Movies about WWII? For dd?

[lorijds]

My 11 year old has been reading about and studying WWII; she's writing a paper on Sofie Scholl, and she's read several articles and books (both fiction and non fiction) that are set in WWII.

We are also a movie lovers household, and she would like to watch some movies that depict the events of WWII. I really can't think of any appropriate for her. I thought about letting her watch Schindler's List or Life is Beautiful, but I barely made it through those movies once, I don't know if I can bear to do it again! I think it would be too heavy for her. Also, my family is originally from Germany, moved here before WWII. We still have relatives who live there, as well as relatives who fought for and died in the German army. My uncle (an American soldier) married a German woman (one of my favorite aunts) whose brothers were SS and Gestapo, at least one of whom was tried for war crimes. These are no secrets in our family, and my kids know that we have relatives who fought on both sides of the war; but that's some heavy, heavy shit for an 11 year old child.

We just watched Swing Kids, which I hadn't seen since it came out 13 years ago (I forgot Arvid commits suicide -- argh! ) My daughter, even as prepared as she was, even as relatively benign as that movie is in terms of presenting conditions in WWII, she was pretty traumatized by it. She's sleeping in my bed right now (and probably for the next couple of nights....).

Are there any kids movies or kid appropriate movies that deal with WWII, especially from a child's point of view?

Thanks!

Lori

[AEZMama]

There's a great movie that I think would be appropriate called The Summer of My German Soldier. Not set in Europe, but a great movie.

There's the great HBO series called Band of Brothers, but it might be too much for an 11 yo.

What about Pearl Harbor with Ben Affleck?

[Flor]

A good book and pretty good BBC production is Goodnight, Mr. Tom

I like it because it is a British perspective. It is about the children who were evacuated from London and sent to live in the country away from their families. Also, I always use this great BBC website, it has really cool information and is fun for kids:


http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2children/

The war time house is very interesting (click on the items that light up) and the posters/photos/sounds (air raid signal, queen addressing children) in the Research room are fascinating.

[medeanj]

Empire of The Sun is also a very good one and it is PG rated.

It takes place in WWII China and a young boy does whatever it takes to survive in a camp run by the Japanese as well as grow up without his family.

A very young Christian Bale (of Batman Returns fame) stars in it and was directed by Steven Spielberg

[mleavell]

[QUOTE=AEZMama;6016250]There's a great movie that I think would be appropriate called The Summer of My German Soldier. Not set in Europe, but a great movie. [\QUOTE]

Oh, please have her read the book before seeing the movie. It was one of my favorites growing up.

My father is from Germany so I also enjoyed learning about WWII. It is hard to find good quality stuff that is not also filled with the terrible sadness of war. However, I do not believe you should show her only romantacized, happy scenes of the time period.

How about Saving Private Ryan? You could skip most of the D-Day invasion part which is pretty harsh and still get the gist of the movie.

Also, get one of the versions of Diary of Anne Frank. (If she has not already seen it.

PS. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Empire of the Sun!!

[katybear mama]

I know you asked for movies but here are some great juvenile fiction & non-fiction books for your dd:

Parallel Journeys by Eleanor H. Ayer

Erika's Story by Ruth Vander Zee

Welcome to Molly's World by Catherine Gourley

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr

Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Green (already mentioned)

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

The Lily Cupboard by Oppenheim & Himler

Dear America: The Nation at War: the WWII Collection by Beth Levine

Chips: the War Dog by Nancy M. West

[grahamsmom98]

How about an old movie, "So Proudly We Hail"

It is about military nurses in the Pacific theatre during WWII. I can't think of any other WWII-themed films that are told from the women-in-the-service viewpoint. It was really unique.

It stars Claudette Colbert, Veronica Lake and many other stars and is still one of my favorites.

Please, please, PLEASE avoid "Pearl Harbor" (the one with Affleck). It has little to do with what happened, politically & historically, that day. It is simply a love story using that event as a setting with lousy acting and so-so special effects.

Better to watch "Tora, Tora, Tora". Though some of the timing of events at Pearl that day is off, the history is right on. My Dad was there that day and feels it was the best film made on the happenings. Real footage of that horrific day was intercut with dramatised filming and it is pretty damned difficult to tell the difference. It also shows what was going on in Japan, Washington DC and out with the Japanese fleet prior to the actual assault in Hawaii. Historically accurate.

"Hope & Glory" is about England during WWII and is from a child's viewpoint. Very well done.

"Conspiracy" is an HBO true-story produced about the group of Nazi officials that decide how to deal with the "Jewish Problem" in one day and begin their plans for the Final Solution. Horrifyingly portrayed by excellent actors, not graphic at all, and filmed at the house where the original meeting was held. Incredible.

"Patton"

Great Escape

Bridge Over the River Kwai

[nancywest]

Chips the War Dog - Author's Message

Originally Posted by katybear mama

I know you asked for movies but here are some great juvenile fiction & non-fiction books for your dd:

Parallel Journeys by Eleanor H. Ayer

Erika's Story by Ruth Vander Zee

Welcome to Molly's World by Catherine Gourley

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr

Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Green (already mentioned)

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

The Lily Cupboard by Oppenheim & Himler

Dear America: The Nation at War: the WWII Collection by Beth Levine

Chips: the War Dog by Nancy M. West

I accidentally stumbled onto this blog site while doing a routine "google alert" and was extremely flattered to find Chips the War Dog in the same company with so many wonderful books! I think this is the best compliment "Chips" has received thus far!

I thought that readers here might be interested to know that I was very fortunate to be able to meet with and interview Chips' real-life owner, Mr. John Wren.(He is the little boy "John" in the book.) John grew up to become an attorney and now practices law in Pleasantville, New York in Westchester County--where Chips grew-up. Like Chips, John also served his country. He was an officer in the US Navy during the Vietnam War.

If anyone out there would like to have a complimentary copy of Chips the War Dog sent to their local library please email me. I would be happy to send one.

Many thanks again for putting Chips in such amazing company!
Nancy West

[medeanj]

I have another film called, Cry Havoc. At the moment it is not available on VHS or DVD but it does show up on some of the classic movie channels from time to time.

There is also a play version of this film that some community theatres produce and it is worth a look-see.

[shelbean91]

I was pretty young when I saw Shindler's list (early 20's maybe) and it didn't have the same effect it had when I was older and really 'realized' all that was going. I was pretty naive. My mom let me take my sister, who was 12 at the time to see it b/c she was studying the war in school also. She wasn't overly disturbed by it, only b/c it wasn't as violent outright as many current movies, there's just so much underlying stuff. It's hard for it to sink in to a child that age. Of course, you know your daughter best and if she can handle it.

[curlytopper]

Originally Posted by Flor

A good book and pretty good BBC production is Goodnight, Mr. Tom

I like it because it is a British perspective. It is about the children who were evacuated from London and sent to live in the country away from their families. Also, I always use this great BBC website, it has really cool information and is fun for kids:


http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2children/

The war time house is very interesting (click on the items that light up) and the posters/photos/sounds (air raid signal, queen addressing children) in the Research room are fascinating.

Speaking about BBC, they also have a very good documentary about the War that is in DVD format. I'm not sure where you can find it but try searching the internet. The information and the stories in the documentary are very extensive. It chronicles the war from all perspectives including those from both prisoners of war, Japanese veterans, German Nazi officers, civilian witnesses and combatants from all fronts. You can also see the rise and fall of the Axis alliance as well as the emergence of the Allied powers. The whole 3-disc set takes almost 9 hours of viewing all documentation and footages.

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[sadkitty]

"Empire of the Sun" is one of my favorites, but it is really heart wrenching and a bit bloody too.

I watched "Grave of Fireflies" which id a Myazaki animated film about a couple of Japanese kids during wwII. We were both sobbing most of the way through, but it is a cartoon.

i watched a really looong movie with my 11 y.o. nephew a couple of thanksgivigs ago. I am blanking on the name, but its the one based on a true story where the guys dig their way out of a prison camp. It was rather dull, but not real shocking.

[PiePie]

Miracle @ Midnight
My Dog Skip

[mad cow]

"grave of the fireflies" by Miyazaki takes a sad look at a couple of kids from a Japanese point of view. It`s animated but is in no way funny or light. It makes me cry every time, my kids too... but we have watched it many times. It is so realistic.

[Autumn Breeze]

I agree with Summer of My German Solider. It was a nice book to read.

[medeanj]

Originally Posted by grahamsmom98

Great Escape

Ooh! Love that movie! Man I sure do miss Steve McQueen! I remember from an interview with Michael Crawford years ago when they did a film together (The War Lover), Crawford was scared to death in getting into a car with McQueen since they guy never drove with 'more than three wheels on the ground'

[NewCrunchyDaddy]

Originally Posted by grahamsmom98

Great Escape

Here's another vote for The Great Escape. It is by far one of the best - and "tamer" - WWII films out there, and it is based on a true story! Though, be advised that there are two somewhat disturbing killings near the end. Richard Attenborough (as "Big X") is gunned down pretty suddenly, as is Angue Lennie (as "The Mole") and Donald Pleasence (as "The Forger"), nothing bloody, but still. Donald Pleasence's death is particularly tragic as he is blind at the time of being shot, and Angus Lennie pretty much "commits" suicide by walking to the fence and trying to climb over (he's "shell-shocked"), and is gunned down. So, be aware of this, if DD didn't handle Arvid's suicide well in Swing Kids, you may want to preview The Great Escape and see if it is OK. Like I said, it's nothing bloody, but still...

As for others, Tora, Tora, Tora is a good one about Pearl Harbor. There's also The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Guns of Navarrone (this one is especially good and stars Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, Richard Harris (who was Dumbledore in the first two Harry Potter films) and David Niven), The Longest Day (about D-Day), The Battle of the Bulge (another good one, starring Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw, Telly Savalas and Charles Bronson), Where Eagles Dare (with Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood), Midway (with Chalrton Heston, Glenn Ford, Henry Ford, Hal Holbrook and Pat Morita), A Bridge Too Far (with James Caan, Micahel Caine, Sean Connery, Denholm Elliott, Elliott Gould, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier, Robert Redford and Maximilian Schell - this one is as good as The Great Escape), Memphis Belle, there is also Flags of Our Fathers which will be released tomorrow (October 20, 2006) in theaters about the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Marines who raised the flag on the island. It is directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Ryan Phillippe, Paul Walker, Berry Pepper and Robert Patrick. It is based on the book Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley about the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima by five Marines and his father who was a Navy corpsman.

Wikipedia has a pretty comprehensive list of WWII films.