Favorite Warmovie

[hs132]

Decision Before Dawn

My pic is the often overlooked movie Decision Before Dawn. Made in 1951 its a story of a German POW returning to Nazi Germany as a spy (Oskar Werner). It features dozens of shots of origional German uniforms. Pictured are many black panzer uniforms, tan/water, splinter and SS camo jackets, SS collar insignia and in one shot a army splinter sniper smock. It also features soldiers armed with MP44s and in the final scenes an officer wearing an army crusher. 2nd choice is the finest POW movie ever made, Stalag 17 with Robert Holden("We were playing pinochle, its a rough game"). Bill

[amydron]

"All Quiet on the Western Front" is, in my opinion, one of the best War movies ever made. I am talking about the original early 1930's version, not the remake.
Actually, it is regarded by most Film Historians as the finest ANTI War movie.
Despite the problems with its sound quality, I think it is a particularly powerful and moving film, which I have seen numerous times.
For those of you who have never seen it, I would recommend the experience.

[Scott Powell]

"All Quiet on the Western Front" is, in my opinion, one of the best War movies ever made. I am talking about the original early 1930's version, not the remake.
Actually, it is regarded by most Film Historians as the finest ANTI War movie.
Despite the problems with its sound quality, I think it is a particularly powerful and moving film, which I have seen numerous times.
For those of you who have never seen it, I would recommend the experience.

i couldnt agree more,and i recvently saw the UNCUT original version,and it followed the book so closely, just a masterpiece

[CurtD]

For you Cross Of Iron fans who have been forced to suffer with the crappy region 1 version that is a poor copy, NOT wide-screen, and has 10 minutes mysteriously cut, you now have a choice! Our Korean friends have come out with a wide-screen (I forget if it is anamorphic), un-cut, high-quality, region-free version. That's the one you want.

[Jim Spaw]

Not mentioned, but a good one!

How about: "Boys in Company C", good bootcamp segment, with R. Lee Ermey as the DI, good dialog. A little compressed after they get into 'Nam, but James Whitmore is their Lt. and does a good job. Check it out.

[ss-mime]

How come " The Band Of Brothers " Is not in the list? If that the best movie EVER !!

The sad thing is that is just related to those 101st ... and not Germans troops.

But indeed .. the best movie !! above ANY of those in the list

[Paul Jones]

I think the exploration of the futility of war depicted in 'Cross Of Iron' IMO is pretty hard to beat. Peckinpah's depiction of fervent comradeship fighting for their own justification is astounding

[Peter_Suciu]

How come " The Band Of Brothers " Is not in the list? If that the best movie EVER !!

The sad thing is that is just related to those 101st ... and not Germans troops.

Band of Brothers was produced as a mini-series, not a stand alone movie so I believe that is the reason for why it was not included.

The story also is about a specific unit in the 101st Airborne. Ambrose spent a long time conducting the interviews and conducting the research. He had written books about other specific units. Band of Brothers is specifically about this unit and what they experienced. And I would say that it is very related to the German troops...there are German troops in almost every episode (except the first episode, which covers the training in Georgia).

[FMAR Quaas]

Cross Of Iron was an amazing movie, even though there are plenty of other great movies out there this one beats them all.

[von ropen]

Cross Of Iron was an amazing movie, even though there are plenty of other great movies out there this one beats them all.

Yup, I agree. I it intersing to wacht the lot of awards we can see on the movie...

[AGFA40]

hallo,interesting list,but where is band of brothers,is also very realistic,die brucke a originale black and white movie,very dramatic.cheers

[von ropen]

hallo,interesting list,but where is band of brothers,is also very realistic,die brucke a originale black and white movie,very dramatic.cheers

Yes very very nice tv series band of brothers...
But what about "conspiracy" in Spain tranlated as "La solucion final" wiht kenneth Branagh and stanley Tucci?... Incredible film, don't you think???

[k9mike]

Great List, but....

All great movies, but my favorite is The Cross of Iron. I also have a 1st edition print of the book and it is great, I only wish they would have made the movie like the book, but you know how that is. The only movie I have ever seen that was exactly like the book was the Band of Brothers. This movie is also very excellent and is indeed in my top 5. I have another movie I really like. I know it was kinda corny but I thought it was a good and funny movie was Kelley's Heroes. Don Rickles and Telly just killed me with laughter. Oh well, thats my take.

k9mike

[SHEARING-CROSS]

HIYA , first off .......and i know this may well up set a lot of you guys but SAVING PTE RYAN i just dont get ? I.M.O it is not the best war film ever made despite often finishing top in many polls , yes i think it may well be the most realistic film but after the first 20 minutes the rest of the films story you can pick up and drop it straight in to a 1950s John Wayne film ,
i think the film THE LONGEST DAY is far better from a historical view
if only to see Richard burton as the RAF pilot in the ` have you seen Johnny ...hes got my boots ` scene .......
when he says ` theres one thing thats always worried me about being one of the few .........is the way we keep getting fewer `
superb,

GALLIPOLI is worth paying the entrance fee to the movies just for two scenes alone , the first is the morning after the night landing when MEL GIBSON wakes up in his ` funk hole` chucks back the ground sheet and you get the fantastic long shot looking down the beach with all the activity ,stores been un loaded etc ,the other is just before they unit goes over the top near the end and they take off /hide there watches wedding rings etc , i think this alone is one of the most moving scenes in any war film.
a little known Polish made film ( i think ) from the 1960s ` KANAL` about the WARSAW UPRISING looks to be a lot of original german kit .

I genuinely think a lot of the best war movies made were the old ones GREAT ESCAPE is brill ,despite the usual portral of the germans as idiots , if you ever get chance to read the book ` the longest tunnel` this is even better than the film gives a full `pen picture` on the guys in x organisation life before capture including the guy who had done time as a prisoner on an American chain gang !!
GUNS OF NAVARONE just to see ANTHONY QUALE ,a former war time S.O.E agent actually playing ...a war time SOE agent.
DAS BOOT superb,
i like the BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI , but its a film disliked very much by allied vets who were there and destroyed the life of the actual units colonel when the film was first released .

big favorite OPERATION DAYBREAK about the Czech attack on Heydrich in Prague .
ICE COLD IN ALEX just to see the look on the alcoholic officers face played by John Mills as he sees the jeep blow up with his whiskey aboard!!!
BUT at the minute still my top one is
BRIDGE TOO FAR ,was told once by an ex army colonel that in the 1980s this film was shown too officer cadets at SANDHURST , ref: the role of 2para o.c COLONEL FROST played by ANTHONY ` HANIBAL` HOPKINS reason its shown is its the best example of how an officer should conduct him self whenevery thing is falling apart best wishes ,Michael.
p.s ...sorry about the spelling ..some one gave me a case of GUINNESS to day and well you know how its is !!

[ROBB]

You forgot "Carry On Seargeant Major" .Rob.