Real war vs. reel war : veterans, Hollywood, and WWII / Suzanne Broderick.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Broderick, Suzanne, 1948- author.

Series:

Film and history (Lanham, Md.)

Film and history

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

World War, 1939-1945--Motion pictures and the war.

World War, 1939-1945.

War and motion pictures.

War films--United States--History and criticism.

War films.

United States.

World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American.

Motion pictures and history.

Soldiers in motion pictures.

Prisoners of war in motion pictures.

Genre:

Personal narratives -- American.

Personal narratives.

Physical Description:

xii, 159 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Lanham ; Boulder ; New York ; London : Rowman & Littlefield, [2015]

Summary:

World War II has been the subject of hundreds, if not thousands, of films produced in the United States alone. From training camp scenes in See Here, Private Hargrove to images of brutal combat in Saving Private Ryan, filmmakers have been tasked with replicating pivotal moments in the war. But sometimes story lines and dramatic manipulations of audiences have led to less-than-faithful re-creations of what men and women have endured during times of conflict. In Real War vs. Reel War: Veterans, Hollywood, and World War II, Suzanne Broderick looks at how on-screen portrayals hold up against wartime experiences of actual combatants-soldiers, sailors, pilots, code talkers, and prisoners of war. In addition, two women-real-life "Rosie the Riveters"-compare depictions of the homefront with their experiences during the war. These members of the Greatest Generation share personal memories and offer commentary on the films that have sought to capture what it was really like. Among the films discussed in this book are such classics as Battleground, Twelve O'Clock High, The Best Years of Our Lives, Since You Went Away, The Sands of Iwo Jima, and The Great Escape, as well as more contemporary films such as Swing Shift and Windtalkers. By providing a "human" look at the military, the war effort, and how such people and events were depicted on screen, Real War vs. Reel War makes a unique contribution to the conversation about Hollywood's role in shaping history. This book will appeal to historians, cultural critics, and anyone interested in war cinema. Book jacket.

Contents:

Introduction

Hollywood, history, and the historian

Tough 'ombres and battleground

Carriers and kamikazes: wing and a prayer

Stormy weather: Memphis Belle and Twelve o'clock high

Guadalcanal diary, Back to Bataan, and The sands of Iwo Jima: a veteran's review

Stalag Luft III: tales of the great escape

Code talkers, windtalkers and true whisperers

The Rosies: Lucy, Goldie, Ginger, and Marge

Conclusion.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Includes filmography.

ISBN:

9781442245556

1442245557

OCLC:

892514340