My daughter is learning about WW2 at school and I want to show her a good film about that era. I was thinking something like “The bridge too far” or “battle of britain”.

Any suggestions?

the longest day.

Empire of the sun?

A tough one.
Bridge too Far is excellent, as is the book, but both are really very, very heavy going for a young ‘un.

What would you like her to learn?

I’d obviously say that the Great Escape and Kelly’s Heroes are both worth a look, primarily because they’re a little lighter going, without diminishing the horror of war.

It depends on which aspects of WWII she is studying. My daughter recently studied the war but the major aspects they looked at seemed to be the war at home: rationing, evacuation etc. If I was looking for a film to reflect this I would show her something like Hope and Glory

Platoon?

Saving private Ryan?

Come and See

Hope and glory is a good film.

Shes been learning about the key events of the war.

Patton.

Battle of britain. Nice mix of humour and realism.

This Happy Breed, The Cruel Sea, Millions Like Us, Went the Day Well.

Battle of the Bulge

The World at War – all 22 hours of it. 🙂

The Bridge at Remagen

chewkw – Member
Platoon?

Ice Cold in Alex

would recommend Cross of Iron but for one scene.

Suppose there is the navarones and the dirty dozens too

12’0 clock High – not actually that bloody or gory, but tells the “human” side of command. And for education, it’s one of the very first post WW II films where the focus on “The Germans” isn’t really there – its a film on the stress of combat, morale and leadership.

Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence.

Band of Brothers

Reach for the Sky
Sink the Bismark

battle of the river plate

Tora! Tora! Tora!

Kelly’s heroes
Von Ryan’s express
A couple of episodes of ‘allo allo’. -she could perfect her fake resistance accent for her report?

On a related note, my wife worried that our (then) 12 year old wasn’t grasping the horrors of war whilst playing the COD series. I made him watch saving private Ryan and she has never forgiven me!

I would second hope and glory if they are looking at the home front, otherwise many of the films mentioned might be a bit much for an 8 year old.

Agreed

The world at war will teach more than any Hollywood movie and it’s presented beautifully by Lawrence Olivier

11-10

Another +1 for ‘The World at War’.
Or if it has to be set during the 2nd world war then another +1 for ‘Ice cold in Alex’ which isn’t really a war film, more of an adventure set during WW2.

Where Eagles Dare
Dirty Dozen
Great Escape

Recommended Christmas viewing when I was a kid.

On a more realistic note:

Hope and Glory
The Longest Day

I’d save Private Ryan etc until later.

Life is beautiful?

Er… I don’t know about you but I seem to remember the World at War showing death in graphic detail. Suitable for an 8 year old?

I’d say the Battle of Britain is at least reasonably historically accurate.

It’s trying to represent the horror of war, maybe not ideal for an 8 year old.

My problem with the other suggestions are hollywood movies and that = fantasy

+1 for Went the Day Well

Its a fantastic film, that despite being propaganda, is a very interesting insight into the fear of invasion and the resolve of people at the time not to give in.

its also on youtube in its entirety

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEZSBQnyhig[/video]

Enjoy 😀

I think The cruel sea is on youtube in full as well

ps. kudos for he recommendation of ‘come and see’ – doubt she’d ever sleep again…

how about Dead Snow?

‘Allo ‘Allo!

To be honest I can’t see an 8 year old learning much apart from stereotypes about WW2 from any suitable film.

Diary of Anne Frank perhaps.

Better off with a trip to Imperial War Museum.

Something a bit more cerebral like Lacombe, Lucien maybe?

Not a film but a book the machine gunners . I read it at her age and was blow away by it partly because my dad was an evacuee and served in the home guard as a schoolboy.

Edit also available as a BBC play on DVD

Glad to see they are now teaching WW2 in our schools instead of the claptrap they fed us 20 years ago.

BTW, battle of Britain gets my vote, then progress

Bedknobs & Broomsticks or Dad’s Army

I remember The Machine Gunners from when it was on at teatime as a kid.

Or there’s always Where Eagles Dare

Page 2 and no mention of The Dambusters? If nothing else it’s got the best score.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K32Adi8nmzA[/video]

How about Das Boat for a Kraut perspective or Tora ,Tora ,Tora which makes Pearl harbour look like utter litter ?