Best war movies (in no particular order)
The Red Badge of Courage – Probably the best film ever to depict the “fog of war,” the mass confusion and chaos of battle in which some run, some cower, some die, and some just so get so mad that they forget the danger and become heroes. (In one scene, two units razz each other for missing out on the “real fighting,” which each thinks occurred in their assigned area.) Real-life war hero Audie Murphy plays The Young Soldier (the film sticks with the book’s “any-man” approach by not giving the characters names) who first disgraces and then redeems himself. Oddly enough, this 1951 film based on a classic book, is more realistic than the 1955 movie based on Murphy’s own biographical best seller, “To Hell and Back.” The latter film looked so unrealistically spick-and-span to me, while Murphy’s book has the real grit and blood of a foot-soldier. Characters introduced on one page die horribly five pages later.
A Walk in the Sun – This 1945 film starring Dana Andrews, Richard Conte, Lloyd Bridges, rivals “The Red Badge of Courage” in its depiction of the confusion of combat. This is just a green US Army infantry platoon having made an amphibious landing in enemy territory (somewhere in Europe, Italy I think) that then sets out on a march to its assigned target. Along the way, there’s confusion over maps, breakdowns, unplanned encounters with friendly and enemy troops, and finally a deadly assault up and over a garden wall followed by a dead run in the open toward German machineguns in the ruins of a house. Lots of sweat and fear.
The Hill—A 1965 British film starring Sean Connery, Ossie Davis, and a cast of great British character actors portraying British prisoners and guards in a British disciplinary camp in the Libyan dessert during WWII. This is what it’s all about in every army—instilling discipline from the top down and the too-frequent abuse of power in the process.
The DI--A similar but less harsh film about military training and discipline made in B&W in the 1950s in which Jack Webb played a peacetime Marine drill instructor just as tough and with sharper creases in his uniform than Lee Ermey.
The Men—The script for this movie is what got Marlon Brando to leave the New York stage and finally go to Hollywood. The only combat is in the opening scene in which Brando is shot in the back by a sniper. The rest of the film is about him and Jack Webb and other guys trying to cope in a stateside Army hospital war for paraplegics. One of very few movies ever made about US casualties of war. Filmed in B&W and directed by Fred Zinnemann, who also directed the following great war film:
From Here to Eternity—This 1953 film is the closest you can get to the Regular Army without being in uniform. Special treat—Merle Travis, the soldier with the guitar; one of the most influential pickers in country music. He also wrote the hit song, “16 Tons.”
For more movie details, see post 105 above.
The Steel Helmet—A Korean War story filmed in 1951 that opens with Gene Evans regaining consciousness as the sole survivor among a bunch of GIs who were captured and shot their Korean or Chinese enemy. Evans ain’t pretty, but he sure looks like a rifleman who’s been in the field too long.
Halls of Montezuma (1950) – Great cast: Richard Widmark, Jack Palance, Jack Webb, Robert Wagner, Karl Malden, Neville Brand, Reginald Gardiner.
12 O’Clock High (1949) – The definitive WWII Army Air Force film. Gregory Peck and a great cast (how often do you get to see Dean Jagger in a war movie!) Lots of real combat shots of bombers and fighters. (I once got a chance to swing up through the nose opening of a B-17 like Peck and the others do so gracefully in this film. Had a heck of time getting my fat butt through there and lost everything I had in my pockets!)
Captain Newman, MD—1963 film starring Gregory Peck and Angie Dickinson, based on a really good book by the same name. Peck plays the title character in charge of the psychiatric ward at an Army Air Force hospital in New Mexico during WWII. Among his patients, a young Robert Duvall in a small but juicy role as a traumatized pilot who has lost his speech. Real WWII hero Eddie Albert combines what were two very different characters in the book and comes up with an unforgettable performance. Bobby Darin deservedly was nominated for best supporting actor Oscar for his role as a troubled gunner. Tony Curtis provides comic relief.
Attack! (1956)—Another great role for Eddie Albert, this time playing a National Guard company commander in Europe whose cowardice is getting his men killed. Lee Marvin is his commanding colonel keeping Albert in command to satisfy his politically influential father back in the states. Jack Palance plays a subordinate lieutenant who threatens to kill Albert if he fails again. Other cast members include Robert Strauss, Buddy Epsen, Richard Jaeckel, Strother Martin.
Pork Chop Hill (1959)—Another great cast: Gregory Peck, Harry Guardino, Rip Torn, George Peppard, Woody Strode, Norman Fell, Martin Landau, Bob Steele, Gavin MacLeod, Robert Blake, Harry Dean Stanton. And another great depiction of the confusion, horror, and unknowns of battle.
Between Heaven and Hell—An odd little 1956 film that opens with former Sgt. Robert Wagner in an Army stockade pen in the Pacific facing court martial charges for trying to kill his lieutenant and former best friend. Because Wagner is also a war hero, his commanding officer instead assigns him to a remote rifle company commanded by a very odd if not half-mad Broderick Crawford. (Personally, I’m a fan of Crawford’s chew-the-scenery approach to acting, which may be why I like this film so much. Other cast members, Brad Dexter, Skip Homeier, L.Q. Jones, Frank Gorshin, Buddy Epsen, and Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer.
Beachhead (1954)—The behind-enemy-lines plot isn’t much, but I’ve always been a Frank Lovejoy fan, so sue me. Also stars Tony Curtis and Skip Homeier.
Retreat Hell—Another Frank Lovejoy war film. This time he’s with the retreating Marines (“Retreat, hell, we’re just advancing in the other direction”) in North Korea.
Battleground (1949)—This is the mama of all Battle of the Bulge movies, with what I think was a first-time-out Oscar-winning role by James Whitmore. Even Van Johnson looks like a tough guy in this one. Other players include Ricardo Montalban, a very young ex-GI James Arness, George Murphy, Marshall Thompson, Don Taylor, Richard Jaeckel, Dewey Martin, Tommy Noonan, Jerry Paris.
Battle Cry (1955)—Forget “Windtalkers;” here’s a real Marine combat communications outfit! James Whitmore apparently was born to play Army sergeants—he’s great in this film, too. Also stars another of my old-time favorites, Van Heflin. What an actor. Aldo Ray is great; Tab Hunter is passable. It’s got greats like Raymond Massey and “say who?” types like Perry Lopez and John Lupton giving fine performances as “Spanish Joe” and Cpl. Marion “Sister Mary” Hotchkiss, respectfully.
On the Beach (1959)—Not your normal “war movie” but everyone is dying from radiation from World War III, so it counts. Took some liberties from Nevil Shute’s original novel, but it has Ava Gardner to look at. Interesting characters.
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