Ike: Countdown to D-Day -- Opinions, please?

[stratasfan]

Hi! Am interested in anyone's thoughts on the movie, "Ike: Countdown to D-Day". Would love to hear form those who are knowledgeable about the days before D-Day and the commanders involved. How do you think the different characters are portrayed? Is the movie fairly accurate? Would love to hear from any who have seen it and have thoughts!

 

Thanks!

Elizabeth

[Joegiant128]

I really enjoyed it myself. I think its pretty accurate historically.

[BILL THE PATCH]

If that's the one with Tom sellick, I thought it was pretty good when I saw it.

 

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[lt508th]

Ike: Countdown to D-Day, is actually one of my favorite movies! I think for the most part based on what I know of the events leading to D-Day, the movie provides very factual information. I enjoyed how the movie portrays what must have been very agonizing decisions not only for Eisenhower, but his staff as well. The movie depicts what surely must have been the nail-biting process of receiving daily weather forecasts, critical to the success of the invasion, and how it affected the temperaments of those decision makers. I also enjoyed the scene where Patton goes to see Ike to beg for his job, and when he leaves, he tells his driver how he "played him like a violin", while Eisenhower is shown heard to say, "he probably thinks he put one over on me". I can see these two men, who knew each other for the better part of their military careers, playing through this mental exercise of who got the better of who?

 

Finally, I think how the film showed Eisenhower's reaction after giving the order to proceed with the invasion, was spot on. I think it was in Ambrose's book Citizen Soldiers or maybe even his D-Day book, who described how up until issuing the order to proceed with the invasion, Eisenhower was the most powerful commander in the war. After giving that order, he just had to sit back like everyone else and wait helplessly to learn whether or not the invasion would be successful. Selleck did a fine job portraying Ike overall, in my opinion, but his reaction after determining to send his forces to invade Europe I thought was amazing! You could almost feel the immense weight of the decision leaving his shoulders, and the wary feeling of uncertainty replacing it. I also thought his facial expression was so believable, when he hears the news that the invasion was successful, and that although the casualties were high, they were no where near the predictions made by his staff, in pre-invasion planning.

 

Anyway, glad you enjoyed the movie, too and I hope my write-up helps you.

 

Tim

[V42]

Great movie and very factual on the days leading up to the invasion.

[z19]

Tom Selleck is the man and one of the only normal thinking people left in Hollywood.