The Longest Day (released in 1962) - starring John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Henry Fonda, Robert Ryan, Sean Connery and many more - the attack on Normandy

What can you say about a war which killed and robbed the young men of their most valued possession, their future? The Longest Day is the story about that day where men and women gave their lives for peace. It tells you about the intrigues, planning, objectives, military strikes which leads to the ultimate Normandy landings to defeat the Germans.
Longest day is adapted from the book by Cornelius Ryan who did the screen play for the movie. Directed by a series of directors like Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, Bernhard Wicki and Darryl F Zanuck, the movie boasts of a stellar cast of John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Henry Fonda, Robert Ryan, Sean Connery, Rod Steiger, Mel Ferrer, Robert Wagner, Eddie Albert, Edmond O'Brien, Richard Burton, Kenneth More, Peter Lawford, George Segal, Richard Todd, Red Buttons, John Gregson, Leslie Phillips, and many more.
The opening scene of the film shows us the young soldiers indulging in a play of cards and the camera pans to reveal the large number of them concentrated in the barracks ready for the fighting. Then you can see the German soldiers and officers debating the possibility of the attack. Many Germans do not anticipate the attack on Normandy. Then comes the scene where a German soldier distributing tea to the officers looks up to the horizon seeing almost five thousand ships and just gasps. And then the ships start firing.



The Paratroopers are airdropped into the enemy territory with of them stuck on a steeple forced to watch the battle from above. Long shots of French troops running in to battle with German planes mowing them down is one cinematic spectacle. There are real poignant situations where allied and German troops march side by side with out even knowing and the murdered and wounded in the streets of Normandy helped by the locals.
This movie also shows the German point of view, with their war preparedness as well as their Bureaucratic wrangles and indecisiveness. The Germans expecting an attack on Calais (Hitler was expecting an attack there based on a skilled program of deception), are caught unawares at Normandy. The film depicts the desperation of German officers like Rommel who understands that the war is fought and won on the beaches.
All the officers like General Eisenhower, Theodore Roosevelt Jr, Norman Cota, John Howard and all soldiers are almost accurately pictured. Another interesting feature is that all the soldiers speak their own mother tongue which is delivered to the audience through subtitles. I feel that this is more of an anti-war film because it does not show the battle but the men who sacrifice a lot through battle. At the end of the movie you are overcome with respect for the dead irrespective of the nationality for they did what you wouldn't do.
This movie is shot entirely in black and white to give you the stark picture of the war. It was one of the box office successes too. It won the Oscars for best cinematography and special effects. Also nominated for 5 other awards including the best picture it has raked up numerous other awards too. See it for the men who fought for to keep civilization from going under the rule of tyranny.

In Harm's way (released in 1965) - starring John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Patricia Neal and Henry Fonda - A war movie (Black and White) based on the Second World War

In Harm's Way is a 1965 American epic war film produced and directed by Otto Preminger and starring John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Patricia Neal, Carroll O'Connor, Tom Tryon, Paula Prentiss, Burgess Meredith, Brandon De Wilde, Jill Haworth, Dana Andrews and Henry Fonda.
This is an epic war film released in 1965 and is one of the last John Wayne movies which is in black and white. After this movie the color era really begins. The title of the movie is derived from the quote by American revolutionary hero John Paul Jones “I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I intend to go in harm's way."
The central character is Rockwell Torrey played by John Wayne who is a second generation naval officer and a navy academy graduate. After a disastrous campaign against the Japanese in which his ship is torpedoed he is shunted out to a desk job. During the fag end of the war he is promoted to the post of Rear Admiral and given a crucial job aboard a cruiser. He is involved with a pretty naval nurse and yearns for an emotional anchor in his life after his divorce. His son is an ensign with the navy and is estranged with his father.



Another important character is Captain Paul Eddington (played by Kirk Douglas), a wayward officer, taken to drunkenness because of his wife's infidelity. He resigns from the cruiser and returns to surface navy as an officer in charge of warehouses. And then his wife is killed during the raid on Pearl Harbor while she was having a romantic tryst with another officer. This tragedy further brings down Paul Eddington until Torrey reaches out to him to be a part of the mission. Tom Tryon, a junior grade officer, just out of the naval academy, presents a complete opposite of Paul Eddington.
He has a loving wife, a stable marriage and has every emotional support which Torrey and Eddington crave. As the story progresses, Eddington, in his drunken fits, rapes Torrey's son's fiancée', nurse Annalee Dohrn. She commits suicide by consuming sleeping pills. But Torrey feels his need for the mission. Eddington sort of redeems himself by giving advance warning of the huge Japanese fleet and thus sacrificing himself for the success of the mission. This movie is considered as a classic World War epic and in a side role, indicts all the bureaucratic wrangles and political manipulations that a servicemen face while doing duty for the nation.
This movie was nominated for the Oscar for the “Best Cinematography” in the year 1965. It is mostly noted for John Wayne's understated performances and he is said to have been diagnosed with lung cancer during the making of the movie. Actress Patricia Neal was awarded the “Best Actress” citation at the BAFTA awards for this movie.

Fort Apache (released in 1948) starring John Wayne and Henry Fonda - the prejudices between the White and the American Indians

Fort Apache is a western based loosely on the Battle of Little Bighorn and the Fetter-man massacre. It gives a balanced view about the soldiers and the Indian Settlers, Sioux in the battle. The story details about the prejudices which was prevalent among the whites which lead to the rebellion by the Indian tribe Apache. It is the story of class wars also and how love conquers everything. This movie won the prize for the best director in the Locarno film festival.
Fort Apache is a outlying cavalry post and its commanding officer is being moved. Every body expects Kirby York, a highly respected Captain to be given the command of the regiment. But it was given to the Lieutenant Colonel, Owen Thursday who is a graduate from the West Point military Academy and a decorated civil war officer. But he lacks the people skills and the experience to guide Fort Apache. He is accompanied by his Daughter, Philadelphia to the posting. Owen Thursday is a very egoistic and self-centered officer who is extremely class conscious. He is dismissive about the concerns about the Indian settlers and follows the rule book to the core. This builds resentment against him in the unit.



The Apache's are exploited by Silas Meacham and complaints reach Thursday. He has utter contempt for Meacham but he follows the rule book which states that Meacham being an United States agent is entitled for Army protection. York advices Thursday against angering the poor exploited Indians, but is ignored. Soon the Apaches rebel under the leadership of Cochise. Interwoven in the story is the love story between Philadelphia and Second lieutenant Michael Shannon O'Rouke, who is the son of a Sergeant Major who has won a gallantry medal. In-spite of being a West Point Graduate, O'Rouke is treated with contempt by Colonel Thursday who forbids the relationship between O'Rouke, and his daughter.
Soon the Indians rebel and and Thursday declares war on them. He charges against them in - spite of the odds staked against the company. Kirby York tires to reason with the colonel and is shunted out. Colonel Thursday removes him from his post and orders him to stay back. Soon the charge against the Indians who are comfortably entrenched on the hills is a failure an the company is decimated. Thursday is among the casualties. The surviving but wounded soldiers come back to the regiment and inform York who leads a rescue mission. Cochise spares York because he knows that he is a man of his word.
York who had spared O'Rouke from battle helps him to marry Philadelphia. In the end York assumes the command of the regiment and is deputed to negotiate with the Apaches. He does not bad mouth Thursday's failed charge against the Indians. When the journalists ask him whether he has sen the picture titled, “Thursday's Charge” he says that the regiment will always honor the memory of the brave officers and foot soldiers.
This film was directed by John Ford and first of his highly successful Cavalry Trilogy which was followed by “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” and “Rio Grande”

The Searchers, a movie starring John Wayne, released in 1956

The Searchers was a movie released in 1956. It was the 12th collaboration between the Western star John Wayne and the director John Ford, and is acknowledged to be one of the best westerns ever made. The movie takes the iconic image of a western hero, who stands alone, and is also seen as an anti-hero. The movie takes the violence, the conflicts between settlers and the native Indians, and most importantly, the emotions that drive a person to a relentless quest, and how this search can harden a person and make him full of hatred. The movie is similar to the story of a Cynthia Ann Parker in 1836, who was kidnapped by native Comanches, spent 24 years with them, and married an Indian chief. She had a complete family, but was taken away from her family by Texas Rangers, driven by her uncle.



The movie is the story of Ethan Edwards (John Wayne, also known as 'The Duke'), a ex-Confederate soldier returning from the American Civil war. He returns to his brother's (Aaron) home; they accept him and the money he brings, although it is hinted that Ethan had been upto no good. Soon after, a raid by the native Indian tribe, the Comanches, burns down the homestead and kills his entire set of relatives, except for 2 nieces, Lucy (Pippa Scott) and Debbie (Lana Wood), who are abducted.
A group of Texas Rangers led by Captain Clayton accompanied by Ethan set out in pursuit of the Comanches, and they have clashes with the party. It is soon clear that Ethan is willing to take risks that could get the girls killed, and Captain Clayton is unwilling to take these risks. However, Lucy's fiancee Brad and Aaron's adopted son Martin are determined to continue, and find the Comanche camp. Ethan soon reports that he found Lucy's body and buried her, at this Lucy's fiancee charges to the Comanche camp and is killed.
Ethan and Martin continue this search, a search that takes them 5 years. In this time, Debbie has crossed childhood and marries an Indian chief called Scar, a native Indian who is the same as Ethan. Just as Ethan hates native Indians, Scar hates the whites. This knowledge transforms Ethan, he is struck by hatred at the fact that Debbie is now married to a native Indian, and his mission is now converted to killing Debbie. Soon after, Martin and Ethan manage to meet Debbie, where Martin manages to save Debbie from getting killed by Ethan.
Martin and Ethan find Debbie again, and this time the hatred in Ethan cannot be controlled. In a conflict, Martin kills Scar, and then Ethan does the incredible, he scalps Ethan. It is then he realizes that this hatred has made him become what he did not want. He realizes his emotions, and brings Debbie back to her friends and safety.

The Comancheros - Starring John Wayne (1961)

The Comancheros was a Western movie starring John Wayne. The movie is reckoned as one of the better of Wayne's western movies. John Wayne also played a role in direction of the movie (although his role in direction is not credited, since he took over the direction after the Director, Michael Curtiz, cancer-stricken, was unable to complete the movie) along with action specialist Cliff Lyons. The movie is about Wayne's role as a Texas Ranger who is accompanying a convict after a duel, and how they strike a partnership to fight the bad guys.



The year is set as 1843. Dueling has been banned, and Paul Regret (Stuart Whitman) has just had a duel with the son of a Louisiana judge, and as a result of the death of the son in the duel, Regret has been sentenced to be hanged. He escapes, and Texas Ranger Jake Cutter (John Wayne) is sent after him. Jake manages to capture Regret, and is taking him to his tryst with the hangman, however, Jake has another assignment, to infiltrate and destroy a group of white outlaws called the Comancheros. The Comancheros supply a group of American Indians called the Comanches with guns and whiskey, and incite them against to commit violence. The rest of the movie is about the fights they have, and how they eventually work as partners against the gang.