# Recommend some war movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 31, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650 "2011-03-31T17:35:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/41 "2011-03-31T22:45:09Z")
[A Midnight Clear](http://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Clear-Peter-Berg/dp/B0037TPI8K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1301611374&sr=8-1): under-seen and excellent. [The Execution of Private Slovik](http://www.amazon.com/Execution-Private-Slovik-VHS/dp/6302161401/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1301611438&sr=1-1), based on a true event. Martin Sheen is outstanding. **Patton** , for the entertainment value. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/42 "2011-03-31T22:53:41Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > yes that is the one. I think he also asks if his blood is red. The black guy is Carl Weathers. The delivery was hilarious. My friends and I used it for years afterward. (Not referring to a Black person, but as a phrase of agreement.) ---
**Author:** ![Anticounterrevolutionary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f04885/32.png) [@Anticounterrevolutionary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anticounterrevolutionary)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/43 "2011-03-31T22:56:50Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > **Glory** > > Yeah it’s Civil War but it is Matthew Broderick at his award winning best and Denzel Washington at his black power best. > > Excellent movie. What are you talking about? Denzel Washington has 2 Oscars, one of which is Best Supporting Actor for _Glory_! The other is Best Actor for Training day and he’s been nominated a bunch of times. Broderick has never won dick. Maybe you meant his “Tony award winning best” for singing and dancing which might have been out of place for his character in _Glory_. Otherwise I agree, great movie. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/44 "2011-03-31T22:59:50Z")
> [@awldune](#): > > The Thin Red Line is derided by a lot of people as pretentious and slow, but it is one of my favorite movies. IIRC it is about jungle fighting on Guadalcanal in WWII. If you want a wartime Guadalcanal movie, try [Guadalcanal diary](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035957/) (also watch for a young Anthony Quinn in it). If the Pacific theatre is your cup of tea, try _The Pacific_, the companion serie to _Band of Brothers_. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/45 "2011-03-31T23:21:10Z")
“John Rabe”, about the Rape of Nanking. Not much battling going on. But I thought it was a powerful movie. The main character is a Nazi who writes Hitler to get to the Japanese to chill out in Nanking. If you went to school in the 90s, you’d hear about how we forced Japan into an unwinnable war by cutting off their oil. This movie shows WHY that oil was cut off. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/46 "2011-03-31T23:27:06Z")
> [@detop](#): > > If the Pacific theatre is your cup of tea, try _The Pacific_, the companion serie to _Band of Brothers_. I’d skip **The Pacific**. Found it so bad I quit watching about halfway through. Gratuitous gross out stuff…did we really need to see a marine flipping something into the open skull of a Japanese corpse? Storyline is very jumbled and difficult to follow, as the narrative keeps jumping around. Even the cinematography sucked…many of the night battle scenes are little more than muzzle flashes. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/47 "2011-03-31T23:28:44Z")
One of the more disturbing movies about WW2 (perhaps of all time) is “Come and See” - unusually, a WW2 movie made by the Russians. > **[Come and See](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_and_See)** > > Come and See (Russian: Иди и смотри, romanized: Idi i smotri; Belarusian: Ідзі і глядзі, romanized: Idzi i hliadzi) is a 1985 Soviet anti-war film directed by Elem Klimov and starring Aleksei Kravchenko and Olga Mironova. Its screenplay, written by Klimov and Ales Adamovich, is based on the 1971 novel "Khatyn" and the 1977 memoir I Am from the Fiery Village (Я из огненной деревни, Ya iz ognennoy derevni), of which Adamovich was a co-author. Klimov had to fight eight years of censor The film's p... Truly unforgettable. Though you may _want_ to forget some of the visual images - they are beyond merely graphic, into the realm of traumatizing. Sometimes considered the greatest war movie ever made - I dunno if I’d go that far. Perhaps the greatest ‘war as hell’ movie. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/48 "2011-04-01T00:19:41Z")
_Ministry of Fear_ (1944) is a noirish spy thriller set in Blitz-era London. Directed by Fritz Lang, no less, and based on a novel by Graham Greene, who also wrote the novel behind _The Third Man_, set in post-WWII Vienna (not Berlin!) and featuring some of the best theme music ever. _A Walk in the Sun_ (1945) is a more psychological movie set in WWII Italy. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/49 "2011-04-01T00:23:12Z")
> [@Anticounterrevolutionary](#): > > What are you talking about? Denzel Washington has 2 Oscars, one of which is Best Supporting Actor for _Glory_! The other is Best Actor for Training day and he’s been nominated a bunch of times. Broderick has never won dick. Maybe you meant his “Tony award winning best” for singing and dancing which might have been out of place for his character in _Glory_. > > Otherwise I agree, great movie. Yes I meant Tony award winning best, and he has won them for his dramas. Meaning he’s a good actor ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/50 "2011-04-01T00:27:02Z")
(If you like movies like _The Third Man_, [the Alfred Hitchcock version of _The 39 Steps_ (1935) is public domain and available for free download.](http://www.archive.org/details/The39Steps)) ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/51 "2011-04-01T00:28:43Z")
[The Victors](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057652/) ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/52 "2011-04-01T06:34:11Z")
> [@Labdad](#): > > Some fine recommendations here, so I’m quite surprised to see no one has mentioned [**The Big Red One**](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080437/). One of the best WWII films ever! Yes! Agreed! ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/53 "2011-04-01T10:05:33Z")
Another vote for\* Blackhawk Down\* and _We Were Soldiers_. I also would recommend _Flight of the Intruder_, but it breaks the airplane rule and the Vietnam rule, so maybe I won’t. It does co-star Wilem Dafoe’s mustache as a US Navy aviator, and has Danny Glover giving some epic ass-chewings. It is about a pair of Navy aviators becoming frustrated with the severe limitations they are having to operate under in regards to targets they are allowed to attack. Also has a couple of fun sequences where they are out getting in trouble on shore leave (bar brawls and the such.) "_ **GRAAAAAAAAAAAFTOOOOOOOOOON!!!** GET IN HERE!_😛 ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/54 "2011-04-01T10:14:34Z")
Oh, and the _Starship Troopers_ movies can be entertaining, but you have to view them from a certain perspective (beer and popcorn help). Don’t look for a _good_ movie in this series. Mostly just look for a fun movie. Well, at least in the first one. The second one was a crappy horror flick with a few really good scenes, and the third one was _this close_ to being good, but just ended up as pure camp. If you like _Master and Commander_, then you should definitely check out the _Hornblower_ TV films, based on the Horatio Hornblower series of books. The TV movie series follows Hornblower from when he first joins the Navy, to when he finally gets promoted to Captain in the last movie (the series is more or less ended, given that the star, Ioan Gruffudd, went and got himself famous and making superhero movies). Takes place during the Wars of French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. Six movies total, two of them longer two-parters, all available on DVD. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/55 "2011-04-01T12:08:21Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > One of the more disturbing movies about WW2 (perhaps of all time) is “Come and See” - unusually, a WW2 movie made by the Russians. > > [Come and See - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_and_See) > > Truly unforgettable. Though you may _want_ to forget some of the visual images - they are beyond merely graphic, into the realm of traumatizing. > > Sometimes considered the greatest war movie ever made - I dunno if I’d go that far. Perhaps the greatest ‘war as hell’ movie. Keeerap, that sounds intense. Sometimes though intense is good. Checking, I see it IS available on Netflix. I’m going to have to give that a look see some night when I’ve prepared myself for what’s apparently well beyond your average matinee. ---
**Author:** ![mambocrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@mambocrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mambocrow)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/56 "2011-04-01T16:23:28Z")
Here’s three more: “The Bridges at Toko Ri” (Korean War) [The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046806/) “The Blue Max” (WWI) [The Blue Max (1966) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060177/) “The Enemy Below” (WWII Pacific) [The Enemy Below (1957) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050356/) ---
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/57 "2011-04-01T16:51:34Z")
Hamburger Hill We Were Soldiers… Blackhawk Down All Quiet on the Western Front ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/58 "2011-04-01T16:55:41Z")
The Dirty Dozen. Lee Marvin at his finest. Also, as someone mentioned above _The Longest Day_ is perhaps the greatest WW2 movie ever filmed. ---
**Author:** ![jinty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jinty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jinty)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/59 "2011-04-01T17:03:33Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Keeerap, that sounds intense. Sometimes though intense is good. Checking, I see it IS available on Netflix. I’m going to have to give that a look see some night when I’ve prepared myself for what’s apparently well beyond your average matinee. Yeah, **Come and See** is the first film I thought of when I came into this thread. If you admired the documentary-like verisimilitude of the Omaha Beach scene in Saving Private Ryan, you’ll appreciate Come and See. Oh, and I also recommend Kelly’s Heroes for light relief. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-war-movies/576650/60 "2011-04-01T17:32:29Z")
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