Favorite War Films

I'm referring to the original 1979 version and not the 2001 "Redux" version, which burdens the picture with numerous lousy scenes that should've remained deleted. The original movie is a masterpiece about a rogue colonel, Kurtz (Marlon Brando), who cut ties with all military authority and is operating deep in the jungle. Martin Sheen stars as Capt. Willard who's mission is to find Kurtz and "terminate his command." The film's mostly about Willard's mad journey with Robert Duvall shining as a gung-ho commander of an awe-inspiring air-assualt on a remote village.

The meaning of the story is obvious: The trip up the river led by Capt. Willard exposes him to two extreme viewpoints of war represented by the two colonels he encounters on his long journey, both of whose names start with 'K,' which is no accident. Col. Kilgore (Duvall) is a romantic who embraces war as a lifestyle and even feeds off it, i.e. glorifies it. The fact that he's a romantic can be observed in the air-raid on the village where he literally plays Wagner as a prologue. He feeds off the war to the extent that he "loves the smell of napalm in the morning." War is just another day to him so why not go surfing? Since he lives off of the war there's no way it can kill him or even give him a scratch. Kilgore naturally has the support of the top brass because he's part of the system and plays the game of war. Col. Kurtz (Brando), by contrast, sees through this hypocrisy. He realizes that being in a state of war is humanity gone mad. It's horror itself and therefore must be ended through the quickest means possible at whatever cost. He refuses to play the game of war as he expertly takes out double agents, etc. Of course the brass can't have this so they put out a hit on Kurtz via Willard. The existential Kurtz becomes increasingly disillusioned after jumping ship from the system and now has no sanctuary. Death is the only way out.

A handful of commandos parachute into the wilderness surrounding a German castle-fortress high in the Bavarian Alps to rescue a captive general before the Germans can interrogate him. Based on an Alistair Maclean novel this is a spy thriller just as much as a war picture. The opening with the breathtaking Alps and Ron Goodwin's incredible score is one of the greatest cinematic openings in history. From there you get intrigue, thrilling action scenes, a magnificent castle, Richard Burton at his charismatic best, two beautiful women (Mary Ure and Ingrid Pitt), surprising plot twists, cable cars, a suspenseful escape and a don't-see-it-coming ending, Not to mention Clint Eastwood.

Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) naively volunteers for combat in Vietnam and slowly adapts to the jungle warfare and becomes an adequate grunt. A rift develops in his platoon between the senior sergeant, Barnes (Tom Berenger), and the junior sergeant, Elias (Willem Dafoe); the former a veritable indestructible killing machine and the latter an expert soldier who refuses to allow the horrors of war to rob him of his humanity. Memorable moments abound.

During World War I a low-class German soldier, Bruno Stachel (George Peppard), transfers from the muddy trenches to the aristocratic air officer corps. Stachel is a fish out of water with his higher class comrades-in-arms, but this doesn't bother him a bit as he's interested in only one thing -- gunning down twenty enemy planes to get the coveted Blue Max, Germany's Meddle of Honor. He's so focused on this goal that he'll do anything to achieve it, honorably or dishonorably. His success as a fighter pilot prompts his commanding officer (James Mason) to use him as a propaganda tool, a hero from the lower classes who is "common as dirt." The general believes that Stachel -- who's brave, ruthless and driven -- is precisely what Germany needs at the closing months of the war.

Michael Caine is outstanding as Colonel Steiner, an untamed German paratroop commander, who's covert mission is to go to Great Britain and kidnap Winston Churchill. The Germans are helped by Irishman Liam Devlin (Donald Sutherland), who essentially paves the way for their operation at a coastal hamlet. Jenny Agutter is also on hand as Devlin's near-jailbait romantic interest in the quaint village.

The film shows the German, American and French sides of World War II. Brando stars as a young German officer who becomes increasingly disillusioned with Hitler's regime and the war he started. Dean Martin plays a worldly Broadway musician who struggles with cowardice. Montgomery Clift's character is a poor, naïve Jewish American who falls in love with Hope Lange and tangles with the anti-Semitic guys in his platoon. This is not a war action film, but rather a powerful war DRAMA. Yes, there's quite a bit of action (France, Northern Africa, etc.), but the emphasis is on the characters and their stories. Yet, make no mistake, "The Young Lions" is without a doubt a WAR film. It's also a masterpiece of cinematic art, not to mention one of Brando's most mesmerizing performances

Ridiculously loathed in some circles, "Pearl Harbor" is a Titanic-ized version of the tragic events of Pearl Harbor -- a fabricated drama/romance hooks the viewer into the deceitful attack of December 7, 1941. The first 85 minutes build-up to the apocalyptic attack, which lasts a whole half hour! But that's not it, the last act details The Doolittle Raid, the first American bombing mission over Japan -- more great war action. The viewer has to be patient with the opening drama/romance as it leisurely unfolds, but this just helps you CARE about the characters when the tragic events occur. I'm not a fan of Michael Bay and have zero interest his "Transformers" films, but this is excellent movie-making. It provokes interest in the events and inspires the viewer to research them.

This isn't a conventional war film; the "action" is mostly psychological. Alec Guinness plays Colonel Nicholson, a stiff-upper-lip Brit who's worthy of respect as far as utter boldness goes, but he's infected with such stubbornness and a sense of superiority that he can't see the obvious. Yes, he's a fascinating character, but also a total moron. The Japanese commander of the POW camp decides that it's in his best interest to allow Nicholson to believe he's running the show in order to get the bridge built. William Holden expertly plays Shears, the American who escapes the camp and comes back to destroy the bridge. Shears has lived with the madness of war the longest and develops a sarcastic, anti-hero callousness to protect himself and survive with his sanity intact. As such, he never loses sight of his humanity. He refuses to become an inhuman machine, like Nicholson or Major Warden (Jack Hawkins), the latter of whom leads the British mission to destroy the bridge.

The superior remake of the 1930 film with John-Boy Walton (Richard Thomas) playing a young German soldier learning the ropes of brutal trench warfare during World War I with the help of his sergeant, played by Ernest Borgnine. Outstanding.

This is not a conventional war flick, so stay away if that's the type of movie you want to see. The battle of Guadalcanal is merely a stage for director Malick to explore the nature of the human experience and, in fact, life itself. Why is nature at war with itself, from the smallest animals to people? Where does evil come from? What is love? Why do we feel it? Who is the Divine? What is the nature of the Creator? Why are we poisoned by war? What is death and why do we fear it? For that matter, why do we have to die? How can we keep from being defiled by strife and war? Malick shows both the beauty of the world and human existence as well as its horrors. We cannot change the way this world is and must therefore face the inevitable conflicts; the only thing we can control is our response to this ongoing war, like Caviezel's Pvt. Witt. As you can see, the film explores the noblest and darkest reaches of the human heart and experience. As such, it's a picture that keeps giving no matter how many times you've watched it. In other words, it's full of hidden gems to glean with each viewing.

The drama of this unconventional World War II film is only occasionally interrupted by flashes of extreme violence; until the end, that is, when all hell literally breaks loose. There ARE elements that bring to mind "The Dirty Dozen," including a group of anti-heroes intent on mercilessly obliterating as many Germans as possible and the fact that the real action doesn't kick-in until the final act, but "Basterds" is hardly a Dirty Dozen clone. It possesses its own refreshing originality. "Basterds" features great characters, like the stunning Mélanie Laurent as the cinema proprietor, who drips with vengeance toward the Nazis; Christoph Waltz as SS Col. Landa, who mercilessly hunts down Jews, an articulate and suave love-to-hate villain; Brad Pitt as the almost-comical, but entertaining leader of the Basterds; and super-sharp Diane Kruger as a German actress & British spy.

Lee Marvin plays a tough Major who enlists and trains a group of criminal soldiers for a risky mission behind enemy lines on the eve of D-Day. The all-star cast is a highlight (Charles Bronson, Ernest Borgnine, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Robert Ryan, George Kennedy, Donald Sutherland, Clint Walker and Richard Jaeckel). The château assault presents a controversy: Is it right for our heroes to throw grenades and gasoline down air vents to blow-up German officers AND their women underneath the château? A couple members of the dozen ask the Major if he's sure he wants them to do it and he tells them to go ahead. So the soldiers are just following orders, which doesn't make it right. Keep in mind that their original mission was to kill as many high-ranking officers at the château as possible to pave the way for a successful D-Day operation, so that's precisely what they did. The women could be considered collateral damage. I'm not saying this justifies their actions, but the Allies were in a state of war and victory was necessary for the war to end and restore peace.

"Fury" successfully shows the soldiers view of WWII through the eyes of a Sherman tank crew. I know of no other war film that sets out or accomplishes this; Oddball and his crew from "Kelly's Heroes" (1970) perhaps comes closest.

I mainly judge films by whether or not the story keeps my attention. After all, what good is great action, thrills and incredible special effects if the story -- or the way it's told -- is dullsville (like, say, "The Mummy Returns" or "Man of Steel")? "Fury" kept my attention from beginning to end and the characters are all memorable.

The title is ironic because there's absolutely nothing glorifying about trench warfare during WWI.

The ending is unforgettable (***SPOILER ALERT***): Dax's war-weary men find temporary solace after the unjust executions of three of their fellow soldiers by raucously partying at an inn. A captive German girl, obviously scared, starts singing on stage to the mocking heckles of the soldiers. But, slowly, their mood shifts as they discover profound beauty in the form of the girl's angelic voice. The hellish world of war morphs into heaven on earth, but only for a moment; a moment only.

Dax observes and sympathizes with them, but orders arrive to immediately return to the front. He instructs the sergeant to "give the men a few minutes more."

Based on the true story, "Glory" details the first black platoon to fight for the Union cause. The ending assault on a South Carolina coastal fortress shows that's there's little glory in an idiotic and suicidal charge, but -- if you're a member of the platoon -- you HAVE to do it or lose your sense of manhood and be branded a coward.

"Ride with the Devil" is a Civil War tale focusing on Southern guerrilla fighters known as Bushwhackers, mostly young men who stage daring raids on Union forces and communities along the Missouri/Kansas border. The story includes Quantrill's infamous 1963 raid on Lawrence, Kansas, which he burned & pillaged and murdered over 150 unarmed men, women and children.

The story shines the spotlight on the son of a German immigrant (Tobey Maguire), a beautiful woman (Jewel) and an ex-slave (Jeffrey Wright), all of whom take up the Southern cause. I enjoyed how Tobey and Wright slowly develop a close friendship, as well as Wright's growing sense of freedom as the story progresses. Jewel makes an impressive acting debut and should do more films, she's a natural.

"Ride with the Devil" is the perfect antidote to "blockbuster" drivel. It's totally realistic and takes its time so you get to know the characters and FEEL their experiences. For instance, what's it like spending the entire Winter in a dugout hut in the woods with three other guys and the only highlight is some cute blond stopping by to drop off food? What's it like when you have no other recourse but to saw a buddy's arm off? What's it like when a blood-thirsty "comrade" tries to kill you during battle? What do you do when you run into him two years later and you're not sure what his intentions are?

"Ride with the Devil" is reminiscent in quality & style of films like "Cold Mountain," "Pharoah's Army" and "The Long Riders." If you appreciate those films you'll enjoy "Ride." It's leagues better than the generally aloof and soporific "Gettysburg." It's a class 'A' picture which brings to life Quantrill's raid on Lawrence, Kansas, including what leads up to it and what follows -- how can you go wrong?

"Kelly's Heroes" was obviously inspired by "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" from four years earlier. Carroll O'Connor even plays the same basic role, a general who mistakes the misdeeds of Allied soldiers as brave, selfless combat; and arrives on the scene to commend them. The picture miraculously combines zany comedy with serious war action and is highlighted by the fun, eccentric theme song "Burning Bridges" by The Mike Curb Congregation. Of course the all-star cast is great with Sutherland standing out as Oddball. People complain that Oddball was anachronistic since he was a late-60's hippie type, but his crew resembled Gypsies and, besides, there are laid-back free-spirited types in every generation.

While the film is overall superior to "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" it's inferior in that it lacks a female cast member in the form of the jaw-dropping Giovanna Ralli. Actually, the film was slated to have a female role, but it was cut from the script prior to shooting. The stunning Ingrid Pitt was cast, as she worked with Eastwood two years earlier in "Where Eagles Dare." Ingrid was virtually climbing on board the plane bound for the set in (then) Yugoslavia when word came that her part was cut. The fools.

The film is a little overlong at 144 minutes and should've been cut by about 15-20 minutes, but the compelling last hour makes up for the flabbiness.

George C. Scott stars as the charismatic general during his WWII campaigns in North Africa and Sicily, as well as France & Germany following the Normandy invasion. After the invasion of Sicily, Patton was reprimanded for slapping a cowardly soldier suffering battle fatigue (in real life it was two soldiers on separate occasions in the course of eight days in August, 1943). The fiery general was removed from command for eleven months while his junior in age and rank, Omar Bradley (Karl Malden), was selected to command the First United States Army for the invasion of Normandy.

Meanwhile, Patton was assigned to London as a decoy to deceive the Germans in a sham operation called Fortitude. The ruse was successful because the German High Command respected Patton more than any other Allied commander and deemed him crucial to any plan to invade mainland Europe. Immediately following the successful invasion, he was put in command of the Third Army in the final Allied thrust against Germany where the headstrong general, once again, proved his mettle as his forces favored speed and aggressive offensive action.

Patton was an interesting character who maintained a flashy larger-than-life image in order to encourage his troops; and he didn’t hesitate to get his hands dirty with them. While other officers tried to blend-in with the troops on the battlefield, Patton brazenly displayed his rank insignia. He was a romantic who valued bravery and tenacity above all. All this is effectively conveyed in this ambitious war flick. It’s interesting to observe the North African and European theaters of the war from the standpoint of the Allied generals, mostly Patton and Bradley, rather than the typical perspective of the infantry.

This is a well done Russian WW2 flick that naturally focuses on the Eastern Front. It's thankfully not one-dimensional: The opening act features a tank battle at a village in the winter whereas the second act switches to a German POW camp in the warmer months, which paves the way for the adventurous escape and showdown. The creators didn't fail to include human interest to hook the viewer. Sure, some unlikely elements are thrown in for dramatic purposes (like the Colonel recognizing the tank commander at the camp), so what else is new?

Anyone who likes WW2 flicks like "Fury" (2014), "Cross of Iron" (1977), "Dear Elza!" (2014), "Enemy at the Gates" (2001) and "Warsaw '44" (2014) should appreciate this one.

This combines the setting of "The Pianist" (2002) with the basic situation of "Enemy at the Gates" (2001) and the brutal action of "Saving Private Ryan" (1998). Like "Pearl Harbor" (2001), it establishes a youthful romance and then follows the players through the carnage. In its own unique way it's pretty much on par with any of these earlier movies.

Once the uprising starts the storytelling becomes pretty chaotic due to the frenzied state of affairs, which might turn off some viewers. There are also 2-3 artistic flourishes, which struck me as curious, but I just rolled with them and enjoyed the cinematic art thereof. In other words, don't let these eccentric embellishments ruin the experience but rather the opposite. The close that creatively showcases the burning, collapsing city juxtaposed with modern Warsaw is excellently done.

At the end of the day, "Warsaw '44" is enlightening, shocking and... unforgettable.