The Big Red One, a war movie released in 1980, follows a group of young soldiers who are thrown into the chaos of World War II. Directed by Samuel Fuller, this movie is a powerful representation of the horrors of war and how it affects the soldiers involved. Starring Lee Marvin, Mark Hamill, Robert Carradine, Bobby Di Cicco, Kelly Ward, and Siegfried Rauch, this movie has an excellent cast that tells a compelling story.
Synopsis:
The film starts in 1918 with an American military member hiding from German forces during World War I. He hears a German soldier surrendering and being stabbed, then goes to his home base, where he finds out that the war had ended four hours earlier. Then, we jump to November 1942, where Sergeant (played by Lee Marvin) and his team of soldiers, known as Big Red One, are sent to North Africa to help the French forces fight against the Germans.
During their mission, they encounter the Vichy French forces who are rebelling against their government, and those who want freedom for their country. There is a skirmish, and the French forces are eventually defeated. Later, the Big Red One goes to Sicily to fight the German forces, and with the help of the Italian navy, they succeed in taking down the Germans’ tanks.
While on their mission, they meet Matteo, an Italian boy whose mother had died, and they make a deal with him to help find the German tanks in exchange for burying his mother with dignity. They find the tanks hidden in an Italian home, and they successfully take them down. Afterward, they keep their promise to Matteo, and they also encounter a group of mentally challenged people who cannot leave a nearby hospital, as it would result in their deaths.
In the end, the Big Red One must fight their way through Normandy and liberate France from the Germans. They run into many obstacles, including being fired at by infantry and being trapped by barbed wire. Unfortunately, many members of the Big Red One do not make it out alive.
Conclusion:
The Big Red One tells a story of the harsh realities of war and how it affects those who fight in it. From the young soldiers being forced to leave their livelihoods to join the military to the personal sacrifices they make, this movie is a powerful representation of the extreme situations that can arise during wartime. Despite some minor shortcomings, such as the lack of character development for Sergeant, the movie has a great cast and compelling story that keeps the audience engaged until the end. With its realistic portrayal of war, The Big Red One is a must-watch for war movie enthusiasts.
