Today is Memorial Day, so I've paired two films about Prisoners of War. I really enjoyed both of these films, and I think they work really well together.
1. Stalag 17
Man, Billy Wilder was GREAT! When many directors of this era stuck to specific genres, Billy Wilder seems to tackle something different every time he directs. This film was a lot of fun to watch, with a great twist. The cast of POW's are what make this work, and the film's stage-roots showcase each character's personality. William Holden is especially good as the antihero. This is great, classic fun.
2. Rescue Dawn
Another good movie. While Stalag 17 takes place in World War II Germany, Rescue Dawn takes place in Vietnam. Again, the strength of these types of films is the performances. Christian Bale does an admirable job, doing what he does best by throwing himself physically into the role. Self-emaciating weight loss became a competition among the actors, and I'll definitely give the trophy to Lost's Jeremy Davies. Steve Zahn does a great job adapting to a more dramatic role, with his character having a more resonant emotional connection than even Bale.
If you want a good double feature that helps get an inside mentality of American soldiers facing the greatest adversity, give this one a shot!
Favorite Moments:
1. "Not Gable. GRABLE!"
2. "Mmmm a good year, this one!"
Suggested Snack: A single egg, and some squished insect larva...on second thought, don't bother eating before or during these movies...
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