Real War vs. Reel War

January 1, 2015

World War II films reflect a tension between the need for accuracy and realism and Hollywood's desire for action, backstories, and even a bit of romance. Hundreds of films about the era have been churned out over the years, including almost 300 during the war years alone, when many young men made the decision to enlist after viewing a gung-ho combat movie. This book describes World War II films as historical documents, using the memories of seven aging veterans (plus a few women who served on the home front), comparing their experiences to what was portrayed on the big screen. The soldiers' and sailors' backgrounds range from time on battleships, in the infantry, and in the air war, as well as those who were Navajo code talkers and prisoners of war. While reality could occasionally be glimpsed in these films, a more typical example is David O. Selznick's sudsy 1944 soap opera epic Since You Went Away. The veterans provide compelling details on daily life in the military but too often their critical insights are little more than a thumbs up or down. The coverage is disappointing, skipping obvious choices such as John Ford's naval film They Were Expendable (1945) or Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan (1998), while giving inadequate coverage to William Wyler's fine 1946 film about returning veterans, The Best Years of Our Lives. VERDICT Unlikely to be a standout among the many World War II film books, ranking as an optional purchase only.--Stephen Rees, formerly with Levittown Lib., PA

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