Rating: 
Summary: Well Worth Seeing
Review: This movie focuses on a sad chapter in the history of the U.S Army in World War II. The Hurtgen Forest was a deathtrap the could have more or less been bypassed. Certainly a low point in the annals of command, though through no fault of the G.I.s involved. This movie made a point to bring out the frustration and waste experienced by the men of the 28th Inf. Div. in that campaign. I think Spielberg set a new standard for the war movie genre with Saving Private Ryan. So far, When Trumpets Fade is one of the few recent military movies to even come close to that standard. It's a shame that, being a made for cable release, it hasn't been seen by more people. The movie is technically very well done. Uniform and equipment portrayal is excellent. For those reviewers above who find fault with a G.I. wearing his watch cap backwards, try wearing one under an M-1 helmet sometime. It's more comfy turned backwards I assure you. The only thing the movie couldn't represent, being filmed in Hungary, was the true geography of the Kall River Valley, which is much worse than shown on the film. Having hiked the Kall Trail quite a bit, it's a rough walk. Hats off as well to my fellow US military members, stationed in Hungary, that played extras in the film. A very well made movie that they can be proud to have participated in!
Rating: 
Summary: A Gritty & Realistic Look At Life In The Front Lines!
Review: The opening scene in this HBO movie is perhaps one of the grittiest and most realistic depictions of the realities of combat ever filmed, at least this side of the first 30 minutes of 'Saving Private Ryan'. The viewer is immediately transported into the surreal world of death, decay, and destruction, where the panorama in view is a smoke-seared scene that the young soldiers labor through in the midst of all this horror. In this excellent depiction of General Omar Bradley's ill-fated decision to strike deep into the forbidding terrain of the Hurtigen Forest, accuracy and detail are everywhere one looks. The situation described in the film is quite accurate, and the young cast of mostly unknown actors do a convincing and credible job in conveying the insane circumstances surrounding combat, especially of the lonely, nerve-racking and suddenly murderous nature of isolated units moving cautiously forward through the sometimes impenetrable glades of the forest. All of the craziness and chaos of battle is well presented, and the story line lends itself to the strong anti-war message of the movie. A friend expressed outrage at the scene in which a platoon leader shoots a deserting private, without realizing it is standard battle procedure. There is nothing uplifting about the scenes and situations the soldiers faced, no over-riding morality or contrived happy ending to dislodge the reality of the horror and futility of all this carnage. If you are looking for a pleasant evening of entertainment, a couple hours of mindless diversion, better find another movie. But if you want to watch a well-made and memorable movie that accurately recounts the events of one of the most ill-conceived and bloodiest series of engagements and firefights in the Allied campaign in France in the late Fall of 1944, and if you don't mind a sobering slap of reality hitting you in the face while you're being drawn into a thoughtful and engaging statement about life and death in the 20th century, this may be for you! Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Worth taking a look....if only for Ron Eldard's performance.
Review: I applaud Rod Eldard's performance and would have thought him suitable for HBO'S BOB, not to mention Private Ryan. Support performances weak on the whole I thought, no one else stood out. Subject matter grim but to the point. Considering the Hurtgen Forest Battle was largely overshadowed by The Bulge..am glad this film was made. What a horrible, inhospitable place. The DVD has a relatively short running time. Worth taking a look if only from an historical/educational point of view and Ron Eldard of course. Where was HE when Speilberg and Hanks were casting for BOB ????
Rating:
Summary: Adds a gritty and dark twist to WWII films.....
Review: If you are looking for Saving Private Ryan 2, don't buy this movie. However, if you are looking for a down-in-the-dirt (more so than Pvt. Ryan), grim and gritty war film, than this is your movie. The plot centers on a Private, in the much-forgotten battle of Hurtgen Forest, who is the only soldier of his platoon to make it back alive from a raid on German foritfications. The company commanders see him as a perfect candidate for a leader, due to his obvious survival skills. He is promoted directly to Sergeant, and is put in charge of a squad of misfits. This Sergeant only cares about himself, and doesn't mind sacrificing others to get himself back to the base alive. At first, a minor gripe I had is that I never really cared for any of the characters (except the medic played by Frank Whaley, and the young private Sanderson). And I especially hated the main character, who, like I mentioned before, only cares for his own hide and takes advantage of his subordinates (playing with their lives) for personal gain. But, in the end, you will not gripe about this. It will show you a true protrait of the frontline -- there are no glowing Hollywood heroes....just normal boys from all over the country -- some of them good men, others flawed. That is what makes this film so good. Though not as good as Saving Private Ryan (simply because it is just too dark and bleak at times), it is a good addition to the collection of epic war films.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty Accurate Portrayal of the Hurtgen Forest Fight
Review: I am a captain in the United States Army and have studied the battle for the town of Schmidt and the Hurtgen Forest. This movie accurately portrays one of the darkest moments in US Army history in World War II. Inept leadership from the highest levels down to the regimental and battalion level launched the underesourced 28th Infantry Division into a suicidal attack across 13 miles of dense forest. The movies characters very closely showed the horrible confusion and improper tactical decisions made by leaders under fire. The poor weather negated the American advantages of tanks and close air support. The American infantry as shown in the movie were victim to attacks by unrelenting artillery and tanks. In one real case, the American soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry regiment, so unnevered by constant artillery, actually got up and fled their positions in the forest village of Vossenack. This was 400 soldiers, including officers, who up and ran. The movie does the miserable conditions and combat fatigue faced by the soldiers justice. I recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad acting and contrived plot
Review: Compared to the best I have seen, i.e. SPR and Band of Brothers, this dog barks. The acting is atrocious and the plot so contrived it begs ridicule. And the guy that plays the Major should stick to country music and leave the acting to people a bit less wooden. I know the Hurtgen Forest was a horrendous episode in WWII but this film cannot possibly do the brave US Soldiers who actually fought there justice. Save your money, buy Band of Brothers or The Lost Battalion.
Rating:
Summary: Those highly feared yet respected German 88's
Review: This is a must see for any WWII movie fan. One of the best. The German 88's were the staple of German terror and here you get to see them in action. Awsome ! Now go see, "A MIDNIGHT CLEAR".
Rating:
Summary: When Trumpets Fade - An incredibly well told story!
Review: This is an excellent World War II movie! Although the actual story itself is fictional it is couched in the reality that was an actual battle during World War II that is known as the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest which took place in the autumn of 1944 and was immediately overshadowed by the much larger and incredibly more significant Battle of the Bulge which took place only a few days later. Albeit fictional, this is an incredibly well told and poignant "soldier's" story that rings amazingly of the human condition in impossible situations that are well beyond the daily lives of the normal American. Ron Eldard, primarily of "ER" fame and several other television programs performs quite admirably in the lead role of this film, the producers chose very well in picking him for this part. Of note also are the great performances by Dwight Yoakam, Martin Donovan and Frank Whaley. Director John Irvin who also directed "Hamburger Hill" and "The Dogs of War" clearly knows what it is to put a war film to screen and tell the soldiers story to the fullest. He clearly deserves any and all accolades he's received for making this film. The Premise: "When Trumpets Fade" is the fictional albeit extremely well told story of the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest and more succinctly one soldier, Private Manning (Ron Eldard) who, through his own innate understanding of battlefield condition was able to survive his units initial onslaught and defeat in the forest. Upon returning to his company's command post he finds himself being promoted to Sergeant. As this incredible tale progress the soldier who was a Private on Tuesday finds himself being a Lieutenant by Thursday as attrition depletes the ranks and his valor in combat propels him to this position. Overall, this is a soldier's story in the truest sense of the words! I highly recommend this film to any and all that are fans of films in this genre as anybody who can appreciate these types of films will not be disappointed by it. {ssintrepid} Special Features: -Cast & Crew bios
Rating: 
Summary: This is a Very Bad Movie
Review: I had high hopes for this movie and I could not have been more disappointed. It had neither plot nor character development. The jokes were few and far between and most of them were mean-spirited jabs at Japanese culture. Bill Murray seemed to be either bored or just doing his lounge lizzard act during the movie. Even my wife though this was a pointless waste of time. Great idea that next left the batter's box.
Rating:
Summary: An Exciting World War II Film
Review: The Battle of the Hurtgen forest was one of the most bloddy and costly of the war for both sides. Over 24,000 young men and boys were either killed or wounded in this battle. This fine film portrays the soldiers in an American platoon during this bloody battle. Ron Eldard's performance as David Manning, a young, scared, and "yellow" private-promoted to seargeant-promoted to lieutenant is excellent. Manning was the sole survivor of his original platoon and was assigned the task of forming a group of replacement G.I. s into a fighting unit. Accused of being "yellow" by some of his peers, Manning molds his platoon into an effective fighting unit as the film goes on, and they participate in some daring raids behind enemy lines. Frank Whaley, Martin Donovan, and Dwight Yoakam give fine performances as a medic, company captain, and group commander. The action scenes are well-done, especially the attack by Manning's group on a battery of German 88mm anti-tank guns. The setting is eerily similiar to the real Hurtgen, with its dense trees and misty fog. This made the movie very realistic. The only scene which I thought was a little "theatrical" was the bazooka attack on the German tanks. German tanks were well known for their thick armor, but in this scene, the American bazookas knocked out the tanks with one shot. Sometimes it took several shots from a bazooka before the tank was actually destroyed. Overall, I rate this as a good film. The acting is very good and the scenery is excellent. Watch this movie and learn a little bit about one of the lesser known battles of World War II.
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