That's the one I was thinking of when I clicked. I totally agree - Sir, you ain't a pussy

Read the book but have not seen the movie.

PC

A bit overwrought for my tastes.

I know it always happens in this and other forums, that when you mention your choice for best or greatest whatever, people always mention theirs, which is not what you're intending to discuss, so, generally I avoid doing this, but in this instance, I'll make an exception.

In no particular order:

Twelve O'Clock High

They Were Expendable

Apocalypse Now

Army of Shadows

Das Boot

The Sand Pebbles

There are others. I try to avoid pretentiousness, as with citing some obscure Czechoslovakian title or whatever people have never hear of. I hate it when film buffs try to show others how sophisticated they think they are. My list is quite accessible.

Twelve O’Clock High is just about the best war movie of all time. Except for The Bridges at Toko Ri.

An excellent movie no question but not the best IMO.
Personally could dispense of the wives bits and these being spread and mixed with the battlefield story.

The movie is just the first half of the book. I would kept the battle as a linear story and also completed the book.

My two contenders are Saving Private Ryan and Blackhawk down. My memory is very thin regarding other titles mentioned.

0-0

Saving Private Ryans depiction of the D-Day beach landing was outstanding. Its tough to pick one movie as the greatest.
Here are a few contenders:
Bridge Over The River Kwai.
The Longest Day.
A Bridge Too Far.
The Enemy Below.
1917.
Lawrence Of Arabia
They Shall Not Grow Old.
The Cold Blue.

The original 1929 version of All Quiet on the Western Front belongs on the list.

quote:

Originally posted by 0-0:
An excellent movie no question but not the best IMO.
Personally could dispense of the wives bits and these being spread and mixed with the battlefield story.

It’s all personal opinion, there’s no way to objectively pick a “greatest war movie.” I happen to like that one. I will say that the “wives bits,” for me, was one thing that separated “We Were Soldiers” from many others. Like the farm mother who collapses on her porch when she sees a U.S. Military vehicle pull up to the farm house in Saving Private Ryan, LTC Moore’s (rank at the time) wife delivering telegrams to widows at the base, impacted me greatly. Perhaps the actions of Julia Moore led some to rename Fort Benning; it was said that it was named for both Hal Moore and his wife.

BTW, i should have left out the phrase “I suppose” in the thread title. It IS arguable.

I hope that the brief mention of the Biden Administration’s renaming of iconic military bases, won’t lead to a course change from War movies to that presidency, now in our rear view mirror.

If we are measuring how much the film makes you hate the antagonist/enemy, then I'll say
The Patriot.

The previous posts make a great list though.

FMJ, Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, even Dunkirk, are all better IMO. I would even rank another war film, with Mel Gibson, that was better, The Patriot. But each to their own. Everyone gets to choose their stack ranking.

Hey Tmats, sincerest apologies if “wife bits” sounded all wrong, not my intention. Just an unapropiate opportunity to show my self educated english language shortcommings.

Remember the book being an extremely intense reading and do not remember but the action on the field from it. Didn’t mean no disrespect or diminish in any way what was going on at home. Not making it “light” by any means.

Don’t remember much of other older films that i’ve watched, over and over , while growing up. Most had their names indistinguishly “translated” to spanish or made onto something completely different to what they were. Lifetime of searching put some sense to it but most were lost in translation.
Of them, i vaguely remember the story or significant parts.

0-0

I have a lot of war movies on disc. Some of my very favorites are
Black Hawk Down
Cross of Iron
Fury
Windtalkers
Lone Survivor
The Outpost
The Beast
Troy

0-0, believe me, your comment on the movie was never taken as an affront, or disrespect to wives and mothers at home—just a different opinion on the movie. It’s all good, brother.

I’ll just add generally, “I’ve got a lot of favorites too.”

While this is a bit different: Patton GCS
I watch this when it comes on every few years but I do agree with the other movies listed although I don't have a preference.

I mean, no Master and Commander: Far side of the World??

IMO an almost perfect naval movie.

quote:

Originally posted by Loswsmith:
I mean, no Master and Commander: Far side of the World??

IMO an almost perfect naval movie.

A fabulous film.

In Harms Way seems to be missing from the many enjoyable films listed. Also Battleground and an after-war movie, The Best Years of Our Lives.

And Casablanca, my favorite movie ever.

I like the series shows, but for me Das Boot might be the one.
Others

The Pacific
Generation War- 3 part series about some German friends split up by the Nazis to support the cause.
Hurt Locker
Generation Kill
Bridge of Spies

My favorite is Full Metal Jacket, followed by Apocalypse Now.

Imagine there are many, many great movies about War making this list quite long.

This will always be one of my favorite WW2 movies.

Where Eagles Dare (1968)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DorNtprw1g