"Paths of Glory" by Stanley Kubrick; filmed in 1957 with Kirk Douglas. This film was banned in France at the time; due to it's portayal of the execution for cowardice of French troops.
“The one that got away.” starring Hardy Kruger.
Not a classic war film i’ll concede but very well done & faithful to the book as far as I recall.
Hardy Kruger, interesting case. Raised by ardent Nazis, recruited into the Hitler Youth at thirteen and then conscripted into the Wehrmacht sixteen in 1944, and the 38th SS Division Nibelungen in 1945, and sent into the fight. When he was ordered to murder a group of American soldiers and refused, he was sentenced to die. An officer intervened and made him a messenger. Having broken with the party as a result, he ran away into the mountains of the Tirol for the remainder of the war. Besides The One That Got Away, he starred with John Wayne in Hatari and as SS Generalmajor Karl Ludwig in A Bridge Too Far plus many films. He is an outspoken voice against far right wing violence in Germany and for democracy, citing his own experiences.
Bob
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "
Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring
Hardy Kruger, interesting case. Raised by ardent Nazis, recruited into the Hitler Youth at thirteen and then conscripted into the Wehrmacht sixteen in 1944, and the 38th SS Division Nibelungen in 1945, and sent into the fight. When he was ordered to murder a group of American soldiers and refused, he was sentenced to die. An officer intervened and made him a messenger. Having broken with the party as a result, he ran away into the mountains of the Tirol for the remainder of the war. Besides The One That Got Away, he starred with John Wayne in Hatari and as SS Generalmajor Karl Ludwig in A Bridge Too Far plus many films.
Always remember him most with Burton, Harris and Moore in The Wild Geese, playing a South African mercenary.
Unfortunately, Hollywood seems to think that there has to be something for the non-history buff too often. So we have to put up with it. I can not personally attest to most but if you are interested in reasonably accurate films of Vietnam "Hamburger Hill" gives a good picture of the typical life in an infantry platoon (I was a grunt then). While it is not history (although the May, 1969 battle for Hill 937 was real and we went back in 1970), it does a very good job showing that life in that time. Also "We were soldiers once" is a good and realistic portrait of 1965 in Vietnam. Sam Elliot had the character of that era of senior NCO's down pat.
"They shall not grow old "is supposed to be pretty good but I haven't seen it because it was only released in select theaters that were nowhere near me. I have no idea if it has been released on DVD yet but it is supposed to be made with all original colorized footage (most of it unseen according to them).if I remember correctly, I believe they even got professional lip readers to try and figure out what most of the soldiers in the footage were saying so it is supposed to be a talking film as well even though it uses original WW1 footage
He favoured the Parachute Regiment look though...........very sensible IMHO
'Tonight my men and I have been through hell and back again, but the look on your faces when we let you out of the hall - we'd do it all again tomorrow.' Major Chris Keeble's words to Goose Green villagers on 29th May 1982 - 2 PARA