Remembrance Day is upon us
and it’s time to look back again and think of those who died in service to
their country. There are a lot of astounding war films from Patton to The Bridge on the River Kwai, but now’s a time to focus especially
on those with anti-war themes that stress the importance of those who suffered
and were affected by the mass conflicts we acknowledge on November 11th.
5. Das Boot, the
epic about a German U-boat and its disillusioned crew as they are thrust into
peril and desperation gives us in the west a different perspective on the
Second World War by seeing it from the perspective of Germans. It’s easy to
assume all the soldiers of the Third Reich were the aggressors on the same page
as Hitler but this film dispels those notions. We see a weary crew some
expecting glory but most just wallowing in the depravity of their situation.
What also makes this film great are the performances, particularly Jürgen Prochnow as the Captain, and the in-depth detail into the operations, dangers, and life
aboard a U-boat. This level of attention is similar to Master and Commander and creates more realism, something that also
comes across in the harsh conditions depicted from close quarters to dirty
spaces to a crabs contagion. The fact these men endured such harsh conditions,
followed questionable orders, in support of an ideology they didn’t all agree
with is an important message Das Boot conveys
in spades.
4. Speaking of following questionable orders: part war
film, part courtroom drama, Stanley Kubrick’s Paths of Glory tells the story of a company of Frenchmen in the
First World War on a suicide mission and the court martial they face for
cowardice when they refuse to go over the top. This drama portrays grimly the
incompetence of the military commanders responsible for much of the death toll;
as well as the mock trials and injustice that took place to defer blame. Adolphe
Menjou and George Macready portray their despicable characters very well
putting personal gain and power over the lives of their men. Notably these
characters are motivated by the promise of promotion and there is an assumption
this is the way of things. The anti-war message then is very clear, but while
maybe an exaggeration, I’m reminded of some of the poor wartime decisions by
General Haig and others during that war in which lots of men died for very
little gains. It’s an environment where Kirk Douglas’ idealist Colonel Dax has
no place, and sadly paints a bleak picture the film makes clear mustn’t be
repeated.
3. Saving Private
Ryan secured its place as one of cinema’s greatest war movies with its
opening scene, depicting the Omaha Beach landing in all its swiftness and
deadliness. Director Steven Spielberg used first person camera angles, and
shaky cuts to capture the terror of the scene and succeeded in making it iconic
and tragic. The rest of the plot concerning a company of soldiers on a special
mission into occupied France to recover one lost man played by Matt Damon
(having to be rescued seventeen years before The Martian), is fittingly dramatic conveying the desperation of
the circumstances and the measures war pushes on ordinary people who’ve become
soldiers. The climactic battle though not as impactful as the first is still
very tense and evenly paced. And Tom Hanks’ performance is one of his best
reminding us tremendously of the sacrifice of hundreds of like men. It gets
praised a lot, but Saving Private Ryan in
its grittiness and accuracy to the worst of situations makes it truly deserving
and remarkable.
2. Grave of the
Fireflies is probably the most depressing animated film ever made. The
story is about two children caught in the crossfire of war; their home
destroyed and mother killed, they’re forced to fend for themselves in a
war-torn environment and hostile economy. From one of the best openings, these
children have our empathy and sorrow, and their journey though tragic is very
poignant. Seeing these children forced to adapt and largely failing is
heartbreaking, and you realize how many of these children really exist during
times of disaster and conflict. And though the plot doesn’t require it be
animated, the animation is very rich and well earned. The fireflies in
particular which in their shortened lifespan foreshadow the fate of our
protagonists, look wonderful. I don’t know how, but this film really conveys
light tremendously. The film is powerful, emotional, and downright terrific; it
is immensely sad but there’s a point behind it, illustrated by strong characters
and themes. It’s a story of desperation, of a harsh time, what people had to do
and were forced to do, and the dire circumstances of the innocent trying to
survive and protect each other, a side of most war stories that’s often
criminally ignored.
1. No war film has better encapsulated the First World
War, its sudden impact and deadliness like All
Quiet on the Western Front. I’ve already talked about it extensively in a Back
to the Feature review but to recap, it’s about a group of young men,
students including Paul Baumer (Lew Ayres) enlisting for war and the prospect
of glory and triumph only to be exposed to the grim and traumatizing reality.
Not only was this film made before the Second World War making its message all
the more apt, this was also made before the Production Code came into effect
allowing a degree of graphicness in the violence and tone meaning the horrors
of war could be conveyed more explicitly. The way the film reminds us how no
one fully realized what they were getting into at the start of the First World
War is especially important, as we come to torturous truth along with the
characters. Paul is excited at the start to serve his country only to sink to
despair and merely a will to survive. Which is depressing, as these kinds of
war movies should be. All Quiet on the
Western Front gets right the message that war is a terrible thing and the
people who die aren’t exactly noble heroes but everyday people who put their
lives on the line. And it’s the fact these WERE people just like us that makes
honouring them so important. No one should die at nineteen on a waste-filled
field of battle and this film reminds us why. It humanizes the enemy, is
shockingly honest during a time when the glory of war was still a propaganda
tool, its shot beautifully, acted well, boasts relatable characters and tense
imagery, and is a poetic tribute to those who gave everything in wartime.
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