Ww2 Films That Mainly Involve The British

What do you all consider to be the best WWII movies? Two stipulations I must make are that it must involve the British (i.e. A bridge too far or Battle for Britain) and it must have battle scenes (i.e. no enigma). I am trying to enrich my DVD collection

 

Well you have already listed the best two so how about going to sea with Battle of the River Plate, To Sink the Bismark and In Which We Serve.

Brum

 

Originally posted by Brummy@Sep 9 2004, 06:46 PM
Well you have already listed the best two so how about going to sea with Battle of the River Plate, To Sink the Bismark and In Which We Serve.

Brum
[post=28070]Quoted post[/post]


hmm I'm not in sea based films, I'm more into infantry type films but thanks anyway

 

Dunkirk (b/w) with John Mills et al. Quite hackneyed script but of interest to me since my g-father was there in 1940. Not too many CQB scenes, but a few Stukas, artillery and rifle exchanges.

 

The Longest Day (do you remember the bag pipes of Lord Lovat's brigade? )

Sahara (1943 or remake from 1995)

Britain at War In Colour (an excellent documentary series available on DVD)

 

Batle of Britain
Dambusters
Above Us the Waves
Sink the Bismarck
A Bridge Too Far
The Longest Day
Spitfire (First of the Few)
Reach for the Sky

 

Most of these are in black and white so it might not suit you but on the plus side the post war films had a lot of the actors in them who were war veterans and add a touch of authenticity to the films.

I wouldn't discount films based at Sea (or on the RAF) so quickly some of them are pretty good.

Here's a few of the top of my head

Sea of Sand
Ice Cold in Alex
The Foreman Went to France
Went the Day Well
The Cockleshell Heroes
The Cruel Sea
Too Late the Hero

I'll probably think of a few more and I know a couple I'll need to look up the names of.

Cheers

Adam

 

Went the Day Well


Adam

*************************

Adam

Was this the wartime made film about a German invasion? A sort of 1940s 'Eagle has Landed'? If so, I second that one.

There is also the 1944 David Niven film "The Way Ahead" - follows a group of recruits through basic training and into battle.

My favourite, also starring David Niven, is "The Way to The Stars". This 1945 film is about an RAF bomber pilot who is killed and has a chance to live, if he can convince a celestial court that he should. I believe this film had another name in the USA.

 

Originally posted by BeppoSapone@Sep 11 2004, 08:45 AM
Went the Day Well

Was this the wartime made film about a German invasion? A sort of 1940s 'Eagle has Landed'?
[post=28098]Quoted post[/post]

It was indeed and must have inspired Higgins to write the "Eagle Has Landed". It was made during the war and if I remember correctly, the British troops (not US Rangers as in the later film) who were sent in were serving members of the Glosters. In my opinion, miles better than the "Eagle Has Landed". In B&W, of course.

I really don't know if it is on DVD, but I have it on video from when it was shown on TV over 10 years ago.

 

Beppo & Angie

I think 'Went the Day Well' was on Channel 4 a few weeks ago. They're pretty good at B&W films on an afternoon. 'The Eagle Has Landed' is exactly the same set-up, the book more so than the film.

Beppo

The David Niven film is actually called 'A Matter of Life and Death'. 'The Way to the Stars' has John Mills and Michael Redgrave in it. I can't believe I forgot 'The Way Ahead', here's a few more in no particular order:

I was Monty's Double
Nine Men
The Red Beret
Play Dirty
We Dive at Dawn
Whisky Gallore
Dad's Army
The Guns of Navarone
Force Ten from Navarone
Where Eagles Dare
The Malta Story
In Which we Serve
Rats of Tobruk (Australian)
The Desert Rats
The Hasty Heart
Bridge on the River Kwai
Angels one Five
633 Squadron
The Purple Plain
San Demitrio, London
The Captive Heart
The Colditz Story
The Great Escape
The Password is Courage
The Wooden Horse
Danger Within

Cheers

Adam

 

Thanks for that Adam, I stand corrected.

Actually I couldn't remember the name of the film and did a search on "Google". Just shows that you can't believe all you read on the internet!

I just found that the American title of this film is "Stairway to Heaven". Before all the "Led Zeppelinn" fans kick in, here is the link

http://www.moviemail-online.co.uk/stars/470

 

Another couple of little gems.....

They were not Divided

Two friends (one American) enlist in the British Army prior to Pearl Harbor. Served and are commissioned into the Welsh Guards ("the foreign legion") and are part of the Guards Tank Division. Killed in Winter 1944 together......

The long, the short and tall

To wordy according to many, but combat in Burma.

Thiers is the Glory (also known as Men of Arnhem)

Filmed in Arnhem using the survivers from 1 Airborne Division (they were on their way back to England to be disbanded and demobilised). Includes people like "Johnnie" Frost, Urquart and as many of the others that were still fit and able to take part. Has some glourious scenes that were recreated for "A Bridge Too Far"

(Can only agree about the Pressburger and Powell films - all were excellent)

Other that I like are "The Tawny Pipit" - has some good shots of Covenanters actually moving! (as does The Way Ahead - another good film) - "A Canterbury Tale" - clever working of Chaucer's Tale into the then modern day and war scenario.

Cheers
Edward

(Edited for typo)

 

There is one I can think of that is not already mention (I dont think) and that is the one describing the operation around Pegasus Bridge cant remember the name but I think it was Richard Burton (if thats not his name he served with the 6th airborne and dropped into Normandy on D-day). Most of the movies mention are good movies and are action packed, exactly wot u looked for (its wot I look for too) and involve the British and most are in way informative or though not completely historically accurate.

Gnomey

 

Originally posted by Gnomey@Sep 24 2004, 08:14 PM
There is one I can think of that is not already mention (I dont think) and that is the one describing the operation around Pegasus Bridge cant remember the name but I think it was Richard Burton (if thats not his name he served with the 6th airborne and dropped into Normandy on D-dayGnomey
[post=28357]Quoted post[/post]

Kiwiwriter listed it on 10th September, it's one part of 'The Longest Day'.

cheers

Adam

 

Thanks for confirming that to me Brownag, I wasnt sure whether it was part of another film or not.

Gnomey

 

Originally posted by Gnomey@Sep 24 2004, 03:14 PM

I think it was Richard Burton (if thats not his name he served with the 6th airborne and dropped into Normandy on D-day).
Gnomey
[post=28357]Quoted post[/post]

Richard Todd?

 

Richard Todd

or Richard Burton


Its one of the two not entirely sure which one though?

 

Its one of the two not entirely sure which one though?
[post=28513]Quoted post[/post]
[/quote]

Richard Todd was a paratrooper who landed in Normandy on D Day. See here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/eastmidland...dtodd_war.shtml

However, I think that by "Lieutenant Danny Brotheridge" is wrong.

I don't know about Richard Burton, other than his real name was Jenkins.

 

I thought Richard Burton was just too young to have served in the War. I thought he was born in Wales in about 1928?

Richard

 

Then it was Todd who played the part of Major Howard in The Longest Day, as I'm remember a program on him some time ago where he descried his pat in the war and then commented about himself portraying Major Howard. Todd servered with the 6th airborne and took part in the defense of Pegasus Bridge during D-Day.