Americans answer the nation's call to war in Battle Cry. Raoul Walsh (Objective, Burma!) guides a Who's Who of 1950s stars in this salute to young Marines who went to war and the women they left behind. Highlights include ... more »boot-camp training and the invasion of Saipan. Surrounded G.I.s say "Nuts!" to surrender and dig in against the enemy and winter's wrath in Battleground, Oscar winner for Best Story and Screenplay and for B&W Cinematography (1949). William A. Wellman (The Story of G.I. Joe) directs Van Johnson, James Whitmore and more in a stirring tale of "the battered bastards of Bastogne."« less
Actor:Van Heflin Genres:Action & Adventure, Drama Sub-Genres:Action & Adventure, Drama Studio:Warner Home Video Format:DVD - Color - Closed-captioned DVD Release Date: 08/30/2005 Release Year: 2005 Run Time: 4hr 26min Screens: Color Number of Discs: 2 SwapaDVD Credits: 2 Total Copies: 1 Members Wishing: 0 MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated) Languages:English
"Even though much of Battleground was shot inside a sound-stage, there is the feel of what it's like to be an infantry rifleman, a mud-pounder, and in the worst of conditions: winter. Digging foxholes one after the other. Sleeping in them, eating in them, finding ways to eliminate one's human waste, the endless waiting, then engaging the enemy. The kill or be killed mind-set. The unnaturalness of the everyday life of a man in a foreign land having to kill people he doesn't know produces a surreal trance that every rifleman enters and finds hard to come out of (thousands never came out of that trance, and suffered their whole lives for not being able to "adjust" to non-war realities). The writer keeps just the right amount of humor going around. People in war use humor to keep from "going round the bend" - as they say in England. John Hodiak was always a solid actor (see Hitchcock's Lifeboat), and keeps centering the movie with his intelligence. And few actors could play a serious role with a lot of comedic moments better than Van Johnson (Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo). Battleground has the feel of soldering in WWII. Modern liberal societies need to be defended. Many do not like what it takes to defend a liberal society. See Battleground and you'll quickly get the feel of what it takes and learn how difficult it really is."
War Double Feature: Battle Cry/Battleground...
D. S. HARDEN | L.A.,CA USA | 05/25/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"War Double Feature: Battle Cry/Battleground is a good value for the
money. For those involved, gritty performances, good scenes of humor,
angst, and pain. I stumbled onto Battle Cry on Cable late over several
nights, and just couldn't get through the whole movie (what can I say?
I have to work so I can buy these DVD's!!). So, I purchased it for
$10/US. The fact that "BattleGround" was an extra was a bonus in my book!
Finally, as my Dad was an World War II and Korea Army Infantry Man, I
know that he would have gotten "a kick" out of the close-order drilling
displayed in the movie. The guys in the scenes in both movies were on their job!!
My rating: Five stars!"
CAPT. MORGUS
David H. Munzell | GRAND PRAIRIE, TX. States | 01/15/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"BATTLEGROUND IS ONE OF THE THE BEST 1940'S WAR MOVIE EVER. IT IS UP THERE WITH GI JOE. IT IS EQUAL TO BAND OF BROTHERS
BATTLE CRY IS GOOD TOO. THE FORMULA WAR MOVIE, BUT WORTH A LOOK FOR SURE."
Great addition
Larry D. Pursell | The Bluegrass State | 01/17/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This CD was a great addition to my WWII library. The movies are classics!"
It's Battle Cry and that's enough.
Lincoln County MT | Extreme NW Montana | 09/12/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Ok a bit dated as all these oldies are showing their era and limits of film back then.
But my mother dragged me at least 5 times to see Battle Cry in my PJ's in the 50's at
the local drive-ins. Seen it at least once on TV in the 60's. Husband never did see it
so this set is for him more than me. He's a wee bit older and has more appreciation for
that era I think and besides his Mom never went over the moon for this movie either:)))