World War II Movie Night: Recent Episodes
World War II Movie Night
On World War II Movie Night, host J. Byron delves into the countless movies made about the greatest conflict in human history. How much can we learn about World War II from how it's portrayed in film? Can movies render this infinite subject more manageable? Fun and stimulation mix in this engaging, thought-provoking podcast.
Ahoy hoy! Tonight World War II Movie Night closes out Spooky Movie Month with 1998's "Apt Pupil." Based on a 1982 Stephen King novella, tonight's movie sees up-and-coming director Bryan Singer follow his praised debut ("The Usual Suspects") with an adaptation that gives a late-'90s slickness to King's tale of an All-American teenager who discovers a Nazi in his neighborhood. Oh, and as far as tonight's episode? Strap in!... asides include, the ages of actors who play teenagers, Anthrax, and many, many things Stephen King.
World War II Movie Night kicks off Spooky Movie Month with 1978's "The Boys from Brazil." Is it horror? Is it science fiction? Is it Nazi'sploitation? The question is debated to this day. What we do know is that it was nominated for Oscars and has Gregory Peck playing... a 1970s Josef Mengele! Join us for a record three (!) entries into the Trophy Case, and more accents than you can keep track of!... Asides include Sharon Stone, Steve Guttenberg, "The Exorcist," the unknown history of Japan's Unit 731, and which are the scariest dog breeds?
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World War II Movie Night is shocked, shocked! to finally be doing our most famous movie ever, 1942's "Casablanca." When its creators made "Casablanca," they knew they had a good movie on their hands, but they didn't realize it would blow up into one of the most watched, remembered, quoted movies of all time. Tonight we examine: why is that? Why does this movie have the legacy it does? We also delve into why the plot is harder to remember than you think... asides include chess, gambling, and a Bob Dylan song.
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Tonight we explore 2002's "The Pianist," a movie that can be attributed to multiple countries EXCEPT America, for a very specific reason. How good (or not) is this movie that won its maker a (controversial) Best Director and its titular star a Best Actor? The answer's pretty striking, as we explore probably the best movie you can watch about what happened in Poland during the war... Asides include... well, really just one, but it's a DOOZY!
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Tonight we revisit the Royal Air Force for a special bombing mission: to destroy a German V-2 rocket factory. But that's easier said than done, given the details of the mission. Meanwhile, what will become of the Norwegian resistance-fighter helping the mission? Can gruff American Roy Grant separate his feelings about the mission from his feelings about the resistance-fighter's sister? Let's find out!... Asides include yet another "Sopranos" reference, the "Top Gun" sequel, the 1986 Challenger explosion, and the decades-long debate over whether tonight's movie or 1955's "The Dambusters" influenced the Death-Star scene in "Star Wars."
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Tonight World War II Movie Night returns to non-English WWII movies that punch ya' in the gut with 1993's "Stalingrad"! A platoon of German soldiers is plucked from the Italian Riviera for a new mission at the Eastern Front: Stalingrad. Despite thinking they'll make short work of the Russians, what the soldiers go through is akin to a horror movie, with not only death, injury and starvation, but death of idealism and identity... asides include Ice Cube's ruminations on 1993, and a Sopranos reference ("Pine Barrens"!).
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Tonight we return to form with a real meat-and-potatoes World War II movie. Hollywood player Samuel Fuller had written, directed or produced countless pulpy movies for decades. However, he decided to mine his own World War II experiences for "The Big Red One," which ended up being his greatest achievement. An old-fashioned, combat-heavy ensemble piece, TBRO features the ever-dependable Lee Marvin, and the fresh-off-dizzying-fame Mark Hamill as they trudge through the European theater (and Rommel's Africa)... Asides include a theory about "Saving Private Ryan," the use of the word 'retarded,' and the origin of the term 'five will get you ten,' and big butts.
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Tonight we consider a highlight of Italian cinema, and world cinema in general: 1945's "Rome, Open City." Roberto Rossellini wanted to make a movie reflecting his and others' experiences living in Occupied Italy. He may have succeeded too much, as although "Rome, Open City" would become an honored part of Italy's hertigae, it was initially cold-shouldered by Italian audiences, who didn't want to be reminded of the situation they had lived for so long... asides include the embarassment of being young and highbrow, Pope Francis, junkie liars, and Italians' weird fixation on faces.
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World War II Movie Night covers one of the more compelling post-war events with 2018's "Operation Finale," which portrays the secret Mossad mission to kidnap Adolf Eichmann from Argentina and bring him back to Israel. Along the way we address just how and why Argentina became a haven for Nazis after the war. Oh, and did we mention Ben Kingsley plays Eichmann!?... Asides include the Onion, Bernie Sanders, why comedy isn't funny anymore, "American Pie," and D.B. Cooper.
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World War II Movie Night does a listener request with the 1968 American movie, "Hell in the Pacific," about two men trapped on an island together, and one of them we never even hear what he's saying! Despite this sparse premise, director John Boorman turns in a surprisingly eventful character study... asides include a time I could've scored some WWII LIFE magazines, at least two times this premise has been done before and after, an acclaimed filmmaker who helmed a movie so bad it made people physically agressive, and the elephant in the room: my misadventures in pronunciation.
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Tonight we're having a communist party (!) as we look at a part of the War not often explored, the Russian camps. Storied director Peter Weir ("Gallipoli") brought this true (?) story to the screen in 2010, starring Ed Harris and Colin Farrell. The result? An overlooked gem and a muscular statement against Stalinism... Asides include, there are too many movies, Boris Yeltsin's lost in the supermarket, Bill Cosby endorsed an '80s dessert item to great effect, and why was Ed Harris so pissed at the '99 Oscars?
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At first blush, 1943's "Bataan" might seem like a run-of-the-mill, black-and-white, ensemble-cast World War II movie: easily absorbed and easily dismissed. Upon closer inspection, though, it reveals itself as a fascinating bit of mid-war propoganda, i.e., a passion play and literal call-to-arms. We'll also examine its surprising horror elements, as the faceless Japanese pick off our men in a near slasher-scenario... asides include some thoughts on the racial tolerance (or lack thereof) of decades past, and a deep dive on a Cheap Trick song.
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World War II Movie Night keeps the faith (and the format) as we delve into the 2015 Hungarian movie "Son of Saul," which many believe gives the truest representation of life in Auschwitz outside an actual documentary. Saul is a "Sonderkommando," prisoners given unpleasant duties in the camp in exchange for a slightly better status - until they're no longer useful, that is... Asides include a certain TV show, and the unexpected WWII-related thing Donald Trump, Justin Bieber, and Arnold Schwarzenegger have in common.
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Join World War II Movie Night as we reassess the oft-maligned "Valkyrie," from 2008. No casting in one of our movies was as criticized from jump as Tom Cruise playing Claus von Stauffenberg, the German colonel who made the most famous attempt on Hitler's life. "Valkyrie" had almost everything going for it: acting, writing, directing, and a bigger budget than the filmmakers even asked for - so why was it deemed mediocre, and was that unfair?... asides include Scientology, German guilt, the inherent creepiness of Goebbels, and How High was Hitler?
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It'd be hard to find a more successful movie - at least upon release - than Miramax's "The English Patient." This late-1996 pic made tons of money, swept the Oscars, and was one of the most critically acclaimed movies of the decade. Case settled, right? Not so fast. On World War II Movie Night we like to look past the luster. Does TEP hold up? Is it an actual WWII movie? Join us as we ponder the deeper questions... Asides include the shenanigans of Harvey Weinstein, "Seinfeld" as a cultural barometer, and the weird connetion between TEP and an obsucre, 1981 slasher-in-the-woods flick.
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Tonight we do the 1981 American sports movie "Victory" (also called "Escape to Victory" in European markets). A powerhouse cast of Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, Max von Sydow and Pele take us through the story of Allied POWs who agree to stage a soccer game against Germans. The idea quickly spirals out of control, though, resulting in bigger stakes than they could've imagined... asides include sports movies, Pele's recent death, and the time I faked my way through coaching a season of youth soccer.
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Kind-of a Halloween episode tonight, as World War II Movie Night does 2018's "Overlord." Mega-producter J.J. Abrams brings us this zombie gorefest that's also an homage to "Nazi'ploitation," a mostly-'70s genre that saw horror, thrillers, and even pornos centered around history's most reliable villains. So turn off your brain and enjoy the fast-paced action as a D-Day unit behind enemy lines in France has a timely mission before the boats hit the beaches; complications arise when they stumble upon secret experiments meant to ensure a 1,000-year Reich!... Asides include numerous observations about horror and exploitation, the African-American experience in the War, and WWII movies with weirdly modern touches.
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Tonight World War II Movie Night does 1970's "Patton," a curious biopic that straddles the line between the Big Epics of the 50s/60s, and what filmmaking would become in the '70s. George C. Scott plays George S. Patton in a role so iconic it was parodied for years afterward. Join us as we address almost every element of the European theater, from the invasion of Sicily to D-Day to the Battle of the Bulge... asides include the so-called Goodfellas Effect, Spuds MacKenzie, and translator humor.
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World War II Movie Night does its 4th (!) movie starring Robert Mitchum with 1957's "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison." During the War in the Pacific, a U.S. Marine washes ashore a small island improbably inhabited by a Nun (Deborah Kerr). The Japanese periodically poke their heads around, but for the most part it's just the Marine and the Nun, figuring out their new, shared living situation. Made by the same director who did "The African Queen," HKMA may be an attempt to do for WWII what that movie did for WWI... Asides include the famous - and unexpectedly moving - rivalry between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling, and the time I interviewed the most famous Nun.
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No, 1949's "Battleground" isn't the most original World War II movie, but many consider it one of the best examples of what it is: the ensemble, combat-heavy, real-events-lightly-fictionalized genre. See how our group does in the Battle of the Bulge, as Germans try to infiltrate the lines. Because why? Because Nuts!... asides include people who have never seen snow, and a discussion of SPAM.
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The whole country's got Oppenheimer fever (and heatstroke)! Yes as Christopher Nolan's biopic enters theaters with surprising fanfare, World War II Movie Night offers a short review - without spoilers! You can absolutely listen to this episode before going to see "Oppenheimer" and not have the experienced diminished.
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World War II Movie Night returns with what's considered one of the greatest, best, and most revered movies ever made, Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List." The master director was already having a good 1993 with summer blockbuster "Jurassic Park," but before the year was out he snuck this 3+hour, black-and-white Holocaust drama into theaters, making history. Given the movie's reputation, we take a slightly different tack tonight as we examine the backlash that emerged, as well as look for humor in "Schindler's List" (which is there)... Asides include "Seinfeld," yes, "Seinfeld."
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World War II Movie Night returns to old-school, black-and-white British WWII movies with 1955's "The Colditz Story." Officer prisoners from different European countries compete (?) to escape from Colditz, the infamous Nazi fortress prison. Can the British break their unlucky streak and get some 'home runs'? Tonight we find out with this very accurate movie.
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"Operation Storm King"... https://www.amazon.com/Operation-Storm-King-Elliott-Sumers/dp/B0BYRPXN51/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1G5V5ETWJT37O&keywords=operation+storm+king+elliott+sumers&qid=1685065940&sprefix=operation+storm+kin%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-1
"Diplomats and Admirals"... https://www.amazon.com/Diplomats-Admirals-Negotiations-Misjudgments-Powerful/dp/B0BMSKP9C7/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ME6F8LGKHYFD&keywords=diplomats+and+admirals+dale+jenkins&qid=1685066020&sprefix=diplomats+and+admirals%2Caps%2C203&sr=8-1
"Prisoners of the Castle"... https://www.amazon.com/Prisoners-Castle-Survival-Colditz-Fortress/dp/0593136330/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1N1QL7UGLER8V&keywords=prisoners+of+the+castle+ben+macintyre&qid=1685066120&sprefix=Prisoners+of+the+castle%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-1
Tonight we have not only a Japanese production but also our first animated movie. Since "Grave of the Fireflies" appeared in the late '80s, it has steadily garnered a following in the West, notably led by its biggest advocate, Roger Ebert. Seita, 14, must care for his 4-year-old sister Setsuko, after their home is destroyed and their mother killed in the firebombings of 1945. Regarded as one of the saddest movies ever made, this one really tests World War II Movie Night's mission to be a fun podcast, but we manage... Asides include a mini book club, the more unfortunate examples of dubbed movies, and war as a balm for the restlessness of youth.
Tonight World War II Movie Night covers the 1951 Marines-tribute, "Halls of Montezuma." The men have to take an unnamed Pacific island from the Japanese. Progress is going well until they're hit with rockets from an unknown location. With only hours to discover the source of the rockets, our guys must overcome their personal issues to complete a life-or-death quest. Although not as famous as many WWII combat-themed movies of the time, HoM sports some stylistic touches that likely influenced subsequent WWII films (including "Saving Private Ryan")... Aisdes include how people watched movies decades ago, the 1999 Columbine massacre, McCarthyism, and we say goodbye to a member of the awkwardly named World War II Movie Night Trophy Case.
What happens when the guy who made "Robocop," "Basic Instinct" and "Showgirls" makes a World War II movie in his native Netherlands? Tonight we find out with the 2006 Dutch film, "Black Book." There's quite a bit of sex and violence (again, the guy) as Rachel/Ellis joins the Resistance Underground against their Nazi occupiers. All is not as it seems, though, and preconceptions about good guys and bad guys get jostled... Asides include the rather stunning fallout from "Showgirls," an ultra-obsucre movie about a murderous elevator, and the importance of brushing one's teeth after vomiting.
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World War II Movie Night goes up and away yet again with 1949's "Twelve O'Clock High." Regarded as a darker take on the war, compared to more optimistic fare such as "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo," "Twelve O'Clock High" follows the 918, an American bomber group flying missions out of England. Things are bad, though, so Gregory Peck is brought in to make the boys' lives miserable, compared to his softer-touch predacessor. Can Peck's Savage get the job done? Who will die, and who will merely lose his head?... Asides include the newspaper life, Harvey Weinstein, and movies that open with shots from way after the events of the movie (e.g., "Citizen Kane," "Sleepway Camp," etc.).
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World War II Movie Night goes back to the comedy well with Neil Simon's "Biloxi Blues" a 1988 movie based on his play of the same name. Matthew Broderick is Jerome, a young Jewish man from Brooklyn who couldn't be more out of his element at boot camp in Mississippi. Will he fulfill his wish to lose his virginity? Will he ever shake the scrutiny of the sadistic drill sergeant (Christopher Walken)? We won't learn much about the war tonight, but we will try to have some fun, so sit back and enjoy... Asides include the concept of age-appropriateness in the 80s, Vietnam movies, the novels of Dostoevsky, and Ferris Bueller's treatment of minorities.
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Tonight we conclude our Pearl Harbor series with 1970's "Tora Tora Tora," a perennial favorite of World War II-movie sticklers. The producer of "The Longest Day" wanted to do for Pearl Harbor what that movie did for D-Day. The result was Tora(3), a movie that incorporates twin productions about the event, one from the American perspective and one from the Japanese (with the actual planners of the real attack hired as consultants for accuracy!). A true World War II-movie cult classic... Asides include an obscure Memphis rock band, and what Yamamoto and George Carlin have in common.
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Happy (?) Dec. 7! To mark the anniversary World War II Movie Night finally gets to the only movie to bear the event's name, 2001's "Pearl Harbor." A red-hot Michael Bay used his clout to make this Disney summer blockbuster (in a darkly ironic twist, released just a few months before Sept. 11). The results? Well... it's complicated. Tonight we explore not only the movie but the culture that surrounded it, and exactly why Michael Bay was so popular... Asides include-too many to name.
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Tonight we revisit The Duke! with 1965's "In Harm's Way." He and Kirk Douglas head up this Otto Preminger film that begins with Pearl Harbor. Wayne's Rock Torrey is a Navy man who has to contend with new roles in the war while navigating a nurse love interest and the discovery of his son... Asides include a story about the Oscars, exploding trees, and TV shows "The Sopranos" and "Laverne & Shirley."
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Strap in for tonight's episode, which yields some interesting facts. A German immigrant made a string of absurdly successful American movies ("Independence Day," e.g.), all the while pining for his passion project: a movie about the Battle of Midway and World War II in the Pacific. No studios would bite, but after securing $100 million from investors (lots of it Chinese money), Roland Emmerich made and released "Midway" in 2019. It bombed. Neither critics nor audiences were kind. However, despite its flaws, there are some unexpected strengths to "Midway," especially for us at World War II Movie Night... Asides include pop starlets who insist they exist, John Wayne, and Buddy Holly.
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Tonight's selection, 1953's "From Here to Eternity," is many things: one of the most popular movies of its decade, one of the best novel-to-screen adaptations ever, one of the best casts in history... and probably the drunkest movie we've ever done on World War II Movie Night.
Officers and enlistees at the Schofield Barracks are surrounded by paradise, but all is not well. The local nightlife proves a welcome distraction from their problems, as they wonder if the expanding war will make it to them (spoiler alert: it does)... asides include some relationship advice, Sheriff Lobo, and my unexpected ignorance of "The Godfather."
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Well let's give it another try.
The last time we mixed World War II with a sci-fi thriller we got 1984's "The Philadelphia Experiment," kind of a misbegotten episode. It's safe to say we did better with tonight's "The Final Countdown," a 1980 popcorn pic that sees a modern aircraft carrier traveling back in time to Pearl Harbor. Lots of familiar faces in this one, and a plentitude of military equipment (so much so this movie actually served as a recruitment tool, a la "Top Gun").
Asides include Beavis & Butthead, Superfly, and a 1979 horror film based on the 'The call's coming from inside the house!' urban legend.
Come and see "Come and See"!
Tonight we tackle what's considered one of the most disturbing movies ever made. This 1985 Soviet production portrays what happened in Belarusian villages when the Nazis came to Russia. Its two creators were so bent on making a realistic movie, they didn't care if no one would actually watch it. Yet in the intervening decades the cinematography, editing and thematic shifts of "Come and See" have rendered it an especially acclaimed film.
And in going through CaS, we stick to the tried-and-true World War II Movie Night formula, i.e., no movie is above having some fun with... asides include lists, 80s nostalgia, "Dirty Dancing," quicksand, Rodney Dangerfied, and how I viewed the Soviet Union as a child of Reagan's America.
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A young Robert Mitchum and many others prepare for their secret mission: to bomb major Japanese cities in retalliation for Pearl Harbor! "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" dramatizes - rather accurately - the famed 'Doolittle Raid' of 1942. A high-adventure movie made and released during the War, look for the subtle propagandistic tells within... asides include "Seinfeld," the new "Top Gun," and my 30-year high-school reunion (which I'm sure is just fascinating to everybody).
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Buckle up for this episode! After feuding with Clint Eastwood, filmmaker Spike Lee (and writer James McBride) attempted to make the definitive Black World War II movie with 2008's "Miracle at St. Anna." The film was panned by critics, a box-office bomb, and resulted in protests and lawsuits... is it that bad? Can any movie be that bad? Tonight we find out... Asides include thoughts on Black World War II cinema, bad New-Yorker dialogue, and a surprise appearance from the World War II Movie Night Perfect-Score Club.
Tonight's a listener request with 1951's "Decision Before Dawn." Although an American production, DFD could be mistaken for a co-German production, given that it's filmed among the post-bombing ruins of Nuremburg, Munich, etc (esentially making it a 'rubble film'). In the last days of the European war, an American outfit recruits German prisoners to spy on their own country. What will happen when cynical Tiger and idealistic Happy return to their old stomping grounds?... Asides incldue the past availability of cheap, legal speed (specifically ephedrine), and how child stars look weird as adults.
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It's a big red-letter day at World War II Movie Night! Our third new movie and the first REMAKE of a movie we've already done. Yes, "Operation Mincemeat" arrives 66 years after the subject of our second episode, 1956's "The Man Who Never Was." What's different? What's better? Find out as we follow Colin Firth and have a bit of fun at the corpse's expense... Asides include "Weekend at Bernie's," the shows "Chernobyl" and "The Americans," and I do a Congressionally mandated joke about the Oscars slap.
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It's "Judgment at Nuremburg" meets "Bluffing It" as we dive into "The Reader." Released during a WWII-heavy Oscar season in 2008, "The Reader" stars Kate Winslet as a woman with (I counted three) dark secrets. We see her deterioration through the eyes of a (very) young man. Along the way the movie confronts big issues about '60s Germany's guilt over the Holocaust-or lack thereof... Asides include a book I just read, some movie references ("Heavenly Creaturs," "Blame it on Rio"), and a bizarre rant about sex crimes.
Tonight is a listener request from Matt in Florida. In 1965's "King Rat," the POWs of a Changi prison camp live under their own hierarchy separate from class or military rank. Brash American Corporal King holds outsized sway in the camp, while two Brits - Marlowe and Grey - take different approches to him. Could anything happen to change the pecking order?... Asides include "The Sopranos," and "The Hot Zone."
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Ahoy! Tonight we set sail for Cuba. But with a title like "Voyage of the Damned," it's gonna be a choppy ride. A popular 1974 book became this 1976 movie, which tells the true story of the St. Louis. More than 900 Jews were allowed to leave Germany in 1939 aboard this ocean liner. For some (including those in concentration camps), it was a Godsend, but things are revealed to be not what they seem. A star-studded cast gave this movie high hopes, even though it was judged to have fallen short... Asides include an out-of-left-field reference to Barry Manilow.
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Tonight we look at 1955's "To Hell and Back," in which Audie Murphy plays himself, doing stuff he actually did in the War. Audie didn't like the movie, but Audie-nces did, making THaB mega-successful, and seemingly influential on WWII movies for decades to come... asides include, hmm, I guess the hand gestures some of us make when we forget our Covid masks.
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World War II Movie Night does its second (only?!) NEW movie with "Munich - The Edge of War." Jeremy Irons grows out the 'stache to play former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, a man whose actions vis-a-vis Hitler and the War are hotly debated to this day. The larger story of Chamberlain's and Hitler's Munich negotiations is the backdrop for a fictional one about two former college buds who could play an unexpected - and dangerous - role in the conference... Asides include my personal nueroses re: being a third wheel.
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"I'm the Guns of the Navarone!" World War II Movie Night tackles this 1961 listener pick that some consider alongside such big-budget epics as "The Great Escape" and "Bridge on the River Kwai." A successful novel became a successful movie considered a classic of high-adventure cinema... asides include the moral responsibility of parents to teach their kids to swim, and I finally saw "Dune" (and there's a weird parallel to tonight's movie).
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You might need a drink - or some other outlet - to get through tonight's episode, as World War II Movie Night tackles Steven Spielberg's forgotten WWII comedy, 1979's "1941". Spielberg was reportedly fraught with uncertainty in his first try at comedy, so he threw every kind of joke into "1941," including many he'd rather you forget. Citizens of the West Coast are worried that after Pearl Harbor they're next, which results in ever manner of paranoid, war-crazy behavior. Of course, a Japanese sub looking to destroy 'Hollywood' somewhat justifies their fears, as both John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd do their things as a crazed fighter pilot and fast-talking, zealous tank commander, respectively... Asides include Bob Woodward, the Battle of Los Angeles, and the decadent lifestyles of movie people in the 70s/early 80s.
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World War II Movie Night delves into 1964's "The Pawnbroker." Many Jewish and Black groups objected to this movie upon its release, supposedly for negative stereotypes. Rod Steiger gives a career-jumpstarting performance as Sol Nazerman, an embittered Holocaust-survivor who runs an East Harlem pawnshop. Sol regards his customers as scum, and doesn't think much better of the multiple people he sets up. But a local crime boss and vague anniversary threaten to re-awaken dormant traumas in this classic of bummer cinema... Asides include Philip Roth and Bob Dylan.
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You won't know who to trust as World War II Movie Night goes "Where Eagles Dare." Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood lead an operation to rescue an American general from an impregnable German castle. Pretty clear-cut, right? Actually no. Unexpected events make clear something more is going on. High action mixes with intrigue in this 1968 British classic... Asides include Iron Maiden, yes, that Iron Maiden.
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Also, check out this funny/cool Iron Maiden music video about tonight's movie (I have nothing to do with this video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SECnJBqP4WQ
It's time for World War II Movie Night's 50th episode! We begin with a State of the Podcast address, which includes reflections, status-updates, thank-yous, and a couple announcements... Then we get into it: Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan." We look at how this pivotal movie from 1998 changed World War II cinema forever, and reinvigorated interest in the War in general... Asides? Well we explore how SPR affected the careers of its many actors, the ups and the downs.
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A little different tonight as World War II Movie Night explores the 1987 British TV movie, "Escape from Sobibor." Alan Arkin and Rutger Hauer star in this death-camp tale that hews closely to real events, and real people. Life in Sobibor is horrible, survival is always in doubt, and escape seems impossible. But as the smokestacks at the far end of the camp remind them, our protagonists must find a way. Will they?... Asides in this tangent-heavy episode include choice Rutger Hauer movies from the '80s, the ironic death of Philip K. Dick, and the 1983 TV movie "The Day After."
Grab your pith helmet! Because tonight we cheat for the second time with a World War I movie, Stanley Kubrick's "Paths of Glory" from 1957. This tight, compact movie offers a unique anti-war theme. After an offensive goes badly, a vindictive general demands three soldiers be tried for cowardice and shot. Kirk Douglas, as the men's commander, defends them against the capricious charges. Will he succeed? Or will he come up against an ingrained corruption too big to fight? Dig how this movie is short, but deceptively complex... asides include many things Stanley Kubrick, even the improbable connection to a Florida sex-rap act.
Felix and Oscar got nothing on Groves and Oppenheimer, the original atomic odd-couple. This 1989 film portrays Los Alamos, the Manhattan Project, and the eventual Trinity Test. Military and Scientists butt heads about how to use the awesome power they're about to unleash. Watch a fictional-yet-factual take on actions that will be debated the rest of our lives. Enjoy Paul Newman's gruff take on General Groves, and the test is pretty cool... Asides include how, as teenagers, my generation had subpar history movies.
Cool, fun, and a sea-change in World War II movies as they entered a new decade, 1970's "Kelly's Heroes" reflects the era's anti-establishment zeitgeist. Clint Eastwood leads an ensemble cast as he and his men race to pull off the biggest gold heist in history, contending with not only Germans behind enemy lines, but their own side's clueless/corrupt higher-ups, and even another unit who wants in on it. Analyze KH on a deep level, or just relax and enjoy Oddball's one-liners; either way works... Asides include monkey movies, Richard Nixon, pop songs in movies, and James Bond in Harlem.
How did a conscientious objector win a Medal of Honor? "Hacksaw Ridge" tells the story of Desmond Doss, a religious soldier who refused to carry a weapon, yet distinguished himself as a medic in the Battle of Okinawa. HR also represents a comeback for Mel Gibson, many years down-and-out when he redeemed himself with this acclaimed, successful World War II epic... Asides include more on Gibson's tomfoolery and downfall, and a new word I learned ("offal").
Tonight's the mostly forgotten movie adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's famous World War II novel. The book may be a quirky sci-fi hybrid, but it delves seriously into Vonnegut's real-life experiences as a POW during the Dresden firebombing. How successfully these experiences transfer to the screen is, well, arguable. Tonight's episode toggles between a serious approach to the subject matter and the realization that this movie ain't no lost classic... asides include the peaks and valleys of Vonnegut's catalogue, how what's considered "hot/sexy" changes from era to era, and mistaking freeway offramps for onramps.
Bomb it? Blow it? Take it? Keep it? The options are dizzying as Germans and Americans decide what to do with the titular "The Bridge at Remagen." Reflecting a real event (supposedly pretty accurately), tonight's listener request gives both sides ample screentime, from the American Lt. put in charge of fighters as weary and cynical as himself, to the German Major (and his General friend) who hope that Hitler and the SS won't notice they're working some wiggle room into their orders... Asides include destroying one's childhood toys and the enduring legacy of the "Cape Fear" score.
World War II Movie Night tackles the sixth most popular movie ever made (which makes it by default the most popular World War II movie ever made), 1965's "The Sound of Music." Although it takes a while to get there, by its third act TSoM is primarily about the Anschluss - the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany, and how major WWII developments affected private lives... in this case hiding out in crypts and near-car chases (and damn that must've been some hike!). Also, RIP Christopher Plummer.
Come upstairs for the party! World War II Movie Night delves into the defining movie re: Hitler's (and the Reich's) last days. Alongside this excellent German production we examine a recent Hitler biography, a 2002 documentary ("Blind Spot") and, yes, a classic "Simpsons". We also count the suicides and recoil from Goebbels' creepiness. So get on the dance floor and try to ignore the Russian shelling!
Tonight is a listener request from the Swiss Alps. The 1968 American movie "The Devil's Brigade" is regarded by its makers as suffering from bad timing, given that it came out shortly after "The Dirty Dozen." However, while TDB and TDD share some common tropes (e.g., grizzled older man assembles rag-tag group of misfits, has to convince skeptical highers-up of their skills, etc.), TDB has the added dynamic of a foil to the misfits: the highly competent Canadian troops. Witness bullying, rivalries, an epic bar-fight, and finally a more serious, daredevil mission. "The Devil's Brigade" movie is also BASED (big qualifier) on the real-life Devil's Brigade/First Special Service Force... asides include seeing movies at formative times in life, and shitty pressers (i.e., movie screenings for press).
We've had some odd movies on World War II Movie Night, but tonight's "Jojo Rabbit" is odd for its unexpectedness. The modern genre of comedy that mixes humor and pathos produced a World War II movie, and there's more to it than one might think. Hitler-Youth devotee Jojo, 10, navigates life in late-war Germany after a terrible accident. Challenges include his Resistance-happy mother, his relationship with the big man himself, and a surprise houseguest who causes him to question his core beliefs. Come for the quirkiness, stay for the interesting perspectives on the War... Asides include a long-winded rant on comedy movies of the last 40 years, that 'The Beatles' is a pun, and how exactly do we describe someone who's overweight in today's climate, like, what words?
If "Cross of Iron" could be said to be a WWII Vietnam movie, 1967's "Beach Red" is even moreso. BR is remembered for its gore and cutting-edge editing. Although its influence is debatable, it at least features many things that would be seen in WWII movies decades later, such as a gory beach landing with a severed arm ("Saving Private Ryan"), showing the Japanese as real people with lives back home ("Letters from Iwo Jima"), and hearing characters' thoughts ("The Thin Red Line")... So put on some era-incorrect clothes, grab a can of beans and watch "Beach Red."
World War II Movie Night delves into fan favorite "Stalag 17," a movie that mixes intrigue and comedy to great effect. American POWs while away their captivity ogling Russian women and trying to undermine their German overseers. But the Germans are always one step ahead, leading some prisoners to think there's a spy in their midst. Wheeler-dealer Sefton is the prime suspect, but is it that simple? Raucous and suspenseful, what "Stalag 17" lacks in prestige it makes up for in entertainment... Asides include bygone comedies such as "Some Like It Hot" and "Airplane!"
World War II Movie Night gets philosophical with Terrence Malick's "The Thin Red Line." Released the same year as "Saving Private Ryan," 1998, TTRL couldn't quite escape that movie's shadow, although everyone thought it was good and some thought it was one of the best movies ever made. What up? Find out as we examine the movie that broke Malick's 20-year hiatus from filmmaking... Asides include laughing for reasons other than amusement and brilliant/reclusive artists, e.g., Thomas Pynchon and My Bloody Valentine.
Jack Palance, Lee Marvin and Eddie Albert star in this black-and-white combat drama. As the Battle of the Bulge launches, the men of Fragile Fox company worry that their Captain, who only has his command through a political favor, will get even more fighters killed. What can be done?... Asides include '80s primetime soap operas, and Lee Marvin as the first inductee into the World War II Movie Night Trophy Case!
This highly regarded homefront drama is considered the gold standard for soldiers-returning-home movies. Acclaimed director William Wyler followed up 1942's "Mrs. Miniver" with 1946's "The Best Years of Our Lives" (now two World War II Movie Night selections), sweeping the Oscars with both. Witness the overlapping tribulations of WWII vets Fred, Al, and Homer, as they try to pick up where they left off... asides include pulling life's ejector seat.
Get schlocky as we delve into the beautiful disaster that is 1983's "The Keep." Adapted by Michael Mann from the popular paperback, "The Keep" is gothic horror in a World War II setting. A deeply flawed movie (for interesting reasons, it turns out), it nonetheless has a cult following. Why? We'll find out as we set up camp in a castle that wasn't made to keep anything out, but to keep something IN.
This Bruce Willis-helmed movie, concerning the Japanese aerial attacks on China during the war, barely exists. "Air Strike" went unseen and, by the few who did, unliked. Yet the reasons for those facts are interesting in themselves... asides in this tangent-heavy episode include the tragic end of Iris Chang, the book and movie "Fast Food Nation," "Beavis and Butthead," and Scientology/"Battlefield Earth."
World War II Movie Night goes Down Under to become World War I Movie Night with “Gallipoli.” This 1981 Peter Weir film is considered a classic of Australian cinema, and features, among other things, a pre-fame Mel Gibson. Witness two young men join the military to fight the German-aligned Turks, and the end result… asides include the sport of running, STDs and cultural norms re: wedding nights.
World War II Movie Night gets legal with one of the most famous courtroom dramas of all time. The high-profile trials of Nuremburg are long over when retired American Judge Haywood (Spencer Tracy) comes to the town to preside over a trail of ex-judges, including the cagey Janning (Burt Lancaster). Haywood and others are surprised by the forceful, effective defense of Hans Rolfe (Maximillian Schell). With all these disparate factors set to collide, what will come out, both in the courtroom and outside of it? The three actors head an absurdly good ensemble cast in this Library of Congress selection... asides include good hair and, again, "The Man in the High Castle."
Producer Sam Spiegel ("Lawrence of Arabia") called in favors to Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif to star in 1967's "Night of the Generals," a multi-country production. In this World War II mystery, Omar Sharif investigates the murder of a Polish prostitute, and believes her killer is one of three German generals. Thwarted at every turn by strong-arming or simple indifference, Sharif is determined that justice will be served, regardless of where his investigation leads. Erwin Rommel and Claus von Stauffenberg make unlikely cameos in this winding movie... asides include Giallo cinema, Dario Argento, and the ironic Me-Too saga of Asia Argento.
World War II Movie Night returns with something brand new! The global pandemic bumped Tom Hanks' new WWII movie from theaters, losing its big summer opening. So we caught "Greyhound" upon its online premiere. A US captain shepherds a large convoy to England, desperately trying to reach air cover as they fend off U-boats in 'the Black Pit.' Hanks said this movie holds up a magnifying glass to the Battle of the Atlantic... Asides include thoughts on the Covid-19 situation ('cause of course everyone was waiting for my take).
Clint Eastwood released last episode's "Flags of Our Fathers," in tandem with tonight's "Letters From Iwo Jima." Japanese soldiers, who were all but unseen in "Flags," take center stage in "Letters." The Imperial military first tries to keep Iwo Jima from the American forces, then, upon realizing the pivotal island is lost, must decide how they want to die (obviously there are differing thoughts on this matter, as well as on loyalty to the Emperor). Witness the daring movie that, in many ways, overshadowed its much safer twin... asides include the frequent insincerity of outrage-based media.
World War II Movie Night does its first twofer, with the 2006 companion movies "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters From Iwo Jima," both directed by Clint Eastwood. For this episode we look at the former, a true story adapted from the popular 2000 book. Three American military men are thrust into involuntary fame when they're photographed hoisting a flag on Iwo Jima, a seemingly simple act amid a long, deadly battle. Back stateside the men are essentially ordered on a bond tour to raise the country's flagging reserves. The three are affected differently by their unlikely celebrity, and by how they grapple with what they experienced on Iwo Jima... Asides include the otherworldliness of Iceland and John Slattery's mastery of the highball-wielding rant.
Set amid the waning days of the European war, the Brad Pitt-helmed “Fury” (2014) is an intense and violent 21st-Century World War II movie. Rife with technical accuracy and unflinching hatred for the enemy, “Fury” drags the WWII movie into the post-“Saving Private Ryan” era… Asides include how entertainment journalism is more like advertising than journalism, and the thorny issue of ‘consent’ vis-à-vis a conquering army and local women.
Tonight's feature is quite the curio. Described as "Twelve years of Nazi rule as experienced by a car," 1947's German movie "In Those Days" is a "rubble" film: an obscure genre in which an occupied Germany grappled with its collective guilt over the war, and its diminished place in the postwar world. A strikingly weird movie with, surprisingly, something to say, "In Those Days" also goes by "Seven Journeys"... Asides include the book/show "The Man in the High Castle."
This US/Italian movie depicts the ill-fated Anzio landing of the Italian campaign. Robert Mitchum and Peter Falk head the cast of a movie that has humor, philosophizing, and many battle scenes... Asides include "The Irishman," Al Jolson, and Funny Jerk vs. Cool Jerk.
World War II Movie Night gets edgy with the 1977 Sam Peckipah feature "Cross of Iron." Reviled upon its release, COI has grown in esteem the last few decades, helped along by famous fans such as Quentin Tarantino. Violence and betrayal reign as the German army retreats from the Russians, and everyman Steiner has to contend with Machiavellian climber Stransky. A different kind of movie than we're used to, does "Cross of Iron"'s emphasis on the mental and physical toll of war--and its anti-patriotism--make it the post-Vietnam World War II movie?... Asides include a Charlie Brown movie and the psychedelic aesthetic of the '70s.
Grab some strawberries from the icebox and let's delve into the 1954 American classic "The Caine Mutiny." Apart from a strong story centered around the erratic Captain Queeg, TCM features many subtle World-War-Two signifiers, such as the unseen Admiral Halsey and the very-seen Halsey's Typhoon (aka Typhoon Cobra), one of the most significant weather events of the war... Asides include the fall of Walter Winchell.
As the world marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, World War II Movie Night does not only its first movie about the Holocaust but the first feature movie filmed at the actual Auschwitz camp. Willem Dafoe plays a real-life boxer in 1989's "Triumph of the Spirit." Although the movie had a strong pedigree and was braced to become an important cultural moment, TotS bombed and went strikingly unseen. What happened? Let's see if we can find out... Asides include the secret-life-and-unsolved-murder of Bob Crane.
A hell of a World War II story gets the movie treatment with the 1955 British film "The Dam Busters." Scientists and daredevil pilots team up for Operation Chastise, a mission to smash German dams and thereby cripple steel production. An engineer has an idea on how to get through the fortifications, but will it work under real-world conditions? What about the high-risk flying mission? None other than the original "Star Wars" (1977) was influenced by "The Dam Busters"... asides include girlie-show etiquette and yes, we're gonna have a talk about that dog.
World War II Movie Night gets down and dirty with 1967's "The Dirty Dozen." Lee Marvin leads the titular group on a suicide mission to take out Nazi brass. A surprisingly influential work, "The Dirty Dozen" is our first example of the World War II movie as kick-ass action romp... Asides include wartime propagandists and the allure of action movies to young men.
Released on the 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, 1991's "December" was seen by few and remembered by fewer (its worldwide gross is listed at $5,868). However, some of those few think it's an unfairly overlooked film... Just after the Pearl Harbor attack, five students at a New England prep school discuss who's going to join up to fight the war the next day. Simple positions in the evening become more complex as the night wears on, threatening to end friendships as unexpected disagreements arise about the nature of war... asides include the bygone era of the late-night college bull session.
World War II Movie Night goes to the flower show with "Mrs. Miniver," our second movie made during the war (1942). Both Churchill and Roosevelt recognized the propaganda value of this Oscar-sweeper, an American production about a British family whose ideal lives are undermined by the encroaching war. Keeping up appearances leads to wondering who will survive as the movie subtly shifts gears, climaxing with a famous, rousing speech.
World War II Movie Night does another bona fide classic with 1957's "Bridge on the River Kwai." Considered not only one of the best World War II movies but also a staple of movie lists in general, this epic portrays the Japanese-held POWs building the infamous death (Burma) railroad. The construction of a bridge along said railroad takes an unexpected turn when Alec Guinness's British officer arrives at the camp. "Bridge on the River Kwai" is a deceptively simple story that raises intense moral and ethical questions, and it's also a ferociously entertaining movie... Asides include the pornography of bygone eras and the purported joys of drinking/swimming.
Grab a Coke, lower your expectations and dive into 1984’s “The Philadelphia Experiment,” the first movie treatment of the War's most famous urban legend. Witness the seriousness of the legend descend into ‘80s cheese. Breezy is the tone of this episode, with multiple asides, tangents and personal anecdotes. Sorry in advance.
World War II Movie Night goes down to the Philippines for 2005's "The Great Raid," which shows the 1944 raid that freed POWs from a Japanese prison camp. The movie portrays the real-life stakes of the time, when the Japanese began systematically killing survivors of the Bataan Death March, as the war began to turn. Although a flop upon its release, does "The Great Raid" deserve a look?
World War II Movie Night has its first biopic with 2017's "Darkest Hour," one of several movies made about Winston Churchill, and the one many consider the best. From the makers of inaugural episode feature "Atonement," "Darkest Hour" follows Churchill (Gary Oldman) through several days in May 1940, during which he is chosen as Prime Minister amid the increasing German takeover of Europe, including the events that would come to be known as 'Dunkirk.' Witness Churchill's increasing desperation as he deals with not only Germany but the French, his own party, and the King... Asides include thoughts on Gary Oldman's vast filmography and the tendency of drinkers to become weepy.
An insanely large undertaking, 1962's "The Longest Day" is regarded as THE D-Day movie. Made close enough to June 6, 1944, to feature multiple cast members and consultants with connections to the War, tonight's movie strives for authenticity and accuracy. The astonishingly large, international cast includes the likes of John Wayne and Robert Mitchum, not to mention Henry Fonda and Richard Burton. Witness some of the most ambitious battle scenes ever filmed, including aerial- and tracking-shots that hold up today.
World War II Movie Night has its first foreign-language film, and the first from the view of the Axis. A truly timeless classic, "Das Boot" is a high-mark of world cinema. A German U-Boat crew in the Battle of the Atlantic staves off boredom and claustrophobia, interspersed with moments of sheer terror and even guilt. The men aboard U-96 range from ardent Nazis to those critical of Hitler and the Reich, such as the no-nonsense captain. Mostly, though, the men try to avoid thinking about their dwindling chances of surviving the War... Asides include people being mean to journalists.
World War II Movie Night ventures into an atypical genre with 1958's "South Pacific," the film version of the popular Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Famous show tunes dot the action as U.S. sailors and nurses pass the time waiting for the War to get going. A secret mission to spy on the surrounding Japanese-held islands provides the backdrop of a relationship between a nurse and a Frenchman with a mysterious past, not to mention a very-questionable-by-today's-standards relationship between a Marine and a young Islander. Witness high levels of cheesiness and a message of racial-tolerance that angered many audiences of the day... Asides include musings on one of the greatest American writers ever, James A. Michener.
What could've been just a quickie thriller by Alfred Hitchcock also captures American paranoia as the nation contemplated entering the War. Many of the Hitchcock indicators are here: falsely accused man taking flight, secret murder plots, evildoing cabals, but in this context they get some gravitas from the impending global conflict... World War II Movie Night's first movie released DURING the War, witness whiplash-inducing scene changes and legendary writer Dorothy Parker's crackling dialogue.
All but ignored upon its release, 1992's "A Midnight Clear" has garnered a following among World War II movie enthusiasts. Then-unknowns Ethan Hawke and Gary Sinise lead a squad through snowy forests amid the Battle of the Bulge, assigned to investigate what became of the missing group that preceded them. Upon inhabiting an abandoned chateau, our guys' already-shot nerves are further frayed by strange occurrences, such as corpse displays and unseen Germans taunting them in the darkness. What do they want?...This haunting and measured drama is considered an overlooked gem by many... Asides include reflections on the 1992 race riots.
Joseph Heller's satiric war novel got the Hollywood treatment in 1970. Although the movie looked good on paper, it was considered a failure upon its release. Opinions vary wildly on whether that reputation is deserved. Let us delve into the misadventures of Yossarian and the gang as we get whiplash moving from scenes of horny hijinks and madcap antics to existential horror and PTSD-fodder. World War II Movie Night's first entry that doesn't have a clear consensus.
World War II Movie Night has its first bona fide classic with "The Great Escape," one of the most popular movies ever made. Steve McQueen leads an ensemble cast as Allies attempt to escape a German prison camp. A surprisingly fun movie, considering it portrays a real event that ended with many deaths... Asides include the connection between coming-of-age and learning-to-drink.
One of the War's most striking events gets a movie that was savaged by critics and lost a jaw-dropping amount of money. Is is that bad? Find out as we delve into just what happened to the men of the Indianapolis... Asides include the downfall of Nicolas Cage and the good news/bad news about food-desecration.
An American movie from 1984, "A Soldier's Story" takes an unflinching look at racial politics and shows a snippet of the black experience in World War II... A black officer is sent to a segregated Army base in Louisiana to solve the murder of a black sergeant. Although everyone initially blames the Klan, a more complicated picture soon emerges, as the soldiers not-so-patiently await their chance to fight Germany.
This UK/US movie tells the authorized story of the infamous Operation Mincemeat, Britain's successful attempt to fool the Germans with a corpse... Asides include thoughts on how dead bodies are treated in movies.
This US/UK Romance variously portrays the Battle of France, Dunkirk, and the Blitz... Asides include writing jokes to oneself.