Samuel Fuller's semi-autobiographical, 1980 war movie about a veteran Sergeant (Lee Marvin) from the first World War, who leads a...
Samuel Fuller's semi-autobiographical, 1980 war movie about a veteran Sergeant (Lee Marvin) from the first World War, who leads a unit in World War II, including Mark Hamill as Private Griff. The story follows the men as they survive the war – in Vichy French Africa, Sicily, D-Day at Omaha Beach, Belgium and France, ending in a concentration camp in Czechoslovakia where they face the true horror of the war. The movie begins with the line: "This is fictional life based on factual death".
This was one of the Samuel Fuller's last movies, in a career spanning nearly 60 years. Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and Jim Jarmusch have all listed Fuller's high energy approach as a major influence on their own work.
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Where to watch The Big Red One
90 %49 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® rating
78 %9,081 reviewsAudience score rating
"It's a terrific war yarn, a picture of palpable raw power which manages both Intense intimacy and great scope at the same time. (Review of Original Release)"
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Variety
Variety"Sam Fuller's monumental and often loopy second world war epic from 1980 ... the film's superbly contrived images and sheer ingenuous passion make a strong claim for crazy-masterpiece status..."
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The Guardian
The Guardian"In the ways that count, "The Big Red One" is still a B-movie -- hard-boiled, filled with action, held together by male camaraderie, directed with a lean economy of action. It's one of the most expensive B-pictures ever made, and I think that helps it fit the subject. "A" war movies are about War, but "B" war movies are about soldiers."
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Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert"Marvin's performance, much enhanced by "The Reconstruction," is a marvel."
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Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times"Made for only $4 million, this is an episodic epic, slow-paced and dealing with inactivity as much as action. But the intimacy of Fuller's focus makes this one of the most truthful takes on the realities of combat."
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BBC
BBCThe Big Red One | Details
- Runtime
- 158
- Genre
- Action, Drama, War
- Country of origin
- USA
