A Farewell to Arms (WWI)

A Farewell to Arms
Directed by Frank Borzage

Helen Hayes - Gary Cooper - Adolphe Menjou - Mary Philips - Jack La Rue

A tale of the love between ambulance driver Lt. Henry and Nurse Catherine Barkley during World War I.

The action takes place in Italy and the two fall in love during the war and will stop at nothing to be together. The film also analyses Lt. Henry's feelings on war and the purpose of fighting. Written by Josh Pasnak (IMDb) When this version of A Farewell to Arms came out, Ernest Hemingway hated this film. They turned his novel and put too much emphasis on the romance angle. When Papa Hemingway said that he obviously did not know Hollywood well at all. If he did just knowing Frank Borzage directed this film should have told him something. Borzage did a whole slew of tender romantic stories in the Thirties like Three Comrades, The Mortal Storm, stuff like that. A Farewell to Arms is definitely in keeping with that tradition.(IMDb)

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Index of Movies

THE WINTER WAR (Talvisota) (WWII)


Band of Brothers (WWII)

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THE WINTER WAR (Talvisota)

The Winter War (Talvisota)

"Winter War" (Talvisota in Finnish)is the story of the 1939-40 Russo-Finnish War seen through the eyes of a reserve infantry unit. We see them leaving their farms on mobilization, to assembly at the border, and follow them into battle until the armistice some 110 days later. To most Americans who know anything about it, the Winter War is visions of Sissi skiing rings around Russians. True that did happen, but the majority of Finnish units operated conventionally either in the Mannerheim Line or to the North/North East of it. This is what this film describes. The battle scenes are as authentic as any in Saving Private Ryan; if memory serves the "Soviet" Forces are Russian extras. Vehicles, weapons, uniforms are all entirely accurate. It's probably fair to consider this movie as Finland's SPR. Whereas some have criticized SPR for it's somewhat contrived plot, this movie has none of that; simply citizen soldiers called to save their nation. We watch as more and more of their friends are killed and wounded, in relentless Red Army assaults. This sense of loss is brought home again simply, but elegantly, in the scenes with the "home front". The final anticlimatic news of the armistice on the troops is depressing to see, but again entirely accurate. This film is a fitting tribute to the Finnish "Greatest Generation" who also did nothing less than save their nation- twice in 5 years from Soviet enslavement. by J. Collins (Amazon)


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Index of Movies:
Band of Brothers (WWII)
Von Ryan Express (WWII)

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Index of War Movies

Index


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Band of Brothers

Band of Brothers

Directed by
Phil Alden Robinson(Part 1)Richard Loncraine(Part 2)Mikael Salomon(Part 3)(Part 10)David Nutter(Part 4)Tom Hanks(Part 5)David Leland(Part 6)David Frankel(Part 7)(Part 9)Tony To(Part 8)


Produced by
Steven SpielbergTom HanksErik JendresenStephen Ambrose


Written by
Novel:Stephen AmbroseScreenplay:Erik Jendresen(Parts 1, 5 and 10)Tom Hanks(Part 1)John Orloff(Parts 2 and 9)E. Max Frye(Part 3)Graham Yost(Parts 4 and 7)Bruce C. McKenna(Parts 4, 6 and 8)Erik Bork(Parts 8 and 10)



Starring:
Damian Lewis - Donnie Wahlberg - Ron Livingston - Matthew Settle
Music by
Michael Kamen
Cinematography
Remi Adefarasin(Parts 2, 5, 6, 8 and 9)Joel J. Ransom(Parts 1, 3, 4, 7 and 10)
Editing by
Billy FoxOral Norrie OtteyFrances ParkerJohn Richards
Distributed by Home Box Office
Release date(s) = September 9, 2001
Running time = approx. 600 min. (10 parts)
Country
United States United Kingdom
Language
English / German / French




Band of Brothers is an acclaimed 10-part television miniseries set during World War II, co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. The mini-series centers on the experience of Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, U.S. 101st Airborne Division and one of its early platoon leaders, Richard Winters. It is based on a book of the same name written by historian and biographer Stephen Ambrose.
The events portrayed in the mini-series are based on Ambrose's research and recorded interviews with Easy Company veterans. Some literary license has been taken with the episodes, and other reference books will highlight the differences between recorded history and the film version.


All of the characters portrayed in the mini-series are based on actual members of Easy Company; some of them can be seen in prerecorded interviews as a prelude to each episode. (Their identities, however, are not revealed until the close of the finale.)

The mini-series first aired in 2001 on HBO and still runs frequently on different US TV channels — most recently The History Channel.
DreamWorks has confirmed a new 10-part miniseries from the creators of Band of Brothers (Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman) is in development as of August 2006. The new miniseries will focus on the Pacific Theater. The untitled project is due out in 2009, although this is subject to change.

A deal is being finalized for HBO to partner in the miniseries, which is expected to cost more than $100 million.

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Von Ryan Express (WWII)

Von Ryan Express

Directed by Mark Robson
Produced by Saul David

Written by
David Westheimer (novel)Wendell Mayes
Joseph Landon
Starring
Frank Sinatra - Trevor Howard - Raffaella Carrà - Brad Dexter - Sergio Fantoni - John Leyton - Edward Mulhare - Wolfgang Preiss - James Brolin - John van Dreelen - Adolfo Celi - Vito Scotti - Michael Goodliffe - Release date(s) - 1965 - Running time - 117 min



Sinopsis (spoiler)

Von Ryan's Express is a 1965 World War II film produced and directed by Mark Robson. It starred Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard. It is based on the 1964 novel of the same name by David Westheimer.

Colonel Joseph L. Ryan (Sinatra) is an American pilot who is shot down and taken to a Prisoner of War camp in Italy, run by the cruel Major Battaglia (Adolfo Celi) populated mainly by British prisoners.
Ryan, as senior officer, assumes command of the prisoners. The British commanding officer had recently died as a result of the harsh discipline, and Ryan clashes with his successor, Major Eric Fincham (Howard).
When the Italians attempt to flog an American for stealing, Ryan discovers he was stealing medicine which Fincham has ordered be stashed for an escape attempt. Ryan orders that the drugs be dispensed as necessary. He then shows the Italians the prisoners' escape tunnels in return for Red Cross parcels. Ryan then orders the prisoners to strip and burn their filthy clothes so Battaglia will have to issue new ones. Battaglia does so, but throws Ryan into the sweat box as a punishment.
That night, on hearing of the Italian capitulation, the guards flee, leaving the camp unguarded. The British put Battaglia on trial as a war criminal, and allow his second-in-command and interpreter, Captain Oriani (Sergio Fantoni), to defend him. Battaglia portrays himself as a broken man who has repudiated fascism, and Ryan orders him released.

However, the Germans return and capture them all. Fincham is furious at the thought that Oriani betrayed them, but when they are put on the train, they find a severely battered Oriani in the prisoner carriage. Battaglia is gloating outside, and they realise they have been betrayed to the Germans by the former commandant. The impression of collaboration with the Italian guards earns Ryan the nickname "Von Ryan" from the irate Fincham. The prisoners manage to seize control of the train by escaping through the bottom of the carriage, climbing onto the roof, and strangling the guards. After taking control of the roof, at the next stop, they jump on the remaining guards, and capture the German commander of the train, Major Von Klemment (Wolfgang Preiss) and his Italian mistress, Gabriella, (Raffaella Carrà).
Oriani persuades the Italian drivers to help, and the German-speaking Allied Chaplain, Captain Costanzo (Edward Mulhare), is enlisted to impersonate the German commander to ensure their passage through the next station.
Eventually Von Klemment escapes and is shot. Ryan then has to reluctantly shoot Gabriella as she escapes, to prevent her betraying them.
By this time a German troop train has been sent in pursuit, and Von Ryan's train is attacked by three German fighter aircraft. One aeroplane is shot down, but the other destroys a section of track. The POWs then take a section of the track behind them and replace the damaged track in front of them. Meanwhile Ryan, Fincham and the others try to hold off the German soldiers. The track is repaired and the train started, and Ryan and Fincham run behind the train to get aboard. Fincham reaches the train, and desperately reaches for Ryan, urging him to run faster. But Ryan is gunned down just short of the train, which then crosses over to neutral Switzerland.
However, in the book, Ryan survives and makes it into Switzerland with the other prisoners. At novel's end, he bursts into laughter when he discovers that the words "VON RYAN'S EXPRESS" have been painted by one of the prisoners on the outside of the train. (The movie does not retain this incident.) In addition, the book delves into the character of Ryan, whose carelessness as an air cadet cost the life of a fellow cadet











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