Comments on: The Forgotten ‘Battleground’

By: Alex Ivy

Alex Ivy — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:27:21 +0000

I know it's kind of geeky, but I love the way the american military is portrayed in Independence day and transformers. Yeah, I know they aren't real wars, but for once Hollywood got the true spirit of our men-in-uniform completely correct.

By: Schizoid_Mann

Schizoid_Mann — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:37:21 +0000

Interesting. And poor Ken Toby in a very short, almost cameo appearance is the first to 'experience' the general's techniques at the front gate. He looked more scared of the "Pecking" order than he did any "Thing from Another World". Maybe because he knew that it was done with Gunsmoke and mirrors.

By: Schizoid_Mann

Schizoid_Mann — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:35:21 +0000

Good stuff. Thanks for that.

By: Schizoid_Mann

Schizoid_Mann — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:33:18 +0000

Thanks a bunch. And it's good to know that. Though I already did. In a previous life, in a galaxy far, far away, I spent a good spell at a sleepy little place called Otis.

By: Schizoid_Mann

Schizoid_Mann — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:28:55 +0000

Oh yeah. That part on the waiting C47 when seats have to be given up is rough. Like you said, they all had seen plenty already to know what the Japanese were going to do to those left behind. Yet the "I'll just wait for the next one" false bravado showed the integrity and courage of many there.

By: Frank Cavendish

Frank Cavendish — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 01:18:59 +0000

In doing some research for a paper in my Army officer's advance course I ran across a book about WWII movies in it was a chapter about the screen writer, Robert Pirosh, of Battleground. He was a first sergeant in the 327 Glider Infantry Regiment, 101 Airborne during WWII. The story is essentially that of his company. The same man wrote "Hell is for Heroes" based upon a true incident in the Colmar Pocket area a couple of hundred miles south of the Bulge at occured in Jan. 1945. Pirosh also created the tv series "Combat". There is a website that says Priosh was a 1st Sgt in 320 Inf, 35th ID, but lead a patrol into Bastogne. But he knew about combat in WWII

By: Aesop

Aesop — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 23:57:15 +0000

You'll be encouraged to know that "Twelve O'Clock High" is, in actual fact, used by numerous Fortune 500 companies as an object lesson in leadership. A factoid I've had confirmed by multiple persons in different fields of business endeavor who had to watch the entire film as part of mangerial courses.

Particular focus is given to the multiple styles used by Peck's character in dealing with different subordinates.

By: John_McClain

John_McClain — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:27:43 +0000

Watch Battleground first and then The Best Years of Our Lives second, they really compliment each other.

By: John_McClain

John_McClain — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:25:32 +0000

Yes – very good movie, saw it many years ago flipping through channels.

By: DrJimmy

DrJimmy — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:52:26 +0000

And another fantastic film released roughly 5-6 years after Battleground is, Attack. Starring Jack Palance, Lee Marvin, Buddy Ebson, and a tour de force performance by Eddie Albert. RUN, don't walk to see that one…