Who is the best actor in a War Movie?

[James Pickering]

I personally think that "Battleground" (1949, Directed by William A. Wellman) is the best depiction of American GIs in combat ever. It graphically tells the story of a US 101st Airborne squad trapped in the besieged city of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. I think the dialogue, and especially the use of M1 (Garand) rifles, is very realistic. It is a gritty film that depicts very well the way combat soldiers acted and talked. I think it is commendable that every passage of conversation is not laced with the "F" word as is the case with many recent movies. That is not the way GIs in general talked in combat during WW2 and Korea as I remember it-- sure enough the conversation got salty at times and there were some uses of "F" word profanity too (but not in public and definitley not in the presence of females) -- but not to the extent it is used in some recent movies -- that kind of detracts from those films for me -- and also for my acquaintenances who are combat veterans of WW2 and Korea (see below).

We have a group of seven WW2/Korea combat veterans who meet for lunch once each month so we can swap war stories and cement our camaraderie. The youngest is aged 73 and the oldest 92 (USMC "Gunner" Kenton -- I have posted his story elsewhere) -- I am 77. We unanimously voted "Battleground" as our favorite (and most realistic) US combat film. Non of us are prudes -- in fact we are a salty bunch who have lived life to the hilt -- but we all agree that the gratuitous and constant use of the "F" word in many recent WW2/Korea movies does not reflect the way we talked during our military service.

I thought the employment of actual veterans of the 101st Airborne who fought in the Battle of the Bulge to train the actors -- and as extras in the movie -- was a great touch that really enhanced the realism of the film.

I am personally no great fan of Van Johnson, but he does a superb job as Pfc. Holley and James Whitmore as Sgt. Kinnie is outstanding. In fact, the whole cast is superb in this movie IMO.

It has been released in a VHS/DVD colorized version.

Information and review: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041163/

[the lancaster kicks ass]

Keep it in. Hell it means it wont be classified U and end up as a 15 or something but they better keep it

i hope they keep it too but you know what it's like with all this political correctness crap..........

[Nonskimmer]

I'm sure they'd just rename the dog African-Englishman.

[lesofprimus]

LMAO....

[cheddar cheese]

Originally Posted by the lancaster kicks ass

i hope they keep it too but you know what it's like with all this political correctness crap..........

Yeah...A viable solution could be changing it to negro. Thats just the spanish word for black, and has a crafty double meaning

[James Pickering]

Originally Posted by reddragon

I also thought Gary Cole did a wonderful job as George Armstrong Custer and David Strathairn was very good as Capt. William F. Benteen in Son of the Morning Star (the Indian Wars count too, don't they)

I agree -- especially David Strathairn. I am/was a member of The Custer Battlefield & Museum Association -- we hold our annual meeting at the Little Big Horn (LBH) battlefield site each June 25th anniversary. Several of our members were extras in the film. Although some of the members are somewhat critical of this movie, I believe the consensus is that it is a faithful depiction of Custer and the LBH campaign -- I certainly think so. IMO an excfellent movie that is quite historically correct.

Custer Battlefield & Museum Association: http://www.cbhma.org/

[the lancaster kicks ass]

Originally Posted by cheddar cheese

Yeah...A viable solution could be changing it to negro. Thats just the spanish word for black, and has a crafty double meaning

yeah but then i'd be forced to tell everyone in the cinema why that's wrong, and really piss 'em off

[James Pickering]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

Saving Privat Ryan did have some great actors. in it. I like the guy (cant remember who played him) who played the First Seargent. I think he did a good job portraying how a First Seargent acts in a real unit.

From a real-life ex First Sergeant ..... not bad!

Just a point of interest, the correct spelling is sergeant

[the lancaster kicks ass]

you mean the tubby one?

[James Pickering]

Roger Livesey in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp.

IMO, a great movie in its own right that also highlights the differences and relationships between the British Army "old guard' (exemplified by the Home Guard) and the regular British Army of WW2.

Review: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036112/

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by James Pickering

I personally think that "Battleground" (1949, Directed by William A. Wellman) is the best depiction of American GIs in combat ever. It graphically tells the story of a US 101st Airborne squad trapped in the besieged city of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. I think the dialogue, and especially the use of M1 (Garand) rifles, is very realistic. It is a gritty film that depicts very well the way combat soldiers acted and talked. I think it is commendable that every passage of conversation is not laced with the "F" word as is the case with many recent movies. That is not the way GIs in general talked in combat during WW2 and Korea as I remember it-- sure enough the conversation got salty at times and there were some uses of "F" word profanity too (but not in public and definitley not in the presence of females) -- but not to the extent it is used in some recent movies -- that kind of detracts from those films for me -- and also for my acquaintenances who are combat veterans of WW2 and Korea (see below).

We have a group of seven WW2/Korea combat veterans who meet for lunch once each month so we can swap war stories and cement our camaraderie. The youngest is aged 73 and the oldest 92 (USMC "Gunner" Kenton -- I have posted his story elsewhere) -- I am 77. We unanimously voted "Battleground" as our favorite (and most realistic) US combat film. Non of us are prudes -- in fact we are a salty bunch who have lived life to the hilt -- but we all agree that the gratuitous and constant use of the "F" word in many recent WW2/Korea movies does not reflect the way we talked during our military service.

Funny you should say that but the word **** now is used about every other word in the military. It means good things and bad things. It means just about anything. It is actually quite funny when I am at home I speak completly different than I do at the hanger or when I was in Iraq with the guys. **** is generally accepted now as a normal every day word in the military.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by James Pickering

From a real-life ex First Sergeant ..... not bad!

Just a point of interest, the correct spelling is sergeant

I actually know how to spell Sergeant. It was a typo. In fact I happen to be a Sergeant in the US Army.

[pbfoot]

Now if you Americans would learn how to pronounce Lieutenant

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

What do you mean Leftenant?

[James Pickering]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

Funny you should say that but the word fu*k now is used about every other word in the military. It means good things and bad things. It means just about anything. It is actually quite funny when I am at home I speak completly different than I do at the hanger or when I was in Iraq with the guys. fu*k is generally accepted now as a normal every day word in the military.

My how times have changed. I don't notice that when I use the facilities on the various Military Installations in my retired status, but of course I am not usually in the duty areas. Thanks for the information.