Classic War Stories

Box set containing five popular war movies. In 'The Longest Day' (1962), an all-star international cast re-tells the events of the Allied Landings in Normandy in 1944.

Events are seen from various points of view, including the Germans', in an epic and spectacular style.

Along with the 43 international stars, the film used 23,000 Allied troops and despite costing over $10 million to make, it has now become one of the most successful films of its genre.

John Wayne, Robert Mitchum and Henry Fonda head the cast. 'Sink the Bismarck!' (1960) is Lewis Gilbert's dramatic re-telling of the Allied mission in the spring of 1941 to find and destroy Germany's largest battleship, the Bismarck.

The story is told from two angles: the ships involved and the war-room in London where Captain John Shepherd (Kenneth More) plots the manouevres using models of the ships.

Shepherd has an emotional reason for wanting the battleship sunk, his wife was recently killed in a German raid on London and his son is missing in action, and struggles to keep his emotions in line whilst making decisions that affect hundreds of lives.

The final scenes are a mixture of newsreel of the battle and up-dated special effects. 'The Desert Rats' (1953), is an acclaimed World War Two film about a British captain who takes charge of an Australian squad to train them for desert fighting.

But his stiff upper lip does not quickly win over his Australian charges.

James Mason reprises his role as Field Marshal Rommel from the film 'The Desert Fox' (1951).

In 'Twelve O' Clock High' (1949), Colonel Keith Davenport (Gary Merrill) is more of a friend than a commander to his men, a US bomber crew stationed in wartime Britain.

After a series of dangerous missions, the pilots are living on their nerves and when Davenport is replaced by the callous General Savage (Gregory Peck), the latter's attempts to whip the crew into shape result in a deluge of requests for transfers.

However, young Lieutenent Bishop (Robert Patten) rallies his fellow pilots, and soon they and Savage begin to develop a mutual respect.

Finally, 'A Farewell To Arms' (1957) is a a big budget remake of the 1932 original based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway.

Rock Hudson stars as the American ambulance driver who falls in love with his nurse (Jennifer Jones) after being wounded in World War One, and deserts his post in order to be with her.