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After seeing someone post praises of "Battle of the Bulge", I did not know how to react. The scene where american boys light down and roll barrels of fuel down a hill slope - AND THAT'S HOW THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE WAS WON AND PANZERS STOPPED IN '44 - I had a gag reflex.


Easily, the best american war movie is the least known. The best portrayal of superior officer chasing glory - veteran subordinate noticing the BS and trying to salvage the situation. The most realistic WW2 battle scenes seen in ANY movie (and I watched not just American movies, but Soviet, Russian, Yugoslav and South Korean).

Really, must stress this:
Best battle scenes, WITH ALL EQUIPMENT BEING HISTORICALLY ACCURATE (no M60 tanks for panzers, actual T34's used, masses of them).

That movie is, of course

[&o] [&o] [&o] CROSS OF IRON [&o] [&o] [&o]
Directed by the late, great Sam Peckinpah, Mr. Action Movie himself
Starring James Coburn, perhaps the most underappreciated actor in American cinema's history.

Ironically enough, I'd suggest Letters from Iwo Jima as the best American war movie.

Not so much for realism maybe, but certainly for the strength of the acting and the interest of the protagonist: Patton.
There's a good reason this movie won 7 Oscars--it, and George C Scott especially, are awesome.

ORIGINAL: Timotheus

After seeing someone post praises of "Battle of the Bulge", I did not know how to react. The scene where american boys light down and roll barrels of fuel down a hill slope - AND THAT'S HOW THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE WAS WON AND PANZERS STOPPED IN '44 - I had a gag reflex.

warspite1

Wasn't that an American movie made for Americans? [:D] No dumbing down there...... (sorry I couldn't resist [:)]).

ORIGINAL: Timotheus

That movie is, of course

[&o] [&o] [&o] CROSS OF IRON [&o] [&o] [&o]

warspite1

An excellent movie - loved the theme music, the acting, the script, the feel of the movie, and the nasty but fitting end that befell the resident Nazi.

ORIGINAL: Timotheus

Starring James Coburn, perhaps the most underappreciated actor in American cinema's history.

warspite1

Coburn was a fine actor - but one has to ignore his portrayal of Sedgewick in The Great Escape. The worst Australian accent in the history of accents? YES!!

Best British war movie!

2 choices in my opinion:
Lawrence of Arabia (of course)
The Hill. Obscure but excellent, good turn by Sean Connery.

And maybe a third if you want so much stiff upper lip it's almost a parody: In which we serve.

Well, Bridge over the River Kwai is my favorite and it's apparently a British-American movie. So here's to the special relationship!

If we're considering non-American movies now, "Come and See" absolutely tops the list.

Schindler's List
Battle of Britain
Waterloo
Conspiracy
Operation Daybreak

I've no doubt forgotten something big, but when I think of the best war movies these are recurring themes....

Paths of Glory and All's Quiet on the Western Front both count as American and they have to be considered.

Schindler's List
Gettysburg
Stalag 17
Mister Roberts
Letters from Iwo Jima

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Schindler's List
Battle of Britain
Waterloo
Conspiracy
Operation Daybreak

I've no doubt forgotten something big, but when I think of the best war movies these are recurring themes....

Yes, you did forget something big. The title of the thread. With the exception of Schindler's List, are any of those American War movies?

Mr. Roberts ??????? Why not Kelly's Heroes? BTW, I like both of them.

Twelve O’Clock High

(Drops mic and exits stage right.)

ORIGINAL: mrchuck

Best British war movie!

2 choices in my opinion:
Lawrence of Arabia (of course)
The Hill. Obscure but excellent, good turn by Sean Connery.

And maybe a third if you want so much stiff upper lip it's almost a parody: In which we serve.

Surely The Cruel Sea should be on the list? Love the scene where Captain Lockheart returns to find his house bombed out and goes to a bar (or the Officer's Mess for a drink. He is having a drink with his Number 1 (XO, to Americans) and learns that the latter's wife has left him for a foreign soldier (IIRC) that she met while he was away at sea. Lockheart puts it simply "Damn the war." Best summary of the side-effects of war that I have ever heard.

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Schindler's List
Battle of Britain
Waterloo
Conspiracy
Operation Daybreak

I've no doubt forgotten something big, but when I think of the best war movies these are recurring themes....

Yes, you did forget something big. The title of the thread. With the exception of Schindler's List, are any of those American War movies?

warspite1

No, I just followed posts 5,6 and 7.

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Schindler's List
Battle of Britain
Waterloo
Conspiracy
Operation Daybreak

I've no doubt forgotten something big, but when I think of the best war movies these are recurring themes....

Yes, you did forget something big. The title of the thread. With the exception of Schindler's List, are any of those American War movies?

Probably a new “American War” movie to many of you: The Odd Angry Shot.
Australian made and set in Vietnam, hence I am submitting on the basis that it was an American war and this was a movie about it.
Haven’t seen it in years but some great scenes and lines in it, should give you a few laughs if you can find a way to watch it.
Pretty good marks for realism and accuracy from a mates Dad who served there, including the spider vs scorpion fight and the often repeated line “you can set your watch by this f$&@ing rain!”

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

If we're considering non-American movies now, "Come and See" absolutely tops the list.

Imagine watching that in a cinema.

Cross of Iron is definitely on my list but I think, even though it seems like people like nit-picking it,
I liked Saving Private Ryan.
12:00 O'clock High and Tora,Tora,Tora. If that counts as American.

ORIGINAL: mrchuck

Not so much for realism maybe, but certainly for the strength of the acting and the interest of the protagonist: Patton.
There's a good reason this movie won 7 Oscars--it, and George C Scott especially, are awesome.

Hmm, judging a movie's quality by its Oscar awards...[;)]

Fred

For tactical scenes, The Thin, Red Line does it for me. Not necessarily because the actors were directed to show excellent, what we in Norwegian call "feltmessig opptreden" - proper behaviour in the field, if you like, but when the GIs approached the bunker line with Colt.45s and Garands, shooting when advancing - and the "pling" of the empty ammo clip leaving the Garand - that did it to me.

Interesting to see, too, how that rowdy actor (can't remember his name, was it Lee Marvin?) fires his Colt pistol - no two-hand grip there, which I believe is correct for the period. One-hand grip, that is.

Fred