What is your favorite WAR movie? Why?

I think John Ford's "They Were Expendable" explores many of the moral and psychological issues more (or at least as much as) eloquently and movingly then many movies previously mentioned. It's a fairly subtle film by Ford's standards, and greatly underrated in his canon. Frankly I find it less 'mythological' than "The Searches" and all the better for it. Without giving too much away (the title is pretty telling, but the "They' isn't who you think and upon reflection, you'll recognize other 'expendables'), the film's attributes includes Robert Montgomery's powerfully reserved performance, the searing depiction of romantic relationships begun and lost in the chaos of war, soldiers who diligently and resourcefully worked 'on the sidelines' and knew better than their commanders what really needed to be done, John Wayne deepening the persona he would become known for, all filmed with the sense of authenticity that seems a half step away from a documentary (which, of course, Ford also produced during WWII), and based on a true story. I believe Ford was injured toward the end of production and asked Montgomery to complete directing the film.

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/475633/They-Were-Expendable-Movie-Clip-Those-Are-Jap-Planes.html

 

I just finished watching They Were Expendable. It's a good depiction of the dark, early days of the war. I've been on a PT boat. When I was a kid we went on vacation to New England. In New Hampshire, we went to Lake Winnipesaukee. Back then, they sold rides on the U.S. Mail delivery boat that serviced the many islands. It was a PT Boat. We just putted around at 10-15 MPH.....no exciting torpedo runs.

 

I've seen a lot of my favorites listed...

But has anyone mentioned

Shenandoah (Civil War flick)

Damn...it's a tearjerker !

 

One of my favorites is The Last Samurai. The soundtrack alone makes it worthwhile.

 

The Bridge On the River Kwai
The Great Escape

 

Lots of greats mentioned, but one overlooked is:

The Battle of Algiers.

Interesting "newsreel/neorealism" approach using participants etc.
Significant and contemporary issues (Terrorism, Torture, Occupation, Civilian casualties/collateral damage, etc) keeping it relevant.
Seems to fit more the current US experience of war than older greats (All Quite, Ryan,).

 

Yes those are two of my top favorites, along with:

1. Enemy At The Gates | 2001 • Jude Law, Ed Harris, Joseph Fiennes, Ron Pearlman; directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud.
2. Saving Private Ryan | 1998 • Tom Hanks, Matt Damon; directed by Steven Spielberg.
3. Kelly's Heroes | 1970 • Clint Eastwood, Donald Sutherland, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Caroll O'Conner; directed by Brian G. Hutton.
4. The Great Escape | 1963 • Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasence; directed by James Sturges.
5. The Bridge On the River Kwai | 1957 • William Holden, Alec Guiness; directed by David Lean.
6. Stalag 17 | 1953 • William Holden, Otto Preminger, Peter Graves, Robert Strauss; directed by Billy Wilder.

 

Patton... because my dad's 1st cousin served in North Africa under Patton, and was captured in Tunisia and taken to a P.O.W. camp near Berlin

 

Sorry if it's been mentioned, but anyone see the French film, "Joyeux Noel"? I thought it was great. Here's a synopsis via IMDB:

In 1914, World War I, the bloodiest war ever at that time in human history, was well under way. However on Christmas Eve, numerous sections of the Western Front called an informal, and unauthorized, truce where the various front-line soldiers of the conflict peacefully met each other in No Man's Land to share a precious pause in the carnage with a fleeting brotherhood. This film dramatizes one such section as the French, Scottish and German sides partake in the unique event, even though they are aware that their superiors will not tolerate its occurrence.

 

The great escape!!

 

Bingo!

A very poetic, and moving war picture.

 

Yeah! Be watching part 2 soon of GODs and Generals ( great title) good stuff indeed, though I think I prefer Gettysburg. Shame there was no part 3.Ie; the aftermath, what happened after the civil war.

 

All steller, cept the oddball one.
Substitute with Catch 22.

 

Cross Of Iron

 

Patton was the first one I thought of, but it's interesting that George C. Scott thought it was an anti-war film showing an narcissistic, egotistical general who was out of control. Instead, the film wound up inspiring Nixon to step up the war in Vietnam, which is something for which Scott (very left-wing in his politics) was mortified to the end of his days.

I think I like the "caper" films more than any other war films, particularly Kelly's Heroes and movies like that. Great Escape was another one, if you buy that the escape was the caper.

 

The Young Lions




Because it shows both sides ... and there always are more sides than one ....

 

Paths of Glory.

What is war?

 

Gettysburg and Gods and Generals are based largely on historical novels by Michael Shaara and his son. The third part of the trilogy, The Last Full Measure dealt with Lee's surrender at Appomattox and was supposed to be the final film, but financier Ted Turner lost every penny he spent on Gods and Generals so he told screen writer-director-producer Ronald F. Maxwell that there wouldn't be another one. A lot of people were disappointed; Maxwell's stock company loves working with him and the re-enactor regiments are devoted to him. Maxwell went up to Canada to shoot Copperhead, a low-budget independent Civil War drama that didn't get much of a release. Everyone who likes Maxwell's epics should check it out on DVD and blu-ray. It's fair to say, given his single-minded devotion to historical films about America, that Maxwell's career is over. Finished. The kids running Hollywood hate that kind of film and shun that kind of filmmaker. If you want to make that kind of film you have to find independent money, somebody who needs a write-off.

Maxwell really fell in love with the language he was reading in the diaries and letters and military reports while preparing Gods and Generals, and as a result, the film is too married to the written word to engage a general audience. There are no short sentences. Every dialog is a speech. Personally, I love it, and the film. It's as eloquent as Shakespeare -- who's never been a big money maker, either.

Robert Duvall is excellent in Gods and Generals, but Martin Sheen is brilliant in Gettysburg. Sheen brings a depth and subtext to the character that is precisely right but not on the page. In comparison, Duvall delivers a straightforward performance off the page; no more, no less. I do wish he'd had the chance to surrender in the third film, but alas.

Insofar as Civil War films go, I also like John Huston's newsreel you-are-there approach to The Red Badge of Courage (1951), even though 30 minutes of footage was cut by the studio.

Edward Zwick's Glory (1989) is a great Civil War film.

 

Thanks for the info.
Copperhead " I've yet see.
But, Glory is excellent.

 

This.

 

I'm gonna see Copperhead, soon.

 

The Big Red One--Lee Marvin really opens this one up
Apocalypse Now--liked the book, but the narration here is fantastic
Glory
Where Eagles Dare--it's seemingly on in reruns every other month, but I always stop and watch.

 

Von Ryan's Express...fav since I was a kid. the last scene with Sinatra really grabbed me back then...

 

In {more or less} order

Saving Private Ryan
We Were Soldiers
City of Life and Death (Let's not forget that the Japanese massacred Chinese at an astronomical rate)
Blackhawk Down
Apocalypse Now
Zero Dark Thirty
Hurt Locker
Fury
Deer Hunter
Das Boot
Lost Mohicans
Platoon
Patton (maybe it was the date with the luvly Ms. Janice Harper 44 or so years ago that gets this one of the list???)
American Sniper
Glory
Gallipoli
That's enuf for now. So many wars, so little time.

 

I just watched it. The acting really worked for me. I highly recommend it, but would also delete a few scenes as they go a little over the top but don't ruin an otherwise fine and moving film.
There was also a song about this occurrence:
"Christmas in the Trenches"


(the volume is a bit low on that video, perhaps there is a better version uploaded)