The History of America In 12 Movies

http://www.breitbart.com ^ | July 4, 2014 | John Nolte

[NKP_Vet]

Here in Boone, NC, the most perfect and beautiful spot in all of America (and therefore the universe), the sky is blue and the air is cool and dry. For that reason, a movie festival is probably not on my agenda this holiday weekend. But for those of you stuck inside, what better way is there to celebrate the 4th of July than with a movie binge that takes you through the history of this great country of ours.

My list is not perfect. Lists never are. It's a starting point. Feel free to make your own recommendations.

[NKP_Vet]

Pretty good list, but I would have had the first two Godfather movies on the list, especially Part II.

[drbuzzard]

Personally I would have suggested Sergeant York for the WW I movie. Picking one which had nothing whatsoever to do with the U.S. seems quite off. Not to say that the movie he picked was a bad one, it is a great film, but the theme of the list is U.S. history.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

I like The Grapes of Wrath as a movie but I can’t get past the guy who runs the camp helping everybody out in the end being just ‘accidentally’ the spitting image of Franklin Roosevelt, who was just about to take America back into the Depression when he fortunately died.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

The list in the article is pretty good, but it completely ignores a very important topic:

It needs to focus, on the selling out of America.

We have shipped far too much formerly American production, to the Peoples Republic of China.

Far too much.

Bring back American industry.

[mc5cents]

I would include How The West Was Won (1962) in that list. Starred Jimmy Steward, John Wayne and Greg Peck and just about every other big name of the time. A Classic.

[Kartographer]

Sorry I disagree poor list in my opinion. To begin with:

I would replace ‘The Killing Fields’ with ‘We Were Soldiers’

I would replace ‘Fort Apache’ with ‘Open Range’ or ‘How the West Was Won’.

I would replace ‘The Longest Day’ with ‘Saving Private Ryan’

[mc5cents]

Jimmy Stewart! Doh!

[Arthur McGowan]

Trouble with attempting to learn history through movies—even great movies—is that they throw NO light on causes. “Sergeant York” promotes the preposterous notion that WWI had something to do with fighting tyranny. “The Grapes of Wrath” throws NO light on the causes of the Smoot-Hawley-Hoover-Roosevelt-Federal Reserve Depression.

[drbuzzard]

It is certainly true that Sergeant York doesn’t really teach much of anything on why the war happened or why the U.S. got involved. It does, however, present a snapshot of how it was sold to the nation.

[GRRRRR]

Sgt York reminds us of the importance of Faith.

Alvin started out as an objector, however, he was able to combine his Faith and Love of Country.

[windcliff]

Best Years Of Our Lives.

[glyptol]

Agree with you.

My pick would be Shenandoah 1965. James Stewart.
Essentially you mind your business and I’ll mind mine.
If you harm my family when they have not wronged you, you answer to me.
Makes for a polite society.

[rktman]

“The inquisition, the inquisition”. Torqemada at his best. ;>}

[sportutegrl]

I would replace Glory with Gone With the Wind.

[Bringbackthedraft]

So many pre WW II movies covering WW I. Go back to the silents i.e. http://wn.com/the_big_parade or Wings. How about that famous “Mission to Moscow” Gee haven’t seen that Hollywood propaganda piece in ages, is it still out there or was it destroyed?

[NKP_Vet]

“I would replace ‘The Longest Day’ with ‘Saving Private Ryan’”

For WW 2 my pick would be “Patton”.

For Vietnam “The Siege of Firebase Gloria” would be right beside “We Were Soldiers”. Both excellent films about
the war. Firebase Gloria is spooky it’s so realistic, stars real Nam vet R. Lee Ermey.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQEQaFzVQIM

[miss marmelstein]

Actually, How the West Was Won really has a woman lead - Debbie Reynolds. Wonderful movie even on the small screen.

[miss marmelstein]

These were great feature films, not documentaries. I doubt people would be watching The Grapes of Wrath much if Henry Fonda had a long monologue about the Smoot Hawley bill, lol!

[dfwgator]

For WWII, Honorable Mention would go to “The Big Red One.”