D Day Viewing

It seems almost crass to commemorate such a hallowed day as the beginning of the allied invasion of Normandy with movie viewing, but since it is now the day after, I think we can start watching. None of these can do justice to the scope and intensity of the events on June 6th, 1944, but some of the movies about this day are a good reminder of what those men and women endured.. And some are not as good.


Here are a few:

This one is the quintessential classic star studded tribute to the invasion at Normandy. Everyone who was anyone was in it, and it is a must see. Not as graphic and much more glorifying than today's re-tellings, but it still records some of the actual events and reflects some of the enormity of the operation.

I haven't seen IKE yet, but I usually enjoy Tom Selleck and it looks interesting. I think they also show the famous scene where Ike is photographed talking to the paratroopers that are all bedecked in their was gear, Mohawk haircuts and bristling with weapons.

I used to love The Big Red One when I was in middle school. It tries hard to recreate the pathos and pain of serving in a rifle squad through North Africa, Normandy and to the liberating of a concentration camp in one running battle after the next.

I have seen it again more recently. Ummmmm.......

If you want PTSD from having been on Normandy Beach and having seen your buddy's die violent deaths, dim the lights, turn up the sound and you are there looking into the face of the German defenses as you jump off your landing craft. You've probably already seen this one, or decided you aren't quite ready for it, but it does tell a great story.

These guys were there. You can go watch them there. Through the whole thing, D-Day and after.

No one has actually ever seen this movie. From the descriptions of it, they should not. A love triangle about two officers heading off to their fate on D-Day and sharing stories about the girl they left behind...which happens to be, unwittingly, the same girl for both of them.

Not a strictly D Day movie, but it's related. And it has Clint Eastwood in it. Kind of a Guns Of Navarone in the snow sort of feel with a squad of special operations guys try to rescue a General that has the plans for the D Day invasion.










So, watch a few flicks. Keep the memory alive.