This week is devoted to war movies. It occurs to me as I list my favorites that there really aren't many battle scenes here. But you can't argue that these movies aren't about the horrors of war and the resiliency of the human spirit when faced with it.In Country. 1989. Bruce Willis' best performance in a moving film about the painful aftermath of Viet Nam.
Shenandoah. 1965. Jimmy Stewart tries to hold his family together, even as the country is torn apart by Civil War.
Mister Roberts. 1955. Henry Fonda shows the heroic, albeit often dull, side of war as he serves on a supply ship during WWII.
Casablanca. 1942. During WWII, Rick Blaine teaches us that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.
And, of course Gone with the Wind. 1939. The first time I saw Scarlett go off in search of Dr. Meade to help her deliver Melanie's baby, and witnessed her stepping over all those dead and dying boys, the human waste of war was seared into my consciousness.
To play along yourself, click here.
Yay for In Country!!! I saw that in the theater and although I don't remember a lot of the details, the emotion from it has always stuck with me.
ReplyDeleteAnd you are right - War genre is more than just battle scenes - the emotional battles are the real gems.
Of the ones you list, I've only seen Casablanca and Gone With The Wind, but I can't argue with either of those. I'll have to keep an eye out for the others.
ReplyDeleteGreat choices. I'm not familiar with In Country, but I know the rest well.
ReplyDelete