Two Greatest WWII movies made in 1940's

[Flopper]

I'm surprised that there has been little mention of war movies this Memorial day.
TCM is showing two the best tonight, Battleground and The Best Years of Our Lives tonight.
Battleground takes place during the Battle of the Bulge. It has a great script, fine cast, winner many Oscars.
The Best Years of Our Lives takes place at the end of WWII. It is a wonderful depiction of 3 service men returning home from the war. It was winner of 8 Oscars.

 

[excalibur]

Casablanca.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Bridge over river Kwai is probably my favorite.

 

[1srelluc]

Did you see the restored version of the 1944 Memphis Bell movie that they showed yesterday?

Much of the same footage was used in HBO's The Cold Blue which they showed just afterwards.

 

[Flopper]

Did you see the restored version of the 1944 Memphis Bell movie that they showed yesterday?

Much of the same footage was used in HBO's The Cold Blue which they showed just afterwards.

Yes, I saw part of it. It was good.

 

[Flopper]

Bridge over river Kwai is probably my favorite.

I thought Sessue Hayakawa who played the Cornel was very good.

I guess my all time favorite WWII film is "The Longest Day"

 

[whitehall]

Made during WW2 limits the choices but apparently not the posts. The 1946 "Best Years of Our Lives" featuring non actor Harold Russell is well made. The only problem I have with the movie is the age of the actors. WW2 was fought mostly by teenagers but the Frederick March character who claims that he was married for 20 years was way too old to have been enlisted. That having been said the Homer Parrish character played by Harold Russell made the movie believable.

 

[Flopper]

Made during WW2 limits the choices but apparently not the posts. The 1946 "Best Years of Our Lives" featuring non actor Harold Russell is well made. The only problem I have with the movie is the age of the actors. WW2 was fought mostly by teenagers but the Frederick March character who claims that he was married for 20 years was way too old to have been enlisted. That having been said the Homer Parrish character played by Harold Russell made the movie believable.

The age limits was 18 to 37. Although most were closer to 18 than 37. My uncle was 27 when he joined up in 42.

In the casting it was decided that the 3 GIs in the movie would come from 3 age groups. Harold Russell was the youngest, the soldier with the girl back home he hoped to marry, Danna Andrews, playing the soldier in the 24 to 28 age bracket and Fredrick March playing the older soldier in the 35 to 40 age bracket. Of course there were teenagers in the cast as well as older adults. The idea is you want a wide age group in order appeal to more people. At least, that was the thinking in those days.

Major productions such as this required major box office stars and in those days you became a major box draw only after you paid your dues which meant at least age 25 for men, however top box office draws were usually well over 30, Clark Gable, John Wayne, Greg Peck, Robert Mitchum. BTW Robert Mitchum was 27 when he joined.

Hollywood often sacrifices realty in selecting cast based on their box office draw. Mickey Rooney was playing Andy Hardy, a young teen when he was 24. Ginger Rogers was 37 when she played the teenager in Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer etc, etc.......

 

[Zavulon]

Torpedo run, 1958, is one of the best, as for me. It's a good story, and it looks honest in details.

 

[Flopper]

Torpedo run, 1958, is one of the best, as for me. It's a good story, and it looks honest in details.

Honest in details seem to be important to you.

Another good WWII sub movie is Enemy Below about a battle between an American destroyer and a German U-boat during WWII. It stars Robert Mitchum and Curt Jürgens as the American and German commanding officers, respectively.




The complete movie is available free on Youtube

 

[whitehall]

The age limits was 18 to 37. Although most were closer to 18 than 37. My uncle was 27 when he joined up in 42.

In the casting it was decided that the 3 GIs in the movie would come from 3 age groups. Harold Russell was the youngest, the soldier with the girl back home he hoped to marry, Danna Andrews, playing the soldier in the 24 to 28 age bracket and Fredrick March playing the older soldier in the 35 to 40 age bracket. Of course there were teenagers in the cast as well as older adults. The idea is you want a wide age group in order appeal to more people. At least, that was the thinking in those days.

Major productions such as this required major box office stars and in those days you became a major box draw only after you paid your dues which meant at least age 25 for men, however top box office draws were usually well over 30, Clark Gable, John Wayne, Greg Peck, Robert Mitchum. BTW Robert Mitchum was 27 when he joined.

Hollywood often sacrifices realty in selecting cast based on their box office draw. Mickey Rooney was playing Andy Hardy, a young teen when he was 24. Ginger Rogers was 37 when she played the teenager in Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer etc, etc.......

I don't want to divert a good post except to note that James Dean was 24 when he played a H.S. kid in "Rebel"

 

[whitehall]

The series "Victory at Sea". It's what a documentary should be from the narration to the music.

 

[Flopper]

The series "Victory at Sea". It's what a documentary should be from the narration to the music.

I loved it. However, I really don't care much for WWII documentaries because I have seen so many. I prefer a good drama because I watch movies and TV to be entertained, not to be enlightened.

 

[Sunni Man]

A little known but excellent WW2 movie about the battle of the Hurtgen forest.
"When Trumpets Fade"

 

[whitehall]

I loved it. However, I really don't care much for WWII documentaries because I have seen so many. I prefer a good drama because I watch movies and TV to be entertained, not to be enlightened.

Good point but frivolous junk like Buck Privates was the entertainment hit of the era featuring the Andrews Sisters hit song "Boogie Woogy Bugle Boy"

 

[Zavulon]

Honest in details seem to be important to you.

Another good WWII sub movie is Enemy Below about a battle between an American destroyer and a German U-boat during WWII. It stars Robert Mitchum and Curt Jürgens as the American and German commanding officers, respectively.




The complete movie is available free on Youtube

It's a nice movie about risky but lucky captain with an effective crew and reliable machines. Looks like that radar operator, Andrew, is something like Jedi to find new course and new speed of German U-boat that fast. "There is no competence on a battlefield, the only question is who's fatal error will be the last."

 

[whitehall]

It's a nice movie about risky but lucky captain with an effective crew and reliable machines. Looks like that radar operator, Andrew, is something like Jedi to find new course and new speed of German U-boat that fast. "There is no competence on a battlefield, the only question is who's fatal error will be the last."

Fast forward to the Cold War where the "USS Bedford" relentlessly tracks down a Russian sub. Similar plot but different ending.

 

[Zavulon]

Fast forward to the Cold War where the "USS Bedford" relentlessly tracks down a Russian sub. Similar plot but different ending.

Thank you, I'll watch the movie. Seems to be as cool as the sea with icebergs.

 

[Flopper]

Good point but frivolous junk like Buck Privates was the entertainment hit of the era featuring the Andrews Sisters hit song "Boogie Woogy Bugle Boy"

Buck Privates with Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy movies, Dumbo, Zigfield Girl, Caught in the Draft, Ball of Fire, and many other mindless comedies and musicals provided America with much needed distraction as the war approached.

 

[whitehall]

Buck Privates with Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy movies, Dumbo, Zigfield Girl, Caught in the Draft, Ball of Fire, and many other mindless comedies and musicals provided America with much needed distraction as the war approached.

Abbott and Costello were portrayed for good or for bad as the bumbling typical WW2 draftees. The G.I's at the time loved it because it made them feel better about their own situation.