Memorial Day Movie Marathon

[Virgil61]

For those in the U.S. Turner Classic Movies is showing a war film marathon for this Memorial Day weekend, mostly WWII films like Sands of Iwo Jima, The Longest Day, They Were Expendable and a few I've only heard of. I'm getting sucked into "Battleground" about the 101st ABN division in Bastogne. Decent film, first time I've seen it.

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

My favorite is A Bridge Too Far. I find it cool its the first movie(that I saw) that didn't demonized the Wehrmacht(Germans).

[Ursus]

The Longest Day is great! (except for John Wayne, I just find him over the top). But it really captures the feel of all the countries fighting and their view points. The book it's based on is even better. I don't think it demonizes the Germans, either. Maybe the Fuehrer and his command structure, but not the Germans per se.

 

 

Saw Battleground a few times, too. Good movie.

 

 

I think my favorite though is "Patton" with George C Scott.

[Virgil61]

The Longest Day is great! (except for John Wayne, I just find him over the top). But it really captures the feel of all the countries fighting and their view points. The book it's based on is even better. I don't think it demonizes the Germans, either. Maybe the Fuehrer and his command structure, but not the Germans per se.

 

 

Saw Battleground a few times, too. Good movie.

 

 

I think my favorite though is "Patton" with George C Scott.

 

When I was a kid if "The Longest Day" was on it meant being zoned in front of the TV set for two and a half hours.

 

"Patton", nothing beats it, ironically it was filmed at the height of the Vietnam War.

 

"Battleground" was a better movie than I imagined. I like how they focused on the soldiers instead of one or two main players. The very last scene is where the sergeant has them tighten up their formation as they move to the rear and they pass fresh reserves come in to relieve them. He starts calling out a "Jody" cadence that's essentially the same one the Army uses today.