World War II Movie Night

Latest Episodes:

27. "Letters From Iwo Jima" (2006) Jun 19, 2020

Show notes

Clint Eastwood released last episode's "Flags of Our Fathers," in tandem with tonight's "Letters From Iwo Jima." Japanese soldiers, who were all but unseen in "Flags," take center stage in "Letters." The Imperial military first tries to keep Iwo Jima from the American forces, then, upon realizing the pivotal island is lost, must decide how they want to die (obviously there are differing thoughts on this matter, as well as on loyalty to the Emperor). Witness the daring movie that, in many ways, overshadowed its much safer twin... asides include the frequent insincerity of outrage-based media.

26. "Flags of Our Fathers" (2006) May 29, 2020

Show notes

World War II Movie Night does its first twofer, with the 2006 companion movies "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters From Iwo Jima," both directed by Clint Eastwood. For this episode we look at the former, a true story adapted from the popular 2000 book. Three American military men are thrust into involuntary fame when they're photographed hoisting a flag on Iwo Jima, a seemingly simple act amid a long, deadly battle. Back stateside the men are essentially ordered on a bond tour to raise the country's flagging reserves. The three are affected differently by their unlikely celebrity, and by how they grapple with what they experienced on Iwo Jima... Asides include the otherworldliness of Iceland and John Slattery's mastery of the highball-wielding rant.

25. "Fury" (2014) May 08, 2020

Show notes

Set amid the waning days of the European war, the Brad Pitt-helmed "Fury" (2014) is an intense and violent 21st-Century World War II movie. Rife with technical accuracy and unflinching hatred for the enemy, "Fury" drags the WWII movie into the post-"Saving Private Ryan" era… Asides include how entertainment journalism is more like advertising than journalism, and the thorny issue of 'consent' vis-à-vis a conquering army and local women.

24. "In Those Days" (1947) Apr 17, 2020

Show notes

Tonight's feature is quite the curio. Described as "Twelve years of Nazi rule as experienced by a car," 1947's German movie "In Those Days" is a "rubble" film: an obscure genre in which an occupied Germany grappled with its collective guilt over the war, and its diminished place in the postwar world. A strikingly weird movie with, surprisingly, something to say, "In Those Days" also goes by "Seven Journeys"... Asides include the book/show "The Man in the High Castle."

23. "Anzio" (1968) Mar 27, 2020

Show notes

This US/Italian movie depicts the ill-fated Anzio landing of the Italian campaign. Robert Mitchum and Peter Falk head the cast of a movie that has humor, philosophizing, and many battle scenes... Asides include "The Irishman," Al Jolson, and Funny Jerk vs. Cool Jerk.

22. "Cross of Iron" (1977) Mar 06, 2020

Show notes

World War II Movie Night gets edgy with the 1977 Sam Peckipah feature "Cross of Iron." Reviled upon its release, COI has grown in esteem the last few decades, helped along by famous fans such as Quentin Tarantino. Violence and betrayal reign as the German army retreats from the Russians, and everyman Steiner has to contend with Machiavellian climber Stransky. A different kind of movie than we're used to, does "Cross of Iron"'s emphasis on the mental and physical toll of war--and its anti-patriotism--make it the post-Vietnam World War II movie?... Asides include a Charlie Brown movie and the psychedelic aesthetic of the '70s.

21. "The Caine Mutiny" (1954) Feb 14, 2020

Show notes

Grab some strawberries from the icebox and let's delve into the 1954 American classic "The Caine Mutiny." Apart from a strong story centered around the erratic Captain Queeg, TCM features many subtle World-War-Two signifiers, such as the unseen Admiral Halsey and the very-seen Halsey's Typhoon (aka Typhoon Cobra), one of the most significant weather events of the war... Asides include the fall of Walter Winchell.

20. "Triumph of the Spirit" (1989) Jan 24, 2020

Show notes

As the world marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, World War II Movie Night does not only its first movie about the Holocaust but the first feature movie filmed at the actual Auschwitz camp. Willem Dafoe plays a real-life boxer in 1989's "Triumph of the Spirit." Although the movie had a strong pedigree and was braced to become an important cultural moment, TotS bombed and went strikingly unseen. What happened? Let's see if we can find out... Asides include the secret-life-and-unsolved-murder of Bob Crane.

19. "The Dam Busters" (1955) Jan 03, 2020

Show notes

A hell of a World War II story gets the movie treatment with the 1955 British film "The Dam Busters." Scientists and daredevil pilots team up for Operation Chastise, a mission to smash German dams and thereby cripple steel production. An engineer has an idea on how to get through the fortifications, but will it work under real-world conditions? What about the high-risk flying mission? None other than the original "Star Wars" (1977) was influenced by "The Dam Busters"... asides include girlie-show etiquette and yes, we're gonna have a talk about that dog.

18. "The Dirty Dozen" (1967) Dec 13, 2019

Show notes

World War II Movie Night gets down and dirty with 1967's "The Dirty Dozen." Lee Marvin leads the titular group on a suicide mission to take out Nazi brass. A surprisingly influential work, "The Dirty Dozen" is our first example of the World War II movie as kick-ass action romp... Asides include wartime propagandists and the allure of action movies to young men.

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