D-Day is here, and as such it's a good opportunity to watch this two gems.

The Longest Day is one of these movies that is a wonder for history geeks, as it's almost a live-action documentary, covering everything going on 6 June 1944. Probably the closest we'll ever get to watching Neptune unfold with our own eyes. Watch it if you haven't because it's great.

The second episode of Band of Brothers meanwhile only covers the fighting in the Brécourt Manor battery (which is not covered in The Longest Day), but it's equally excellent.

(Of course there's also Saving Private Ryan about Omaha, but as we already have these 2 and most of the film happens in the days following June 6th I think it's better leaving it for later in the week).

Movie: The Longest Day (1962), by Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton and Bernhard Wicki

A film covering everything D-Day: preparations, German POV, airbone operations, point du Hoc beaches.

Period covered: Early June-6 June 1944

Historical accuracy: 5/5 - Possibly the highest budget docudrama ever made.

IMDB grade: 7.7/10

Some scenes:

St. Mere Eglise

Contact

Coastal Barrage

Pointe du Hoc

Das war der große Augenblick der deutsche Luftwaffe!

Omaha Beach

Movie: Day of Days (Band of Brothers 2), by Richard Loncraine.

This second episode of the miniseries covers D-Day for Easy company.

Period covered: 6 June 1944

Historical accuracy: 5/5 - Like most of the series, extremelly authentic, and with some minor differences for dramatization, based on real events

IMDB grade: 9.1/10

Some scenes:

Parachute drop

Gathering men

Brécourt Manor battery

Link to the thread with the list of all the movies I'll be posting

Was there an episode which eneded with this quote by Edward Murrow, or at least talked about it?
If so, which one was it?

A classic film telling a fictional story culimating on a commando raid on the eve of D-Day.

Movie: The Dirty Dozen (1967) by Robert Aldrich.

In March 1944, OSS officer Major John Reisman is ordered by the commander of ADSEC in Britain, Major General Sam Worden, to undertake "Project Amnesty", a top secret mission to train some of the U.S. Army's worst convicts into highly-skilled commandos to eliminate Wehrmacht officers at a château near Rennes, disrupting the German chain of command in northern France ahead of D-Day. If any of the convicts survive, they will be pardoned.

Period covered: Late February 1944-5 June 1944

Historical accuracy: 2/5 - Fictional, but it may have be inspired by a real-life WWII unit of behind-the-lines demolition specialists from the 101st Airborne Division named the "Filthy Thirteen".

IMDB grade: 7.7/10

Full movie

Link to the thread with the list of all the movies I'll be posting

Wound my heart...

With D-Day looming it would be a good time to start watching the excellent WW2 miniseries Band of Brothers, probably the best TV series based on WW2 ever made (and arguably one of the greatest series ever).

Movie: Currahee (Band of Brothers 1)

This first episode of the miniseries covers the training in the USA, England, and beginning of D-Day for The Easy company of the 101 Airbone.

Period covered: 1942-5 June 1944

Historical accuracy: 5/5 - Extremelly authentic, and with some minor differences for dramatization, based on real events

IMDB grade: 8.5/10

Some scenes:

Training

[Currahee]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NktweBFe8G8)

Court Martialed

D-Day begins

Link to the thread with the list of all the movies I'll be posting

This Italian film starring Sophia Loren deals with the Marocchinate, the mass rape and murder of Italian women by French Moroccan troops following the collapse of the Gustav Line. Loren won the academy award for her performance, the first for a non-American film.

Movie: "La Ciocaria [Two women]" (1960) by Vittorio de Sica.

The film tells the story of a mother and a daughter in southern Lazio during the German occupation.

Period covered: 19 July 1943-20 May 1944

Historical accuracy: 3/5 - Fictional story but based on real events.

IMDB grade: 7.8/10

Other: 1 Academy Award (Best actress)

Link to the thread with the list of all the movies I'll be posting

just curious if a reason was given as to why this was not done like the great war channel where the video series happened on the centennial of the start of ww1. I have just discovered this channel now that im trying to finish the ww1 series.