If you could remake a WWII movie, what would that film be?

Why re-make "Band of Brothers?" It was an excellent production. Why not have the British film making industry get off their arses and make a mini-series covering a British airborne regiment from it's beginnings and continuing on through the war? That way we'd have another great story to watch and post about....and something to give the blokes over on the WW2T forum something to talk about....

 

A movie where the Germans win? Well, how about the invasion of the Netherlands on 10 May 1940? In spite of heavy resistance, the Dutch surrendered after four days. Eventhough I was at the losing side as a young boy, I admit that was quite a feat and yes a definite victory! There is enough there for a good movie. Rivercrossing in row boats, paratroopers, intrigue with rivercrossings thru trickery, the cancelled but nevertheless executed bombing of the city of Rotterdam. Etc.

 

My re-makes would be:

1. The desert fox
2. The longest day
3. Valkyrie (and get rid of tom cruise)

 

Off-hand-there is a movie made about the Germans invading that Country-I can't think of it's title off-hand but-if i recall correctly? Peter Finch was in it as a semi-resistance fighter. It alos had something to do with trying to keep the Germans from getting their mitts on a large amount of Diamonds.

 

Take: The Longest Day out of your choices and I would completely agree with you on said choices for remakes ;-)) NOBODY can play Duke, and NOBODY could play Red Buttons roe in that movie either. However, the chap who played the Russian Pro[paganda Offz in Enemy at the Gates-would be perfect for the Roddy McDowell role.

 

The longest day was a great movie, don't get me wrong...The actors are great in it.. I just like to see modern day grapics or special effects added to it.. (to look more realistic I suppose) I bet ya if it was reproduced today, it would be another blockbuster hit. Question is who can cast in the roles of duke and red Buttons that would be to the liking of C.Evans... I got to hand it to you buddy, there may not be anybody out there that can do it... those are some big shoes to fill.

I forgot to mention, there is one more movie that I like to see remade.. Sophie Scholl, the final days... I wonder if anybody seen it? it's a german movie about the White Rose movement. (German resistance) Excellent story, however it would be great if it was remade into an english version (instead of subtitles). I think a movie like this deserves more attention.

 

Heh heh, im a bit over protective of Duke, Red Buttons and other greats I grew up watching ;-))

A remake I would love to see-is a remake of a foreign film by the name of Kapo. The original which I saw only once-was excellent. I don't remember who made it or even who was in it but-I was stunned the whole time it ran when I saw it shown on TCM a few years ago. For a film made over 40 or so years ago-it was shocking to see its content shown.

 

Speaking of Roddy MacDowell, his cameo role in "The Longest Day" was filmed during a break in the filming of "Cleopatra." Roddy's agent contacted him and asked him if wanted to get a bit part and pick up some pocket change for some work in TLD instead of flying home for a short visit. Not a bad choice he made I'd say.

 

You certainly do have a point and it's a point that I haven't considered when I made a similar post earlier. The only thing I can say to justify the use of modern graphics is to introduce the story to a new audience. Personally, I love the Longest Day and I believe it can stand on its own. However, many of the young people I know these days don't like to watch old films. They find it too slow or boring for their tastes.
Expanding this thread further, I think it's also time for a new TV series in the form of Combat or something like it. I know the mini-series Band of Brothers filled this void but I can't help thinking that there should be something else.

 

I would remake the movie Cross of Iron sequel 'Breakthrough'. It was a very bad movie with terrible music score and terrible sound. Great list of actors but the acting was actually bad.

 

hat's a nice tidbit of info I had knot known about TLD before. It was a monumental achievement to get any part for that movie with the exception of John Wayne ;-)) John Wayne was contacted and at first rejected the offer but then told the films Director-that he would do the part but at his own price. All the other major film stars only got from between $15,000-$25,000 each. Duke got $200,000 for his part os the Light Colonel, and after being paid-he donated his entire salary to some charaties. The person who wanted to play the part Duke got-was Charlton Heston. As both Actors are top favorites of mine-I know that had Charlton Heston got the rold of playing Vandervoort-that it would have been just as enjoying to watch-as watching Duke portray him. ;-))

 

the longest day to me is one of those classics that you just hope they never try to "touch" and put their filthy remake hands on. There is no chance you would be able to get such an amazing cast as that and make money on it after payroll, no chance what so ever.

And unless someone along the lines of a Eastwood, or a Hanks you know the movies inaccuracies are going to add up quite a bit. This isn't some 80's action movie or science fiction movie to be retold for a newer generation and is able to have modern changes made to it. the longest day was war and there is nothing you could change that would make it any better then it was.

 

To get exactly this type of reaction for a start.

Also as a form of mild revenge for those WWII movies which rewrite history to make the yanks the pivotal.

I think the UK is getting too "right-on" to see any serious production tbh. There was an approach by a prod. co. to the BBC about a biog of Johnson Beharry, who won the VC in Iraq. It was rejected because there was a danger of showing the Iraq war in a positive light, despite it being a true story... meanwhile C4 financed "Mark of Cain", a dire production whose main function was to show the Iraq war in a wholly negative light, and it's pure fiction.

You have to admire a balanced and unbiased media eh?

 

Quote: "Also as a form of mild revenge for those WWII movies which rewrite history to make the yanks the pivotal. "


There is no attempt to re-write history by making a movie such as this. That's where the problem lies, especially amongst the British. In this case, BoB was made by an American production company, about a story concerning an American unit, written by an American author, and since production companies reason for being is to make money, the target audience was American. It was not an attempt to re-write history or to belittle any other countries involved in said conflict, and to take that positition is wrong, which leads to the sentiment of your above mentioned statement. There were no British troops assigned to Easy Company of the 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division, and there was very little contact made with units of other countries during their combat activities, except the Germans of course. Just because a movie is made, and no reference to every allied combatant involved in the war, no matter how remote or far away does not mean that the country whose army or fighting unit was focused on was the only one to fight, or whose country bore the brunt of the fighting, or won it all by themselves as claimed by our esteemed brothers over on WW2T who clamor with frequency about ("there they go again, the Yanks won the war all by themselves"). There were no Soviets in BoB, but they sure did contribute to the war effort. There were no Americans in Stalingrad, and therefore not referenced in "Enemy at the Gates," but we were represented in other theatres, as were many other countries. Bottom line, movies are made to entertain and above all, to make money. They are not documentaries or visual history lessons. You should know that.

Again, there is nothing stopping the British film industry from making movies on subject matter focusing on British or Commonwealth units/campaigns/operations from WW2. And there is a wealth of information out there from them to pick from, especially since y'all were fighting a couple of years before we got involved. I'm sorry if you take this post the wrong way, there is no intention to belittle you or the British involvement in WW2 in it's content. It's just that I don't get the British mindset over this. We watch British made movies here in the states, and I've never heard anyone claim that the Brits are trying to edge out the Yanks by not having them in the movie. I just enjoy the movie. And I'm just trying to set the record straight, there is no attempt to write out British involvement in the war. Watching movies are for entertainment, that's all.

As far as what you say about British film makers being ultra liberal and not wanting to make quality war movies, well that is a shame. I don't think that they can be much worse than what we have to deal with in Hollyweird. Can't get much more liberal than that crowd. But the few good war movies they do put out have been worth seeing for the most part, albeit few and far between. But just because an American film company makes a movie about an American unit, there's no reason to cry foul because every country was not included in the movie. Just sit back and try to enjoy it. Or don't go see it at all....

 

I'd like to see remake of: The One That Got Away--just for the hell of it. This movie starred Hardy Kruger (a German Actor) and is one of his earliest movies. He portrays in this real story-a German RKT/Fighter Pilot; Oberleutnant Franz von Werra-who was the only German PW to successfully escape from various British and Canadian PW camps to make it back to Germany to fly and fight once again. Franz von Werra made his successful escape before America entered WWII. I think it was sometime in 1943 when von Werra was killed in action.

 

That is a brilliant idea! The American one i loved so much,so i would love to see the British side of things!
I would differently watch Band of brothers all over again.

Best Wishes.

 

Somehow, I overlooked your post. I do agree with you. Additionally, many of the experiences the veterans have shared here are tiny little gems, all worthy of being polished as part of a greater story (maybe a documentary even?).

 

Operation Amsterdam made in 1959

 

Thanks Mate-and I woe ya ;-))

Also, I wanted to mention to you that I just watched a great Western Called: Sergeants Three-which is actually a remake of: Gunga Din. ANyway, this version of ""Gunga Din"" start the Rat Pack and Michael Pate. I mention it because of Michael Pate and his connection with John Wayne ;-))

Michael Pate was in Hondo as Chief Vittorio-and was excellent as the famed Apache Indian Chief.