Favourite War films

[Tim Marlow]

Sea of Sand, about the LRDG. Someone mentioned Play Dirty earlier - No. Just no
There's is the Glory, about Arnhem, made in about 1948 with guys who were actually there. And a REAL panther
Way to the Stars, a bit soap opera-y, about an RAF base and neighbouring town right through the war - Trevor Howard, Michael Redgrave AND John Mills! Y'know, I think the only British armed service John Mills didn't play a member of is the Royal Marines
No-one mentioned Longest Day? - which has everyone in it - including Richard Todd meeting someone playing HIM. Bit like Esmond Knight playing the captain of Prince of Wales in Sink the Bismark. The young lieutenant who ends up bleeding down the voice pipe is, Esmond Knight
The Way Ahead, prtotype for every squad in training movie ever - and it's got Bill Hartnell as the sergeant
Two Yanks in UK service - They Were Not Divided, about RTR in NW Europe, including brilliant reference for British Shermans. Red Beret with Alan Ladd pretending to be Canadian, cashiered after a B17 crah killed someone important - probably meant to be the one that killed the youngest Kennedy. A fairly accurate account of the Bruneval raid and other early para ops. Oh, and the lead British officer is named Winters, rather than Frost
Why yes, I do collect BW British war films

More than a couple there worth a mention Steve. Is the Arnhem film the one where it ends up with them returning to barracks and laying on the beds, with the obvious gaps for lost brethren? If it is, I haven’t seen it for years.
Way to the stars.....you champion :thumb2: I’ve been trying to remember that one since I started this. It’s the one with the poem, starts in the abandoned airfield. Basically a rework of flare path by Terrance Rattigan. Oh, and Trevor Howard’s first credited film.

Another “met myself on the film set” almost happened in a bridge too far. The original actress cast for Kate ter Horst was Audrey Hepburn. In real life she was a fifteen year old runner for the resistance during the battle, so would have met herself.

[skinflint]

From the ones previously mentioned, Yangste Incident is one which I really enjoyed watching. I also like the 1958 version of Dunkirk with John Mills and the submarine film, Murphy's War.

In the "yet to watch" list are 1917, Hurricane and the historic war film, Admiral Command and Conquer. The DVDs are bought for these three.

[Allen Dewire]

Oh Yeah Rick, Combat and The Rat Patrol were "must watch" classics in B/W of course. How about "Tour of Duty"???

A couple other films were "None But The Brave" with Frank Sinatra and "Operation Crossbow" with Sophia Loren as the test pilot in V1's...

[Neil Merryweather]

I agree with most so far I think Battle of Britain ,Longest Day, Dambusters, Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Das Boot ,Cruel Sea are my faves
Don't think anyone's mentioned Gallipoli or Master and Commander by Peter Weir- Genius!
how about
Mrs Miniver
Malta Story
San Demetrio London
A Matter of Life and Death

[Steve-the-Duck]

Okay, the elephant in the room, which everyone else has managed to avoid mentioning, thankfully
Pearl Harbour
I've said it now so no-one else has to
Ever again

[Jim R]

Many of the films mentioned I have watched and enjoyed, some I've not seen or come across. One that I don't think has been mentioned is Cast a Giant Shadow. It starred Kirk Douglas and was about the fledgling state of Israel and the conflict with its Arab neighbours in 1947/8. Typical Hollywood perhaps but a good watch.
Jim

[Steve-the-Duck]

Neil, does Matter of Life and Death Count as a war film? I'd say yes. Can't watch that now without thinking of the 'doomed British Airman' piece from Big train, with Simon Pegg and Kevin Eldon. Go watch it

[Steve-the-Duck]

Tim, just checked Theirs is the Glory' and you're right about the las scene. How could I forget such a powerful statement
Speaking of statements, Grave of the Fireflies was mentioned earlier. Oh god yes.
Couple of other Japanese films worth looking out for - From the Cockpit, (Ohka, Tony's, so what if it's anime?) Pacific Battleship Yamato (for which they built half the ship) and For Those We Loved, which is about the kamikaze

[rtfoe]

Okay, the elephant in the room, which everyone else has managed to avoid mentioning, thankfully
Pearl Harbour
I've said it now so no-one else has to
Ever again

:tears-of-joy: I guess the producer wanted everything in it including the Battle of Britain and how the Americans nearly won it and an extension of more than Thirty seconds over Tokyo.
I have seen nearly all the movies and TV shows mentioned including the Russian ones...anyone mentioned 12 O'clock High?

Cheers,
Richard

[Steve-the-Duck]

Ooh, going through my BW British stack again;
Reach For The Sky - Kenneth Moore is too nice to be Bader
Angels One Five - or any war film with Jack Hawkins

But now I realise there's another film not been mentioned at all so far, and it's one of the best, and actually most realistic, war films ever made

Battleground

[Steve-the-Duck]

Does anyone know the name of the film, 1970s, with Tom Bell as one of three paras out patrolling behind enemy lines?

[Steve-the-Duck]

Oh, I've been told to mention Star of Afica, about Hans Joachim Marseille

[Steve-the-Duck]

:tears-of-joy: I guess the producer wanted everything in it including the Battle of Britain and how the Americans nearly won it and an extension of more than Thirty seconds over Tokyo.
I have seen nearly all the movies and TV shows mentioned including the Russian ones...anyone mentioned 12 O'clock High?

Cheers,
Richard

Couldn't they have just repeated Winds of War?

[Steve-the-Duck]

And there's me mentioning Jack Hawkins earlier
Lawrence of Arabia!

[Guest]

And there's me mentioning Jack Hawkins earlier
Lawrence of Arabia!

Yes fabulous film especially the first part. Saw that when it first came out the cinema in London was rigged with 6 sound systems.

Wow you were in the desert OK & the music of Maurice Jarre is something else.

Laurie