TankerJack36 Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Anyone know of any good movies that take place during the Desert War? The only one I can think of is the beginning of "Patton", but the M48 Modern Tanks used for panzers makes me want to vomit. There must be some realistic films out there somewhere! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 There was done during WWII set in the desert with Humphry Bogart and a M3 Grant/Lee defending a small building and the only water source against Germans. I cannot remember the name however. MikeT 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L4Pilot Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Originally posted by MikeT: There was done during WWII set in the desert with Humphry Bogart and a M3 Grant/Lee defending a small building and the only water source against Germans. I cannot remember the name however. MikeT Does the name "Sahara" bring back any memories? [ November 10, 2003, 09:34 PM: Message edited by: L4Pilot ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 There was a movie staring Richard Burton about the fighting around Tobruk during Crusader. I'm not sure of the name, it might simply have been "Tobruk". Any good movie listing should have it under Burton's name. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pud Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Another one thats not to bad is "The Immortal Battalion" with David Niven. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Ace Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Desert Rats, Tobruk sucked beyond suck. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
von Lucke Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 "Desert Victory", 1943. British documentary covering the build-up to the el Alamein battle, and the subsequent push to Tunisia. Actually recieved an Oscar nomination for best documentary. Not bad, in a war-time propoganda sort of way. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patboy Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 "Taxi for Tobruk" is very very good french movie with Lino Ventura and Charles Aznavour Pat 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Pilot Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Didn't The Big Red One have a number of scenes in the desert? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCalvin Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 I saw Immortal Battalion recently. SPOILER FOLLOWS!!! Overall I enjoyed the movie, but the strange thing was that it spent 90% of the movie showing how this one company/battalion being trained had to learn the importance of what they were doing and how they were part of something big and honorable. But the movie never really demonstrated them living up to it (except right at the end but that was weak IMHO). So if the immortal battalion was what went before, then it never really focused on that (save one scene) and if it was the group shown in the movie, they never lived up to it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanachai Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Originally posted by JohnCalvin: I saw Immortal Battalion recently. SPOILER FOLLOWS!!! Overall I enjoyed the movie, but the strange thing was that it spent 90% of the movie showing how this one company/battalion being trained had to learn the importance of what they were doing and how they were part of something big and honorable. But the movie never really demonstrated them living up to it (except right at the end but that was weak IMHO). So if the immortal battalion was what went before, then it never really focused on that (save one scene) and if it was the group shown in the movie, they never lived up to it. I loved your post. That was the vaguest, most incoherent spoiler I've ever encountered. I would like to see the movie now, just to try and sort out what you were on about. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackP Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 How about "The Desert Fox" with George Mason as Rommel? It was many years ago when I saw it so I can't say about it's authenticity. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lioneyes Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Originally posted by JackP: How about "The Desert Fox" with George Mason as Rommel? It was many years ago when I saw it so I can't say about it's authenticity. I think it was James Mason. Hopefully that Seanachai guy won't jump in here and bash another newbie. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Originally posted by JackP: How about "The Desert Fox" with George Mason as Rommel? It was many years ago when I saw it so I can't say about it's authenticity. I thought it was pretty hokey myself. And that's in comparison to other war movies which IMO begin with a fair amount of hokeyness, exceptions noted. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOS was 71331 Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 There's hardly any combat action in "The Desert Fox." Most of the movie takes place in Germany and gives a reasonable picture of Rommel's interactions and final involvement with the group which attempted to assassinate Hitler in July 1944. I recall that Bayerlein (or another senior WWII German officer who had served under Rommel) saw the movie and remarked that James Mason's Rommel was entirely too polite. The scenes at the end when Rommel decides to commit suicide to protect his wife and son from punishment are particularly touching. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyD Posted November 11, 2003 Share Posted November 11, 2003 If you're willing to move up to the Italian theater of course there's "Catch 22" . Another excellent Italian theater film was "A Walk in the Sun" with... Robert Ryan(?). A classic. Yup, 'The Big Red One' (does that refer to a body part or something?) started out with green G.I.s at Kassarine. A real 1950s-style movie filmed in the 1980s. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaBellum Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Not to forget the italian movie The Battle of El Alamein (1968) with the rather groggy german title "Königstiger vor El Alamein. They should have cooperated with the guys who did "Patton". Just think of it: King Tigers vs M-48s at Alam Halfa... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Originally posted by ParaBellum: Just think of it: King Tigers vs M-48s at Alam Halfa... That might be an interesting matchup, but I'd bet the M48s would eat their lunch. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaBellum Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Actually I think I've once created a similiar scenario in Wargames Construction Kit: Tanks! about a decade ago... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pud Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 I cant watch Paton without cringing everytime any tank trundles past You would think with such a high profile and costly(?) film they could have tried to get at least one tank right. Certainly detracts from the enjoyment of the film. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CavalryMan Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Come on, dont forget "Ice Cold In Alex" I once stayed up till 4am to answer a drunken bet as to whether the glasses at the end actually had "Carlsberg" etched onto them or if it was just an effect added by the Carlsberg Ad company. It may have lacked hard core battle scenes but still managed a certain cult status. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demoss Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Yup, 'The Big Red One' (does that refer to a body part or something?) 1st ID. Their unit patch is a, well, big red 1. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCalvin Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Seanachi yeah I guess that wasn't much of a spoiler. So I'll be more specific. The movie spent most of it's time showing us a bunch of rag-tags getting trained and learning what the "immortial battalion" was all about. Then, while enroute to their first action, their ship gets torpedoed and they must abandon ship. Following that they take defensive positions from which they must fall back. Finally, they are outnumbered and must decide between surrender or a suicide attack. Watch the movie to find out, but frankly there was nothing immortal about this particular group. Enough details for ya? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pud Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 TCM has a good rundown and background to "the Immortal Battalion" here . Like many (if not all) films of the era its underlying theme is one of propaganda, but if you can see past that its still enjoyable. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyBlademan Posted November 12, 2003 Share Posted November 12, 2003 Originally posted by TankerJack36: Anyone know of any good movies that take place during the Desert War? The only one I can think of is the beginning of "Patton", but the M48 Modern Tanks used for panzers makes me want to vomit. There must be some realistic films out there somewhere! I get like that too when I watch movies that have ridiculous crap portrayed in them (you should listen to me pick apart TOP GUN). Honest question though, how many panzers would have been around after the war to use as movie props? I'm sure the GROGS have some insight into this. :confused: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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