“My Top Ten Favourite Black & White War Films” (1 Viewer)

King & Country

King & Country

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Hi Guys,

I saw elsewhere on the Forum a thread on picking a favourite B&W War Movie… That’s impossible for me ‘cos I like too many!!!

So here goes with my little list anyway…

#1 “The DAMBUSTERS”
I love everything about this flick… great intelligent script…underplayed British heroics…Superb cast led by Richard Todd and Michael Redgrave…and…real Lancasters.​

#2 “Twelve O’Clock High”
The air war…American style, again great script, excellent actors and… a whole squadron of real B17’s.​

#3 “Dunkirk”
Two stories telling together a big story of the retreat and evacuation – a superb John Mills leads the cast.​

#4 “Sands of lwo Jima”
OK so it’s the Hollywood version but it’s still a great movie and the “Duke” was never better!​

#5 “Yangtse Incident”
HMS Amethyst braving the Chinese Communist gun batteries to finally reach Hong Kong…Richard Todd again leads the crew.​

#6 “First of the Few”
The story of the Spitfire and its designer R.J.Mitchell starring Leslie Howard and David Niven.​

#7 “In Which We Serve”
Noel Coward’s WW2 tribute to the Royal Navy tells the story of a British destroyer and its officers and men. Based partly on Lord Louis Mountbatten’s HMS Kelly.​

#8 “Battleground”
Apart from “Band of Brothers” this is the best movie about the Battle of the Bulge starring Van Johnson and James Whitmore.​

#9 “They Were Expendable”
PT boats in the Philippines when the Japs attack…John Ford directed Robert Montgomery and big John…a great movie with great music as well.​

#10 “Ice Cold In Alex”
A lone British Army Ambulance escapes from the fall of Tobruk and heads across the Western Desert to Alexandria and…a schooner of Ice Cold Lager! John Mills again, Harry Andrews, Anthony Quayle and a very sexy nurse Sylvia Sims!​

And now for a bit of light relief… “Private’s Progress”…Major Terrry Thomas in command of an “Absolute shower” of British Army “Skivers…Time Wasters…and Petty Criminals”.

“Carry On Sergeant”… A bunch of British National Servicemen being trained under the beady eye of Sergeant William Hartnell. The first and best “Carry-On”.

That’s All For Now Folks! Happy viewing!!!​



Andy C.
 
King & Country said:
Hi Guys,

I saw elsewhere on the Forum a thread on picking a favourite B&W War Movie… That’s impossible for me ‘cos I like too many!!!

So here goes with my little list anyway…

#1 “The DAMBUSTERS”
I love everything about this flick… great intelligent script…underplayed British heroics…Superb cast led by Richard Todd and Michael Redgrave…and…real Lancasters.​

#2 “Twelve O’Clock High”
The air war…American style, again great script, excellent actors and… a whole squadron of real B17’s.​

#3 “Dunkirk”
Two stories telling together a big story of the retreat and evacuation – a superb John Mills leads the cast.​

#4 “Sands of lwo Jima”
OK so it’s the Hollywood version but it’s still a great movie and the “Duke” was never better!​

#5 “Yangtse Incident”
HMS Amethyst braving the Chinese Communist gun batteries to finally reach Hong Kong…Richard Todd again leads the crew.​

#6 “First of the Few”
The story of the Spitfire and its designer R.J.Mitchell starring Leslie Howard and David Niven.​

#7 “In Which We Serve”
Noel Coward’s WW2 tribute to the Royal Navy tells the story of a British destroyer and its officers and men. Based partly on Lord Louis Mountbatten’s HMS Kelly.​

#8 “Battleground”
Apart from “Band of Brothers” this is the best movie about the Battle of the Bulge starring Van Johnson and James Whitmore.​

#9 “They Were Expendable”
PT boats in the Philippines when the Japs attack…John Ford directed Robert Montgomery and big John…a great movie with great music as well.​

#10 “Ice Cold In Alex”
A lone British Army Ambulance escapes from the fall of Tobruk and heads across the Western Desert to Alexandria and…a schooner of Ice Cold Lager! John Mills again, Harry Andrews, Anthony Quayle and a very sexy nurse Sylvia Sims!​

And now for a bit of light relief… “Private’s Progress”…Major Terrry Thomas in command of an “Absolute shower” of British Army “Skivers…Time Wasters…and Petty Criminals”.

“Carry On Sergeant”… A bunch of British National Servicemen being trained under the beady eye of Sergeant William Hartnell. The first and best “Carry-On”.

That’s All For Now Folks! Happy viewing!!!​



Andy C.
Click to expand...



Andy,

Richard Todd was in some terrific War films . As well as Dambusters he was in The Longest Day (of course in real life he fought in the Paras at Pegasus Bridge), The Long and the Short and the Tall, also he was in Danger Within , D Day Sixth of June, Operation Crossbow. In his spare time he was tireless in promoting and raising money for the Dambuster /Normandy veterans . I read about him yesterday and he really had some tragedy in his life , he had four children two of which commited suicide. Fine actor and soldier.{bravo}}

Rob
 
Last edited:
Interesting and fun post Andy. I would have to think about mine, but "Battleground", "Twelve O'clock High", and "Sahara" come to mind right away.
 
1. All Quiet On the Western Front
2. Paths of Glory
3. The Cruel Sea
4. The Burmese Harp
5. Ice Cold In Alex
6. They Died With Their Boots On (just for pure entertainment mind)
7. Schindlers List
8. Charge of the Light Brigade (as with No.6)
9. The Dam Busters
10. Reach for the Sky
 
I'll add two:

1. Dawn Patrol

2. Sergeant York

When thinking about this I realized that in many cases I didn't know if a movie was filmed in color or B&W since my parents only had a B&W TV until after I went away to college!!

Jim
 
Here are my favourites :
1.Reach for the sky starring Kenneth More
2.We dive at dawn : John Mills and Eric Portman
3.I was Monty's double : John Mills and Cecil Parker
4.Stalag17 featuring William Holden and Don Taylor
5.The sea shall not have them with Dirk Bogarde and Michael Redgrave
6.The Colditz story: John Mills and eric Portman
7.Angels One Five: with Jack Hawkins
8.Sink the Bismarck featuring Kenneth More and Dana Winter
9.The Desert Rats: with Richard Burton and James Mason
10.Objective Burma: with Errol Flynn
+ add to these 10 the complete list that Andy produced + so many, many more ............
guy:smile2:
 
I'd like to add "Went the Day Well", "Theirs was the Glory" and "It Happened Here".
 
Agree with you regarding theirs was the glory. Great to see the actual players and real armor at the location. You actually can watch it on utube. I owned it on vhs at one time. Brad
 
1 ice cold in alex
2 the desert rats
3 the desert fox
4 sea of sand
5 /the colditz story
6 sergeant york
7 sahara
8 die brucke
9 i was monty's double
10 warhorse
 
Twelve o'Clock High, Desert Fox, Sergeant York are "3" of my favorites if sticking to Black and White films :rolleyes2:
 
Ok here's ten but can't put them in order, they are all too good!

Went the Day Well
Dambusters
Longest Day
Twelve O'clock High
Dunkirk
The Cruel Sea
Danger Within
Reach for The Sky
The Way Ahead
Angels One Five

Rob
 
Rob said:
Ok here's ten but can't put them in order, they are all too good!

Went the Day Well
Dambusters
Longest Day
Twelve O'clock High
Dunkirk
The Cruel Sea
Danger Within
Reach for The Sky
The Way Ahead
Angels One Five

Rob
Click to expand...

ooOps, I forgot to add to my list the Longest Day.......What a classic flick
 
Excellent list of films from Andy. The Hill, Paths of Glory, and The One That Got Away would also be amongst my favourites list.
 
Alot of great black & white films have already been mentioned in this thread...Just would like to throw in my all time favorite black & white war film...

Edge Of Darkness - 1943 - starring my favorite black & white film actor Errol Flynn...
For anybody whom has not seen this movie it is excellent ! Recommended !

Joe
 
''They were not divided'' is, for me, the best B&W film ever made. Similar in nature to Full metal jacket the film is split into two parts, the training of the Guards and, then their combat role. Based on events its a great film with real combat etc clips added. It shows the early training and some great comments from the RSM and other Sgt and corporals always on the guards backs and, has a great mix of humour and poignancy throughout.

If you have not seen this its highly recommended
Mitch
 
A lot of good movies to watch. I'd throw my rope at Sands of Iwo Jima, Sgt York, Wee Willie Winkie, My Dad would add Beau Geste , Lives of a Bengal Lancer and the Original Four Feathers. What nobody metions poor old Gunga Din? You slovenly soldiers.......{sm4}{sm4}
 
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