I am late to this, but wanted to note that I really enjoyed the podcast. The list was solid-- it would be interesting to see your all's list of the focus was not on leadership issues (for instance, Dunkirk). Maybe you two could do a sequel and come up with a top "10" list of war films with a different focus.
I have one quibble with Black Hawk Down. A great film, but as an historical artifact, it ignored the main reason for the tragedy -- the US forces failed to/refused to communicate with UN command and went in alone, in arrogance, and consequently walked into a disaster. As I watched, the lack of that context in the film kept nagging at me.
LTG (Ret) Hertling - I very much appreciate your comments on all 10 movies, but especially “Courage Under Fire”. I saw it in Hattiesburg, MS, while I was supporting a MSARNG AT rotation, while assigned to a Readiness Training Detachment. That movie resonated with me in a way that’s almost too hard to explain. As a 29 yo BFV Team Commander during Desert Storm, I lived through something very similar . . . Wikipedia did a good job explaining (Task Force 1-41 Infantry) . I still have my beat up 3×5 card with the names of all those we lost. It really was a great movie . . .
From a different perspective, but definitely a war movie, see “Eye in the Sky”. Excellent cast, riveting plot, 21st century warfare. And there will be blood.
I'd be interested in hearing the General's thoughts on some movies that didn't make the cut, pros and cons on films like Platoon, The Thin Red Line, All Quiet (recent) and Lawrence of Arabia. Also any insights he has into attitudes of the military at large on what they do and do not like to see in a war film. I imagine I can guess a few.
I once saw a reading list for Senator Jack Reed, on military/war/leadership, but I didn't copy it down. Maybe Mark can share his top 10 there, too. Thanks for the show!
I would have to include two movies that may not be strictly-speaking “war movies,” but which are brilliant: “The Grand Illusion” and “Lawrence of Arabia.”
A great discussion. Regarding Band of Brothers, in 2023 and again in 2024 the British archaeology group, Time Team, conducted an archaeology dig in the town in which the actual Band of Brothers were housed before D-Day (Aldbourne). The dig was a combined effort by the Time Team crew and a British wounded vets recovery group, Operation Nightingale (https://www.wessexarch.co.uk). A major focus was to find the remains of the camp that housed the soldiers but also to get information from the people in the town where they were housed. The episodes are available on YouTube under Time Team -Band of Brothers.
That was in the comments. I’m asking you to put the list in the SHOW NOTES. They are different, and you don’t have to scroll through a ton of comments to find it. Nevertheless m thanks for the reply.
One more thought. The picture on the cover of the first edition of the book “We Were Soldiers” has a picture of Lt Rick Rescorla, who died on 9/11. He was chief of security of, iirc, Morgan Stanley and was last seen going back into the tower to make sure all his people had gotten out.
I have Patton on blu-ray. When I was growing up General Frank Clay was across the street. He was an lt under Patton, and his dad Lucius was commandant of Berlin during the airlift.
Also have A Bridge Too Far. Great movie. I especially like the scenes of the flight and airborne drops.
A good movie for battle scenes is Zulu, which is Michael Caine’s first movie. A good chunk of the preliminary non-battle scenes have aged very poorly, but the battle for Rorke’s Drift is well done. And the brief opening scene in Isandhlwana really sets the stakes. Isandhlwana really demonstrated everything wrong with the British army at that time while Rorke’s Drift showed some of the best.
I wish there was a transcript, or even just a list of the movies. Can’t sit through a 45 minute YouTube show… Too much like the zoom meetings a few years ago.
In Safari on my phone it's right below the video. On my tablet in Vivaldi and computer in Edge it's below the title and on the same line as comments, restarts, hearts and share.
There is one omission that comes to mind that I would love thoughts on - Fury with Brad Pitt and that amazing cast. I couldn’t take my eyes off it the whole time
I am late to this, but wanted to note that I really enjoyed the podcast. The list was solid-- it would be interesting to see your all's list of the focus was not on leadership issues (for instance, Dunkirk). Maybe you two could do a sequel and come up with a top "10" list of war films with a different focus.
I have one quibble with Black Hawk Down. A great film, but as an historical artifact, it ignored the main reason for the tragedy -- the US forces failed to/refused to communicate with UN command and went in alone, in arrogance, and consequently walked into a disaster. As I watched, the lack of that context in the film kept nagging at me.
LTG (Ret) Hertling - I very much appreciate your comments on all 10 movies, but especially “Courage Under Fire”. I saw it in Hattiesburg, MS, while I was supporting a MSARNG AT rotation, while assigned to a Readiness Training Detachment. That movie resonated with me in a way that’s almost too hard to explain. As a 29 yo BFV Team Commander during Desert Storm, I lived through something very similar . . . Wikipedia did a good job explaining (Task Force 1-41 Infantry) . I still have my beat up 3×5 card with the names of all those we lost. It really was a great movie . . .
From a different perspective, but definitely a war movie, see “Eye in the Sky”. Excellent cast, riveting plot, 21st century warfare. And there will be blood.
I'd be interested in hearing the General's thoughts on some movies that didn't make the cut, pros and cons on films like Platoon, The Thin Red Line, All Quiet (recent) and Lawrence of Arabia. Also any insights he has into attitudes of the military at large on what they do and do not like to see in a war film. I imagine I can guess a few.
I once saw a reading list for Senator Jack Reed, on military/war/leadership, but I didn't copy it down. Maybe Mark can share his top 10 there, too. Thanks for the show!
I would have to include two movies that may not be strictly-speaking “war movies,” but which are brilliant: “The Grand Illusion” and “Lawrence of Arabia.”
Dunkirk
A great discussion. Regarding Band of Brothers, in 2023 and again in 2024 the British archaeology group, Time Team, conducted an archaeology dig in the town in which the actual Band of Brothers were housed before D-Day (Aldbourne). The dig was a combined effort by the Time Team crew and a British wounded vets recovery group, Operation Nightingale (https://www.wessexarch.co.uk). A major focus was to find the remains of the camp that housed the soldiers but also to get information from the people in the town where they were housed. The episodes are available on YouTube under Time Team -Band of Brothers.
This. Was. Fabulous. My only additional idea is for the next president to make Mark Hertling Secretary of Defense. What an exceptional individual.
This was great. I have to admit that I don't watch a lot of Sonny's podcasts, but follow Mark Hertling religiously. I'm glad they cross pollinated.
Can you please put a list of the 10 movies in the show notes?
https://substack.com/profile/2550672-sonny-bunch/note/c-257206055?r=1io40&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
Kelly’s Heroes…..
That was in the comments. I’m asking you to put the list in the SHOW NOTES. They are different, and you don’t have to scroll through a ton of comments to find it. Nevertheless m thanks for the reply.
One more thought. The picture on the cover of the first edition of the book “We Were Soldiers” has a picture of Lt Rick Rescorla, who died on 9/11. He was chief of security of, iirc, Morgan Stanley and was last seen going back into the tower to make sure all his people had gotten out.
I have Patton on blu-ray. When I was growing up General Frank Clay was across the street. He was an lt under Patton, and his dad Lucius was commandant of Berlin during the airlift.
Also have A Bridge Too Far. Great movie. I especially like the scenes of the flight and airborne drops.
A good movie for battle scenes is Zulu, which is Michael Caine’s first movie. A good chunk of the preliminary non-battle scenes have aged very poorly, but the battle for Rorke’s Drift is well done. And the brief opening scene in Isandhlwana really sets the stakes. Isandhlwana really demonstrated everything wrong with the British army at that time while Rorke’s Drift showed some of the best.
I wish there was a transcript, or even just a list of the movies. Can’t sit through a 45 minute YouTube show… Too much like the zoom meetings a few years ago.
If you view it in a browser you get the transcript. You don't in the app.
How do you get it? I don't see a TRANSCRIPT button. How do you do it?
In Safari on my phone it's right below the video. On my tablet in Vivaldi and computer in Edge it's below the title and on the same line as comments, restarts, hearts and share.
Found it! (I can read much faster than they talk.)
Hoping “Zulu” is on the list. Although parts of it have not aged well.
There is one omission that comes to mind that I would love thoughts on - Fury with Brad Pitt and that amazing cast. I couldn’t take my eyes off it the whole time
I agree.
I'd love to know Mark's take on it as he was a tank guy at one point I believe.
My husband and I lived the fighting 69th with James Cagney. I’d love to hear your opinion on this movie. We also lived In Harm’s Way.
Never been a good navy movie?
Das Boat?
Down Periscope