Sadly Over-hyped

Memorable, crazy movie

As Good As It Gets

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

In a day and age when theatrical releases leave one wanting, this TV movie Delivers.When Trumpets Fade tells the story of Manning (Ron Eldard), a man who has seen more than his share of hell and wants more of it. But war is a jealous mistress and won't let him go so easily. While Private Manning, then Sergeant Manning, then eventually Lt. Manning would just like to go home, he's continually called upon to lead others into battle in one of the most horrific events of WWII.This being a TV movie one hardly expects that there was a huge production budget. Yet John Irvin (Hamburger Hill), working from a brilliant screenplay by W.W. Vought, directs and brilliant cast of familiar, if not A-List faces through an incredibly moving and gripping tale.Working with the elegant natural landscape, production designer László Rajk makes the past come alive in the here and now. While cinematographer Thomas Burstyn catches the action and the drama like he's working with a blockbuster budget. In all aspects When Trumpets Fade stands proudly among the best war movies ever made. A near perfect execution.

When Trumpets Fade is a very decent war movie, but the fight scenes seem a tad bit fake. They are fighting a battle in Hurtgen Forest at the border of Belgium that seems to be impossible to win, and the platoon attempts many pushes against the German line with no avail. The main obstacle for the US troops is the tanks and flak 88 guns that their artillery cant take out. The newly appointed Sergeant Manning is given a squad of 4 men and ordered to go and take out the flak guns across from the bridge. The movie shows the difficulties and mental stress that comes with leading in war, and how sometimes you have to go to drastic measures to maintain control of the situation. This film is a great tribute to the remembrance of a very important battle that most people don't know about. I recommend it to everyone and you should all learn to love SANDERSON!!!

This film shows the battlefield as a bleak place. There is no John Wayne patriotic bravado here. All the characters in the movie want the same thing: to be some place else. They are willing to do anything to leave, including getting themselves court-martialed. And who can blame them? The region they are in is cold and the ground is mud. Dead soldiers line the roads because Command feels the trucks should be used to carry live men to the battlefield, not dead men home. This instills a feeling of extreme relief into the viewer: "at least I wasn't in World War II." I can see why this is meant to be a continuation of Hamburger Hill. Both films are violent and show war as a futile effort that kills men like cattle and turns fellow soldiers against each other. With every passing minute, the film whispers in your ear, "By the way, war is hell." In case we forgot. In the end, the viewer is not left with much, just like the characters. Not recommended for the faint of heart, but what war movie is?

This entire film is one that should not be forgotten for its historical and psychological relevance. What I liked the most is how it shows how late in the second world war, US soldiers were often, if they had not done so already, their breaking points. The film displayed what war can turn someone into, where fear can cause valor, as is the case with the character Sanderson. The character of Manning was fascinating because he had only been in the conflict for a few days and he had already made his own opinions and options on the battlefield, and how he starts in the woods as a caring fellow, trying to save a wounded comrade, to being the instant battle hardened warrior he was when his squad was sent to take out the Flak 88 guns. I liked how this film gave an insight into what war does to people, and how during conflict they can be changed from average people into hardened-heartless warriors.