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Customer Reviews of When Trumpets Fade

Well Worth Seeing
This movie focuses on a sad chapter in the history of the U.S Army in World War II. The Hurtgen Forest was a deathtrap the could have more or less been bypassed. Certainly a low point in the annals of command, though through no fault of the G.I.s involved. This movie made a point to bring out the frustration and waste experienced by the men of the 28th Inf. Div. in that campaign. I think Spielberg set a new standard for the war movie genre with Saving Private Ryan. So far, When Trumpets Fade is one of the few recent military movies to even come close to that standard. It's a shame that, being a made for cable release, it hasn't been seen by more people. The movie is technically very well done. Uniform and equipment portrayal is excellent. For those reviewers above who find fault with a G.I. wearing his watch cap backwards, try wearing one under an M-1 helmet sometime. It's more comfy turned backwards I assure you. The only thing the movie couldn't represent, being filmed in Hungary, was the true geography of the Kall River Valley, which is much worse than shown on the film. Having hiked the Kall Trail quite a bit, it's a rough walk. Hats off as well to my fellow US military members, stationed in Hungary, that played extras in the film. A very well made movie that they can be proud to have participated in!

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Adds a gritty and dark twist to WWII films.....
If you are looking for Saving Private Ryan 2, don't buy this movie. However, if you are looking for a down-in-the-dirt (more so than Pvt. Ryan), grim and gritty war film, than this is your movie.

The plot centers on a Private, in the much-forgotten battle of Hurtgen Forest, who is the only soldier of his platoon to make it back alive from a raid on German foritfications. The company commanders see him as a perfect candidate for a leader, due to his obvious survival skills. He is promoted directly to Sergeant, and is put in charge of a squad of misfits. This Sergeant only cares about himself, and doesn't mind sacrificing others to get himself back to the base alive.

At first, a minor gripe I had is that I never really cared for any of the characters (except the medic played by Frank Whaley, and the young private Sanderson). And I especially hated the main character, who, like I mentioned before, only cares for his own hide and takes advantage of his subordinates (playing with their lives) for personal gain. But, in the end, you will not gripe about this. It will show you a true protrait of the frontline -- there are no glowing Hollywood heroes....just normal boys from all over the country -- some of them good men, others flawed. That is what makes this film so good.

Though not as good as Saving Private Ryan (simply because it is just too dark and bleak at times), it is a good addition to the collection of epic war films.

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Bad acting and contrived plot
Compared to the best I have seen, i.e. SPR and Band of Brothers, this dog barks. The acting is atrocious and the plot so contrived it begs ridicule. And the guy that plays the Major should stick to country music and leave the acting to people a bit less wooden.

I know the Hurtgen Forest was a horrendous episode in WWII but this film cannot possibly do the brave US Soldiers who actually fought there justice.

Save your money, buy Band of Brothers or The Lost Battalion.