Hi Martin, I agree with you on that scene. In fact, I hated that part and never have felt that it had a place in the movie. However, as their mission states: they were to kill as many officers as possible. I guess that was the only way the author found that made it more possible?

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

I agree with you too, but what was the point of the gasoline? They opened the air-shafts and then wasted time with the gasoline?

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Sorry I can't answer your question except with an opinion. Maybe they added the gas because of the added effect (in everyons minds) that it would have on the audience?

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

The grenades were held within the shafts by grates at the bottom of the shaft. I guess they were insuring that if everyone didn't die from the grenade blasts and shrapnel, then they would die from fire.

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Best Regards,
JW

Just watched Battle of the Bulge again this afternoon , no idea why !!! It reminded me what utter garbage it is !!

Must jump on the U 571 debate as well , the film was an absolute disgrace........ to twist History so much and not portray the real British sailors who went down into a sinking U Boat to retrieve the first Enigma was an insult to very brave men.

Paul

Sink the Bizmark, althought not a bad film, has possibly the most ridiculous Nazi ever endured on screen. The portrayal of Admiral Lutchens is pure comedy but interestingly it would of been quite acceptable at the time.

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I always liked Sink the Bismarck and have always been a fan of Kenneth More. The portrayal of Admiral Lutjens as he was portrayed in that movie, wasn't as far off as you think ;-))

I can't remember which book I read yearsa ago but there was an excellent one done in which had some really good information on Lutjens, Lindemann, B.B.F.v.M-R (the 4th Gunnery Officer) and some others. Anyway, from what all I have ever seen and or read about Lutjens, was that he was a strict by-the-book-Admiral - and who was a definate supporter for Hitler. However, Lindemann was not.

Right now there is a book that is out which I think was written by: Dr. Robert Ballard, that is about his locating and documenting the wreck of the Bismarck. Anyway, I think he mentions in his book something similar (above) that was about Admiral Lutjens and what the crew thought of him. Anyway, if you get a chance to get this book, it is an excellent document about Ballard's finding and photographing/documenting, the Bismarck wreck site.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

There were no Eagle Squadrons in the Battle Of Britain, the first didn't become operational until January 1941.
The 7 US citizens who fought in the Battle Of Britain did so as individual pilots in RAF and RCAF squadrons.
Also the film shows USAAF pilots volunteering to serve in the Eagle squadrons, but in reality no USAAF or even ex-USAAF pilots ever served in these squadrons, due to the fact that the US government only allowed the British to set up and recruit American citizens for these squadrons on the understanding that any pilots who were serving or had served in the US military would not be accepted, as the US believed that this would break their neutrality laws.

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if in doubt....Panic!!!!

See once again this is just mumble jumble. Whats REALY important was the 2hr45 min. magnificent love story!

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

I have the book of which you speak Carl. I confess I got it for the pictures, and not Bob's POV. He tried to keep secret the location of the wreck from subsequent expeditions, but they found it anyway.
My opinion of him dropped after that "implied" ownership game.
Sorta like when I saw Bob Vila swing a hammer for the first time (many years ago). What a motor-mouth "POSER".
The kids can pound nails better than he can. Then I found out he used to sell shoes, foot by smelly foot. He was first to make it in the Home Improvement TV world, but without Norm Abrams....he's just a shoe salesman.

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"Danger Will Robinson!"

Well I have to join the ranks of the I don't like The Dirty Dozen. Battle of the Bulge is better.

Recently, Force Ten from Navarone, is on the short list along with Clint's movie on financing World War II and that yanks didn't like Indians, with something squeezed in about Okinawa and Iwo Jima. Thumbs down to U Hollywood sucks and not necessarily the movie but the music score from A walk in the Sun and Kelly's Heroes, which gets the 70s Hippie award for WWII films, Don Wrinkles saves it(no mispelling).

I liked Triple Cross, some movies are fun others like Band of Brothers well made and intense.

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Coir a glaive

Nemo me impune lacessit

Hi Skunk.W. I admit I was tempted at buying a copy of his book last time I was at Barnes & Nobles. I looked at it but only skimmed bits of the text since I did not have much time to be there. I seem to recall that your right about Ballards opinion on who owns that wreck. He kind of irritated me about it. He also compared it to what happened with the Titanic site.

On Bob Vila, that figures. He's not what he professes to be-which is an expert. I never did like it when he was host of that show. Heh heh, and I like your comparing him to a Shoe salesman. Sort of Al Bundyish ;-))

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Good romp but.......................

This is one film I would like to see a decent remake of.

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Regards, Richard


"Welcome to my new Empire,Doctor."

Battle of the Bulge wasn't a great movie but, all the Star-power it had really made it enjoying to watch. I mean, who can forget about the antics of the Telly Savalas tank commander character? Telly Savalas was hilarious. And then you have Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Robert Ryan, Robert Shaw, George Montgomery, Ty Hardin, K.O-Alberty, H-C Blech & James MacArthur etc etc.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

The Problem with the Battle of the Bulge was the screen writer, Director and most of all producer. The storyline sucked, the music score was excellent, the actors lacked the proper motivation, Shaw tried, but had little to work with due to bad direction. There is always the classic Hollywood have the Germans run in front of the machine gun and die dramatically in a overacting manner problem. There was little attempt to create realism and where were the planes??? They did hire a WWII General from 2nd Panzer Div as an advisor and used many German actors and extras but that yielded poor results. The editor also hacked the film to pieces which didn't help. A movie that addressed this well and although dated, which is ok, because it gives a truer feeling of the time is Battleground, which is one of the best movies about the Ardennes. Band of Brothers being better. With new CGI and war material reconstuction methods, The subject is ready for a remake, best indie not Hollywood and best foreign.

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Coir a glaive

Nemo me impune lacessit

It recall Spielbergs 1941 was absolutely slated by the critics of the day and inturn was a complete finacial disaster. The film was of course a comedy and we all know Spielberg doesn't make comedies, right.

However, I really don't believe it was as bad as people make out.

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Trust me, it was. It stunk to high heaven.

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Best Regards,
JW

If only it had the DUKE!

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

Deleted at request of K Staton

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K.Staton
Chesapeake Bay