Silver Screen Icons: World War II - Battlefront Europe

Battleground (1949)

An Oscar-winning account of the Battle of the Bulge, director William Wellman's stirring wartime drama chronicles the struggles of a company of American soldiers trapped by the Germans in Bastogne during the fighting. Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban, and George Murphy star as members of the unit who must face deadly enemy fire, dwindling supplies, harsh weather, and their own crippling fears. With Marshall Thompson, Jerome Courtland, James Whitmore. 118 min. BW/Rtg: NR

The Dirty Dozen (1967)

Lee Marvin heads an impressive cast in director Robert Aldrich's highly entertaining WWII saga. Just before the D-Day invasion, Major John Reisman (Marvin) assembles 12 of the Army's most dangerous convicted criminals and gives them a chance to redeem themselves by taking part in a dangerous behind-enemy-lines assault on a meeting of several high-ranking German officers. With Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Telly Savalas, and Donald Sutherland. 150 min. C/Rtg: NR

Where Eagles Dare (1968)

WWII action classic with Clint Eastwood as an American officer who joins British major Richard Burton's team of commandos on an assignment to infiltrate an impenetrable German fortress in the Alps in order to rescue a U.S. Army general before he can reveal the secrets behind the impending invasion of Normandy. Mary Ure, Patrick Wymark, Michael Hordern co-star in this thrilling, twist-filled tale from the pen of Alistair MacLean. 155 min. C/Rtg: PG

Kelly's Heroes (1970)

Clint Eastwood stars in this wartime comedy-adventure as a U.S. Army lieutenant-busted down to private-who leads a ragtag band of soldiers on a dangerous mission behind enemy lines. But their motives aren't so much patriotic as greedy as it turns out they're looking to steal a fortune in Nazi gold. With Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Carroll O'Connor, Gavin MacLeod, and Donald Sutherland as a proto-hippie tank driver. 143 min. C/Rtg: PG

Standard and Widescreen; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.