I have, as my recent posts indicate, been reading far more than watching films. I find reading to be much … More
Category: WWII
Classic Spy Novel – “Cause for Alarm” by Eric Ambler
Partial spoilers present: Ambler is the father of the literary spy novel. That much is long settled by the testimony … More
Spy Novel Review – Zoo Station by David Downing
This is a colorful spy story that has fans of the genre on either side of the fence. For some, … More
WWII Spy Book Review – The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst
The reviews on this site are more and more bookish, which I really don’t mind but perhaps you do. For … More
WWII Spy Book Review – Dark Star by Alan Furst
Alan Furst is a magnificent teller of tales. But his tales are so intricately woven, finely detailed and endlessly researched … More
WWII Film Review – Where Eagles Dare (1968)
No real plot spoilers ahead. Here is simply a rollicking classic shoot ‘em up war flick with all the ingredients … More
WWII Spy Book Review – Night Soldiers by Alan Furst
No real spoilers ahead. From the small town of Vidin in Bulgaria, on the eddy-filled Danube, a teenaged boy called … More
WWII Spy Book Review – Assignment in Brittany by Helen MacInnes
Helen MacInnes was a remarkable woman. She was a Scots Presbyterian young lady of Glasgow (my mother’s stomping grounds), degreed … More
WWII Film Review – Das Boot (1981)
What to say about the now-classic film Das Boot (1981)? This is director and screenplay writer Wolfgang Petersen’s most iconic … More
WWII Film Review – Downfall (2004)
When executed with craft and excellence, a historical film puts meat on the bones of historical texts. They illustrate dry … More
WWII Film Review – Against the Sun (2014)
Against the Sun (2014), directed by Brian Falk, happened to be available to me for free, so I watched it … More
WWII Film Review – When Trumpets Fade (1998)
When Trumpets Fade is a gruelling TV movie directed by John Irvin, featuring Ron Eldard in the leading role. I viewed this … More
WWII Film Review – Edge of Darkness (1943)
Edge of Darkness is a Warner Brothers film created in the midst of WWII by Lewis Milestone, best know for … More
WWII Film Review – Anthropoid (2016)
Anthropoid (2016), directed by Sean Ellis, is a tension-packed film based on true events. I watched it twice before reviewing. … More
WWII Film Review – Saints and Soldiers (2003)
Saints and Soldiers (2003), directed by Ryan Little, was an enjoyable film that carried with it some minor groan-worthy plot … More
WWII Film Review – Son of Saul (2014)
Son of Saul (2014), a Hungarian film directed by László Nemes and written by László Nemes and Clara Royer is … More
WWII Film Review – Sophie Scholl, The Final Days (2005)
Sopie Scholl, The Final Days (2005) is a stunning drama of great conviction and courage. Julia Jentsch plays the main … More
WWII Film Review – Generation War (Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter) 2013
“Father? What did you do during the war?” This is the question that WWII German fathers did not desire to … More
WWII Film Review – Desperate Journey (1942)
Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan star in this war-time romp through propaganda film camp. Directed by Raoul Walsh and released … More
WWII Film Review – The Guns of Navarone (1961)
The Guns of Navarone (1961) is a winner. J. Lee Thompson directs this mid-century classic WWII special forces adventure in … More
WWII Film Review – Ghetto (2006)
Apparently, its popular to like this film. I watched Ghetto (2006) and was not really able to get on the … More
WWII Film Review- The Grey Zone (2001)
Book recommendations included in this review. Director Tim Blake Nelson adapted his play of the same name for the screen. … More
WWII Film Review – Winter in Wartime (2008)
Winter in Wartime was a very enjoyable movie that had me invested in the young main character very soon. Directed … More
WWII Film Review – The Last Lieutenant (1993)
(Spoilers and ethical-religious rant ahead) Stories about kind old men and their old-school ways are compelling because most of us … More
Continuation War film – Schlacht um Finnland (2007)
Schlacht um Finnland (2007) is a docu-drama, an action film that documents the intense Battle of Tali-Ihantala in 1944 between … More
WWII Film Review – Flame and Citron (Flamen & Citronen, 2008)
Here’s a film that’s a well-made story of two friends, close friends, who happen to also be Danish resistance fighters … More
WWII Film Review – Above and Beyond (2006, 2 Part Mini-series)
Above and Beyond (2006, 2 Part Mini-series) is a Canadian drama that was a pretty good effort to show an … More
WWII Film Review – Battle for Sevastopol
The 2015 film Battle for Sevastopol (Bitva za Sevastopol) follows the life of historic character Lyudmila Pavlichenko as she has … More
WWII Film Review – Sahara (1943)
How can you go wrong with Humphrey Bogart in a tank? Bogart plays Sergeant Joe Gunn in Sahara, a propaganda … More
WWII Film Review – Dark Blue World (Tmavomodrý svet, 2001)
If you are stricken by the romance of the skies, movies about the Battle of Britain have surely been among … More
WWII Film Review – Army of Crime (2009)
Army of Crime (“L’armée du crime” 2009) follows the story of a resistance cell made up of French Jews, ethnic … More
WWII Film Review – Max Manus, Man of War (2008)
Here’s a rousing adventure tale of WWII Norwegian war-hero Max Manus. Max Manus, Man of War follows a veteran of … More
WWII Film Review – Sea Wolves (1980)
How do you take down a group of Nazi radio ships in a neutral harbor on the Portuguese Indian coast? … More
WWII Film Review – Come and See (1985)
Elem Klimov’s 1985 film, Come and See (Idi i Smotri) is considered by many to be a very powerful anti-war … More
WWII Film Review – Black Book (2006)
Opening in Israel, the film Black Book takes us on a tale of betrayal and underground resistance. Rachel Stein reflects … More
WWII Film Review – Ambush (2009)
Ambush (2009), or Rukajärven tie in its original Finnish, is presented as a sequel to Pekka Perikka’s classic Winter War … More
WWII Film Review – Attack on Leningrad (2009)
The 2009 film Attack on Leningrad was one I had to have. Being interested in the eastern front of WWII, … More
WWII Film Review – Ballad of a Soldier (1959)
Grigori Chukhrai’s Ballad of a Soldier was crafted in the USSR in 1959. Its black and white, in Russian with … More
