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The Best World War II Movies Tournament

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jkag89
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In reply to Bruce Almighty • 9:42p, 2/3/21
I'm not doing a CBI Bracket.

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Zombie Jon Snow
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In reply to jkag89 • 9:44p, 2/3/21
AG
jkag89 said:
I'm not doing a CBI Bracket.

well... you have to pay to play in the CBI so if they pay you......???
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JABQ04
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In reply to Bruce Almighty • 10:51p, 2/3/21
AG
Bruce Almighty said:
Unless I overlooked it, Escape from Sobibor hasn't been mentioned on this thread. It's a good Rutger Hauer Holocaust film.


Have you seen "The Grey Zone"? It's about the Aushwitz sonderkommando uprising.
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G Martin 87
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In reply to cbr • 5:52a, 2/4/21
AG
cbr said:
Pleasantly surprised where eagles dare beat force 10. Both great.
Not surprised. Force 10 has nekkid Barbara Bach and a catchier soundtrack, but it really isn't a very good movie.
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jkag89
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8:23a, 2/4/21
Final chance to vote in Round Two of the Main Event. I'll leave the polls open til 10 or so this morning. VOTE HERE!

The first round of NIT Bracket for those films snubbed by the committee, Vote Here

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jkag89
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10:23a, 2/4/21
Round Two is closed. Results and Round Three match-ups hopefully up shortly.
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jkag89
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1:15p, 2/4/21
Second Round Results

The Battles
Dunkirk (2017) 40% - The Longest Day 60%
Flags of Our Fathers 38.6% - Tora! Tora! Tora! 61.4%

The Ground War
Saving Private Ryan 90.3% - Enemy at the Gates 9.7%
Fury 84.4% - Battleground 15.6%

The War on the High Seas
The Enemy Below 48.4% - Run Silent Run Deep 51.6%
U-571 72.3% - Sink the Bismarck! 27.7%

The Air War
Twelve O'Clock High 38.5% - Memphis Belle 61.5%
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo 80.7% - The Dam Busters 19.3%

Mini-Series
The Band of Brothers 94.5% - Winds of War 5.5%
The Pacific 86.6% - Generation War (Unsere Mtter, unsere Vterm Our Mothers, Our Fathers) 13.4%

WWII Biopics
Patton 81.7% - Unbroken 18.3%
Darkest Hour 46.5% - Hacksaw Ridge 53.3%

John Wayne Movies
They Were Expendable 56.7% - Flying Tigers 43.3%
Sands of Iwo Jima 81.7% - In Harm's Way 18,3%

Commando Movies
Where Eagles Dare 78.9% - The Great Raid 21.1%
The Dirty Dozen 68.2% - The Guns of Navarone 31.8%

POW Movies
The Great Escape 81.8% - Empire of the Sun 18.2%
The Bridge on the River Kwai 86.6% - Stalag 17 13.4%

The Resistance
Casablanca 67.2% - Valkyrie 32.8%
A Hidden Life 55.1% - The Train 44.9%

Spy/Espionage Films
Notorious 27.8% - The Eagle Has Landed 72.2%
Saboteur 72.7% - 36 Hours 27.3%

Holocaust Related Films
Schindler's List 92.3% - The Boy in the Striped Pajamas 7.7%
The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) 58.2% - The Pianist 41.8%

The War from the German, Japanese and Italian Perspective
Das Boot 78.1% - Downfall 21.9%
Rome, Open City 3.3% - Letters from Iwo Jima 95.7%

The Homefront
The Best Years of Our Lives 41.5% - A League of Their Own 58.5%
A Soldier's Story 76.1% - Since You Went Away 23.9%

Dark Comedies
The Great Dictator 40.7% - Jojo Rabbit 59.3%
Inglourious Basterds 85.7% - The Producers 14.3%

Light Hearted Comedies
Mister Roberts 46.3% - Operation Petticoat 53.7%
A Foreign Affair 21% - Top Secret! 79%

Sci-Fi / Comic Book / Horror / Fantasy
Hellboy (2004) 14.8% - Captain America: The First Avenger 85.2%
The Final Countdown 15.3% - Raiders of the Lost Ark 84.7%

Miscellaneous (Hodgepodge of films that don't fit neatly in any of the categories)
We've Never Been Licked 71.6% - Atonement 28,4%
The Hill 24.5% - From Here to Eternity 75.5%

Round Three (The Bracket Finals) VOTE HERE!!
The Battles

The Ground War

The War on under the High Seas

The Air War

Miniseries

WWII Biopics

John Wayne Movies

Commando Movies

POW Movies

The Resistance

Spy/Espionage Films

Holocaust Related Films

The War from the German, Japanese and Italian Perspective

The Homefront

Dark Comedies

Light Hearted Comedies

Sci-Fi / Comic Book / Horror / Fantasy

Miscellaneous (Hodgepodge of films that don't fit neatly in any of the categories)

VOTE HERE!!
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Ol Jock 99
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1:23p, 2/4/21
Chipotlemonger
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In reply to jkag89 • 1:23p, 2/4/21
AG
You're putting a lot of work into this, or is great!
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jm94
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In reply to jkag89 • 1:31p, 2/4/21
AG
jkag89 said:
Saving Private Ryan 90.3% - Enemy at the Gates 90.7%
Twelve O'Clock High 61.5% - Memphis Belle 61.5%
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jkag89
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In reply to Chipotlemonger • 1:33p, 2/4/21
Once the initial work is done, it is mostly just cut and paste for other rounds, so really not all that bad. The posting for this round was delayed due to a power outage at home. I refuse to make long posts from my phone, I tend to be all thumbs
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jkag89
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In reply to jm94 • 1:40p, 2/4/21
D'oh!
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OldArmy71
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2:05p, 2/4/21
AG

Quote:
The Ground War

Fury 84.4% - Battleground 15.6%

The Air War
Twelve O'Clock High 38.5% - Memphis Belle 61.5%

The Homefront
The Best Years of Our Lives 41.5% - A League of Their Own 58.5%

A Soldier's Story 76.1% - Since You Went Away 23.9%

This is how I know people have not seen these movies....
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JB!98
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2:15p, 2/4/21
AG
FYI - The Pacific is on the History Channel this week. I have all episodes set to record on Saturday. Got to record all of the Band of Brothers episodes last week.
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cbr
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2:18p, 2/4/21
AG
fury had some good moments, but the ending was so utterly, absolutely idiotic stupid that it really should never win any competition other than the stupid, ****ty idiotic ending competition.

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Hey Nav
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4:18p, 2/4/21
AG
Wow. 12 O'Clock High lost to Memphis Belle.

Best Years of Our Life lost to A league of Their Own

!2 and Best should be in the final 4.

Wow.
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Zombie Jon Snow
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In reply to jkag89 • 4:37p, 2/4/21
AG
jkag89 said:


John Wayne Movies
Where Eagles Dare 56.7% - Flying Tigers 43.3%
Sands of Iwo Jima 81.7% - In Harm's Way 18,3%

Commando Movies
Where Eagles Dare 78.9% - The Great Raid 21.1%
The Dirty Dozen 68.2% - The Guns of Navarone 31.8%

you got a typo here....

John Wayne winner should be "They Were Expendable" not "Where Eagles Dare"

you have it correct in the voting section.

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jkag89
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In reply to Zombie Jon Snow • 4:42p, 2/4/21
Double D'oh!
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jkag89
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6:39p, 2/4/21
I'll leave the first round of the 'NIT" Bracket open for an hour or so more. Vote Here
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Tanya 93
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7:05p, 2/4/21
I might have to flip a coin between Das Boot and Letters from Iwo Jima
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Bruce Almighty
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7:57p, 2/4/21
AG
Das Boot is my #1 overall. I'll vote that over BoB and SPR.
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jkag89
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8:27p, 2/4/21
First Round of the "NIT" Results
Conspiracy 54.5% - South Pacific 45.5%
City of Life and Death 18.2% - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 81.8%
Battle of the Bulge 62.5% - Pearl Harbor 37.5%
Ike: Countdown to D-Day 16.7% - 1941 83.3%
The Scarlet and The Black 17.6% - The Book Thief 82.4%
Victory 37.5% - White Christmas 62.5%
Come and See 11.5% - The Sound of Music 88.5%
The Unknown Soldier (Tuntematon sotilas) 38.9% - When Trumpets Fade 61.1%

Round Two (Match-ups for this round were also randomized)

Vote Here
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Hey Nav
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In reply to jkag89 • 8:32p, 2/4/21
AG
Can one not vote in some categories and still have their other votes count (I don't know some of these films) ?
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jkag89
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In reply to Hey Nav • 8:45p, 2/4/21
Yes
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A New Hope
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In reply to jkag89 • 9:05p, 2/4/21
jkag89 said:
137 films (plus 8 miniseries) categorized into 18 brackets. The winners of each bracket will be seeded by total votes received. The winners of the 8/11 seed and 9/10 seed matchups will then faceoff against each other to make it to the Elite Eight. I don't think there is any major omissions expect for the late Soviet Era Russian film Come and See which made almost every list of best WWII films that I came across. I had originally planned to have an Eastern Front bracket but there really are not many films on this aspect of the war outside of those made by the Russians. Considering few here have likely seen it, including myself, I opted to leave it out. Seeding differs for each bracket, sometimes done upon personal favorites, sometimes on IMDb rating and . sometimes on what made interesting match-ups Please note if one of your favorites is not included in a particular bracket there is a good chance it will be in another. Please go through all the brackets before voicing your complaints.

VOTE HERE!

The Battles
Also considered: Guadalcanal Diary, Battle of the Bulge (not a bad popcorn flick but horribly inaccurate), Pearl Harbor Decided to include both Midway films as a single entry since both have their strengths and flaws.

The Ground War
Also considered: The Story of G.I. Joe, A Walk in the Sun, Overlord (1975) Attack

The War on the High Seas
Also considered: The Cruel Sea, PT109

The Air War
Also considered: . Sole Survivor (1970), Dive Bomber (Meh plot but great Technicolor footage of US Naval aircraft in service just prior to the American entrance into the war), Red Tails, Reach for the Sky, Yank in the RAF, The Wind Rises, Above and Beyond

Mini-Series
Also considered: Liberator, Pearl

WWII Biopics
Also considered: The Fighting Sullivans, (The Sullivan Brothers), Pride of the Marines (Al Schmid), Hell to Eternity(Guy Gabaldon), MacArthur (Douglas MacArthur)

John Wayne Movies
Others considered: The Fighting Seabees, The Wings of Eagles, The Sea Chase

Commando Movies

POW Movies
Others considered: Victory, A Man Escaped,, Slaughterhouse-Five, Hart's War

The Resistance
Also considered: This Land Is Mine, Hangmen Also Die!, Army of Crime, Soldier of Orange, The Scarlet and the Black, A Man Escaped, Is Paris Burning?, The Book Thief

Spy/Espionage Films
Also considered: O.S.S., All Through the Night, Charlotte Gray

Holocaust Related Films
Also considered: Son of Saul, Au Revoir les Enfants, Julia, The Zookeeper's Wife, Jakob the Liar, The Book Thief

The War from the German, Japanese and Italian Perspective
Also considered: The Tin Drum, Lore, Blind Spot. Hitler's Secretary, Fires on the Plain (1959), The Burmese Harp, El Alamein - The Line of Fire, Paisan

The Homefront
Also considered: I'll Be Seeing You, The Major and the Minor, 1941

Dark Comedies

Light Hearted Comedies
Also Considered:: The Secret War of Harry Frigg, 1941 (Face it folks, except for the first scene it is not very funny), The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Biloxi Blues, McHale's Navy, Hail the Conquering Hero, I Was a Male War Bride

Sci-Fi / Comic Book / Horror / Fantasy (Seeding for this bracket: two films from each of the four categories are pitted against each other, will randomize matchups after the first round)
Also considered: The Philadelphia Experiment, The Bunker. Apt Pupil, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Slaughterhouse-Five, The Book Thief

Miscellaneous (Hodgepodge of films that don't fit neatly in any of the categories)
Also considered: The Mortal Storm. Emperor (2012), The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

VOTE HERE!
Wow. Amazing list.
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Hey Nav
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9:17p, 2/4/21
AG
Still can't believe 12 O'Clock High did not make the cut (and lost to Memphis Belle). Yikes

The USAF has used this film in many courses as a study in leadership. It should have won this competition.

Everyone who voted for Memphis Belle - dingleberries. Every one of you.

The Best Years of Our Lives vs the chick baseball movie. Not even worthy of a reference to dingleberries. Good grief.
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cbr
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In reply to Hey Nav • 9:26p, 2/4/21
AG
Hey Nav said:
Still can't believe 12 O'Clock High did not make the cut (and lost to Memphis Belle). Yikes

The USAF has used this film in many courses as a study in leadership. It should have won this competition.

Everyone who voted for Memphis Belle - dingleberries. Every one of you.

The Best Years of Our Lives vs the chick baseball movie. Not even worthy of a reference to dingleberries. Good grief.
12 oclock high was great, but frankly memphis belle was really outstanding too.

agree on the chickflicks.

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cbr
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In reply to Tanya 93 • 9:27p, 2/4/21
AG
Tanya 93 said:
I might have to flip a coin between Das Boot and Letters from Iwo Jima
yeah that's like drawing bama in the first round/
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Bruce Almighty
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In reply to Hey Nav • 9:31p, 2/4/21
AG
Hey Nav said:
Still can't believe 12 O'Clock High did not make the cut (and lost to Memphis Belle). Yikes

The USAF has used this film in many courses as a study in leadership. It should have won this competition.

Everyone who voted for Memphis Belle - dingleberries. Every one of you.

The Best Years of Our Lives vs the chick baseball movie. Not even worthy of a reference to dingleberries. Good grief.
.

You have to keep in mind the average age of the posters on this board. 12 O'Clock High is from 1949 and unknown to most posters on this board. I can't recall ever seeing it on tv. Memphis Belle was made in 1990, has well known actors and was on tv all the time.

A League of the Own winning shouldn't be a shock at all. A great movie with Tom Hanks is pretty much a sure thing over some movie most haven't seen.
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cbr
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9:36p, 2/4/21
AG
LOL, here's my gripe list:

These should really all still be in:

Midway
A bridge too far
Cross of iron
Enemy at the gates
Dirty dozen
Force 10
Empire of the sun
Kelley's heroes
12 oclock high


These should never have really made it past the first round:

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
The Diary of Anne Frank (1959)


These suck:

The Pianist
Hellboy (2004)
Captain America: The First Avenger
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jkag89
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In reply to cbr • 9:46p, 2/4/21
Don't consider A League of Their Own a chick flick, well at least if you throw out the sappy parts at beginning and end. The middle is an excellent baseball film and a decent look at America during the War years. That said The Best Years of Our Lives should have won this bracket going away.
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Hey Nav
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9:52p, 2/4/21
AG
My comments are meant to be tongue in cheek. I really don't get worked up over an internet film competition (and the OP created a very very good competition).

Concerning the Best Years of Our Life:

Academy awards:
Best picture
Best director
Best actor
Best supporting actor
The list goes on and on. This film is a classic.

The chick baseball is not in the the same galaxy.

Frederick March
Dana Andrews
Harold Russell
Myrna Loy
Teresa Wright
Virginia Mayo
Even Hoagy Carmichael had a part.

Great cast.

Comparing Gregory Peck and Dean Jagger to Matthew Modine and Tate Donovan is just silly.

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Hey Nav
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In reply to Bruce Almighty • 10:06p, 2/4/21
AG
Quote:
You have to keep in mind the average age of the posters on this board.
Thank you for pointing out how old I am.
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oragator
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10:22p, 2/4/21
Yeah, best years of our lives was one of the best movies from that whole era, of any genre. Sad that more do t know of it.

I will say though, that as each one of these polls unfold here, some of the stranger IMDb ratings I see from time to time start to make more and more sense,
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Chipotlemonger
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10:25p, 2/4/21
AG
Conspiracy vs. Battle of the Bulge! Dammit! My top 2 in the consolation bracket.
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