The Battle of the Bulge

Starring:David McCullough (II), David McCullough (IV)
Director: Thomas Lennon (II)
Studio: Shanachie
Product Type: DVD
Average customer rating:
- Triumph of storyline over historical accuracy
- Battle of the Bulge?
- Robert Shaw's fine performance
- WILDLY HISTORICALLY INACCURATE BUT VERY ENTERTAINING
- Battle of the Bulge
|
Battle of the Bulge
Starring: Henry Fonda , Robert Shaw , Robert Ryan , Dana Andrews , and George Montgomery
Director: Ken Annakin
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B0007TKNGA
Release Date: 2005-05-03 |
Amazon.com
The German offensive in December 1944 became the basis for this all-star Hollywood take on the Battle of the Bulge. Henry Fonda is an officer who predicts the assault, Robert Ryan and Dana Andrews are Army brass skeptical of his intuitions, and Robert Shaw (his hair dyed yellow and his eyes glinting with malice) is a German officer leading the tank attack. Shaw is certainly the most compelling thing about the film, especially in his philosophical debates with ambivalent underling Hans Christian Blech. Elsewhere, the movie jumps around to sidebar stories (cowardly James MacArthur becomes a leader, wheeler-dealer Telly Savalas falls in love) while messing around with the historical facts of the battle. There are interesting episodes, such as the Malmedy massacre of American POWs and the Germans' use of English-speaking spies, but overall Battle of the Bulge has the feeling of having been patched together from different scripts. On the physical level the movie comes up short, with the Spanish locations rarely suggesting the wintry misery of the battle, and the use of models and studio sets highly inadequate. A number of war films from this era are compelling on their own terms, but in the wake of Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, this one looks antique. --Robert Horton
Description
Nazi Panzer forces stage a last-ditch Belgian front offensive that could turn the tide of WWII. Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw and Robert Ryan in the spectacular recreation of a crucial campaign. Year: 1965
Customer Reviews:
Triumph of storyline over historical accuracy.......2007-06-29
The "Battle of the Bulge" is a big budget war movie predating "Patton" and made long before the CGI-assisted ultra-realistic films like "Saving Private Ryan". It largely succeeds in presenting a decent set of basic characters with some thematic elements to make a reasonably interesting retelling of a fairly complex and prolonged event, namely Hitler's last gasp gamble to fend off defeat on the Western Front in December 1944. Unlike "Midway" (a terrible film), Henry Fonda is given some interesting things to do, and we get to see Telly Sevales before his comedic reprise in "Kelly's Heroes."
It's important to understand that "Bulge" really focuses (using some fictional reference points) on the several opening days of the campaign when a single panzer knifed through the Monshau Gap and achieved an early penetration before being stopped in the rugged hill country well north of Bastogne. The most famous and dramatic episode is only briefly touched on, which was the enirclement of th 101st Airborne at Bastogne by the Fifth Panzer Army (superbly depicted in the middle sections of HBO's "Band of Brotthers") The film gives the impression that the battle at most last a week; in fact, some of the hardest fighting occurred throughout January 1945 as American forces struggled to reduce the bulge.
High points: "Panzerlied" (you will hum this for days to the alarm of your friends) and the "Trojan Horse" German paratroopers who created havoc in rear areas. (The movie does not show the summary execution of the paratroopers caught with American uniforms). The soundtrack is good (really good on home theater) as is the opening battle sequence of tanks storming through the snowy forest. And the " chocolate cake" scene.
Flaws: A few. The Germans get big American tanks, [probably M-48s), the American get little ones. The model work is haphazard; the scene of the model German tank poking its barrel into a model railroad tunnel and blowing up an HO train is laughable. Most of the movie involves, as it should, hills, forests and deep snow, and then when the climatic tank battle occurs using real tanks, it takes place in.... a sagebrush, flat, snow-less desert. Huh? That doesn't like like Belgium to me. And while fun to watch, no self-respecting panzer general is going to line up all his tanks hub to hub to bombard a town, no matter how cool it looks.
It was not necessary to cut corners on equipment: the later "Kelly's Heroes", a WW2 comedy, used real Shermans (lots of countries still used them back then) and some nicely simulated Tigers. If you are going to do a movie based on a tank battle, try harder. I am just not being "nerdular" about this.
So, fun poopcorn fare, but in need of a serious remake if one does not count Band of Brothers. The HD version simply emphasises the flaws.
Battle of the Bulge?.......2007-06-13
In Germany they called this movie The Last battle. Baron Hasso Von Manteuffel was a harsh critic he said it was an insult to both sides and failed to show the conditions and was totaly inaccurate. I agree to call this battle of the bulge is a farce. This all star farce is one of the biggest turkeys ever.
Robert Shaw's fine performance.......2007-06-05
The first part is not too bad for historical accuracy, but after the that, it's down hill. On the other hand, Robert Shaw make this a good movie. One of his best performances. 5 stars for Robert Shaw, 3 for the movie.
WILDLY HISTORICALLY INACCURATE BUT VERY ENTERTAINING.......2007-05-14
I guess where historical movies go, there has to be a trade-off. You can go for historical accuracy, but wind up with something with the plodding of A Bridge Too Far; or, you can throw out all (or most of) the details and facts and make a roaring fight-the-Germans movie like Battle of the Bulge. Okay, so the movie is filled with holes, and telling the story of the battle through the personal lives of the participating soldiers diminishes the scope of the movie's epic scope; but the performances from all the principle actors are excellent. Henry Fonda is memorable as is Telly Savalas. And the thrilling tank battle at the end (Which didn't happen as it was depicted) is likely the best representation of this form of combat ever done in a movie.
Battle of the Bulge.......2007-02-07
This is an awesome WWII movie. There are several stars in this movie & the acting & reality are great!
Average customer rating:
- Triumph of storyline over historical accuracy
- Battle of the Bulge?
- Robert Shaw's fine performance
- WILDLY HISTORICALLY INACCURATE BUT VERY ENTERTAINING
- Battle of the Bulge
|
Battle of the Bulge [HD DVD]
Starring: Axel Anderson , Dana Andrews , Anna Maria Pier Angeli , Richard Baxter , and Hans-Christian Blech
Director: Ken Annakin
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD
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ASIN: B000OIOS56
Release Date: 2007-05-15 |
Amazon.com
The German offensive in December 1944 became the basis for this all-star Hollywood take on the Battle of the Bulge. Henry Fonda is an officer who predicts the assault, Robert Ryan and Dana Andrews are Army brass skeptical of his intuitions, and Robert Shaw (his hair dyed yellow and his eyes glinting with malice) is a German officer leading the tank attack. Shaw is certainly the most compelling thing about the film, especially in his philosophical debates with ambivalent underling Hans Christian Blech. Elsewhere, the movie jumps around to sidebar stories (cowardly James MacArthur becomes a leader, wheeler-dealer Telly Savalas falls in love) while messing around with the historical facts of the battle. There are interesting episodes, such as the Malmedy massacre of American POWs and the Germans' use of English-speaking spies, but overall Battle of the Bulge has the feeling of having been patched together from different scripts. On the physical level the movie comes up short, with the Spanish locations rarely suggesting the wintry misery of the battle, and the use of models and studio sets highly inadequate. A number of war films from this era are compelling on their own terms, but in the wake of Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, this one looks antique. --Robert Horton
Description
Nazi Panzer forces stage a last-ditch Belgian front offensive that could turn the tide of WWII. Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw and Robert Ryan in the spectacular recreation of a crucial campaign. Year: 1965
Customer Reviews:
Triumph of storyline over historical accuracy.......2007-06-29
The "Battle of the Bulge" is a big budget war movie predating "Patton" and made long before the CGI-assisted ultra-realistic films like "Saving Private Ryan". It largely succeeds in presenting a decent set of basic characters with some thematic elements to make a reasonably interesting retelling of a fairly complex and prolonged event, namely Hitler's last gasp gamble to fend off defeat on the Western Front in December 1944. Unlike "Midway" (a terrible film), Henry Fonda is given some interesting things to do, and we get to see Telly Sevales before his comedic reprise in "Kelly's Heroes."
It's important to understand that "Bulge" really focuses (using some fictional reference points) on the several opening days of the campaign when a single panzer knifed through the Monshau Gap and achieved an early penetration before being stopped in the rugged hill country well north of Bastogne. The most famous and dramatic episode is only briefly touched on, which was the enirclement of th 101st Airborne at Bastogne by the Fifth Panzer Army (superbly depicted in the middle sections of HBO's "Band of Brotthers") The film gives the impression that the battle at most last a week; in fact, some of the hardest fighting occurred throughout January 1945 as American forces struggled to reduce the bulge.
High points: "Panzerlied" (you will hum this for days to the alarm of your friends) and the "Trojan Horse" German paratroopers who created havoc in rear areas. (The movie does not show the summary execution of the paratroopers caught with American uniforms). The soundtrack is good (really good on home theater) as is the opening battle sequence of tanks storming through the snowy forest. And the " chocolate cake" scene.
Flaws: A few. The Germans get big American tanks, [probably M-48s), the American get little ones. The model work is haphazard; the scene of the model German tank poking its barrel into a model railroad tunnel and blowing up an HO train is laughable. Most of the movie involves, as it should, hills, forests and deep snow, and then when the climatic tank battle occurs using real tanks, it takes place in.... a sagebrush, flat, snow-less desert. Huh? That doesn't like like Belgium to me. And while fun to watch, no self-respecting panzer general is going to line up all his tanks hub to hub to bombard a town, no matter how cool it looks.
It was not necessary to cut corners on equipment: the later "Kelly's Heroes", a WW2 comedy, used real Shermans (lots of countries still used them back then) and some nicely simulated Tigers. If you are going to do a movie based on a tank battle, try harder. I am just not being "nerdular" about this.
So, fun poopcorn fare, but in need of a serious remake if one does not count Band of Brothers. The HD version simply emphasises the flaws.
Battle of the Bulge?.......2007-06-13
In Germany they called this movie The Last battle. Baron Hasso Von Manteuffel was a harsh critic he said it was an insult to both sides and failed to show the conditions and was totaly inaccurate. I agree to call this battle of the bulge is a farce. This all star farce is one of the biggest turkeys ever.
Robert Shaw's fine performance.......2007-06-05
The first part is not too bad for historical accuracy, but after the that, it's down hill. On the other hand, Robert Shaw make this a good movie. One of his best performances. 5 stars for Robert Shaw, 3 for the movie.
WILDLY HISTORICALLY INACCURATE BUT VERY ENTERTAINING.......2007-05-14
I guess where historical movies go, there has to be a trade-off. You can go for historical accuracy, but wind up with something with the plodding of A Bridge Too Far; or, you can throw out all (or most of) the details and facts and make a roaring fight-the-Germans movie like Battle of the Bulge. Okay, so the movie is filled with holes, and telling the story of the battle through the personal lives of the participating soldiers diminishes the scope of the movie's epic scope; but the performances from all the principle actors are excellent. Henry Fonda is memorable as is Telly Savalas. And the thrilling tank battle at the end (Which didn't happen as it was depicted) is likely the best representation of this form of combat ever done in a movie.
Battle of the Bulge.......2007-02-07
This is an awesome WWII movie. There are several stars in this movie & the acting & reality are great!
Average customer rating:
|
Battle of the Bulge [Blu-ray]
Starring: Axel Anderson , Dana Andrews , Anna Maria Pier Angeli , Richard Baxter , and Hans-Christian Blech
Director: Ken Annakin
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B000OCZD5Q
Release Date: 2007-05-15 |
Description
Nazi Panzer forces stage a last-ditch Belgian front offensive that could turn the tide of WWII. Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw and Robert Ryan in the spectacular recreation of a crucial campaign. Year: 1965
Average customer rating:
- WWII Collection Battle Front Europe
- War Movies
- GREAT ADVENTURE
- Thrilling War Films
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World War II Collection - Battlefront Europe (The Big Red One Two-Disc Special Edition / The Dirty Dozen / Battle of the Bulge / Battleground / Where Eagles Dare)
Starring: Wwii Collection
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ASIN: B0007TKNLK
Release Date: 2005-05-03 |
Description
The Battle of the Bulge: Nazi Panzer forces stage a last-ditch Belgian front offensive that could turn the tide of WWII. Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw and Robert Ryan in the spectacular recreation of a crucial campaign.
Battleground: Van Johnson, Ricardo Montalban and George Murphy star in this remarkable war film, nominated for six Oscars(R) (including Best Picture) about courageous American G.I.s caught up in the battle at Bastogne.
The Big Red One Special Edition: "The real glory of war," Samuel Fuller said, "is surviving." A decorated combatant with the famed U.S. First Infantry in WWII, Fuller survived. His 1980 film version of his war experiences did not...until now. Working with 70,000 feet of vault materials and Fuller's shooting script, critic/filmmaker Richard Schickel heads a reconstruction that adds over 40 minutes and transforms a truncated but admired war film into an epic masterwork. Lee Marvin, in a richly layered performance now revealed as one of his finest, stars as the sergeant of peach-fuzzed riflemen fighting from North Africa to Normandy and across Europe. The film is the squad's combat diary, war as it's fought and sweated and bled, and, maybe, survived.
The Dirty Dozen: Twelve jailbirds will earn their freedom...if they survive a suicide mission against the Nazi brass. Tough-as-nails Lee Marvin leads a nothing-to-lose convict squad of Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Trini Lopez, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland, Clint Walker and more in the all-time action trendsetter. Where Eagles
Dare: The mission is clear. Get in. Get the general. Get out. Commandos charged with freeing a U.S. general from an Alpine fortress should also be told to trust nothing - including the search-and-rescue orders just issued. Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood go Where Eagles Dare in this twisty World War II thriller written by action master Alistair MacLean (The Guns of Navarone, Ice Station Zebra) and directed by Brian G. Hutton (Kelly's Heroes). Known for fiery dramatic roles, Burton ventures into the realm of movie pyrotechnics with dynamic efficiency. And Eastwood's cool-fire presence heightens one searing action sequence after another. The film became Eastwood's then-largest hit and its studio's #1 moneymaker of the year.
Customer Reviews:
WWII Collection Battle Front Europe.......2007-05-18
5 of my favorite WWII movies in one package. Super!
War Movies.......2006-11-11
Three of this collection are movies I have wanted for many years, and to get them in one collection is my reason for acquiring the set. Battleground is the story of a small group of doughboys stuck in the Argonne, basically surrounded by Germans, and their fight for survival. Where Eagles Dare is about a group of highly trained soldiers trying to destroy a fortress in the Alps controlled by the Germans; however, a mole and high ranking officer overseeing the operation want the group to fail. The Dirty Dozen is a war classic about criminals given a respite to carry out a basically suicide mission against a host of high ranking German officers
GREAT ADVENTURE .......2006-08-04
I have watched a lot of WWII DVDs and found that these movies while hollywoodized to an extent are pretty accurate. These movies will entertain you completely!!! This is a great group of war films and I enjoyed each and every one of them thouroughly!!! Cant beat the price either!!
Thrilling War Films.......2006-07-26
I recently purchased this DVD European War collection and I'm enjoying these wonderful war films at a price that's so affordable it must be seen to believe. This World War II DVD Collection-European Warfare includes 5 outstanding War epics that were received by the movie-going public as fascinating with a great story line and many action-packed scenes that most critics moved to give these films a thumbs up. It's difficult to point out which film ranks the best. You can choose any 5 exciting war epics, my favorites "The Dirty Dozen" and "Where Eagles Dare" were given 3-1/2 - 4 Stars. The picture transfer on all 5 are crisp and clear and the sound is remarkably full-bodied stereo. Five stars for a great collection of War films that can be watched over and over again.
Average customer rating:
- A story of courage, suffering and triumph
|
American Experience: The Battle of the Bulge
Starring: David McCullough
Manufacturer: WGBH Boston
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- Battle of the Bulge [HD DVD]
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ASIN: B0001WTUKS
Release Date: 2004-04-13 |
Description
In mid-1944, it looked as if the war in Europe was coming to an end. Hitler was on the run, and the Allies had triumphantly regained Paris, as well as Casablanca and Tripoli, Naples, and Rome. After five hard years of war, Allied soldiers were breathing easiereven stopping to enjoy dances and parties.
Hitler, however, had one final card to play. In December 1944, he struck back with a brutal counterattack. The Battle of the Bulge was the single biggest and bloodiest battle U.S. soldiers have ever fought. Almost 80,000 Americans were killed, injured, or captured in an infernal test of courage and endurance that ultimately ended with a hard-won victory for the Allies.
Battle of the Bulge looks at the battle through the eyes of the U.S. soldiers and combat officers in the fieldthe young men charged with holding the line and closing the bulge. They describe the events leading up to the attack and how the Allied forces were caught unpreparedand talk with disarming honesty about the grueling physical and psychological conditions under which they fought and of the memories that still haunt them. Packed with rare archival newsreel and Army footage, this documentary offers a compelling chronicle of war that captures both the action on the front lines and the strategy behind the scenes.
Special DVD features include: link to the American Experience Web site; closed captions; and described video for the visually impaired.
On one DVD5 disc. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: 4x3 full screen.
Customer Reviews:
A story of courage, suffering and triumph.......2004-06-20
During World War II, there were two times when the armed forces of the United States were caught completely unawares. The first, the Japanese attacks at Pearl Harbor, began United States involvement. The second, the German attacks in the Ardennes forest in late 1944, actually served to shorten the war in Europe.
There is no doubt that Adolph Hitler was a master at strategic thinking. Before the outbreak of hostilities in 1939, he was able to take control of vast amounts of European territory without firing a shot. Had he stopped there, Germany would have been a superpower, most likely the most powerful nation on Earth. Fortunately for those who opposed him, he was a tactical dunderhead, and he made no mistake bigger than when he launched the counterattack that is now known as the Battle of the Bulge. As the forces allied against him pushed to the edges of German territory, he decided to launch a counterattack against the thinly held American lines. The goal was to seize the port at Antwerp and foment divisions between the British and Americans.
This was of course the thought of a delusional mind. After fighting together for three years, the alliance between Great Britain and the United States would not crack so easily. Also, the overwhelming air power of the United States would allow them to chew up the extended German forces once the weather permitted it. The best tactics would have been to place all forces on the defensive, concentrate them as much as possible in the East, which would force the allies, especially the Soviets, to fight for every foot of German territory.
While the Battle of the Bulge caused more American combat casualties than any other battle in history, it eliminated all German reserves and quite likely shortened the war in Europe by months. Had it not taken place, it is very possible that the first use of atomic weapons in war would have been against Germany rather than Japan.
This video provides the entire historical context, but the emphasis is on the actions and experiences of the American soldiers in the rifle companies. After the initial German impetus was blunted, the allied commanders made the decision to push the Germans back on all fronts rather than engage in a dramatic pincer movement. This meant that men on foot did nearly all the fighting with rifles in the worst winter weather that Europe had seen in decades. The soldiers were always cold, and frostbite was a constant problem. With their years of experience in the colder weather of the Soviet Union, the troops of the Wehrmacht were better able to deal with it.
So many American soldiers were killed or wounded that a shortage developed. Men were patched together physically and mentally and sent back up to the front. Companies were nearly wiped out, yet green, untrained men were sent as replacements rather than pull the company out of the line. Essentially, the decision was made to simply grind the Germans down at whatever the cost. Several of the survivors are interviewed and they tell a tale of their survival while many of their comrades did not. The most telling moment in the tape is when the French civilian said it was two years after the end of the war before all of the hastily and partly buried bodies were finally dealt with.
It will always be a point of debate as to whether the final fate of Germany had been decided by late 1944, which would mean that the Battle of the Bulge was irrelevant to the final outcome. Whatever it meant to the end result, it was the deadliest battle in American military history and this tape is an excellent description of the history, courage and suffering that made it an American victory.
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Battle of the Bulge: A Battle not Forgotten
Manufacturer: CustomFlix
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Similar Items:
- American Experience: The Battle of the Bulge
- Christmas Memories - 1944 --- The Battle of The Bulge
- Battle of the Bulge [HD DVD]
- Saving Private Ryan (Special Limited Edition)
ASIN: B000FJP3HG
Release Date: 2006-07-13 |
Product Description
A documentary of the experiences of five WW2 veterans in the Battle of the Bulge. The Battle of the Bulge was the largest battle of WW2 and America's first winter battle since George Washington fought at Valley Forge. The veterans share their war experiences when Hitler launched a surprise attach with 250,000 Germans attacking 80,000 Americans. The film closes with the veterans giving their perspective on their experiences 60 years later. The film includes actual battle footage and WW2 reenactment footage.
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- More of a discount bundle than a signature collection
- Great bunch of movies!
- misguided fans
- Limited selection
- Waste of Time
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Henry Fonda - The Signature Collection (Advise and Consent / Battle of the Bulge / Mister Roberts / The Wrong Man)
Starring: Henry Fonda
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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- James Stewart - The Signature Collection (The Cheyenne Social Club / Firecreek / The FBI Story / The Naked Spur / The Spirit of St. Louis / The Stratton Story)
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- Gary Cooper - The Signature Collection (Sergeant York / The Fountainhead / Dallas / Springfield Rifle / The Wreck of the Mary Deare)
- Motion Picture Masterpieces Collection (David Copperfield 1935 / Marie Antoinette 1938 / Pride and Prejudice 1940 / A Tale of Two Cities 1935 / Treasure Island 1934)
- The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Charge of the Light Brigade / Gentleman Jim / The Adventures of Don Juan / The Dawn Patrol / Dive Bomber)
ASIN: B000FZETSY
Release Date: 2006-09-19 |
Amazon.com
Otto Preminger expanded his vision in the 1960s with a whole series of ambitious, expansive dramas with huge casts and big themes. Advise and Consent, an examination of deal making, party politics, and congressional diplomacy in Washington's legislative halls (based on the novel by Allen Drury), is one of his best. Preminger broke the blacklist with his previous film, Exodus, and it rings through in this drama about a controversial nominee for secretary of state (a confident, stately Henry Fonda) accused of being a Communist. The nomination process becomes the center ring of the political circus, with fidgety accuser Burgess Meredith in the spotlight; devious, silver-tongued Charles Laughton cracking the whip as a southern senator with a grudge against Fonda; and party whip Walter Pidgeon lining up votes behind the scenes. Arm twisting and diplomatic hardball turns to perjury and blackmail, and a melodramatic twist gives this lesson in party politics a salacious soap opera dimension.
The German offensive in December 1944 became the basis for the all-star Hollywood Battle of the Bulge. Henry Fonda is an officer who predicts the assault, Robert Ryan and Dana Andrews are Army brass skeptical of his intuitions, and Robert Shaw is a German officer leading the tank attack. Shaw is certainly the most compelling thing about the film, especially in his philosophical debates with ambivalent underling Hans Christian Blech. Elsewhere, the movie jumps around to sidebar stories (cowardly James MacArthur becomes a leader, wheeler-dealer Telly Savalas falls in love) while messing around with the historical facts of the battle. There are interesting episodes, such as the Malmedy massacre of American POWs and the Germans' use of English-speaking spies, but overall Battle of the Bulge has the feeling of having been patched together from different scripts. On the physical level the movie comes up short, with the Spanish locations rarely suggesting the wintry misery of the battle, and the use of models and studio sets highly inadequate. A number of war films from this era are compelling on their own terms, but in the wake of Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers, this one looks antique.
Henry Fonda re-created his Broadway hit Mister Roberts for the 1955 film that was mostly directed by Fonda's frequent collaborator, John Ford (Young Mr. Lincoln, My Darling Clementine)--an ailing Ford was replaced at some point by Mervyn LeRoy--and the results are exceptionally fine. A perfect cast, including James Cagney's irascible captain, William Powell's thoughtful physician, and Jack Lemmon's Oscar-winning Ensign Pulver, give Fonda the right boost to portray his ennui-burdened officer with dignity, self-effacing humor, and not a trace of self-pity. A wonderful film.
Alfred Hitchcock was fond of telling the story about how his father discouraged his son from even the slightest criminal impulse by having young Alfred locked in a police holding cell for a brief period--a terrifying experience Hitchcock never forgot. Much of the fear from that childhood incident resonates through The Wrong Man, which is unique among Hitchcock's films in that it is based entirely on a factual case that occurred in New York City in January 1953. As Hitchcock states in a shadowy prologue, authenticity was his primary goal--including the use of actual names and locations from the case--and the film gains considerable power from Hitchcock's semi-documentary approach (a film noir style that was still in vogue when Hitchcock shot this film in 1957). Henry Fonda is perfectly cast as the financially struggling nightclub musician who is mistakenly identified as a robber when he attempts to cash in his wife's life-insurance policy to pay for her much-needed dental work. Vera Miles is equally superb as the suffering wife, who ultimately cracks under the pressure of her husband's wrongful accusation and the drawn-out process of proving his innocence. Through all of this, Hitchcock pays close attention to the mundane details of police procedure, intensifying Fonda's desperation and the narrative tension that was Hitchcock's directorial trademark. As it happens, the strict adherence to factual detail--no matter how absurd or incredible--also renders The Wrong Man somewhat weaker than Hitchcock's classic plots, since in this case truth is decidedly stranger than fiction. Nevertheless, this is still a riveting film that fits quite nicely alongside Hitchcock's better-known films of the 1950s.
Customer Reviews:
More of a discount bundle than a signature collection.......2007-06-03
This entire collection was probably a bad idea for several reasons, but not because these aren't good movies.
1. All of these movies are available individually on DVD and were for some time before this collection was released. Thus, this set really only works as a discount collection because you are buying all four DVDs together versus the individual price.
2. Three of the four movies are in other Warner Home Video DVD collections. "Advise and Consent" is in the "Controversial Classics" collection. It is an excellent set, and if you are a collector of classic movies you are probably going to eventually want that one. Also, if you are a fan of Alfred Hitchcock, "The Wrong Man" is also included in the "Alfred Hitchcock Signature Collection", which is also a very good set. "Battle of the Bulge" is in the "World War II Collection - Battlefront Europe", also an excellent set. This leaves you with "Mr. Roberts" as the only DVD that isn't already in some other Warner Home Video collection. It is notable not only for Fonda's excellent performance but for the fact that it was the beloved William Powell's last appearance in a motion picture and one of Jack Lemmon's first.
3. Finally, let's face it, Fonda's best work was probably done in films under the control of 20th Century Fox, not in the films controlled by Warner Home Video. However, I have to wonder, with all of the duplication going on in this set, why didn't Warners include two excellent films starring Fonda that were made for Warner Brothers - 1963's "Spencer's Mountain", which was the basis for the TV series "The Waltons", and 1966's "Big Hand for the Little Lady", which is not even on DVD yet.
Nobody else has mentioned the extras on the individual DVD's, so I do that next:
Advise and Consent - There is a commentary track by Drew Casper who seems to really love everything Otto Preminger ever did. There is also a theatrical trailer that runs four minutes that has "making-of" footage. Unfortunately that footage acts as a spoiler for the plot.
Battle of the Bulge - There are two featurettes included. "The Filming of Battle of the Bulge" runs nine minutes and is narrated by Henry Fonda. "History Re-Created" is an eight minute program with short interviews with producer Milton Sperling and star Robert Shaw. There is also a theatrical trailer.
Mr. Roberts - Includes an excerpt of an Ed Sullivan Toast of the Town tribute episode with comments from producer Leland Hayward and scenes acted by James Cagney, Henry Fonda, and Jack Lemmon. You also get a clip from a documentary (Fonda on Fonda) which covers Henry Fonda's involvement with both the play and the movie, as well as a moment from a tribute at the Kennedy Center Honors. Jack Lemmon provides partial commentary on the movie.
The Wrong Man - Includes a 20-minute documentary featurette from Laurent Bouzereau that is pretty interesting. Also included is the theatrical trailer.
I would say that if you want all four of these films and know for a fact you will never want any of the three DVD Collections that contain three of the four included films, this set acts as a good discount bundle. Otherwise, just get "Mr. Roberts".
Great bunch of movies!.......2007-03-05
I bought this set because it had two of my favorite Henry Fonda movies included - Mister Roberts and Battle of the Bulge. I already owned Advise and Consent from another movie collection, but The Wrong Man was a new one for me. An excellent way to spend a weekend!
misguided fans.......2006-12-31
I don't understand all of these negitive reviews. Are not the films in this box set all good? The answer is yes and 5 stars if you are a Henry Fonda fan. I'm so sick of people giving poor ratings to a box. It's the movies that you should rate in the box. Stop being mad at a company that releases a few films in a bundle. If you already have the movies then don't buy the damn box set, but at least give these good movies from a fine actor the reviews that they deserve.
And liezl (the connoisseur) You should pay attention to what you are reviewing!
E. Where is his work with John Ford? Answer- MISTER ROBERTS is a John Ford movie.
Limited selection.......2006-09-15
I do agree with other reviews - there's not much here and it's all already available. But I do have to comment on something I see over and over in these reviews - Warner Brothers doesn't own the rights to every movie ever made. The reason they can't include his great Western "Once Upon a Time in the West" is because the rights are owned by Paramount Pictures, and "Grapes of Wrath" is owned by 20th Century Fox, just to name two.
Waste of Time.......2006-09-12
Henry Fonda is one of Hollywood's icons and one of my favorite actors. Mr. Fonda has such a prolific film career that one can easily put together a sizable box set e.g. John Wayne's.
The films selected in this collection makes no sense and didn't do Mr. Fonda justice. Very few people will be interested in ordering it. 1 star is for Mr. Fonda.
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A Paratrooper's Story - 101st Airborne WWII Diary
Manufacturer: Guy Anhorn Video Documentaries
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Product Features:
- 90 minute Five-part WWII Documentary
- Interviews with 101st Airborne Paratroopers who were there.
- Fort Benning - England - D-Day - Operation Market Garden - Battle of the Bulge - Bastogne
- Reviewed by the New York Times
- An all NEW independent historical film project
ASIN: B000NW8S8G |
Product Description
A NEW World War II Documentary recently reviewed in the New York Times. This 5-Part independent project, filmed in a style similar to Ken Burns, follows the real-life story of a Philadelphia teenager who left his large Irish family to join the famous 101st Airborne Division during WWII. The film uses only real voices of WWII airborne veterans rather than voice-over narration. These aging troopers describe their personal war, one place and one incident at a time in the largest conflict in human history. Humble heroes recount jump training at Fort Benning; brief romances in England and a night jump into Normandy. The lone survivor of C-47 Plane #5, tells how his "lucky $20 bill" was signed by everyone before taking off to an unknown fate. A second combat jump into Holland precedes 72 days along Hell's Highway. These troopers came home with not only Purple Hearts, but also traumatic memories that still resonate as if they happened yesterday. Sisters and brothers describe a trooper's teenage years before their world was turned upside down after December 7th 1941. This story ends in the small town of Bastogne, soon to become a household word after the Christmas of 1944. Lives of a young Belgian boy and a paratrooper not much older, are miraculously saved and reconnected with a Prayer Card ...returned after 62 years. A year in the making, this independent documentary project uses interviews, vintage wartime Philadelphia home movies, personal photo collections, captured German film and material from the National Archives never seen before. The band of brothers weren't the only ones with a story. These veterans of the 501st & 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiments share some their most vivid memories for the first and probably the last time. Directed and edited by independent filmmaker and Vietnam Veteran Guy Anhorn, the project features original music, A Paratroopers Theme by Zak Rosa and My Brothers & Me by Chris Winward. See Part 2 on YOUTUBE
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Christmas Memories - 1944 --- The Battle of The Bulge
Manufacturer: CustomFlix
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Similar Items:
- American Experience: The Battle of the Bulge
- Battle of the Bulge: A Battle not Forgotten
- Battle of the Bulge [HD DVD]
ASIN: B00077RGRQ
Release Date: 2006-07-13 |
Product Description
Winston Churchill called it "The Greatest Battle of World War II" and he was probably right. Now it is 60 years past and few of the "Veterans of The Battle of The Bulge" remain to tell the story. Some cannot tell the story because the pain is too great. Others manage the pain, urging themselves to tell this heroic story for posterity. It was the last great effort by Hitler's war machine to stop the Allied advance into the Fatherland and push them back to the sea. Just a few days before Christmas, 1944, in the American Sector of the Ardennes Forest, the Nazi Army launched its attack. It was one of the coldest winters on record. Snow was two feet deep with drifts five feet deep. The ensuing weeks were among the deadliest of the entire war for both sides. The National Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge organized in 1981 and now has more than 50 chapters in the United States and Europe. Mr. Buch, a former president of the Picatinny Chapter in New Jersey, encouraged fellow veterans to sit for interviews of their most vivid memories of Christmas, that year. The resulting one-hour video is now available on DVD. Bonus footage of 'home movie' reels shot mostly by Mr. Buch in training and at war in Europe is included on the DVD. One reel depicts a newly libertated concentration camp. There is a stark contrast between the old veterans telling their memories and the young soldiers captured on film in the 1940's. This is an informative and educational film experience.
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Tip of The Spear (11th AD History)
Manufacturer: CustomFlix
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ASIN: B000GCG9NE
Release Date: 2006-06-20 |
Description
The US Army 11th Armored Division was part of Patton's Third Army, leading the way across Europe, to LInz, Austria. Sgt. R.S. Buch uses U.S. Signal Corpes photos to tell the story. The 11th AD helped to crush the Nazi War Machine. From Dec. 15, 1944 to May 9, 1945, the 11th moved from Batogne, to Belgium, to Linz and Amstetin Austria. In that period their unit became "The Tip of The Spear" taking the battle to the heart of Nazi Germany. About 1000 soldiers of the 11th were KIA. Buch's talk is followed by 4 'home movie' films he made while in the Army. One depicts scenes at the Mauthousen Concentration Camp after liberation. The story of the Mauthausen Camp liberation is covered in a separate DVD.
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