# 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:** 2
**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, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/21 "2009-12-26T05:14:09Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > … if only because one wearies of the ubiquitous Sherman. (looking at later movies) Or Pershing or Patton. ---
**Author:** ![Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eugene_of_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/22 "2009-12-26T05:53:15Z")
Von Ryan’s Express ---
**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, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/23 "2009-12-26T05:55:42Z")
In the OP, but worthy of a second mention. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/24 "2009-12-26T07:48:49Z")
**Enemy At The Gates** , with its efficient Russian sex. ---
**Author:** ![Lethal\_Babydoll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3be4f8/32.png) [@Lethal\_Babydoll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lethal_Babydoll)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/25 "2009-12-26T10:20:21Z")
I really love **36 Hours** with James Garner and Rod Taylor. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057809/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057809/) It’s about a very clever Nazi plan to learn the secrets of D-Day by making an American officer believe that the war is over and he has amnesia. It’s one-of-a-kind (or was till they made a TV remake about a decade ago) ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/26 "2009-12-26T13:11:30Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > In the “stupid but fun” category: I wouldn’t call **Mr. Roberts** stupid. The film depicted something quite real - the unhappiness of those performing essential, but non-glamorous duties. In WWII, hundreds of thousands signed up to serve their country, and no doubt many were happy to serve in dull, safe jobs. Others, however, wanted to be right in the thick of things. Note that, at the end of the movie, Mr. Roberts was transferred to a combat position, and was very quickly killed in action. Not a stupid film at all. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/27 "2009-12-26T13:44:21Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Note that, at the end of the movie, > > Mr. Roberts was transferred to a combat position, and was very quickly killed in action. > > Not a stupid film at all. However [spoiler] the second letter Ens. Pulver reads to the crew says he was killed by a kamakazi while drinking coffee with other officers in the wardroom. There weren’t any sneak kamakazi attacks. They would have been at general quarters (“battle stations”), not sitting in the wardroom[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/28 "2009-12-26T19:11:07Z")
[Hell Is for Heroes](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056062/), featuring Bob Newhart in his movie debut. Although there really was a [Devil’s Brigade](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s_Brigade), [the movie](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062886/) took some liberties with the story. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2009, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/29 "2009-12-27T00:48:59Z")
An under-appreciated classic: [Beach Red](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061389/) (don’t let the mediocre score at IMDB put you off - it’s a great war, really anti-war, movie) Not a classic, but not too bad: [Memphis Belle](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100133/) I know you said “non-historical”, but [The Great Escape](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057115/) took so many liberties with the facts, that it might better be considered fiction. ---
**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 27, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/30 "2009-12-27T01:23:53Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > I know you said “non-historical”, but [The Great Escape](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057115/) took so many liberties with the facts, that it might better be considered fiction. An associate of mine pointed out that James Garner picks out a German plane to steal that they can start themselves without a battery cart or whatever is required. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/31 "2009-12-28T01:53:21Z")
**Hell in the Pacific** with Lee Marvin ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2009, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/32 "2009-12-28T04:01:52Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Although there really was a [Devil’s Brigade](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s_Brigade), [the movie](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062886/) took some liberties with the story. “Some” liberties is an understatement. Still, it did illustrate one of the more unique units of the war. The Brigade’s Memorial Highway (Alberta Highway 4, joining US Interstate 15 at Coutts AB/Sweetgrass MT) goes through the town where I live. And at least they got Cliff Robertson’s part right; he played a distant cousin of mine. My contribution to the thread: [Hornet’s Nest](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065850/), with Rock Hudson, from 1970. A commando unit is assigned to blow up a German dam, but few survive the parachute drop behind enemy lines. The remaining ones work with local partisans to fulfil the objective. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/33 "2009-12-29T11:06:55Z")
“Decision before Dawn” 1951 starring Richard Basehart and Oskar Werner “Battleground” 1949 staring Van Johnson “Attack!” 1956 starring Eddie Albert and Jack Palance I don’t know how docudrama it is but there’s a 1957 Polish film about the Warsaw Uprising called “Kanal” that is excellent. Worst scene ever in a World War II movie: Laurence Olivier as a French-Canadian trapper singing “Frere Jacques” in “49th Parallel” ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/34 "2009-12-29T11:37:00Z")
Do the first three Indiana Jones films count? Maybe not, since they took place during the Inter-War period rather than World War II proper. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/35 "2009-12-29T12:21:31Z")
How about **The Keep** WWII - check Action - check Non Historical - check Stoopid - check Unfortunately, you also specified good - ☹ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/36 "2009-12-29T13:46:31Z")
> [@](#): > > An associate of mine pointed out that James Garner picks out a German plane to steal that they can start themselves without a battery cart or whatever is required. > Reply With Quote The incident shown is actually not too far from what is described in Paul Brickhill’s book – a couple of escaping POWs did get a plane set to go, and then the real pilot came by, thought they were the Ground Crew who’d started his plane, and gratefully took off. There wasn’t anything they could do (you didn’t go around assaulting them like Steve McQueen did in the film. If they caught you afterwards, they’d shoot you for that). They got caught when they went back into the hanger to get things to start the next plane. No American scrounger or blind Forger, though. I’ll debate the lack of historicity, though – although it deviated from reality (especially anything that has Steve McQueen in it), it’s still pretty close to reality, and they had actual POWs as advisors, so thinfgs in the book really do look they way they did in reality – I’ve seen the photos and drawings. If you want whoilesale departure from reality in an escape movie, watch the TV movie **The Birdmen**. [The Birdmen (TV Movie 1971) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066833/) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/37 "2009-12-29T13:51:42Z")
It’s not historical (although the writers of the original play _were_ POWs) and it’s not an absurd action-adventure, but I’ll second **Stalag 17** for this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/38 "2009-12-29T17:46:13Z")
> [@Lethal\_Babydoll](#): > > I really love **36 Hours** with James Garner and Rod Taylor. > > [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057809/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057809/) > > It’s about a very clever Nazi plan to learn the secrets of D-Day by making an American officer believe that the war is over and he has amnesia. > > It’s one-of-a-kind (or was till they made a TV remake about a decade ago) that sounds like the one good episode of Entreprise that I liked… so.. I’m guessing those writers stole it from this movie. ---
**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 29, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/39 "2009-12-29T17:52:48Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > that sounds like the one good episode of Entreprise that I liked… so.. I’m guessing those writers stole it from this movie. No, _Enterprise_ swiped it from a _Mission: Impossible_ episode, and I vaguely remember other Trek episodes stealing it as well. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522/40 "2009-12-29T18:12:07Z")
I have a soft spot for “In Harm’s Way”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-wwii-non-historical-action-movies/522522.md?page=3)