Rating: 
Summary: Infantry combat in WW2
Review: Before the gritty realism of "Saving Private Ryan" or "Band of Brothers" there was "Battleground".This film has to be one of the classic war films of all time. It not only stands the test of time, but has a lot of historical accuracy. The story centers on a rifle platoon from the 101st Airborne Division as seen the the eyes of a young replacement. The excitement of being placed in an elite unit is tempered by the realities of Army life. Before our young man can even try to fit in the unit is rushed to Belgium to guard an important crossroads from a major German attack. The unit has to battle winter weather and shortages of supplies in addition to the German army. The soldiers are more "Private Ryan" than the stern heroes so often depicted in other movies of that era. Men don't want to stay at the front, the weather is miserable and the average infantryman often doesn't know where he is or what's going on other than that there are people coming out of the woods that want to kill him. There's no glory, just the determined resistance of the "battered bastards of Bastogne". The movie also scores points with history buffs as all the weapons, vehicles, and uniforms are correct for the Battle of the Bulge, including rare screen appearances by the M18 tank destroyer and "quad 50" halftrack. Filmed in classic black and white the film may be a little simplistic by modern standards but still gives one a good feel for defenders of Bastogne. The film ends not with a great triumph, but with a tired survival coupled with pride in their unit and themselves.
Rating:
Summary: Triumph under fire
Review: Being entitled Battleground you might think this film to be non-stop combat, but it isn't. It is so much more than an ordinary "war" film. One won't spy a tank in this film, for instance, until more than 90 minutes into this story; the story of the boys of the 101st who held out in Bastogne until the skies permitted aerial support to come to the rescue in this Battle of the Bulge. Skirmishes there are, however, up until this point, as a prelude---seemingly---to that which will ultimately test them; in which these soldiers show their individual mettle as well as insecurities. It's the story of a historically significant moment, but told from the vantage point of foxholes, in other words, and the GIs that dug them, holed up in them, and sprung from them to engage hostile German combatants. Van Johnson and company are convincing & the direction in this film is commendable. A number of scenes and/or specific camera shots are simply well framed & thus add to the dramatic effect of the lines being delivered by members of this fine cast. There are not that many World War Two-era films as well presented as this one. Do give it a chance (but keep in mind that it's a measured film---almost 2 hours in lenth, & more dramatic than action-packed). My only complaint herein or rather wish would be that they would've filmed more of Battleground beyond MGM's soundstage doors---dialogue in one particular street scene, for instance (wherein troop trucks roll into a town) bares the traces of an indoor echo. In addition, the artificial snow utilized is no better than passably realistic at times. Cheers!
Rating: 
Summary: Top Notch War Flick!
Review: Excellent story of the 101st Airborne at the Siege of Bastone. This was probably the most famous of the battles held by the Americans. The movie shows life in the filth, mud, and snow quite well. You of course, don't get the true story of the whole battle, movies don't do this well except in documentarys. Filmed in 1949 this movie stars a lot of people who had actually seen the elephant. Van Johnson didn't serve in the army due to a plate in his head from a motorcycle accident. But James Whitmore was (I believe) a Lt. in the USMC in the South Pacific. Some of the others had been in the war also. One of the three best war movies of all time, the others are Twelve O'Clock High and Command Decision.
Rating:
Summary: Absolute Classic WW-II Movie!
Review: Great Action, great actors, with good humor make this one of the best WW-II movies ever. It is a classic and still popular today. It gives a well rounded view of the life of the soldier in WW-II and seems to be a historically accurate portrayal of the siege of Bastogne. This is worth viewing just to see Spencer Tracy and Van Johnson in great roles. A great movie for anyone who loves this genre of movie. A must to own! One of my personal favorites.
Rating:
Summary: A classic war movie
Review: I have watched this movie so often that I had to buy a new tape recently. This is an excellent story about the 101st AirBorne, giving us a glimpse at what it was possibly like at that time. This film deserves the title Classic, and should be put on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Tribute to the World War II Veteran
Review: I love this World War II movie about the Battle of the Bulge. I like this film because it focuses on the ordinary infantryman and is told in a very gritty fashion for its time (1949). Producer Dore Schary had the good sense to let director William Wellman (World War I veteran) film this movie in a more realistic style than a major Hollywood studio would normally have done. Robert Pirosh's competent and honest script breathes reality into the life and death daily existence of these soldiers through their turgid dialog. Paul C. Vogel's black & white cinematography is bleak and adds a sense of anxiety that puts the viewer directly into the story. Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban, George Murphy, James Whitmore, Richard Jaeckel and Marshall Thompson are all excellent in their roles. This move is a tribute to the ordinary guy that had to leave home, go out and defend our freedoms.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best
Review: I read some of the other reviews on this movie. I take exception to the comment in one that the soldier experiencing blurred vision "hints at drug use." This was not Vietnam. Inhaling a lung-full of cigarette smoke for the first time can have that effect, as I witnessed in boot camp when Marines who had not smoked in about a month-and-a-half were told "the smoking lamp is lit." I saw a lot of guys puking their guts out and getting queasy. I think it does a disservice to the men who fought WWII to impart somebody's modern day cynicism onto them.
That aside, this movie is one of the classics. It doesn't show unrealistic heroism, as one wounded character, after his CO says he's putting him in for a silver star, complains to his buddy that he wishes somebody else had done what he did. This really shows, from the accounts I have read, a more realistic version of combat, with long periods of time between engagements, soldiers actually reloading, and battles being fought with a team concept, not as individual supermen. The soldiers are portrayed as wanting to be anywhere else but there, but committed to doing what has to be done. They really capture the essence of the citizen soldier. This is one of the few movies I could watch several times in a row and still be engrossed by it. I would highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic War Film!
Review: I remember seeing this movie in classic black and white when I was only seven or eight, and I was impressed by its accurate and poignant portrayal of men in combat then. It wear well, after all these years, for this early star-studded take on the Battle of the Bulge seen through the prism of a platoon of young and inexperienced soldiers still inspires and moves the viewer with an authentic, sincere and gripping look at the reality of men in battle. Van Johnson leads the stellar cast of Hollywood notables trudging through the bleak and battle-torn landscape of wintry France as they dig in for the brutal exchanges with the Wehrmacht in Hitler's final bold gamble to turn the tide of war by counterattacking the Allies with a dozen divisions and 1,400 tanks in the dead of winter. In a battle that served to show the surprised world just how formidable and ferocious the American army could be, the soldiers beat back and defeat the vastly larger, better equipped, and more experienced German attackers. This is not the typical gung-ho Hollywood take on battle, but is rather a thoughtfully scripted look at the range of emotions and experiences of a group of young men faced with the brutalizing and surreal situation of day-to-day life in combat. The range of emotions and degree of camaraderie shared by the men belies any attempt to oversimplify, and a few scenes in particular bring home to the viewer the stark truths of such an experience. Still, it is a rousing film, and one finds himself cheering quietly as most of the soldiers triumph and survive the experience of exposure to the elements as well as the enemy. The sets are not elaborate, but are appropriately (and accurately) bleak and dismal, and don't offer much in the way of distraction from the action and dialogue on the screen. The movie won several Oscars, and was a huge commercial success despite its grisly subject. This is a wonderful, thoughtful, and fairly accurate depiction of life on the ground during the time period of the Battle of the Bulge, and one I think you will enjoy seeing again and again. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: So-So WWII Film
Review: I was really looking forward to watching this movie when I received a VHS copy as a Birthday present.
Unfortunately, there are only a couple of combat scenes in BATTLEGROUND.
Where are the 7 crack German Divisions that surrounded Bastogne during late December of 1944? Where are the German Tanks, vehicles, and equipment?
All we get to see are a handful of Germans, and most of them are disguised as American Soldiers!
The entire movie is centered around a platoon of 101st GIs who wisecrack bad jokes all day.
Van Johnson is a Terrible lead actor.
To me, the only good war films are ones that portray the Enemy as well as the Friendlies.
BATTLEGROUND is simply another post-WWII Hollywood film that celebrates American ego and arrogance.
Rating:
Summary: Battleground Blew Me Away
Review: I'm not sure how acurate this film is but it gives the same feel as the "Band of Brothers" version, which I also liked very much. This 1949 version is less gory but still portrays a very anti-war message. "Battleground" is well directed and as realistic as they come. I have been watching war films for twenty-five years and I wonder why I have never seen this film until today? Definitely waiting for the DVD.
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