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I am an avid film buff,
especially of historical and war movies. The HBO series ‘The
Pacific’ promises to do for the Pacific Theater of World War
II what ‘Band of Brothers’ did for the European Theater –
bring a contemporary eye to an endlessly fascinating event
in world history .
Here’s a round-up of films
depicting the Pacific Theater of the War, including a list
of my favorites. Agree, disagree, like to suggest more? Just
email me at jamie@toysoldierco.com
Jamie’s Top 11 World War
II Pacific Movies. These must be seen!
1943 - Guadalcanal Diary - A
great war movie with a semi-documentary approach
1945 - Objective Burma - along with 'Guadalcanal Diary' the
best of the WWII action films
1953 - From Here to Eternity - a great drama about America
on the verge of War
1955 - Mister Roberts - Naval comedy/drama about servicemen
enduring inaction
1956 - The Burmese Harp - brilliant Japanese anti-war drama
1957 - The Bridge on the River Kwai - the second best
war/anti-war film ever made
1983 - Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence - Superb, moving tale
of British troops in Japanese P.O.W. camp
1987 - Empire of the Sun - Civilians held in Japanese
internment camp - moving and beautifully shot
2002 - Windtalkers - The best post-WWII action film also
deals with racism, the nature of heroism
2006 - Flags of our Fathers - What makes a hero? Unflinching
examination of America's Pacific struggle and the men who
suffered and died over there and at home 'for the cause'
2006 - Letters from Iwo Jima - Companion piece to 'Flags of
our Fathers' - the best anti-war film ever made
Here’s a round-up of
other films about the period, grouped by style or period:
Propaganda and "We'll
never give up" spirit:
1942 - Flying Tigers - John Wayne flies for the Chinese Air
Force
1942 - Wake Island - The heroic defense of our Pacific
outpost
1943 - Air Force - A bomber crew in the Pacific Theater.
Very moving.
1943 - Bataan - Last-ditch fighting to halt the Japanese
invasion of the Phillipines.
1943 - Destination Tokyo - Sub captain Cary Grant scouts for
the Doolittle Raid
1943 - Gung Ho! - America's Marine Raiders strike back at
the Japanese
1944 - The Fighting Seebees - John Wayne leads the
construction crews who support the front line troops
1944 - Marine Raiders - Elite U.S. troops fight on
Guadalcanal
1944 - The Purple Heart - heart-rending saga of captured
U.S. air crews in Japanese show trial
1944 - Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo - The Doolittle Raid
Allies on the ascendant:
1945 - Back to Bataan - Retaking the Phillipines
1945 - Pride of the Marines - fighting on Guadalcanal, then
returning home
1945 - They Were Expendable - John Ford's great tribute to
the PT boat service
Post-War Classics:
1949 - The Sands of Iwo Jima - moving retelling of the epic
struggle for one island
1953 - Anatahan - Japanese soldiers hold out despite the war
being over
1954 - The Caine Mutiny - superb courtroom drama examining
the nature of heroism
1954 - The Purple Plain - downed R.A.F. pilots behind the
lines in Burma
1955 - Battle Cry - epic war drama folloing the U.S.M.C.
across the Pafic Campaign
1956 - Away All Boats - Naval attack transport ship launches
landing craft towards invasion beaches
1956 - A Town Like Alice - British tale of Commonwealth
prisoners in Japanese P.O.W. camp
1958 - Run Silent, Run Deep - U.S. submarine commanded by
revengeful captain
1958 - The Naked and the Dead - adaptation of classic James
Jones novel
1959 - Never So Few - Special forces behind the lines in
Burma
1960 - Hell to Eternity - American invasion of Saipan
counterpointed by Anglo hero who was raised by Nisei
1962 - Merrill's Marauders - American special forces in
Burma
1967 - Beach Red - Action-packed 'B' action film with a
conscience
1968 - Hell in the Pacific - One Marine vs one Japanese in
war of wits
1970 - Too Late the Hero - Violent anti-war film about a
behind the line commando raid
1970 - Tora, Tora, Tora - Excellent retelling Pearl Harbor
attack from U.S. and Japanese points of view
1976 - Midway - Detailed account of the Midway campaign from
U.S. and Japanese points of view
1982 - Attack Force Z - Australian behind-the-lines rescue
by commando unit
1988 - Farewell to the King - Crazed, hypnotic story of U.S.
deserter leading Borneo resistance
1998 - The Thin Red Line - Overlong and at times muddled,
but with some of the best battles ever filmed
2001 - To End All Wars - Retelling the horrors of building
the Burma railway, but with modern sensibilities
for a complete list of practically every WWII movie
ever made,
click here:
Documentaries - Military Channel "Pacific Wednesdays"
Starting March 18th, and continuing for the season, The
Military Channel will be showing 4 hour-long documentaries
on the Pacific Campaign every Wednesday evening. Consult
local listings or
click here:
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