I'm with tmats on this:

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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.

Perhaps because I had the DVD and there is a long special feature with commentary by Randy Wallace about why he included these scenes (and there are deleted scened which are also very emotional). One important aspect that came from watching the commentary was Hal Moore's personal involvement in the making of the movie. He was actually in some of the crowd scenes that were deleted.

Frankly, the openly pro-American military viewpoint of this movie, at a time when it was still not popular, really seals it for me.

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Originally posted by sjtill:

Frankly, the openly pro-American military viewpoint of this movie, at a time when it was still not popular, really seals it for me.

Too bad this film is a fairy tale.

Sure, we won a decisive victory, defeating the enemy and pushing on to capture his command post. Rah rah wave those flags sign me up for a four-year hitch with the infantry.

I read the book after I watched the movie, and was INCREDIBLY disappointed.

The movie is somewhat accurate, UP TO THE POINT where the first day's battle ends. The US defeated the enemy on the field, but came nowhere near the enemy headquarters. They were marching out to an exfiltration point, and the US commander called all his officers up front for a conference. At that point, at night, the enemy struck us and completely overwhelmed us. The US troops didn't have their officers there, which only further gave the North Vietnamese an even greater advantage.

Any victory we won on the first day was overshadowed by getting our butts handed to us during the second phase of the battle.

This was NOT as US 'victory.' I don't know why they had to change the events around so much. If they change it THAT much, they might as well call it a straight-up work of fiction, since the historical record was ignored so badly that the movie really had little to do with real events.

Sure, it's a 'feel-good' movie, but don't let them think that this is a historically accurate movie.

FWIW, I have read the book as well. Both Joe Galloway and Hal Moore collaborated with Randall Wallace on the screenplay. Yeah, there’s deviation from historical accounts, but apparently Moore and Galloway accepted the deviation. The book should be required reading, but I think the movie is still good.

“Feel good?” War violence on a level with the Omaha Beach scene in Private Ryan, and scene after scene of young Army wives receiving death notice telegrams.

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Originally posted by parabellum:

Apocalypse Now

This is my vote because IMO, it is simply one of the best films ever made, in my top 10. The last great movie from Francis Ford Coppola. And my other favorites for sheer entertainment value and well made are Stalag 17, The Great Escape, and Full Metal Jacket.

Two or three days after the 1/7 Cav battle depicted in "We Were Soldiers," 2/7 lost 155 troops KIA in the battle called LZ Albany.

https://www.army.mil/article/2...ons_of_a_battle_lost

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Originally posted by TMats:

“Feel good?” War violence on a level with the Omaha Beach scene in Private Ryan, and scene after scene of young Army wives receiving death notice telegrams.

"Feel good" in the respect that the movie portrays a decisive and overwhelming US victory.

That movie was brutal. The scene where the guy is napalmed, and is begging for somebody to shoot him as he is being medivac'd out. The scenes of the wives taking the telegrams house to house. The scenes of the white women from the north not understanding the concept of a "whites only" laundromat. Gary Sinese's character (the helo pilot) making so many trips to bring in food/water/ammo and taking out wounded. It was not a summer 'popcorn flick.'

It IS a good movie. It's emotional. Gibson and Samuel Elliot were OUTSTANDING in their roles. I shed manly tears watching this movie.

But, it had an uplifting ending, showing American pluck and courage defeating the enemy on their own ground. All the death and suffering was 'worth it,' because we won such a great victory.

This was a lie. Had they shown the accurate events, it would have been a downer ending. In reality, all those men suffered and died for NOTHING, since we lost the battle.

I am history major, so I have a VERY hard time enjoying war movies. Band of Brothers is one of the few cases where I can watch a movie (in this case, a mini-series) and not throw up in my mouth from the gross historic inaccuracies.

Not to thread jack, but since you bring up Band of Brothers, I have read accounts that the series was “unfair” in its portrayal of Hebert Sobel.

But, what I have read supported the way he was portrayed. That he actually tried to court martial Winters more than once.

I will suggest the Human Condition from Japan.

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Gary Sinese's character (the helo pilot) making so many trips to bring in food/water/ammo and taking out wounded. It was not a summer 'popcorn flick

I don't think Gary Sinese was in this movie.

Best war movie in my opinion is Saving Private Ryan but We Were Soldiers is right up there.

The helo pilot was Greg Kinnear.

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Originally posted by Todd Huffman:
The helo pilot was Greg Kinnear.

As Maj. Bruce “Snakeshit” Crandall, and Mark McCracken played Ed “Too Tall” Freeman.

Both men were awarded the MOH

Greg Kinnear in the scene where he lands his chopper at the base and is confronted is the best scene in the movie. It really made me believe he would have killed that guy. IMHO

There are so many listed already. But I will add:

Gallipoli

I can't believe no one has mentioned, "Paths of Glory."

It may not be the "greatest" war movie, and it's certainly not even my favorite, but it might be the best.

No votes for "Blackhawk Down"? My favorite by far.

Black Hawk Down is at the top of my list.

I like every movie mentioned - I'm also a big fan of the War Dark "Comedies". My two favorite

Catch 22
M A S H