It time to adjust the 100 Greatest list. After seeing 29 of the first 30 movies (still have not seen “Dunkirk”), it is obvious the Military History magazine’s panel of experts was off in its rankings. Here is how they should have been ranked:
99. The Third Man (80) (not a war movie)
98. Foreign Correspondent (86) (not a war movie)
97. Ben Hur (96) (not a war movie)
96. The Life and Times of Colonel Blimp (87)
95. To Hell and Back (77)
94. The Thin Red Line (100)
93. Ballad of a Soldier (81)
92. The Guns of Navarone (93)
91. Northwest Passage (97)
90. Henry V (75)
89. Run Silent, Run Deep (79)
88. Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (98)
87. They Were Expendable (99)
86. The Desert Rats (88)
85. The Desert Fox (78)
84. The Big Red One (71)
83. Battle of Britain (90)
82. Midway (92)
81. Manchurian Candidate (85)
80. Bridges at Toko-Ri (73)
79. Sahara (83)
78. Twelve O'Clock High (72)
77. Ran (76)
76. The Man Who Would Be King (77)
75. A Walk in the Sun (82)
74. A Bridge Too Far (94)
73. Dr. Strangelove (84)
72. Breaker Morant (91)
71. Last of the Mohicans (95)
Based on what I have seen so far, I estimate that at least 20 movies on the 100 Greatest list will not make my 100 Best list. Here is a list of twenty that I feel will be worthy replacements. Feel free to suggest others.
Enemy at the Gates
Master and Commander
Three Kings
The Hurt Locker
We Were Soldiers
300
The Great Raid
Where Eagles Dare
Tora! Tora! Tora!
A Midnight Clear
When Trumpets Fade
84 Charlie Mopic
Hamburger Hill
A Rumor of War
Waterloo
9th Company
Tae Guk Gi
Dances With Wolves
Son of the Morning Star
Hornblower: The Duel
I agree with most of your replacements but I would never include A Midnight Clear, I found it by far too tacky. Joyeux Noël is superior in my view. And I wouldn't include 300 either. But maybe that is a bit of taste thing. I would include some more TV productions. Some are outstanding. My problem is I am not sufficiently familiar with this 100 list, maybe some I think worthy are already included. What about L'armée du crime or The Army of Crime? I think it is correct they did not include Dances with Wolves. By far too long. Be it as it may, the new list would be a great improvement. Where is 100?
ReplyDeleteMy extra twenty must be pretty good considering you have only a few complaints about it. It is kind of off the top of my head and will probably undergo lots of revision in teh next year.
ReplyDeleteWhen I rewatch Midnight Clear I will compare it to Joyeux Noel. I know 300 will be in my top 100. It is too entertaining and outside the box to be overlooked. It also brings light to a battle and war seldom depicted.
Dances with Wolves - not sure on this one. I think it is a great movie, but is it a war movie? Compared to some on the Greatest 100 list, it definitely is.
Army of Crime - liked, but didn't love; could make the 100 Best because I have a feeling I am not going to be impressed with some of the old movies coming up. Another possibility is "The Counterfeiters"
There is no 100 because I still have not seen Dunkirk.