|
|
Post by bravomailer on Jun 6, 2019 14:15:55 GMT
David Niven
Charles Durning
Art Carney (landed shortly after June 6)
James Doohan
Henry Fonda
|
|
|
|
Post by mattgarth on Jun 6, 2019 14:22:31 GMT
and Director George Stevens and his crew filmed it
|
|
|
|
Post by bravomailer on Jun 6, 2019 14:25:48 GMT
and Director George Stevens and his crew filmed it Most of which was lost when it was sent back to Britain?
|
|
|
|
Post by mattgarth on Jun 6, 2019 14:28:11 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by bravomailer on Jun 6, 2019 14:32:59 GMT
Maybe I was thinking of still photographer Robert Capa.
|
|
|
|
Post by mattgarth on Jun 6, 2019 14:42:12 GMT
Probably that, Bravo -- Stevens' son discovered the color footage while going through his dad's film treasures upon his death.
One segment shows the director opening a package from home while somewhere in France around Christmas 1944 -- it contained candy and stuff that young George Jr. and his mother had wrapped and sent overseas. The grown son wept when he saw that and remembered the packaging event from 30 years before.
Before WW2, Stevens was considered one of the movies' best comedy directors (WOMAN OF THE YEAR, THE MORE THE MERRIER, etc.). But after what he had witnessed in recording the conflict on film (especially the horrors seen at the liberation of the Concentration Camps), he could not bring himself to make comedies in the postwar years. Most of his films thereafter hardly had even a smile (A PLACE IN THE SUN, SHANE, GIANT).
Born to a theatrical family in San Francisco in 1905, his first postwar film has almost (location-wise) a biographical feel -- I REMEMBER MAMA (like a soldier returning to the familiarity of home).
He did finally make his 'war film' 15 years later -- THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK.
|
|
|
|
Post by bravomailer on Jun 6, 2019 14:50:41 GMT
Before WW2, Stevens was considered one of the movies' best comedy directors (WOMAN OF THE YEAR, THE MORE THE MERRIER, etc.) But after what he had witnessed in recording the conflict on film (especially the horrors seen at the liberation of the Concentration Camps), he could not bring himself to make comedies in the postwar years. Most of his films thereafter hardly had even a smile.
Reminds me of David Niven's words: "I will, however, tell you just one thing about the war, my first story and my last. I was asked by some American friends to search out the grave of their son near Bastogne. I found it where they told me I would, but it was among 27,000 others, and I told myself that here, Niven, were 27,000 reasons why you should keep your mouth shut after the war."
|
|
spiderwort
Junior Member
@spiderwort
Posts: 2,544
Likes: 9,340
|
Post by spiderwort on Jun 6, 2019 15:29:32 GMT
and Director George Stevens and his crew filmed it And John Ford, too. "As a commander in the US Naval Reserve, Ford led a team of US Coast Guard cameramen in filming a documentary on D-Day for the Navy. His film on the Normandy invasion ultimately saw a very limited release to the public, due to the amount of Allied casualties. Much of the D-Day footage has since disappeared, according to the Los Angeles Times."
Also, Alec Guiness served, too. "StarWars.com reports that the Obi Wan actor served as an officer on a landing craft and transported British soldiers to the shores of Normandy on D-Day."
|
|
|
|
Post by novastar6 on Jun 6, 2019 15:32:45 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by bravomailer on Jun 6, 2019 15:35:36 GMT
and Director George Stevens and his crew filmed it And John Ford, too. "As a commander in the US Naval Reserve, Ford led a team of US Coast Guard cameramen in filming a documentary on D-Day for the Navy. His film on the Normandy invasion ultimately saw a very limited release to the public, due to the amount of Allied casualties. Much of the D-Day footage has since disappeared, according to the Los Angeles Times." Ford also filmed some footage of the Battle of Midway. I think he was slightly wounded in the effort.
|
|
|
|
Post by bravomailer on Jun 6, 2019 15:54:53 GMT
How did I forget Richard Todd? He parachuted into Normandy and took part in the effort to seize Pegasus Bridge. He later performed in a scene in The Longest Day that depicted that battle.
|
|
|
|
Post by mattgarth on Jun 7, 2019 17:27:29 GMT
U.S. Naval Lieut. Commander Robert Montgomery was on the Destroyer U.S.S. Barton on June 6th.
Before that, he commanded a PT Boat in the Pacific -- so he knew his way around one when he made THEY WERE EXPENDABLE for John Ford the following year.
|
|
|
|
Post by petrolino on Jun 7, 2019 19:29:37 GMT
I think Alec Guinness was flying one of the planes.
|
|
|
|
Post by bravomailer on Jun 7, 2019 19:40:07 GMT
U.S. Naval Lieut. Commander Robert Montgomery was on the Destroyer U.S.S. Barton on June 6th. Before that, he commanded a PT Boat in the Pacific -- so he knew his way around one when he made THEY WERE EXPENDABLE for John Ford the following year. Oddly enough, the man he portrayed in They Were Expendable, John Bulkeley (Brickley in the film), was in charge of clearing mines and obstacles at Utah Beach. (Bulkeley, later an admiral, lived around the corner from young Bravomailer.) Another oddity: The divisional commander at Utah was also named Barton – Raymond Barton, then commander of the 4th Infantry Division.
|
|
