Talk:Saints and Soldiers

Malmédy massacre and other issues

Seeing as how we do know that the massacre was far more tragic and less accident than shown in the movie, I was shocked that the historical consultants didn't blow a gasket. To quote Wikipedia here:

A tank pulled up, and a truck shortly thereafter. A single SS officer pulled out a pistol and shot a medical officer standing in the front row, and then shot the man standing next to the medical officer. Other soldiers joined in with machine guns. It is not known why this happened; there is no record of an order by an SS officer.

While I was bit surprised that Gould, as a medic, would pick up weapons (and turn out to be very good with them), it wasn't unheard of for a medic to quit being a medic and become an infantryman or vice-versa. The odd thing is that neither he, nor any of the other characters even feel the need to mention that he shouldn't be carrying any weapon while still having the red cross on his helmet and arm.

The British flight sergeant has handwritten notes he has taken, in a personal code. While he says "we" when talking about the flying, I'm not sure if anyone in a World War Two flight crew would be able to write in a small notebook. I also wondered why he would be writing in a personal code - that no one else knew. I can understand paranoia (the character demonstrated NO other paranoia), but that seems extreme.

Nonetheless, I think it's a great movie, especially for a million bucks. The rest of the historical accuracy (the visuals) works for me, but then, I wouldn't know a "farb" if I saw one. --Habap 21:28, 31 March 2006 (UTC)

I wrote most of the article after watching the DVD. There have been a lot of corrections (and clarifications) by others. I would welcome the addition of historical inaccuracies in the film; it should go in a section so labelled.

It was one of the Americans (Gould?) that called the writing a code. I figured (from the context of the movie) that the "code" was the Brit's own chicken scratchings, and (like others with bad handwriting) he is the only one that can read it. His writing was probably made even worse by trying to write in a moving fighter plane (being used for reconnaissance).

Before starting the article, I read the article on the Malmédy massacre. I decided that rather than try to interpret the movie in terms of that article, I would relate what was shown in the movie as closely as I could and include the dialog from the commentary track. I figured that someone could read both articles and make up their own mind. I read your edit to that section, and I think that it works. Val42 04:19, 1 April 2006 (UTC)

My recollection is that the Flight Sergeant says "it's just the way I write" and I assumed that meant it was a personal code, but I hadn't considered illegibility.

I think you did a great job on the article. Perhaps it's a little more detailed than some people would expect, but you're "spot on". hehehe

We should see where we can fit the issue of the medic in....

I really liked the movie and had been surprised that I'd never heard about it - until I saw the stuff on the DVD about being from a small studio, with a tiny budget and living on film festivals. --Habap 13:12, 1 April 2006 (UTC)

Reviewing the history, I didn't start the article. However, I did write the "Plot Summary", "Religious overtones", "Malmédy massacre", "Actual events" and "Trivia", so I feel a special care for this article. All of the edits so far have been good ones to improve this article, which is what Wikipedia is about. I'm going to restructure to make a place for the information about the medic carrying a gun. You'll know because there will be another issue there. Val42 16:54, 1 April 2006 (UTC)

According to the Wikipedia article cited on the Malmady Massacre: "Several accounts claim the Germans only started shooting after several US soldiers tried to escape into the neighbouring woods. Furthermore, that the shooting of prisoners was started by an SS officer has never been confirmed; however, accounts claim there might have been warning shots fired." This is consistant with what they say in the commentary, namely that there are several accounts of the massacre. I would recommend revising the article; in its current state it seems to imply that the movie portrayal is innaccurate. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 138.88.30.94 (talk) 02:25, 15 January 2007 (UTC).

While there are various contentions about how it started, none of the accounts state that the shooting was actually started by an American POW stealing a weapon and shooting a German soldier. The movie portrayal is grossly inaccurate, regardless of what the commentary says. --Habap 13:37, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

The DVD commentary is the director (Little) and one of the writers (Whitaker). According to their commentary, the other writer (Geoffrey Panos) had done the research on the Malmedy massacre. They agree with you in that, "There are so many accounts about what happened." However, unlike your assertion, they didn't claim it was accurate. What they said was, "... we kinda decided that maybe more of a kinda neutral approach." So, if you were to make a movie, how would you portray the beginning of the Malmedy massacre? Val42 02:48, 17 January 2007 (UTC)

How would I portray it? Well, I wouldn't have it start with an American shooting someone. Perhaps an appropriate manner would be to have the first shot not be in-frame at all. Have a lone shot and sudden panic with the massacre ensuing. I think that the method they chose is decided not nuetral. No accounts blame the start of it on Americans getting ahold of German weapons and resisting violently. They have added to the confusion of the existing accounts by creating an entirely new one. --Habap 15:51, 17 January 2007 (UTC)

You did something I didn't think you'd do, come up with a reasonable way to portray it. I also agree that adding a portrayal of something like this will add to the confusion because people will remember what they saw in the movie better than whatever else they may have heard.

Now for something related but not so serious: We're totally (okay, not totally) forgetting about the four (plus one picked up later) fictional characters that we follow throughout the movie. What right do filmmakers have to write in new characters into history? (This is a question that I came up with as soon as I agreed with your implied question above.) I think you'll agree with me that putting these new characters in is okay, it's the point of most films. But significantly changing the start of the massacre isn't okay. I can't say exactly why though. Do you concur?

But either way, I think we're "Monday-morning quarterbacking" the way they made the film. Val42 04:50, 23 January 2007 (UTC)

I concur completely. I loved the film, but, it is all "made up". I have occasionally thought of writing some kind of historical fiction but back away because there are so many actual stories that I would rather learn than simply invent. Nonetheless, I really enjoy reading that stuff or watching movies like this.

For example, in Gettysburg, the 20th Maine moves to the center of the Union line on the last day, when, in fact, they'd been moved onto Big Round Top. This is a far more painful error than the creation of Sergeant "Buster" Kilrain (though he does get lots of notes, letters and flowers left for him on Little Round Top.) Both were done for literary reasons, but having the regiment in the wrong place just grinds at me. I still enjoyed the movie. --Habap 05:09, 23 January 2007 (UTC)

Since we began this discussion, the article on the beginning of the Malmedy massacre has been changed. Here is the relevant text that you will be interested in:

"For reasons which still remain unclear today, the Germans suddenly opened fire on their prisoners. Some Germans later claimed that some prisoners had tried to escape, others said that left alone in the meadow the prisoners had recovered their previously discarded weapons and fired on the German troops which continued their progression in direction of Ligneuville."

"Apparently no record of an order given by an SS officer to shoot the prisoners exists. However, some survivors testified that they had heard an order given to kill all the prisoners: Macht alle kaputt!"

This is closer to what was portrayed in the film: A prisoner grabbed the weapon from a German and shot him. But I would prefer that the Wikipedia article to be accurate than the film. This section of the article used to have just the Allied perspective, but has been rewritten to be from the German perspective. I want to hear from both sides, but I do want accuracy on both sides. Check it out. Val42 05:50, 26 January 2007 (UTC)

Medics

OK, after reading more, I learn that it was simply probable that a medic in the ETO wouldn't carry a weapon. A recent article I read about a medic in the Pacific (a Navy corpsman serving with the Marines) indicated that he carried a weapon and most medics there did, but that he thought it was uncommon in the ETO. I think my confusion is due to the fact that conscientious objectors could agree to serve as medics, since medics are not required to carry weapons. However, nothing in the Geneva Conventions prohibits them from carrying firearms to defend themselves. --Habap 15:17, 23 May 2006 (UTC)

German language

I think that the place near the end when the jeep is stuck in the mud is a place where what is said in German is significant. Would someone with the DVD (who knows German) please put in the German along with an appropriate English translation? That same person could also do the same for any other sections where the German dialog is significant. Val42 16:49, 29 May 2006 (UTC)

101 airborne presence in Malmedy

Despite the explanation given in the movie, it is unlikely, if not impossible, that men belonging to the 101 US airborne could have been present at Baugnez crossroads (i.e. the place where the Malmedy massacre actually occurred) on 17 December 1944 at 2 p.m. (i.e. when the massacre was perpetrated by the German troops. In fact, at this time, the 101 Airborne division was still in its barracks of Reims (France) and didn't not receive an order to move to Bastogne from General Eisenhower before 8 p.m. the same day. The first troops of the 101 Airborne did not reach Bastogne before the early morning of the 19 December, although some senior officers, including General Anthony McAuliffe might have reached Bastogne a little earlier. Knowing that both St. Vith and Malmedy are located 80 km (i.e. 50 miles) further than Bastogne, it's actually difficult to imagine how these two men could have bee caught by the Germans in the morning of the 17th December,knowing that at this point of time the German had still not reached St. Vith nor Malmedy. Another Hollywood miracle? --81.241.154.59 15:47, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

Oh, good catch. I didn't even realize that. My recollection is that Gunderson states he was taking Deacon out of the front lines to St Vith, when in fact he would have had to be doing the exact opposite. The 82nd would be near St Vith, but not on the 17th. Well, at least it was an enjoyable movie, if egregiously inaccurate at many points. --Habap 16:47, 20 November 2006 (UTC)

The 82nd arrived on the combat zone on 19th December, but was still 25 or 30 miles away from St Vith and 20 miles away from Malmedy. But in they helped to stop the "Peiper Group" (usually held responsible for the Malmedy massacre) in the vicinty of Stoumont and La Gleize.--Lebob-BE 14:43, 21 November 2006 (UTC)(former 81.241.154.59)

What they got right

The purpose of this section is to root out some more historical inaccuracies in this film. First, I like this film, but the discussions above about the beginning Malmedy massacre, medics carrying weapons and the two characters from the 101^st Airborne have prompted me to question what else may be innacurate. (Those specific discussions should continue to occur in those sections.) Let's ignore that they made up specific characters to follow and the specifics of what happenned to these specific characters. Let's concentrate on if what was portrayed could have happenned during the few days portrayed in the film, including the flashback to the "little town in the Eisenborn Ridge." I've numbered my questions so that they can more easily be referenced once this discussion gets further downstream.

1. Given that the 101^st wasn't in the area, what unit was in the Eisenborn Ridge a few days before?
2. During WWII, would they have pulled someone from the front lines that was acting like Deacon (unable to sleep, jumpy, about to shoot at anything that moves)?
3. The Malmedy massacre article says that the American 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion made up most of the Allied troops in the massacre. What other units were represented?
4. After the massacre started, about half of the prisoners (about 60) were able to flee into the woods.
5. The Battle of the Bulge started on the 16^th, so it is conceivable that an Allied pilot could have been sent to gather intelligence and found out about the extent of the German offensive.
   1. Did any such flights occur?
   2. When did the Allies know about the extent of the German offensive?
6. Were there survivors of the Malmedy massacre that waited behind the lines until the front line went past?

Even if we don't find inaccuracies, we could find some additonal historical notes to add to the article. Val42 06:25, 26 January 2007 (UTC)

Gould

Did anyone else have a problem with the medic (Who is obviously Jewish) being portrayed as a snide asshole for most of the film? This isn't quite Gary Busey in "Valley of the Wolves: Iraq," but it was definitely perturbing. Commander_PoppinFresh 01:42, 17 March 2007 (UTC)

Spoliers

Doesn't the final paragraph in the "Religious Overtones" section provide a spoiler when it says:

"During an exchange during the movie, Deacon offers Gould his book (which contains scriptures). At the end of the movie, Gould takes it."

It seems to imply the fate of the Deacon character. I don't think this paragraph is relevant to the article or the section. Trippz 03:37, 10 August 2007 (UTC)

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BetacommandBot (talk) 04:56, 24 January 2008 (UTC)

Mormon film company?

What in the world is a "a Mormon film company"? This phrase needs amplification.