Wolf at Blackfive wants to know what people's favorite war movies are, so I'll play along. While selecting favorite movies is always a challenge, here are five war movies I play over and over again, in alphabetical order.
A Bridge Too Far Not really a great movie per se, but possibly the last of the ensemble films with Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, Robert Redford, Ryan O'Neal, James Caan, Michael Caine, Elliot Gould, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier and more all coming together to relate the story of the disastrous Operation Market Garden. It's a great film to watch as it relates so much about what went wrong with Monty's foolish gamble and the gallantry and sacrifice of the British 1st Airborne Division.
Gardens of Stone A war movie that involves no combat, "Gardens of Stone" tells the story of the U.S. Army on the home front during Vietnam, focusing on the Old Guard, the men (and now women) who bear the responsibility for laying America's fallen to rest at Arlington National Cemetary. A particularly difficult film to watch as America struggles with yet another war without a national consensus.
Glory The story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, a majority-black regiment raised during the American Civil War. The film captures the horrors of war as well as any I've seen (yes, that includes Saving Private Ryan) and is a fitting tribute to the men who proved that heroism and valor are human attributes wholly unrelated to color.
Tora! Tora! Tora! Whereas the insipid Pearl Harbor had great special effects ruined by a dismal love story, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" tells the story from both sides (including two directors: one American, one Japanese) and provides a gripping view of the events leading up to Pearl Harbor and climaxing with the devastation of the attack itself.
We Were Soldiers Particularly appropriate as LTC (Ret.) Bruce Crandall prepares to head to Washington to receive his long-overdue Medal of Honor, "We Were Soldiers" tells the tale of the battle of LZ X-Ray, where 2-7 Cavalry fought off two NVA regiments in the first battle between American and NVA forces. For me the story is interesting for the relationships between the men of the 2-7 Cav and the pressures of command in a combat zone, captured well by Mel Gibson.
Those are my favorites. Everyone else?
Comments (7)
Victory at Sea has long been one of my favorites. I realize it is a TV series rather than a movie, but I can watch it again and again. Rather strange to say about a war documentary – but I love the music.
I’m not that crazy about Saving Private Ryan - but that opening sequence is about as close as most people (self included) come to combat. If I watch that in surround sound with the volume cranked up my adrenaline gets flowing like I am there and I want to crawl behind the coach for cover.
We Were Soldiers definitely goes in my top five.
Posted by OCSteve | February 24, 2007 7:44 PM
Posted on February 24, 2007 19:44
Well, if we're going to count non-movies, Band of Brothers would move to the top of my list, bar none.
Posted by G'Kar | February 24, 2007 7:48 PM
Posted on February 24, 2007 19:48
Believe it or not I've never seen it. Never had HBO and I missed it when the History Channel ran it. I really need to buy the DVD.
Posted by OCSteve | February 24, 2007 7:55 PM
Posted on February 24, 2007 19:55
What?!? No Red Dawn?
Elitist!
Posted by 'Baldi | February 24, 2007 9:28 PM
Posted on February 24, 2007 21:28
As someone who isn't particularly fond of war movies, here's my list:
5. Tora! Tora! Tora!
4. Black Hawk Down
3. We Were Soldiers
2. Glory
1. Memphis Belle
I liked how in "We Were Soldiers" they showed what was going on with the wives back home.
Posted by Delenn | February 24, 2007 10:02 PM
Posted on February 24, 2007 22:02
I always liked Bridge on the River Kwai, although I'm not sure if that's exactly a war movie rather than a movie set during a war.
Posted by LizardBreath | February 27, 2007 3:06 AM
Posted on February 27, 2007 03:06
I would consider Bridge on the River Kwai a war movie, and considered it when I was making my choices. It's a very good film, no doubt.
As for Red Dawn, the less said about it, the better.
Posted by G'Kar | February 27, 2007 3:56 AM
Posted on February 27, 2007 03:56