier)
• Morning Departure (1950) – Leading Telegraphist Hillbrook
• High Treason (1951) – Anarchist
• Pool of London (1951) – First Tram Conductor
• The Franchise Affair (1951) – Mechanic
• The House in the Square (1951) – Geiger Man
• His Excellency (1952) – Soldier
• Angels One Five (1952) (uncredited) – Airman
• Time Bomb (1953) – Saboteur
• Malta Story (1953) (uncredited) – Soldier
• The Sea Shall Not Have Them (1954) – Gus Westover
• The End of the Affair (1955) – 1st Orator
• The Night My Number Came Up (1955) – Engineer
• Carrington V.C. (1955) – Sergeant Owen
• Footsteps In The Fog (1955) – Jones
• The Cockleshell Heroes (1955) – Sergeant Craig
• Private's Progress (1956) – Pvt. George Blake
• A Hill in Korea (1956) – Pvt. Lindop
• Man in the Sky, aka Decision Against Time (1956) – Joe Biggs
• Barnacle Bill (1957) – Figg
• Saint Joan (1957) – English Soldier
• Carve Her Name with Pride (1958) – Parachute Training Sergeant
• Happy is the Bride (1958) – Shop Steward
• The Safecracker (1958) – Morris
• Dunkirk (1958) – Merchant seaman in pub
• Blood of the Vampire (1958) – Carl
• I Was Monty's Double (1958) – Orderly Sergeant
• I'm All Right Jack (1959) – Knowles
• Please Turn Over (1959) – Manager
• The Siege of Pinchgut (1959)
• Watch Your Stern (1960) – Sailor
• Sink the Bismarck! (1960) (uncredited) – Able Seaman
• Carry on Constable (1960) – Detective Sergeant Liddell
• Light Up the Sky! (1960) – Lance Corporal Tomlinson
• Exodus (1960) – Sergeant
• Petticoat Pirates (1961) – CPO Nixon
• On the Fiddle (1961) – First Airman
• Carry on Regardless (1961) – First Sinister Passenger
• H.M.S. Defiant (1962) – Bosun Dawlish
• Carry on Cleo (1964) – Sergeant-Major
• Carry on Spying (1964) – Milchmann
• Rotten to the Core (1965) – Anxious O'Toole
• Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965) – Taxi Driver
• Circus of Fear (1966)
• Cuckoo Patrol (1967) – Dicko
• The Lost Continent (1968) – The mate
• Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) – Junkman
• The Magic Christian (1969) – Hot dog vendor
• Cromwell (1970) – Executioner
• Steptoe and Son (1972) – Chauffeur
• Carry On Emmannuelle (1978) – Man in Launderette
• Freddie as F.R.O.7 (1992) – Old Gentleman Raven

Selected TV

• Fabian of the Yard (1954)
• The Adventures of Robin Hood (1960) – Hugo
• Fair Exchange (1962) – Tommy Finch
• Sir Francis Drake (1962)
• Perry Mason (1963) – Gilbert Tyrell
• Bonanza (1963) – Dave
• Crossroads (1964) – Bert Henderson
• The Troubleshooters (1965) – Rogers
• Gideon's Way (1965) – Charles Randle
• The Avengers (1966) – Jackson
• The Prisoner (1967) – Bandmaster
• The Baron (1967) – Dino
• The Wednesday Play (1967)
• The Saint (1967-8) – Enrico Montesino
• The Ugliest Girl in Town (1968) – Freddie
• Doctor Who - (Fury from the Deep) (1968) – Robson
• Softly Softly (1970)
• Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (1970) – Det. Sgt. Watts
• The Dick Emery Show (1963) – Ernie (1971-1974)
• Paul Temple (1971) – Bill Stacey
• Crown Court (1973)
• 1990 (1977) – Sammy Calhoun
• Dixon of Dock Green
• In Loving Memory (1982) – Comic
• That's My Boy (1983) – Bluebird Johnny
• Marple: The Moving Finger (1985) – Police Constable Johnson
• The Beiderbecke Tapes (1987) – Sam Bentley
• C.A.B. (1988) – Private Tripe
• The Bill (1990) – Mr. Grant
• The Darling Buds of May (1992) – Fruity Pears

 

He was in no end of the old fifties and sixties films , solid supporting character actor. A lot would place the face if not the name. Don't think he ever played the lead in anything. I know he passed away of a brain tumour in mid 90's Victor Maddern (1926 - 1993) - Find A Grave Memorial

 

U571!!!!

Er! No!

 

the gift horse - HMS Campbelltown

The sea shall not have them.

 

The Dambusters (obviously)

Waterloo Road

Kelly's Heroes. What do you mean it isn't a true story?

 

No Man Is An Island - the true story of George Tweed, USN, only serviceman on Guam who eluded the Japanese Army.

Some of the obvious ones.....

The Battle of Britain
The Longest Day
A Bridge Too Far
Is Paris Burning

Plus...(more or less the true story)

The Password Is Courage
Schlindler's List

 

Without a doubt, for me it has to be A Bridge to Far and Dambusters.

 

Er! No!

I thought the three exclamation marks might have given away the fact I was not being serious. However never having seen the film I can't pass any judgement on it's authenticity and how much or how little is true even though it is supposed to be based on true events.

Moving swiftly on how about these:

'Yangtse Incident'
'Ill Met by Moonlight'
'Above us the Waves'
'Albert RN'
'The Colditz Story'
'Appoinment with Venus'
'BAT 21'
'The Battle of Neretva'
'The Battle of Midway'
'The Battle of the Bulge'
'Carve her Name with Pride'
'I was Monty's Double'
'Inn of the Sixth Happiness'

 

Cos U571 is a load of tosh. It was recreated (made up) by Hollywood. Never seen the film myself and I am sure it is an enjoyable no-brainer. But accurate? Nah.

 

Here are some more…

‘The One that Got Away’
‘The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell’
‘The Diary of Anne Frank’
‘Dunkirk’
‘Sergeant York’
‘The Heroes of Telemark’
‘Glory’
’55 Days at Peking’
‘Khartoum’
‘The Devil’s Brigade’
‘Raid on Entebbe’
‘The Lighthorsemen’
‘Voyage of the Damned’
'Black Hawk Down'
'The Fighting Sullivans' The true story which inspired 'Saving Private Ryan'

Was ‘The Sea Wolves’ based on a true story?

 

And a few more...

‘Patton - Lust For Glory’
‘MacArthur’
‘The First of the Few’
‘PT109’
‘Merrill’s Marauders’
‘The Killing Fields’
‘Hamburger Hill’
‘Pork Chop Hill’
‘Foxhole in Cairo’
‘Reach for the Sky’

 

"Operation Daybreak"
"Stalingrad" (The russian version from circa 1946)
"Theirs is the Glory"
"We were Soldiers"
"Go tell the Spartans"

 

"Theirs is the Glory". Not only based on the Battle of Arnhem, but badly acted on location by people who were actually there.

And don't let the term 'bad' in the context of acting put you off. A truely atmospheric, moving and brilliant film which gave much to it's follower 'A Bridge Too Far'.

 

"Theirs is the Glory". Not only based on the Battle of Arnhem, but badly acted on location by people who were actually there.

Ditto the "Stalingrad" mentioned above (though obviously not for the battle of Arnhem in this case!:p )

Dave

 

Cos U571 is a load of tosh. It was recreated (made up) by Hollywood. Never seen the film myself and I am sure it is an enjoyable no-brainer. But accurate? Nah.

U571 (and in turn it's Enigma machine) was captured by the Royal Navy before Pearl Harbour so it couldn't possibly have been captured by the US Navy as claimed in the film!

So accuracy is certainly not it's strong point.

Winch