Film Portrayal of American Soldiers on Patrol

[Vincent]

Yes off course, but why portray American soldiers in a similar manner to this, in what seems like, almost every-time a war film is made involving American soldiers? Is it to portray American soldiers in a bad light as has been suggested in post 2, which sounds plausible?

Without going into politics too much, I can only tell you that Hollywood is run by the alt-left and they don’t love the military.

… What I'm asking is if war films generally show a fair reflection of what the average American soldier is actually like?...

No. That is not their goal.

I had enough of TV a long time ago. I took it out and sat it by the side of the road with the rest of the garbage. I have a better life without TV. It’s my life and I don’t have time to waste.

[CINDERS]

Me I like doco's on development on weapon systems like long range arty but love aircraft especially, I surmise that when the lead starts flying there is no use being quiet, common sense would dictate that in a war zone on patrol one would be as quiet as possible and have all your kit properly stowed to stop noise or glinting from either sunlight or moon light. Going on hand signals but really in todays world sneaking around day or night is fraught with danger given FLIR and other nasty things that take away the shield of darkness.

I take the waries as they are entertainment value only some are just a crock of parrots pi$$ others that stick more to the actual events are more to the taste but it is the movies so go in with an open mind.

I did like the opening scenes on the beach in Saving Private Ryan as they probably got it 60 percent right the other 40% I will leave out because only the poor buggers that were there will really know what it was actually like but in saying that when we exited the cinema it was a very quiet crowd that walked out I for one was really touched by the ending.

[Ovidio]

I have read quite a few books about Nam lately, just to get more information on that war too.
All those who fought in the jungle, and even more the ones who were on LRRP or similar units, stress that there was no word spoken for days.
All gear taped in order not to klink or make any kind of noise.
Even the radio comms where minimal and mostly just pressing the comm button to acknowledge received info.
Maybe the normal grunt was less careful on small details, but in no way I can believe anyone would have chattered freely in enemy territory without getting beaten to pulp by his mates, NCOs and Officers.
Not even my draftees did that when I was in.
Patrols were the most realistic exercise we ever made and silence was really total, since everybody new that noise was the most likely error for giving away our presence in the woods.
That is actually one of the aspects that irritate me most in war movies, as well as the bunching up on march or the firing from the hip...........
Oh man, why most movies are that bad?

[browningautorifle]

the firing from the hip

Actually...that's known as marching fire. It existed...don't know about now.

The bunching up however, well you know too that without a bit of control, that can happen. But that's so they can get lots of men in action on the screen shot.

[Ovidio]

I know, I know, but it's still ugly to see.
We too were taught to shoot from the hip, but I remember awful results throughout the whole Company. Most rounds landed about 10 meters in front of the shooter at the beginning.
And that was only when and if you were attacking and in need to put some lead on the enemy without the possibility of stopping to aim better.

[Peter Laidler]

I can see this thread slowly going pear shaped already.................

[Flying10uk]

I like the classic British war film/movie made in the 1940s & 50s where many of the actors had actually served for their country and authentic equipment was still readily available. I tend to watch mainly documentaries on television in the evening but also I don't mind the occasional late night action movie. It hadn't occurred to me of there being any "anti U.S. military feeling" among film makers post Vietnam.

[Sunray]

Hollywood has been doing that since the 60's. Very few, if any, current Hollywood types ever served in any military. So they wouldn't know reality if it fell on 'em. Certainly not Fox or Penn.
Very few movies made with Brit or Canadian military portrayed.
"...fair reflection of what the average American soldier..." No. Isn't a conscripted army any more. All volunteer since 1973.
Casualties of War was another American anti-Viet Nam/anti-war fairy tale movie.

[Flying10uk]

Casualties of War was another American anti-Viet Nam/anti-war fairy tale movie.

It did state at the end of the film, on the credits, that it was based on a true story. I am not qualified to judge whether this is correct or not.

Off course the most obvious U.S. director and writer to have served in the Vietnam war, that no-one has mentioned so I will, is Oliver Stone.

[Aragorn243]

Key word is "based". Doesn't mean it's true. The Vietnam War did occur, that is true and the movie is based on that.