Best War Movie Actors

KG Erwin · Post by **KG Erwin** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:35 pm

As a counterpoint, let me offer up this thread. My number one fave is Mel Gibson as Hal Moore in "We Were Soldiers". Next is Damien Lewis as Richard Winters in "Band of Brothers", followed by Frank J. Hughes as Dick Guarnere in the same series. There's also Jurgen Prochnow as the Kapitanleutnant of U96 in "Das Boot", and of course George C. Scott as Patton in the self-titled film.

I deliberately exclude historical characters who have no existing real-life film footage to serve as comparisons.

Hertston · Post by **Hertston** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:00 pm

Exclusion noted, but I think Rod Steiger's Napoleon was just superb. 

KG Erwin · Post by **KG Erwin** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:11 pm

ORIGINAL: Hertston

Exclusion noted, but I think Rod Steiger's Napoleon was just superb.

Y'know, I thought about that for a moment, but left it out due to my caveat. A historical note: Rod Steiger joined the Navy in WWII when he was underage (I think he was 16). As he told the story, he basically threatened his mom to make her sign a waiver. I saw the interview in a documentary, and I don't doubt that he was being honest.

Hub · Post by **Hub** » Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:40 pm

Ed Harris in "Enemy at the Gates."

Hertston · Post by **Hertston** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 12:08 am

Does pretty much playing yourself count as 'acting'? If so,

R. Lee Ermey. More seriously, Alec Guinness in 'Bridge over the River Kwai'

Zakhal · Post by **Zakhal** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 12:49 am

Larry Thorne in Phantom Soldiers. And Simo Häyhä allthough they never made a movie about him:

http://www.cracked.com/article_17019_5-real-life-soldiers-who-make-rambo-look-like-puss y

EDIT: The forum breaks the last word of the link

Doggie · Post by **Doggie** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 12:51 am

Here's Val Kilmer on the Vietnam Experience

[Kilmer] I understand it more. It’s an actor’s job. A guy who’s lived through the horror of Vietnam has not spent his life preparing his mind for it. He’s some punk. Most guys were borderline criminal or poor, and that’s why they got sent to Vietnam. It was all the poor, wretched kids who got beat up by their dads, guys who didn’t get on the football team, couldn’t finagle a scholarship. They didn’t have the emotional equipment to handle that experience. But this is what an actor trains to do. I can more effectively represent that kid in Vietnam than a guy who was there.

So much for that. Then we have actors who were not as skilled at portraying soldiers because they actually went to war.

Those include Lee Marvin, Eddie Albert, James Stewart, Alec Guiness, Donald Pleasance,
Ernest Borgnine, Audie Murphey, and Audrey Hepburn. Yes, Audrey Hepburn.

Zakhal · Post by **Zakhal** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 12:56 am

Lee Marvin is one of my favorites actually. And Audrey Hepburn too now that I just discovered it.

Missouri Rebel · Post by **Missouri Rebel** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:01 am

Has anyone mentioned Bill Paxton?

This is from the movie Aliens where our Damsel in Distress (or did) awaits a rescue from Pvt. Hudson. Will Bills gnashing teeth save the day? Tune in next week....

mo reb (closet member of The Bill Paxton Fanclub - Badge# 52897)

ps...nice quote Doggie....Didn't know there were more reasons to dislike the elitist Hollywood actors than the usual. What a joke. Someone might just kick Val in his K rations one day with that kind of mentality.

KG Erwin · Post by **KG Erwin** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:43 am

Doggie, you left out one veteran : Sterling Hayden. He is unique in that while a US Marine, he served as an undercover operative in the Balkans in WWII. In the movies, you may know him as "General Ripper" in "Dr. Strangelove" or as a corrupt cop in "The Godfather Part II." See this : http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 03224.html

Honestly, Sterling Hayden's WWII exploits could be made a movie. It surprises me that it hasn't been done.

Grell · Post by **Grell** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:05 am

Nobody can outdo "The Duke" John Wayne, even though he never served.

Regards,

Grell

Prince of Eckmühl · Post by **Prince of Eckmühl** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 12:32 pm

I don't know if Audie Murphy was a particularly good actor, but he was a fine soldier.

PoE (aka ivanmoe)

Greybriar · Post by **Greybriar** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:18 pm

There were so many great actors who played in war movies that I'm having a hard time deciding which one I liked best. I liked Lee Marvin in The Dirty Dozen, George C. Scott in Patton, Humphrey Bogart in The Caine Mutiny and oh, so many other famous stars in their various roles.

But I'm way behind the times and haven't been to a movie theatre in years. So I will leave it to the rest of you to decide as I am not at all familiar with the current actors and actresses.

Hertston · Post by **Hertston** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:26 pm

ORIGINAL: Prince of Eckmühl

I don't know if Audie Murphy was a particularly good actor, but he was a fine soldier.

I thought he was pretty good in 'The Red Badge of Courage'; and he was supposedly even better before the editors butchered it. Casting America's most decorated WW2 soldier (I think?) as the guy who ran away was just brilliant.

leastonh1 · Post by **leastonh1** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:31 pm

So many to choose from!!!!!

Damien Lewis as Richard Winters - Band of Brothers
Ed Harris - Enemy at the Gates
Donald Southerland as Sgt. Oddball - Kelly's Heroes
Jürgen Prochnow - Capt.-Lt. Henrich Lehmann-Willenbrock - Das Boot
Anything with John Wayne in it!!!!

Not forgetting Paul Gross as Michael Dunne - Passchendaele - Awesome performance, awesome movie!!!

[&o]

PunkReaper · Post by **PunkReaper** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 3:01 pm

Tom Hanks in Saving Ryan's Privates

Brigz · Post by **Brigz** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:11 pm

ORIGINAL: Missouri Rebel

Has anyone mentioned Bill Paxton?

This is from the movie Aliens where our Damsel in Distress (or did) awaits a rescue from Pvt. Hudson. Will Bills gnashing teeth save the day? Tune in next week....

mo reb (closet member of The Bill Paxton Fanclub - Badge# 52897)

ps...nice quote Doggie....Didn't know there were more reasons to dislike the elitist Hollywood actors than the usual. What a joke. Someone might just kick Val in his K rations one day with that kind of mentality.

Wow! Julie Adams. One of the finest looking actresses ever.....Oh....back to the thread....

Don't forget Steve McQueen and James Coburn. Both in "Hell is for Heroes" and Coburn for "Cross of Iron".

Julie Adams....what a babe!

leastonh1 · Post by **leastonh1** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:32 pm

ORIGINAL: Dave Briggs
Julie Adams....what a babe!

Agreed. She was a stunner when younger. Incidentally, she also appeared in an episode of Lost a while ago!

Prince of Eckmühl · Post by **Prince of Eckmühl** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:33 pm

All the best actors in war movies are British. [;)]

leastonh1 · Post by **leastonh1** » Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:49 pm

ORIGINAL: Prince of Eckmühl
All the best actors in war movies are British. [;)]

I was just being modest on the part of our Brit actors, but yes, you're quite right. To be fair, there were a few decent Yank actors who did one or two reasonable bit parts, like John Wayne for example. But, you can't beat British [:'(]

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