Battleground

1949 118 min ★ 6.7 Action, Adventure, Drama, War

Members of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division are fighting for their country amidst the rugged terrain of Bastogne, Belgium, in December 1944. Holley and his American compatriots have already seen one of their own, Roderigues, perish under enemy fire. The men try to rebuff another series of Nazi attacks, but what they really need is a change in the weather. Without clear skies, they'll never get the air support they need.

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Cast

Van Johnson

Holley

John Hodiak

Jarvess

Ricardo Montalban

Roderigues

George Murphy

'Pop' Stazak

Marshall Thompson

Jim Layton

Jerome Courtland

Abner Spudler

Don Taylor

Standiferd

Bruce Cowling

Wolowicz

James Whitmore

Kinnie

Douglas Fowley

'Kipp' Kippton

Details

Director

William A. Wellman

Screenplay

Robert Pirosh

Tagline

"The First Great Picture Of The Second World War!"

Status

Released

Original Language

EN

Production

Loew's Incorporated, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Reviews

J

John Chard

June 4, 2019

★ 8/10

The Battered Bastards Of Bastogne. Dedicated to the battered bastards of Bastogne, this major player in the war film genre is directed by William Wellman & tells the story of a U.S. Army division involved in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge. The terrific cast features George Murphy, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban, Van Johnson and James Whitmore. The film was nominated for four Acad...

C

CinemaSerf

June 4, 2025

★ 7/10

Based on the true life activities of an American division shortly after the D-Day landings in the winter of 1944, this offers one of the most authentic interpretations of the wartime experiences of a dozen or so ordinary soldiers far from home, cold, hungry and fearful. They are led by “Holley” (Van Johnson) but rank means precious little really as the squad try to navigate the foggy countryside a...