Can anyone recommend....

[PVH]

Any decent WWII movies that are not strictly Allied propaganda films. In other words, movies that don't portray the Germans as simply one dimensional, mindless, bungling clowns, as so many do.
I found "As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me" (2003 Foriegn) to be pretty good, showing a German soldier's struggle to return home after being sent to Siberia.
I am interested in any films more from the German point of view, from war time to current. Any recommendations you may have will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
PVH

[John W. Howard]

Try "Decision at Dawn". It is exciting with German actors in it and is very realistic. I believe it was filmed in post-war Germany; rubble and all. A couple of the actors actually served with German forces during the war. It is in English and is one of my favorites. Best wishes,
John

[PVH]

John,
Thanks very much for the tip. I will locate this film and watch it.
Best,
PVH

[John W. Howard]

Have you seen "Das Boot"?? It is a masterpiece. Watch it in the German language with subtitles to get the best effect. I believe there is a director's cut available now with even more footage. Best wishes.

[Waleed Y. Majeed]

Hi!

"Stalingrad" is OK. The original 1959 b/w "Die Brücke"!
The 2008 color remake is OK but the old one is better!
"Der untergang" also worth seeing!

Not specifically war films but good are "Napola" and "Sophie Scholl",
worth seeing too is "Die Fälscher" from 2007 (The Counterfeiters).

There are a lot of postwar German war films made in the DDR,
but they are very propagandistic...

That should keep you busy for a while


waleed

[PVH]

John,
I located "Decision Before Dawn" easily. It is listed on Netflix. Good call, it was thoroughly enjoyable with believable characters all around. While there, I also came accross "The One That Got Away" about the escape of Luftwaffe pilot Franz von Werra. I would recommend this also to anyone looking for something more multi-faceted than the usual WWII fare.

I have seen Das Boot and I agree, it is absolutely top shelf.

Waleed,
I will locate your suggestions as well.
Thank you,
PVH

[lwd]

My initial impression was you wanted wartime movies but most of the ones mentioned so far are post war and that's another possible impression. Which are you looking for?

[Waleed Y. Majeed]

lwd, I think PVH has already stated what he is looking for...

"As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me" (2003 Foriegn)...
I am interested in any films more from the German point of view, from war time to current.

waleed

[lwd]

I don't know how I missed that. Thanks for pointing it out. I guess it was the propganda comment as I usually think of propaganda as information (or disinformation) presented for political purposes and I'm not sure if most of the post war movies qualifies in this regard.

There were a fair number of films as I recall from the 50's and 60's where the Germans were not presented as mindless or as "bungling clowns" indeed I don't remembar all that many that did present them as such. Now many didn't present them any much detail such as A Walk in the Sun. I seem to recal their portrayal in The Longest Day being fiarly reasonable for instance. Now if you are looking for detailed reasonable portrayal of Germans in movies the list becomes a lot shorter.

[Waleed Y. Majeed]

The Longest Day is a must!

A few more from the previous decade:
"Die Gustloff" M/S Gustloff - Ship of no return. A German TV production 2008.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0991156/

And "Dresden" Also a TV production 2006 - Joint German/English as far as I know.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0461658/


waleed

[John W. Howard]

Hi PVH:
Glad you liked "Decision Before Dawn". I just watched a couple of good films set in post-war Germany starring Hildegarde Neff; both were good. I will see if I am able to get you the titles. "The Third Man" is very good; set in Vienna post-war.

[PVH]

Thanks again, guys for all your input. These look like good titles and I will try to locate them all.
Best,
PVH

[Worldwarstoday]

"Five Graves to Cairo" is on Sky Movies next week in Great Britain. Great movie from 1943 starring Erich von Stronheim as Rommel which doesn't potray the Germans as all goose-stepping Nazis.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035884/

Not to be missed.

[Robert F. Rojas]

Greetings to both brother PVH and the community as a whole. Howdy PVH! Well sir, in respect to your introductory posting of Wednesday - February 23, 2011 - 10:49pm , old yours truly would like to recommend the following two celluloid productions for your viewing pleasure. The first production is entitled as A TIME TO LIVE AND A TIME TO DIE which made its theatric debut in year 1958. The second production is entitled as THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN which made its theatric debut in year 1969. The film A TIME TO LIVE AND A TIME TO DIE is ostensibly told from the German perspective while the film THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN is ostensibly told from both sides of the forward edge of the battle area. I hope these two viewing suggestions are relevant to your topical pursuits. ENJOY! Well, that's my two cents or pfennigs worth on this now quite vintage topic from yesteryear - for now anyway. In any case, I would like to bid you a copacetic day down in your corner of the southland that was once our Golden State of California.

Best Regards,
Uncle Bob