Watching the movie Fury

[Jeff L]

So far so good. Wish I'd seen it in the theatre. I think it's destined to become a modern classic.

[tmark]

I, too, saw Fury. The ending was surprising. An action packed WWII movie I enjoyed.

[Art]

Modern WWII action movie, heavy on the action. Good acting all around especially by Brad Pitt and Shia LaBeouf. Like most modern movies it does a good job on the equipment. I don't think its a classic in the making but I enjoyed it.

[Guamsst]

Like most modern movies it does a good job on the equipment. I don't think its a classic in the making but I enjoyed it.

Agreed. But it seemed like they went wild with the NAZIphilia. If the Wermacht fielded 1 of an item, they seemed to try to work it into the movie. Even the tank was covered inside and out with NAZI gear.

Several things in the story bugged me. The biggest being that they waited to open fire on hundreds of Germans marching in formation straight at them. One HE round and a few hundred rounds of 30cal would have pretty much wiped them out. Then, it wouldn't have been nearly as dramatic a movie................

I also did not like the "initiation" of making the new guy shoot a German POW like it was the norm.

The scene where they encounter the German Tank was sort of half and half. Yes, they probably would have ran in and tried to take out the enemy tank. No, they would probably not have tried a head on flying wedge attack as seen. Most of the head on attacks I've read bout that were similar to what is in the movie, happened with green tankers in Normandy where they didn't have a chance to do much else.

Not my favorite, but a good movie.

[phil441]

If anyone gets a chance to see the short program on the filming of fury, I highly recommend it. I shows the pains the film crew had to go through to protect the borrowed Tiger tank from any chance of damage.

[Col. Colt]

Are you concerned with NAZI markings or an unrealistic amount of German Equipment in the picture? Most German equipment had a swastika on it, somewhere, and Hitler pushed the emblems and symbols because he understood mass psychology. Hollywood certainly does try to show off their better technical knowledge nowadays but I'm glad they are at least trying to get the details right and make it feel real. Too many old movies lacked historical accuracy, particularly in equipment. Bringing the last real running, breathing Tiger tank to the screen is pretty spectacular!

Had Fury opened fire too soon, the Germans could have simply scattered and bypassed them on either side. The goal of their sacrifice was to inflict maximum damage on the German unit to weaken them and prevent the destruction of the US Army unit the Germans were going after, and by letting the SS unit close and then go "all in" to engage the Sherman, they did that. I originally thought the whole crossroads scene was predictable Hollywood fiction, but I understand it was based on a real event, from a better read WWII buff here. If anyone has references, I'd love to read more. CC

[Hecklerusp45]

protect the borrowed Tiger tank from any chance of damage.

That is funny if you think about it, protect that poor delicate tank!!!

[StockDoc]

why not just retreat and go around the crossroads, maybe come up from behind. Never understood that part of the movie.

[Guamsst]

Are you concerned with NAZI markings or an unrealistic amount of German Equipment in the picture?...........Had Fury opened fire too soon, the Germans could have simply scattered and bypassed them on either side. The goal of their sacrifice was to inflict maximum damage on the German unit to weaken them and prevent the destruction of the US Army unit the Germans were going after, and by letting the SS unit close and then go "all in" to engage the Sherman, they did that. I originally thought the whole crossroads scene was predictable Hollywood fiction, but I understand it was based on a real event, from a better read WWII buff here. If anyone has references, I'd love to read more. CC

The amount of equipment shown and the rarity of the equipment. It was almost like a showcase of "cool NAZI stuff". Swastikas don't bother me at all. It's just a symbol.

As to the German unit bypassing them. They would still have that option even after the close in ambush. If you can coordinate attack, you can coordinate retreat or flanking movements. So, I really see nothing the crew could have done to stop them from simply going around. The last thing a tank crew wants is to be surrounded by infantry with no infantry support. Luckily for them the Germans always attacked from in front of the guns and were kind enough to open the hatches slowly and take a peek before filling the tank with grenades. Also, when you let the infantry in close, you let their anti tank weapons in close and at that stage of the war, practically every other guy had a Panzerfaust. An HE round into a massed formation would devastate it, and at that range the shell would hit before they even knew it was incoming. Same thing with machinegun fire. There is nothing about waiting for them to get in close that would have any benefit over opening up on them when they are close enough to ensure lots of direct fire, but not so close they can just flank you on both sides and wipe you out in a few seconds. Again though, luckily the Germans couldn't hit the broad side of a Sherman at close range.

Now, I have a friend who is Army Infantry. He suggested they should have dismounted with the 30cal and occupied the house, giving a wider field of fire, multiple positions....blah blah blah. And realistically, he is probably right. I side with the movie on this point though because it was tankers not infantry, and tankers do things the tanker way and like to stay in the tank.

To me, I just see the close in ambush playing out this way. Initial $#!TSTORM and some heavy German casualties. Then the Germans split their force, flanking left and right. Panzershreks go to the ditch and the house. Lots of fire from the ditch, as soon as the turret turns to the ditch side. Bam, Panzershrek down on the top of the Sherman, big fire and the Krauts keep on moving. Maybe a 3 minute battle.

Open up on them halfway down the hill, they have to cover the distance to you under fire, or retreat back up the hill under fire. Either way, the Sherman is toast by morning, but the goal is to delay and to me, that just seems the most likely option to inflict mass casualties and cause the longest delay.

I'll try to watch it again if I get bored enough. Maybe I missed something.

[Guamsst]

why not just retreat and go around the crossroads, maybe come up from behind. Never understood that part of the movie.

Yeah, even the greenest of green troops would quickly figure out that a headlong attack on a tank is a bad idea compared to flanking. If it was a Japanese unit, then maybe so. But even the SS liked to win rather than die pointlessly. And yes, there were cases where Germans died by the hundreds in similar headlong attacks, but not when there was adequate cover and enough troops to flank both sides in force.