World War II movies

Das Boot

 

Battleground is a great movie.

 

Mr. D. Sanchez beat me to it, but Das Boot is the best submarine movie ever. Super cinematography, great acting, great story. It perfectly sums up the German U-boat experience, how hopeless it was for them at the end, how brave they were and the utter wastefulness of war.

 

Bridge Over the River Kwai

 

The Great Escape was a major disappointment to me. I suppose that is heresy.

 

Enemy at the Gates. An underrated film, came out about five years ago.

Jude Law as a Russian sniper. Pretty dramatic, has a dumb and unnecessary love triangle subplot, but the opening battle of Stalingrad is excellent and well done.

Plus, since it's from a Russian point of view, there's no contrived flag-waving or feelgood ending.

On that note, and as long as we're speaking heresy: Saving Private Ryan was nothing special to me. An utterly riveting opening 30 minutes, followed by a meandering journey that never lives up to the promise of the early going.

 

I'm with you, Vinz.
But, you're going to be finding out that a lot of other people aren't.

 

Surprised no one has mentioned "From Here To Eternity."

 

Most of my favorites (The Longest Day, A Bridge Too Far, Tora, Tora, Tora, Twelve O'Clock High) have been mentioned. Another good one is Battle of Britain. Some have mentioned Band of Brothers--I can't recommend this highly enough.

 

Thanks for reminding me -- "Mrs. Miniver."

 

Band of Brothers is incomparable.

 

If you find yourself unmoved or uncaring of the real soldiers in this series, your heart must not still be beating.