The Lost Battalion

World War I is largely forgotten today, but for absolute carnage in a localized place -- the trenches of the Western Front -- no one has seen the like before or since. Never have so many lives, so much blood, so much treasure been expended to achieve nothing. For nearly four years the static lines of combatants moved only yards and those yards were purchased with buckets of blood.This is a very good movie and is not your typical big budget Hollywood epic. It is a historic documentary-drama made for television's A&E Network. It was shot on a very tight budget at the actual location. Rick Schroder as MAJ Charles Whittlesey, gives one of his finest performances as the battalion commander of the 308th Battalion, 77th Division AEF. The supporting characters of CAPT Holderman [played by Adam James] and CAPT McMurty [played by Phil McKee] are an asset to the film. These three were among the seven men actually awarded the Medal of Honor in this single battle.I was vey impressed by the attenion to small details in this movie. Unfortunately, the producers were able to locate a full-size replica of the D.H.-4 two-seat observation aircraft of the type flown by the 50th Aero Squadron, AEF. D.H.-4's from the 50th both located and dropped supplies to the trapped battalion. Two members of the squadron, Lt. Harold E. Goettler and observer Lt. Erwin R. Bleckley, made the first drop and were shotdown and killed on the second. Both men received posthumous Medals of Honor. The aircraft in the film is a 7/8 scale replica of an S.E.-5A fighter and is totally wrong both in size and type.Whether the character of General Alexander, 77th Division commander, is accurate or not is open to question. As depicted, he certainly does reflect all the bad charracteristics of many World War I commanders; arrogant, disdainful of subbordinates, and detached from the suffering of the combat soldiers. When the survivors of the battalion finally are rescued, his appearance at the site of the battle seems contrived -- I do not know if this incident is historically accurate. That he would have actual empathy for his troops seems completely out of character. That such a haughty individual would be capable of such kindness and consideration is a reach (for me).One of the trivia items concerns the rifles of the Americans. Contrary to most Hollywood epics, including Gary Cooper's "Sergeant York" (1941), the great majority of American troops carried not the M1903 Springfield rifle, but the M1917 "Enfield" rifle. The M1917 was a modified British Pattern 1914 originally designed by Enfield in England. This Mauser-pattern .303 caliber rifle was being produced for the British by American manufacturers Winchester and Remington. When war clouds were gathering and most thought it a matter of time the United States would be drawn-in, Americans realized that M1903 production at both Springfield Armory (Nassachusetts) and Rock Island Arsenal (Illinois) was totally inadequate to arm what became the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). Therefore, the Army asked the American commercial producers whether the Pattern 1914 rifle could be redesigned to the American .30-06 Springfield cartridge. It turned out both Remington and Winchester were thinking along the same lines and the modified rifle was standardized as the Model 1917. Over 2.5 million M1917 rifles were manufactured by Remington Arms, Eddystone Arsenal (a Remington affiliate), and Winchester Repeating Arms. In contrast, combined production at both Springfield Armory and Rock Island Arsenal only produced 1.5 million M1903 rifles. The rifles carried in the movie are, correctly, the Model 1917.Another blooper -- in a scene, a soldier is shown watching for the Germans and is armed with a British No. 4 Mk I rifle that was not in use until World War II. Someone in the prop department messed-up. The prop department did get things right showing the American troops armed with both the Colt M1911 .45 pistol and M1917 .45 revolver. The use of the M1914 Hotchkiss and M1917 Browning machine guns is correct for the period. The M1915 French Chauchat automatic rifle shown with Private Krotoshinsky is an outstanding piece of accuracy. Unfortunately for American troops fighting real Germans, the French Chauchat was the WORST machine gun ever forced on the combat infantry soldier by any government. The gun was so poorly manufactured that it refused to work most of the time. Unfortunately, the Americans took the horrible French design and made it worse -- we coverted some of these junk machine guns to use the American .30-06 Springfield round that was more powerful than the 8mm French cartridge. The result was the marginal M1915 in 8mm French was unacceptable and unworkable as the M1918 in U.S. caliber .30.These are minor points and do not detract from the overall quality of this movie. I give this a 5 star rating.

Sad how government abandoned them

This is a great movie that follows a real-life story of a unit lost in the Arden Forest during WWI. They held their ground against overwhelming enemy forces and allowed the allies to break through and ultimately end the war. Great acting, characters, drama, action; it is all here. Don't hesitate to rent or buy this movie.

Probably one of the few movies you'll enjoy with Ricky Schroeder. A battalion of Americans get cut off from the allied forces during WW1. It's their story of a six day siege and their survival.

Good storyline

I had always heard that this movie was great. Although the acting is a bit wooden, overall. However, given the subject matter, it must be difficult to re-enact such trauma and turmoil. I found it a bit silly that Captain Hastings,(of Hercule Poirot) stood there looking very perplexed in the US Calvary HQ with ONLY ONE line to say....what a waste of his acting talents. Overall this is a great movie. R. schroeder plays a quiet NY Lawyer, thrust into the throes of WW I. His quiet reserve and staunch devotion to his men, even impresses the German enemy. When his Military Command finally arrives, after the fighting is done, R. Schroeder's character stands up to the US MIlitary Command and gives them what for! His dedication to his troops and his collection of dog tags from the mounting losses, breaks his heart. Towards the end of the film he loses his reserve and silently declares all out, full bore war on his enemy, saving the lives of many of his men. The film is slow in points but overall its a great film for anyone interested in WW I. At one point, one of his soldiers becomes a POW. The German High Command, watches in horror as his own troops are defeated by a small group of R. Schroeder's remaining soldiers. in disgust, he declares the American Soldiers to be nothing but a "bunch of New York Gangsters!" The Germans lament back at their HQ, how unwar like the Americans are and how they never know when to give up and surrender, like Gentlemen. I have heard this line and similar in many, many US war movies. I always thought this line was just added for drama in the films. Until my Father and I discussed WW II. He told me that this was the general opinion of many foreign enemies, that WW II American soldiers were more Militaristic than many other countries and that the US soldiers of all past wars, fought like tigers. My Canadian born Grandfather fought at the Somme and lived to tell about it. Talk about fighting like a TIGER. R. Schroeder and his troops fight like tigers in this film, they watch their friends die and still go on. What a brave, brave movie. R. Schroeder, was made for this film. His quiet, stoic face and his calmness belies his nature when trouble comes to his door. WHile this is a difficult film, it is well worth watching.

Best war movie ever!

The DVD was what I ordered and was of great quality. Came super fast and was packed very well.

I was so pleased to find this on blu-ray, years ago i bought this film off amazon and it turned out to be a knock off but worked on the old dvd player so happy days…..after reading the reviews i was torn if it would be in a different language….i love the film so chanced it, and so glad i did! I played it via my ps5…it started….the language, german!….but in settings adjust language to english and its perfect! If you havent seen the film i highly recommend it, as i myself am into any war film and this is a personal favourite.

Tolle Story. Problemlose Anlieferung. Ware tipp topp. Angenehmer Preis. Vielen Dank.

Loved the film

if you like ww1 films then this is a must very realistic

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