Viewers follow a band of American soldiers as they engage Germans in a snowy, foggy winter near Bastogne in World War II. They have a LOT of problems because they are low on fuel, rations and ammunition. The Germans are constantly encouraging their surrender via radio announcements and leaflets. Most difficult is that the pervasive thick fog makes movement and identification difficult!! It also prevents their relief by Allied air support. This film focuses much more on the psychology and morale of the soldiers than on action footage and heroics.
Screenwriter Robert Pirosh based this story on his experiences as an infantryman during the Battle of the Bulge. Pirosh did not serve with the 101st Airborne but wanted to create a script that was faithful to their experiences. He used his first-hand knowledge of the battle to write the script. This was done with the blessing of General Anthony McAulilffe, he was commanding the 101st during the siege of Bastogne. As a result, many of the incidents in the film actually happened. Private Kippton had a habit of always losing his false teeth. The Mexican-American soldier from Los Angeles California had never seen snow until he got to Belgium. These incidents that have always been derided as "typical Hollywood phony baloney" actually happened. 3 1/2* (I liked this movie)
118 min, Action directed by William A. Wellman and written by Robert Pirosh with Van Johnson,John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban, George Murphy, Marshall Thompson, Jerome Courtland, Don Taylor, Bruce Cowling, James Whitmore, Douglas Fowley, Leon Ames, Herbert Anderson, Thomas E. Breen, Denise Darcel, Richard Jaeckel, James Arness, Scotty Beckett, Brett King.
Note: Imdb 7.4* out of 5* with 6,631 reviews, 75% Rotten Tomatoes 75% with 8 critic reviews 83% with 2,500 audience scores, 3.6/5 Letterboxd, Amazon 4.6* out of 5* with 892 ratings.
Awards: Two Academy Awards for Best Cinematography (Black and White) awarded to Paul C. Vogel and Best Writing (Story and Screenplay) awarded to Robert Pirosh. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director (William A Wellman, Best Film Editing (John D. Dunning) and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (James Whitmore). A 1950 Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor for James Whitmore and Robert Pirosh’s script won for Best Screenplay. Pirosh was also nominated for a Writers Guild Award for Best Written American Drama.
Special Note: Much of the filming took place in the studio, although there was some location filming.
Mistakes: When the troops are all riding in the back of the moving truck, the truck is rocking from side to side along the rough road and jostling the passengers. As the conversation centers on Hansan and he says a few lines, he is not being jostled and no one else is being jostled by the motion of the truck? During the prayer scenes with the padre, one of the soldiers sports a third army patch SSI. The third army under Patton was actually further south and moving up north towards Bastogne to relieve the siege with the 4th armored division leading the way. It is highly unlikely that a member of the 3rd army staff would be there within the Bastogne perimeter?
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