Hornsports' Favorite War Movie

[Sirhornsalot]

 

[castlebravo1]

factual:

1.  "Patton"

2.  "Midway"

3.  "Downfall"

fictional:

1.  "Kelly's Heroes"

could have been factual:

1.  "The Day After"

documentary

1. " Trinity and Beyond - The Atomic Bomb Movie"

 

[echeese]

Concur with killrjoe.  BTW, George C. Scott won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of Patton, but declined to accept it because he didn't believe in, or subscribe to, the acceptance of such awards.  

Actually he used it to make a political statement. . . 

 

[primal defense]

I got to go with Patton. From 1970 to 1974 Francis Ford Coppola wrote the screenplays for Patton the two Godfathers and The Conversation. All four pictures were Best Picture nominees, with Patton and both Godfathers winning best picture the year they came out. All great movies and great screenwriting by Coppola.

 

[HOOKEM1980]

1. Operation Pacific. This is a well-told story of American submarine operations. Probably Wayne's best as it provides a number of experiences faced by real American submarines during World War II (including a fictionalized version of the incident that won Howard W. Gilmore the Medal of Honor in 1943).

Always go with The Duke....

 

[Bear19]

Patton

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I like "Where Eagles Dare" for several reasons. I like the top-secret mission plot of the movie. Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood were great together. I love the Alps. I love winter. I love German women serving large pitchers of beer. And then of course, riding a sky lift up a mountain - on top no less - provides for some interesting moments.

The History Channel has been running a program on World War I that takes you right up to WWII and charts the early rise of Stalin, Hitler, Churchill, Patton, Roosevelt and Mussolini. VERY interesting stuff.

Patton was a real bad ass before World War I. In the war with Mexico (Pancho Villa), Patton literally was the first to put a gatlin gun on an auto. That little move led to the end of that skirmish and victory. Later once the US entere WWI, he was the one who had faith in tanks so much so that thanks to his success, everyone put their resources into enhanced development of tanks.

 

[rabastad]

I'm surprised this one hasn't been mentioned...Zulu.

 

[Juan]

I saw Where Eagles Dare on TCM last week
The intro on TCM can be interesting
For this one, they said that the whole thing was Burton's idea.
He wanted an action movie to broaden his appeal as a box office star.
He loved The Guns of Navarone and contacted the writer of it, Alistair MacLean, and told him he wanted something in the spy/WWII genre.

MacLean completed a script for Eagles within a couple weeks (there is a slight conflict b/w TCM and IMBd on this point)

They lucked into Eastwood, who was an up-and-coming action star, simply via good timing.

A couple more tidbits

In the scenes where Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood climb the steep fortress walls, Eastwood moves with ease, while Burton is clearly working hard physically. This was due to the fact that Burton, who was a hard-drinker and out-of-shape by that point, chose to ride a crane (made invisible by special effects) up the wall, whereas the young, healthy Eastwood was actually climbing the wall.

According to a special feature about this film, Ingrid Pitt, who plays Heidi, made a daring escape in real life, over the Berlin Wall.

The Junkers Ju 52 used in the film was still in use with the Swiss air force at the time. The Swiss also supplied the T-6 Texan trainers posing as "German fighters."

The title has its origins in William Shakespeare's 'Richard III': "The world is grown so bad, that wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch."

Despite Clint Eastwood's reputation for violence in other films, his character kills more people in this film than any other Eastwood character.

 

[killrjoe]

First of all, Shevis, I feel bad for you that Casablanca is your favorite movie. That one, along with Patton, just about lulled me to sleep. Booorrrriiiiinnnngggg!!!!

Second of all, The GoodBadUgly is a spaghetti western, not a War movie. Sure, it had a scene or three involving war, but the main point of the movie was an outlaw, a crooked Mexican, and a fast drawing bad guy. That's a western.

Finally, I've never seen Lawrence of Arabia. I'll have to look it up at the public library and see if they have it on VHS.

Sampson, dude!!! Even if it's not a war movie, who doesn't like Casablanca?!! I mean it's Bogart and Bergman, I'm just sayin'...

 

[Lukus Alderman]

I saw Where Eagles Dare on TCM last week

The intro on TCM can be interesting

For this one, they said that the whole thing was Burton's idea.

He wanted an action movie to broaden his appeal as a box office star.

He loved The Guns of Navarone and contacted the writer of it, Alistair MacLean, and told him he wanted something in the spy/WWII genre.

MacLean completed a script for Eagles within a couple weeks (there is a slight conflict b/w TCM and IMBd on this point)

They lucked into Eastwood, who was an up-and-coming action star, simply via good timing.

A couple more tidbits

Wow!  Those are some great tidbits!

I'm gonna try to catch this movie.

 

[HornSolo]

" In Harms Way" with John Wayne

 

[dcbc]

Patton by a mile.  So well written, acted, and shot.  But additionally, so chock full of great one liners.

"Only a pimp from a cheap New Orleans whorehouse carries a pearl handled revolver.  These are ivory."

 

[DougNTexas]

To Hell and Back  works for me.

Second place is Sargent York.

 

[monarch]

not yet rated extended edition!​

 

[chilly52]

I like most of the ones people have suggested here with Private Ryan and Lawrence of Arabia being my favorite from different eras. I'd like to add another candidate that doesn't get shown much anymore, but I saw it the other day on cable and that is King Rat with George Segal. I have to admit, the book was outstanding and the movie was not as good, but still an unusual and interesting story. Probably what much of Stalag 17 was based on. Das Boot was pretty cool and I always liked Heaven Knows Mr. Allison!

 

[Shannon Kelley]

Patton, Tora, Tora, Tora and Saving Private Ryan

 

[DougNTexas]

Stalag 17 is my fav.

Bridge On The River Kwai is a close second

 

[Duke C #11]

If Casablanca isn't a war movie, neither are Gone With the Wind, Coming Home or Schindler's List. In my book, they all are.

 

[harpethhorn]

Patton

One of the best screenplays for any war flick. Coppola wrote it before directing "The Godfather"

And the opening stage monologue w/Scott is darn near perfect. 

Side note- Karl Malden is terrific as Omar Bradley. Oscar-nominated score by Jerry Goldsmith too.