With Veterans Day fast approaching on November 11, what John Wayne movie should be shown? The movie should honor past and present Vets. Male and Female from all branches of the service. The movie should be patriotic and at the same time demonstrate to all the great service those in uniform have done for the United States.

Name the movie and why it should be shown. :)

hi chisum,

even though we don't have your veterns day it is called rememberance day down under for a jw movie on that day i would pick "they were expendable" the reason being it not only shows the hardships that the men went through but the nurses as well which is what this day is all about remembering the hardships that they endured for our freedom and way of life.

cheers smokey

Sands of Iwo Jima is arguably Wayne's best performance in a war flick, but it doesn't have much to do with women...

Speaking of war flicks, I recently watched The Flying Leathernecks. I loved it when Duke said, "Into each life a little rain must fall." Pretty good movie, but not ideal for Veterans Day.

But I think I would have to agree with smokey that They Were Expendable is probably the best choice, particularly if you want to show what women's roles were during the war. It manages to avoid being schlocky and schmaltzy but is still quite touching, and I imagine it was fairly realistic. Definitely patriotic without being jingoistic or offensive to Asians (thinking of that other thread we've got going at present).

They Were Expendable might be the best choice, but I'd like to also choose Operation Pacific. It shows the strength of men and women in war time in the Navy, and submarine action during WWII. The fact that this story is about the tragedy of war and what people have to do to make this successful is only a part of this movie, but when Duke's character also adopting a child who is a victum of war. What a great movie and tribute to the veterans in this country, and allied forces in the world.

Cheers, Hondo B)

well hondo your right they could make it a double viewing and show both of these movies for the reasons that we have all choosen thanks for reminding us about operation pacific.

cheers smokey

Gee, I go away for a few days and miss out on the chance to be the first to nominate my favorite JW movie, They Were Expendable. Smokey and Gen beat me to it, stating the same reasons I would have.

I also like the Sands of Iwo Jima. I don't know of any other place where our military gave so much for a chunk of rock. A friend of mine, now deceased, was one of the two survivors of a company of Marines that went on the beach, and both of them were wounded. I particularly like the use of some of the actual, real-life Marine Corps heroes acting in the movie, and then at the end the role call of Marines that were there.

Yeah, it should be a double feature.

:rolleyes:

Chester