# Great WWII non-historical action movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 25, 2009, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522 "2009-12-25T05:14:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/1 "2009-12-25T05:14:28Z")
In this thread ([Broadsword calling Danny Boy.... Where Eagles Dare - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=544502)) both “Where Eagles Dare” and “Kelly’s Heroes” get mentioned and as “Inglourious Basterds” is out on DVD it seems to be a good time to watch great WWII action movies. Not docudramas, like “The Longest Day” or “A Bridge Too Far,” but stoopid action flicks set in WWII. I’ll start the suggesting with “Von Ryan’s Express” and “The Guns of Navarone.” ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/2 "2009-12-25T06:57:08Z")
633 Squadron ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/3 "2009-12-25T07:00:06Z")
I have somewhat fond memories of _The Bridge at Remagen_ because it was one of the first movies I saw with female ta-tas in it. I think there was a war going on also. ---
**Author:** ![Umbriel2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/4af34b/32.png) [@Umbriel2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Umbriel2)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/4 "2009-12-25T07:29:22Z")
Obviously [_The Dirty Dozen_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061578/) belongs in here. I’m not as big a booster of it as some, but it’s one of those big cultural icon movies that deserve to be called “Great” regardless. By way of some more obscure titles, how about: [_Castle Keep_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064137/) – loaded with '60s self-importance and head-trip weirdness, and frequently slow-going, but has a few good set pieces and lots of highly striking visuals. Fans of the scenery in _Where Eagles Dare_ will at least enjoy looking at it, along with… [_The Heroes of Telemark_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059263/) – Based on the actual events surrounding the effort to halt German nuclear research at facilities in Norway, it takes enough historical liberties to belong here, and has a number of pretty good, tense action scenes. And speaking of historical liberties… [_The Battle of the Bulge_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058947/) – Don’t ask questions about the climactic tank battle on the desert scrub plains of… Belgium. It’s still a good, action-packed yarn, with lots of enjoyable scenery chewing by the likes of Robert Shaw and Telly Savalas. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/5 "2009-12-25T11:47:35Z")
> [@Umbriel2](#): > > By way of some more obscure titles, how about: > > [_Castle Keep_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064137/) – loaded with '60s self-importance and head-trip weirdness, and frequently slow-going, but has a few good set pieces and lots of highly striking visuals. Fans of the scenery in _Where Eagles Dare_ will at least enjoy looking at it, along with… That remined me of anyother piece of wierdness: [The Keep](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085780/). Strange “mystical” horror movie set in Romania during WWII with amazing visuals, a haunting soundtrack by Tangerine Dream and a story that seems to make sense about half the time. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/6 "2009-12-25T11:51:33Z")
> [@Umbriel2](#): > > \ [_The Battle of the Bulge_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058947/) – Don’t ask questions about the climactic tank battle on the desert scrub plains of… Belgium. It’s still a good, action-packed yarn, with lots of enjoyable scenery chewing by the likes of Robert Shaw and Telly Savalas. It also has “Die Panzerlied”. 😃 There’s also the companion movie to “633 Squadron” listed above “Mosquito Squadron”. “The Secret Invasion”, a Roger Corman movie in the “Dirty Dozen” mold. “The Cruel Sea”, a British movie about escort duty in the Battle of the Atlantic. “The Enemy Below” and “Run Silent, Run Deep” two classic submarine movies. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/7 "2009-12-25T12:55:09Z")
Does _The Final Countdown_ count? Down? ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/8 "2009-12-25T15:34:35Z")
One I forgot : Sam Peckinpah’s “Cross of Iron”. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/9 "2009-12-25T15:49:27Z")
I always liked _Force Ten From Navarone_ Lots of silliness and predictability, but entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/10 "2009-12-25T16:00:00Z")
Bogart’s _Sahara_ is pretty unhistorical and a great movie. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/11 "2009-12-25T16:29:53Z")
_The Train_, with Burt Lancaster and Paul Scofield. Drama concerning efforts to prevent the Germans from looting French art treasures late in the war. Supposedly based on real events, but so loosely as to meet the OP’s crtieria, IMO. Some of the most spectacular action setpieces in film history, staged full-scale with period railway equipment, and some great performances by the leads and an array of French actors. Oh yeah, and how about _The Eagle has Landed_, with a group of German paratroops led by Michael Caine, and assisted by Donald Sutherland as an Irish nationalist, landing in England to carry out a plot to kidnap Churchill? Maybe more of a thriller than pure action, but entertaining nontheless. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/12 "2009-12-25T17:01:07Z")
In the “stupid but fun” category: \*\*Operation Petticoat Mr. Roberts The Secret of Santa Vittoria Father Goose\*\* In the “cheap action” category: \*\*Sands of Iwo Jima Flying Leathernecks Merrill’s Marauders Hellcats of the Navy\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/13 "2009-12-25T17:04:39Z")
**Bridge On The River Kwai**. **Stalag 17**. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/14 "2009-12-25T19:28:45Z")
**[Objective, Burma!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Objective,_Burma!)** ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/15 "2009-12-26T00:57:29Z")
Another WWII Bogie film is _Across the Pacific._ The Japanese are using American water cooled machines. ---
**Author:** ![catflea12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@catflea12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catflea12)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/16 "2009-12-26T01:04:12Z")
So Proudly We hail–about military nurses in the Pacific ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/17 "2009-12-26T01:33:49Z")
Not sure if this is too highbrow, but go see the Director’s Cut of **Das Boot**. Yes, I know it’s 4.5 hours, go see it anyway. True story, I dragged my ex-wife to the theater to see it several years ago. She’s not a big war movie fan, but was going to be a good sport. We get in, start watching, and she claimed she got so engrossed that she looked down at her watch and was surprised that 4 hours had already gone by. The Eye of the Needle was a nice dumb WWII spy movie. Not sure if there was enough action for the OP. Haven’t seen it, but I heard [**U-571**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-571_(film)) is a good, dumb, WWII action movie. And for yet another type of WWII “action” movie, you could always try [**Salo or the 120 Days of Sodom**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sal%C3%B2,_or_the_120_Days_of_Sodom). ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/18 "2009-12-26T02:42:54Z")
Lots of great scenery chewing in Kelly’s Heroes. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/19 "2009-12-26T05:02:43Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Bogart’s _Sahara_ is pretty unhistorical and a great movie. 🙂 And Bogie’s driving an M3 Lee! Great movie if only because one wearies of the ubiquitous Sherman. Jackmannii, “Bridge” and “Stalag 17” are quite a bit more intellectual than I am looking for here. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/20 "2009-12-26T05:11:43Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Not sure if this is too highbrow, but go see the Director’s Cut of **Das Boot**. Yes, I know it’s 4.5 hours, go see it anyway. True story, I dragged my ex-wife to the theater to see it several years ago. She’s not a big war movie fan, but was going to be a good sport. We get in, start watching, and she claimed she got so engrossed that she looked down at her watch and was surprised that 4 hours had already gone by. Try the original miniseries. It’s almost two hours longer. And all in German. I never tried. Got the director’s cut for my German-student daughter but we haven’t watched it yet. > [@](#): > > The Eye of the Needle was a nice dumb WWII spy movie. Not sure if there was enough action for the OP. I’m a Follett fan and this is a fun one. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522.md?page=2)