World War II Movie Night

Latest Episodes:

17. "December" (1991) Nov 29, 2019

Show notes

Released on the 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, 1991's "December" was seen by few and remembered by fewer (its worldwide gross is listed at $5,868). However, some of those few think it's an unfairly overlooked film... Just after the Pearl Harbor attack, five students at a New England prep school discuss who's going to join up to fight the war the next day. Simple positions in the evening become more complex as the night wears on, threatening to end friendships as unexpected disagreements arise about the nature of war... asides include the bygone era of the late-night college bull session.

16. "Mrs. Miniver" (1942) Nov 15, 2019

Show notes

World War II Movie Night goes to the flower show with "Mrs. Miniver," our second movie made during the war (1942). Both Churchill and Roosevelt recognized the propaganda value of this Oscar-sweeper, an American production about a British family whose ideal lives are undermined by the encroaching war. Keeping up appearances leads to wondering who will survive as the movie subtly shifts gears, climaxing with a famous, rousing speech.

15. "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957) Nov 01, 2019

Show notes

World War II Movie Night does another bona fide classic with 1957's "Bridge on the River Kwai." Considered not only one of the best World War II movies but also a staple of movie lists in general, this epic portrays the Japanese-held POWs building the infamous death (Burma) railroad. The construction of a bridge along said railroad takes an unexpected turn when Alec Guinness's British officer arrives at the camp. "Bridge on the River Kwai" is a deceptively simple story that raises intense moral and ethical questions, and it's also a ferociously entertaining movie... Asides include the pornography of bygone eras and the purported joys of drinking/swimming.

14. "The Philadelphia Experiment" (1984) Oct 18, 2019

Show notes

Grab a Coke, lower your expectations and dive into 1984's "The Philadelphia Experiment," the first movie treatment of the War's most famous urban legend. Witness the seriousness of the legend descend into '80s cheese. Breezy is the tone of this episode, with multiple asides, tangents and personal anecdotes. Sorry in advance.

13. "The Great Raid" (2005) Oct 04, 2019

Show notes

World War II Movie Night goes down to the Philippines for 2005's "The Great Raid," which shows the 1944 raid that freed POWs from a Japanese prison camp. The movie portrays the real-life stakes of the time, when the Japanese began systematically killing survivors of the Bataan Death March, as the war began to turn. Although a flop upon its release, does "The Great Raid" deserve a look?

12. "Darkest Hour" (2017) Sep 20, 2019

Show notes

World War II Movie Night has its first biopic with 2017's "Darkest Hour," one of several movies made about Winston Churchill, and the one many consider the best. From the makers of inaugural episode feature "Atonement," "Darkest Hour" follows Churchill (Gary Oldman) through several days in May 1940, during which he is chosen as Prime Minister amid the increasing German takeover of Europe, including the events that would come to be known as 'Dunkirk.' Witness Churchill's increasing desperation as he deals with not only Germany but the French, his own party, and the King... Asides include thoughts on Gary Oldman's vast filmography and the tendency of drinkers to become weepy.

11. "The Longest Day" (1962) Sep 06, 2019

Show notes

An insanely large undertaking, 1962's "The Longest Day" is regarded as THE D-Day movie. Made close enough to June 6, 1944, to feature multiple cast members and consultants with connections to the War, tonight's movie strives for authenticity and accuracy. The astonishingly large, international cast includes the likes of John Wayne and Robert Mitchum, not to mention Henry Fonda and Richard Burton. Witness some of the most ambitious battle scenes ever filmed, including aerial- and tracking-shots that hold up today.

10. "Das Boot" (1981) Aug 22, 2019

Show notes

World War II Movie Night has its first foreign-language film, and the first from the view of the Axis. A truly timeless classic, "Das Boot" is a high-mark of world cinema. A German U-Boat crew in the Battle of the Atlantic staves off boredom and claustrophobia, interspersed with moments of sheer terror and even guilt. The men aboard U-96 range from ardent Nazis to those critical of Hitler and the Reich, such as the no-nonsense captain. Mostly, though, the men try to avoid thinking about their dwindling chances of surviving the War... Asides include people being mean to journalists.

9. "South Pacific" (1958) Aug 08, 2019

Show notes

World War II Movie Night ventures into an atypical genre with 1958's "South Pacific," the film version of the popular Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Famous show tunes dot the action as U.S. sailors and nurses pass the time waiting for the War to get going. A secret mission to spy on the surrounding Japanese-held islands provides the backdrop of a relationship between a nurse and a Frenchman with a mysterious past, not to mention a very-questionable-by-today's-standards relationship between a Marine and a young Islander. Witness high levels of cheesiness and a message of racial-tolerance that angered many audiences of the day... Asides include musings on one of the greatest American writers ever, James A. Michener.

8. "Saboteur" (1942) Jul 26, 2019

Show notes

What could've been just a quickie thriller by Alfred Hitchcock also captures American paranoia as the nation contemplated entering the War. Many of the Hitchcock indicators are here: falsely accused man taking flight, secret murder plots, evildoing cabals, but in this context they get some gravitas from the impending global conflict... World War II Movie Night's first movie released DURING the War, witness whiplash-inducing scene changes and legendary writer Dorothy Parker's crackling dialogue.

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