World War II Movie Night covers one of the more compelling post-war events with 2018's "Operation Finale," which portrays the secret Mossad mission to kidnap Adolf Eichmann from Argentina and bring him back to Israel. Along the way we address j

88. "Hell in the Pacific" (1968)

28 days ago 38m 29s

World War II Movie Night does a listener request with the 1968 American movie, "Hell in the Pacific," about two men trapped on an island together, and one of them we never even hear what he's saying! Despite this sparse premise, director John B

87. "The Way Back" (2010)

Mar 8th, 2024 51m 9s

Tonight we're having a communist party (!) as we look at a part of the War not often explored, the Russian camps. Storied director Peter Weir ("Gallipoli") brought this true (?) story to the screen in 2010, starring Ed Harris and Colin Farrell.

86. "Bataan" (1943)

Feb 16th, 2024 42m 30s

At first blush, 1943's "Bataan" might seem like a run-of-the-mill, black-and-white, ensemble-cast World War II movie: easily absorbed and easily dismissed. Upon closer inspection, though, it reveals itself as a fascinating bit of mid-war propog

85. "Son of Saul" (2015)

Jan 20th, 2024 35m 14s

World War II Movie Night keeps the faith (and the format) as we delve into the 2015 Hungarian movie "Son of Saul," which many believe gives the truest representation of life in Auschwitz outside an actual documentary. Saul is a "Sonderkommando,

84. "Valkyrie" (2008)

Dec 29th, 2023 50m 2s

Join World War II Movie Night as we reassess the oft-maligned "Valkyrie," from 2008. No casting in one of our movies was as criticized from jump as Tom Cruise playing Claus von Stauffenberg, the German colonel who made the most famous attempt o

83. "The English Patient" (1996)

Dec 1st, 2023 45m 51s

It'd be hard to find a more successful movie - at least upon release - than Miramax's "The English Patient." This late-1996 pic made tons of money, swept the Oscars, and was one of the most critically acclaimed movies of the decade. Case settle

82. "Victory" (1981)

Nov 10th, 2023 46m 49s

Tonight we do the 1981 American sports movie "Victory" (also called "Escape to Victory" in European markets). A powerhouse cast of Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, Max von Sydow and Pele take us through the story of Allied POWs who agree to s

81. "Overlord" (2018)

Oct 20th, 2023 43m 25s

Kind-of a Halloween episode tonight, as World War II Movie Night does 2018's "Overlord." Mega-producter J.J. Abrams brings us this zombie gorefest that's also an homage to "Nazi'ploitation," a mostly-'70s genre that saw horror, thrillers, and e

80. "Patton" (1970)

Sep 22nd, 2023 50m 16s

Tonight World War II Movie Night does 1970's "Patton," a curious biopic that straddles the line between the Big Epics of the 50s/60s, and what filmmaking would become in the '70s. George C. Scott plays George S. Patton in a role so iconic it wa

79. "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison" (1957)

Sep 1st, 2023 36m 27s

World War II Movie Night does its 4th (!) movie starring Robert Mitchum with 1957's "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison." During the War in the Pacific, a U.S. Marine washes ashore a small island improbably inhabited by a Nun (Deborah Kerr). The Japanes

78. "Battleground" (1949)

Aug 11th, 2023 42m 8s

No, 1949's "Battleground" isn't the most original World War II movie, but many consider it one of the best examples of what it is: the ensemble, combat-heavy, real-events-lightly-fictionalized genre. See how our group does in the Battle of the

OPPENHEIMER spoiler-free review

Jul 23rd, 2023 14m 19s

The whole country's got Oppenheimer fever (and heatstroke)! Yes as Christopher Nolan's biopic enters theaters with surprising fanfare, World War II Movie Night offers a short review - without spoilers! You can absolutely listen to this episode

77. "Schindler's List" (1993)

Jun 30th, 2023 59m 42s

World War II Movie Night returns with what's considered one of the greatest, best, and most revered movies ever made, Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List." The master director was already having a good 1993 with summer blockbuster "Jurassic Pa

76. "The Colditz Story" (1955)

May 26th, 2023 41m 15s

World War II Movie Night returns to old-school, black-and-white British WWII movies with 1955's "The Colditz Story." Officer prisoners from different European countries compete (?) to escape from Colditz, the infamous Nazi fortress prison. Can

75. "Grave of the Fireflies" (1988)

May 5th, 2023 48m 21s

Tonight we have not only a Japanese production but also our first animated movie. Since "Grave of the Fireflies" appeared in the late '80s, it has steadily garnered a following in the West, notably led by its biggest advocate, Roger Ebert. Seit

74. "Halls of Montezuma" (1951)

Apr 7th, 2023 41m

Tonight World War II Movie Night covers the 1951 Marines-tribute, "Halls of Montezuma." The men have to take an unnamed Pacific island from the Japanese. Progress is going well until they're hit with rockets from an unknown location. With only

73. "Black Book" (2006)

Mar 17th, 2023 56m 11s

What happens when the guy who made "Robocop," "Basic Instinct" and "Showgirls" makes a World War II movie in his native Netherlands? Tonight we find out with the 2006 Dutch film, "Black Book." There's quite a bit of sex and violence (again, the

72. "Twelve O'Clock High" (1949)

Feb 17th, 2023 43m 50s

World War II Movie Night goes up and away yet again with 1949's "Twelve O'Clock High." Regarded as a darker take on the war, compared to more optimistic fare such as "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo," "Twelve O'Clock High" follows the 918, an America

71. "Biloxi Blues" (1988)

Jan 27th, 2023 46m 15s

World War II Movie Night goes back to the comedy well with Neil Simon's "Biloxi Blues" a 1988 movie based on his play of the same name. Matthew Broderick is Jerome, a young Jewish man from Brooklyn who couldn't be more out of his element at boo

70. "Tora Tora Tora" (1970)

Jan 6th, 2023 48m 30s

Tonight we conclude our Pearl Harbor series with 1970's "Tora Tora Tora," a perennial favorite of World War II-movie sticklers. The producer of "The Longest Day" wanted to do for Pearl Harbor what that movie did for D-Day. The result was Tora(3

69. "Pearl Harbor" (2001)

Dec 7th, 2022 55m 17s

Happy (?) Dec. 7! To mark the anniversary World War II Movie Night finally gets to the only movie to bear the event's name, 2001's "Pearl Harbor." A red-hot Michael Bay used his clout to make this Disney summer blockbuster (in a darkly ironic t

68. "In Harm's Way" (1965)

Nov 18th, 2022 47m 27s

Tonight we revisit The Duke! with 1965's "In Harm's Way." He and Kirk Douglas head up this Otto Preminger film that begins with Pearl Harbor. Wayne's Rock Torrey is a Navy man who has to contend with new roles in the war while navigating a nurs

67. "Midway" (2019)

Oct 28th, 2022 39m 37s

Strap in for tonight's episode, which yields some interesting facts. A German immigrant made a string of absurdly successful American movies ("Independence Day," e.g.), all the while pining for his passion project: a movie about the Battle of M

66. "From Here to Eternity" (1953)

Oct 7th, 2022 46m 19s

Tonight's selection, 1953's "From Here to Eternity," is many things: one of the most popular movies of its decade, one of the best novel-to-screen adaptations ever, one of the best casts in history... and probably the drunkest movie we've ever