Combat ClassicsCombat Classics

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MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

    Includes The Big Lift (1950), Gung Ho (1943), Iron Angel (1964), Kansas Pacific (1953), The Marines Are Coming (1934), Minesweeper (1943), The Navy Way (1944), Pacific Inferno (1979), Submarine Alert (1943), Three Came Home (1950) and many more on 12 DVDs. Color-b&w/69 hrs., 56 min/NR/fullscreen.

DVD FEATURES:
  • Number of Discs: 12
  • Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo
  • Screen: Color
AWARDS
  • Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
  •     Won Best Black and White Art Direction - 1945 (Wiard Ihnen, Al Fields)
  •     Won Best Score - Musical - 1943 (Ray Heindorf)
  •     Nominated Best Story and Screenplay - 1951 (Robert Pirosh)
  •     Nominated Best Color Art Direction - 1943 (George James Hopkins, John Hughes)
  •     Nominated Best Sound - 1943 (Nathan Levinson)
  •     Nominated Best Original Screenplay - 1942 (Emeric Pressburger, Michael Powell)
  •     Nominated Best Special Effects - 1942 (Ronald Neame, C.C. Stevens)
  •     Nominated Best Black and White Art Direction - 1941 (Richard Irvine, Alexander Golitzen)
  •     Nominated Best Black and White Cinematography - 1941 (Charles B. Lang)
  •     Nominated Best Dramatic Score - 1941 (Miklos Rozsa)
  • Cannes Film Festival
  •     Won Grand Prix - 1946
  •     Won International Peace Prize - 1946
  • Film Daily
  •     Won 10 Best Films - 1943
  • Hollywood Foreign Press Association
  •     Nominated Motion Picture Promoting International Understanding - 1950
  • National Board of Review
  •     Won Best Acting - 1942 (Googie Withers)
  •     Nominated Best Picture - 1945
  •     Nominated Best Picture - 1942
  • Telluride Film Festival
  •     Film Presented - 1983
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
REVIEWS:
  • An engrossing, at times shattering, film, Three Came Home is a moving portrait of the horrors of war and, at the same time, of the humanity that exists under even the most difficult circumstances. Nunnally Johnson's excellent screenplay, adapted from the book by Agnes Newton Keith, is just about perfect. Johnson uses his considerable skill to create characters about whose lives we care almost immediately, and to demonstrate that there are always variations in character among individuals on both sides of a conflict. While the title character commands the greatest portion of the viewer's love and respect, Johnson has been careful to provide the character of Colonel Suga with several illuminating moments that make him nearly an equally strong and compelling presence. Jean Negulesco has directed beautifully; there is barely a misstep in tone or pacing through the entire picture, and he has created a film that is at all times vibrant, even when it is horrific. Three is also blessed with the sensational star performance of Claudette Colbert, who is simply riveting and whose stellar presence holds the film together from beginning to end. Almost her equal is Sessue Hayakawa as the Colonel, who finds shadings and nuances that are a wonder to see. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
  • A rather routine war movie, Aerial Gunner is the kind of flick that leaves very little impression, good or bad. It's extremely familiar, with a typical "two rivals find themselves having to work together" plot that ends with the "bad" guy showing his true stripes by nobly sacrificing himself. Along the way, there's a strictly perfunctory romance that seems to exist for no real reason other than to pad the running time and to add more conflict between the two men; certainly, no one really believes that either cares for Lita Ward, who does the best she can with a nothing part. (As the men in question, Chester Morris is fine and Richard Arlen is slightly less than adequate.) There are a few sequences involving training that pique the interest, as they seem to present a genuine look at life inside a wartime camp, but most of the film is just a lot of the usual booming and fighting. The characters are stock types, the dialogue is generic, and the plot goes just where expected. For those who like this kind of film, it's an okay way to pass a little time when there's nothing better on. For those who aren't already inclined to this genre, it's better to give it a miss. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
  • A slightly above average adventure picture, Sundown has its ups and downs but comes out just a bit on the up side. As is so often the case, much of the "downs" are due to the screenplay. It seems as if the writers cobbled together a few plot devices from here, a few from there, a good supporting character from one story, an ending setting from Mrs. Miniver and hoped that stirring them all up would create something new. It doesn't. But, that said, there have been far worse screenplays than this, which is functional if nothing more. Its stars are also a mixed bag. On the plus side, we have George Sanders. When "on," Sanders could be relied upon to bring a unique quality to any film, and Sundown catches Sanders definitely in the "on" position. The movie also has the beauty of Gene Tierney, which is truly something to behold. Were her performance in the same class as her beauty -- which it is not - Sundown would have been a much better film. Similarly, Bruce Cabot looks good but his performance is only okay. There's better work from supporting players Harry Carey and Cedric Hardwicke. Henry Hathaway's direction is uneven, but it's spot on during the battle scenes; these are among the film's highlights. Charles B. Lang's cinematography is also a definite plus, moody when needed, dazzling on occasion. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
  • One of Our Aircraft Is Missing made quite an impression on war-time viewers when it was first released, and those who lived through World War II, especially in Europe, will still find it a moving experience. Those who did not actually experience the war will likely find Aircraft a professionally made and fairly interesting drama, but will also likely be put off by the air of propaganda that hangs over it. The term propaganda is not being used in this sense to imply that the film uses lies and untruths, although as a fiction film it is certainly free to do so; rather, it means that the film takes a particular point-of-view and pushes that point in such a way that it comes across to modern viewers as a little extreme. This is especially true in its treatment of the brave people of the Netherlands, who are presented in general more as stereotypes than as flesh and blood people. The film also lags a bit in places, although not terribly so. Compensating for these flaws is an exceptionally fine ensemble cast, evocative Ronald Neame cinematography, sharp editing, and some inventive directing by the Michael Powell-Emeric Pressburger team. The directors are especially good in portraying the oppressiveness of the Nazis without resorting to overt brutality and in finding small ways -- such as various accents -- to individualize the RAF troops. If not as effective as it was in the 1940s, One of Our Aircraft Is Missing is still a good and suspenseful war flick. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
  • Outpost in Morocco promises intrigue, adventure and danger, but it doesn't keep its promises. Put the blame -- a good deal of it at least -- on George Raft. Raft has the lead role in this Foreign Legion extravaganza, and while there are other factors that can influence the success of this type of picture, a virile, entrancing star is crucial. Raft, past 50 at the time he made this, simply doesn't seem to try. He alternates between looking tired and uninterested, and this is fatal to Outpost, much more so than any attacking marauders could possibly be. Perhaps he was attempting a laidback Humphrey Bogart-style approach, but it comes across as bored instead. Occasionally there's a flicker -- a gleam in the eyes, or a sneer in the lips -- that makes one think he's about to come to life; but the flicker inevitably fades before becoming a fire. Opposite him, Marie Windsor does the best she can (and looks stunning); but there's nothing for her to play off of. Akim Tamiroff livens things up appreciably, and some of the action sequences are notable. But even some impressive location lensing and a generous costume budget can't make up for the stiff leading man. Throw in a strictly-average screenplay and the result is a fairly tepid affair. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
  • Spencer Gordon Bennet's They Raid By Night is so threadbare as a production, that it seems as though it's a dozen years older than it really is -- with static camera work and total absence of music over extended dialogue sequences, it plays like a production from 1930 rather than 1942. And since the crew obviously didn't forget all that had been learned in that dozen years, the fault obviously lies with the low budget of the production and an incredibly rushed shooting schedule -- production company PRC may have designated this as a "special," but they were clearly so intent on getting it into theaters as early as possible, that much of the attention to detail that normally goes into a feature film also went by the boards. Perhaps they just thought that director Bennet, whose career went back to the silents, could bring it in successfully, and in terms of finishing it, he did just that. As to notable attributes, the only one to be found in They Raid By Night other than its creakiness is the presence in the cast of June Duprez. The English actress, who had risen to stardom in Alexander Korda's The Thief of Bagdad (1940), was living considerably reduced circumstances in Hollywood following the latter movie's premiere, and this was one of a tiny handful of low-budget productions that she was forced to participate in to pay the bills. Though beautiful as ever, and given second billing, she does not look either comfortable or convincing in her role here. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi
  • The Mark of the Hawk is an earnest and well-intentioned social issues drama that, from a modern perspective, is perhaps a bit more interesting as an example of racial issues in 1957 than as drama. Not that Mark is by any means a bad movie; it is, in fact, a movie that is quite involving and often affecting. It's simply that it has a tendency to slip into speechifying and "point making" rather than letting its message come through in a more subtle manner. It also should be said that its ending is a bit too much, and its oversimplification of complex sociopolitical issues will also bother some viewers. However, there is a great deal of heart and conviction in the movie, and these factors go a long way toward making a viewer willingly overlook the aforementioned flaws. It helps, of course, that Mark has the charismatic Sidney Poitier in its leading role. Poitier is mesmerizing, handling the sometimes swift character changes which the script demands with aplomb and making it seem natural for his character to behave in this way. He also knows how and when to underplay and how and when to go for the gold in his acting, and it's a treat to see him carry this movie. Also impressive is John McIntire in a pivotal role. Eartha Kitt, rather cast against type here, is good but not outstanding, and her singing, while most welcome, is rather shoehorned in to the film. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
  • When originally released in 1950, The Big Lift must have had significant impact upon its audience, many of whom were veterans who had first hand experience of combat with Germany and with the conditions of Berlin during the war and soon after. That sense of immediacy and the connection that it brought probably enhanced considerably the experience of Lift; without that, the picture is an average but not outstanding war-related drama, the Cold War era propaganda leanings of which are more evident from several decades on. None of that is to say that Lift is bad, mind you; parts of it are quite effective. But the film lacks cohesion, being one part semi-documentary and one part personal romance story, and the two parts don't fit together in a dramatically satisfying way. Much of the documentary style part of the film is still fascinating, from the details around flight protocol to the actual footage of Berlin at the time the film was shot. The main plot surrounding Montgomery Clift has not aged as well; there's not enough character or relationship development (although the revelation of Frederica's past is quite effective). Clift is quite good, though, as is Paul Douglas, whose anti-German soldier is surprisingly frank for the period. Even better are Cornell Borchers and O.E. Hasse, and there should also be positive mention of Bruni Loebel's pleasing work. Not a great film by any means, but worth a viewing, especially for history buffs. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi
  • While twiddling his thumbs waiting for horror films to make their eagerly anticipated comeback, Boris Karloff plays a German spy masquerading as a French servant masquerading as a British counter-espionage agent masquerading as a German spy, etc., etc. Or is it the other way around? Meanwhile, leading lady Margaret Lindsay does him one better by playing a British intelligence officer masquerading as a German spy masquerading as a British counter-intelligence officer masquerading as a German spy. Confused? Well, British Intelligence, if nothing else, proves that the English Secret Service was almost as dense -- but only almost -- as its German counterpart during World War I. Or is it World War II? With all the veiled references to a certain Herr Hitler, it is hard to pinpoint which. All of which add up to perhaps Karloff's most tedious Warner Bros. vehicle. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

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