I have wanted to do a post about the best War movies. This is not easy, as everyone has a different opinion about what makes a good movie. Here is how I look at them. First of all,
I do not like movies that were made as “protest movies” like Apocalypse Now (yes, a great movie, but do not watch the extended cut) and sometimes it is hard to tell, especially when you watched them as a kid. Then they release the “director’s cut”, like the Big Red One, and bam there it is – protest film. On the other hand, there are movies made to push a cause, like the Green Berets or Wake Island. Both are great movies and I do not have a problem with them. I just want to show both sides, I do not think you will see a movie like them ever again. I know you are saying to yourself everything that comes out of Hollywood is protesting something. Very true, but some are not as easy to spot as another. Then there are great movies that I just can’t watch. Saving Private Ryan is one of the best movies out there, but I can’t watch it because of Corporal Upham. He was the guy they took with them as a translator. The guy who played him did a great job, but I just want to punch him in the face. He got a lot of people killed. Nope, I can’t watch it, hate that guy. I still think if I see that actor walking down the street, I might punch him. I have seen some of the newer movies, but I really can’t watch them as they just hit too close to home.
Here are some of the movies I like, in no real order. I tried to put the Navy related ones first as this article is supposed to be about diving. The Fighting Sullivan’s might be my favorite, as it is really about brotherhood and, of course, The Frogman. My first ship deployment was an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), on the USS Juneau, and we were part of the invasion of Somalia. The Juneau was the same name of the ship the Sullivan’s were on that sank. I am sure as soon as I send this to Eric I will think of more. Sorry, I do not have the links for all of them. Please share the ones you think I have missed. There are some great movies out there that feature different parts of history that could be quickly forgotten. I hope this helps jog your memory of some of the great military films out there.
They Were Expendable
Midway (1976)
Attack force Z
The Longest Day
The Guns of Navarone
Force 10 from Navarone
To Hell and Back
Sargent York
Braveheart
Patton
Glory
Zulu
M.A.S.H
The Patriot
The Devil’s Brigade
The Great Escape
The Big Red One
Battle Ground
Go for broke
Uncommon Valor
We were soldier
Hamburger hill
The Odd Angry Shot
The Siege at Jadotville
The Desert Rats
Hanoi Hilton
A Bridge too Far
Gung Ho
The Fighting 69th
Beneath Gill 60
The Lost Battalion
The Dirty Dozen
Red Dawn (1984)
The Outlaw Jose Wales
Gods and Generals