There are perhaps few genres so rich in titles as the war movie.
They Were Expendable (1945)
We’d be hard pressed to make a list of classic war movies and not include at least one John Wayne title (despite the fact that he never actually served in the armed forces). Based on the real-life story of Medal of Honor recipient John Bulkeley and his defense of the Philippines with PT Boats, the film was praised for it realistic and documentary-like feel. Director John Ford had just returned from filming World War II itself, working as a documentarian embedded with various armed forces, making acclaimed films like The Battle of Midway (1942). The Navy supplied actual PT boats for the shooting of this film – a tale of small, quick ships making a difference in an air/sea battle against larger destroyers (so, in some ways, similar to Dunkirk). Unlike many other war-time films, Ford scaled back heavy sentiment, patriotism, and propaganda, turning instead to a real-world authenticity and a straightforward tale of military courage, loneliness, and sacrifice. Engulfed in shooting combat footage, Ford was only convinced to make the film after serving with the film’s inspiration, John Bulkeley, during the invasion of Normandy.
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Twelve O’Clock High (1949)
Choosing to focus on the psychology of war and emotional drama rather than spectacle, Twelve O’Clock High was ahead of its time when it was released. The film tells the story of United States Army’s Eighth Air Force flying daylight bombing missions over occupied France and Germany in the early days of American involvement in World War II. Gregory Peck stars as tough-as-nails commander Frank Savage, who suffers under the devastating psychological toll of war. The U.S. Air Force offered production assistance, supplying B-17 bombers for filming. Noted for its authenticity, the film used actual wartime footage for its air combat scenes, shooting very little new footage for the film. For an early scene, stunt pilot Paul Mantz was paid a record-breaking $4500 to crash-land a B-17 bomber by himself (the first time a B-17 was flown solo). Veterans of the actual campaign frequently pointed to the film as the only Hollywood movie to accurately capture their combat experience.
