History Film / BattleOfTheBulge

* ArtisticLicenseHistory:
** TanksButNoTanks aside, the German armored vehicles are depicted as ''all'' being the famous Tiger II ''"Königstiger"''. [=Tiger II=]s were indeed famously part of the battle, but in no way did they make the bulk of German armor - they were too wide for the narrow roads and too heavy for the bridges, as RealLife ''Standartenführer'' Joachim Peiper (whose ''Kampfgruppe'' had about 40 of them) found out the hard way. Panzer [=IVs=] and Panthers were still used in large numbers, and they can't be seen anywhere in the film.

* CurbStompBattle: The Germans' initial assault against the allies, until the allies are able to devise a way to prevent the Germans from getting their hands on more gasoline.

* CassandraTruth: No one believes it when Kiley says the Germans are preparing for a major offensive.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Hessler is a bloodthirsty warrior who is willing to toss his troops at the allies just to buy Nazi Germany a few extra months of existence but he refuses to cheat on his wife when the commanding general sends him a NS-Frauenschaft comfort woman on the night before the attack.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Hessler is based on and was originally going to be Joachim Peiper, before being changed to avoid getting sued. Peiper was acquitted on a technicality for the Malmedy Massacre and numerous other war crimes he and his SS stormtroopers committed against the Americans, French, and other Allies, and remained unrepentant afterwards. Unknown heavily-armed assailants attacked Peiper’s house in France in 1976, [[LaserGuidedKarma fatally shot Peiper]] and [[KillItWithFire burned the house down on top of him]] to make sure. French authorities [[AndThereWasMuchRejoicing didn’t try too hard to find the attackers]], as pretty much everybody wanted him dead.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Hessler is based on and [[WhatCouldHaveBeen was originally]] going to be Joachim Peiper, before being changed to avoid getting sued. Peiper was acquitted on a technicality for the Malmedy Massacre and numerous other war crimes he and his SS stormtroopers committed against the Americans, French, and other Allies, and remained unrepentant afterwards. Unknown heavily-armed assailants attacked Peiper’s house in France in 1976, [[LaserGuidedKarma fatally shot Peiper]] and [[KillItWithFire burned the house down on top of him]] to make sure. French authorities [[AndThereWasMuchRejoicing didn’t try too hard to find the attackers]], as pretty much everybody wanted him dead.

* TanksButNoTanks: Probably the most glaring cinematic example ''ever''. American M47 Patton tanks were used as stand-ins for German Panzer VI Königstiger and M24 Chaffee tanks were called "Sherman M4" (while only ''two'' Chaffees saw battle in December 1944), let alone the wrong painting on the "Tigers".

See also ''Film/Battleground1949'', a 1949 film about the Bulge that at least had snow, as well as possibly the most realistic depiction of the battle, the [[Recap/BandOfBrothersS1E6Bastogne "Bastogne"]] episode of HBO's ''Series/BandOfBrothers''.

** TanksButNoTanks aside, the German armored vehicles are depicted as ''all'' being the famous Tiger II ''"Königstiger"''. [=Tiger II=]s were indeed famously part of the battle, but in no way did they make the bulk of German armor - they were too wide for the narrow roads and too heavy for the bridges, as RealLife ''Standartenführer'' Joachim Peiper (whose ''Kampfgruppe'' had about 40 of them) found out the hard way. Panzer [=IVs=] and Panthers were still used in large numbers, and they can't be seen anywhere.

See also ''Film/{{Battleground}}'', a 1949 film about the Bulge that at least had snow, as well as possibly the most realistic depiction of the battle, the [[Recap/BandOfBrothersS1E6Bastogne "Bastogne"]] episode of HBO's ''Series/BandOfBrothers''.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: TanksButNoTanks aside, the German armored vehicles are depicted as ''all'' being the famous Tiger II ''"Königstiger"''. [=Tiger II=]s were indeed famously part of the battle, but in no way did they make the bulk of German armor - they were too wide for the narrow roads and too heavy for the bridges, as RealLife ''Standartenführer'' Joachim Peiper (whose ''Kampfgruppe'' had about 40 of them) found out the hard way. Panzer [=IVs=] and Panthers were still used in large numbers, and they can't be seen anywhere.

* ElitesAreMoreGlamorous: The German tanks are depicted as all being the famous Tiger II. Tiger IIs were very rare in the real battle - they were too wide for the narrow roads and too heavy for the bridges. Panzer [=IVs=] and Panthers were much more common.

* TanksButNoTanks: Probably the most glaring cinematic example ever. American M47 Patton tanks were used as stand-ins for German Panzer VI Königstiger and M24 Chaffee tanks were called "Sherman M4" (while only two Chaffees saw battle in December 1944), let alone the wrong painting on the "Tigers".

* ArtisticLicenseGeography: Too many to count. Possibly the most egregious is the use of Spanish plains for a Belgian forest in the winter. Aside from the lack of trees, this also causes a major Artistic License Weather problem, in that the movie is clear and sunny throughout, while the real Ardennes battle was notorious for the snow and bitter cold, with fog that grounded Allied aircraft.

* ColonelBadass[=/=][[ColonelKilgore Kilgore]]: Hessler

-->Lt. Weaver: You got a wounded man. You think you ought to get him to the medics?
-->Sergeant Guffy: Ah, he's not too bad. He can still fight.

* HighClassCallGirl: General Kohler sends a ridiculously attractive "courtesan first class" to Col. Hessler's room. Hessler, being a no-nonsense hardass, sends the call girl on her way. In point of fact, the point when he sends her packing is the moment she mentions his wife confirming his suspicion she knew full well that he was married and is implying that he has a reputation for cheating on his wife, which he ''very much doesn't and won't do.''

Compare ''Film/{{Battleground}}'', a 1949 film about the Bulge that at least had snow, as well as possibly the most realistic depiction of the battle, the [[Recap/BandOfBrothersS1E6Bastogne "Bastogne"]] episode of HBO's ''Series/BandOfBrothers''.

Compare ''Film/{{Battleground}}'', a 1949 film about the Bulge that at least had snow, as well as possibly the most realistic depiction of the battle, the "Bastogne" episode of HBO series ''Series/BandOfBrothers''.

Creator/HenryFonda as Lt. Colonel Daniel Kiley, a maverick American intelligence officer whose warnings of an impending large-scale German attack are ignored by Army Brass. Creator/RobertShaw plays Col. Martin Hessler, the ruthless commanding officer of a German panzer unit at the front of the attack. Also stars Creator/HansChristian Blech as Hessler's orderly Conrad, Creator/CharlesBronson as Major Wolensky (commander of an American infantry unit), Creator/TellySavalas as Sgt. Guffy (commander of an American tank), Creator/RobertRyan as Gen. Grey, Kiley's CO who does not heed his warnings about the attack, and Creator/DanaAndrews as Col. Pritchard, Grey's assistant.

Creator/HenryFonda as Lt. Colonel Daniel Kiley, a maverick American intelligence officer whose warnings of an impending large-scale German attack are ignored by Army Brass. Robert Shaw (aka Red Grant from ''Film/FromRussiaWithLove'' and Quint from ''Film/{{Jaws}}'') plays Col. Martin Hessler, the ruthless commanding officer of a German panzer unit at the front of the attack. Also stars Creator/HansChristian Blech as Hessler's orderly Conrad, Creator/CharlesBronson as Major Wolensky (commander of an American infantry unit), Creator/TellySavalas as Sgt. Guffy (commander of an American tank), Creator/RobertRyan as Gen. Grey, Kiley's CO who does not heed his warnings about the attack, and Creator/DanaAndrews as Col. Pritchard, Grey's assistant.

Creator/HenryFonda as Lt. Colonel Daniel Kiley, a maverick American intelligence officer whose warnings of an impending large-scale German attack are ignored by Army Brass. Robert Shaw (aka Red Grant from ''Film/FromRussiaWithLove'' and Quint from ''Film/{{Jaws}}'') plays Col. Martin Hessler, the ruthless commanding officer of a German panzer unit at the front of the attack. Also stars Creator/CharlesBronson as Major Wolensky (commander of an American infantry unit), Creator/TellySavalas as Sgt. Guffy (commander of an American tank), Creator/RobertRyan as Gen. Grey, Kiley's CO who does not heed his warnings about the attack, and Creator/DanaAndrews as Col. Pritchard, Grey's assistant.

* TanksButNoTanks: Probably the most glaring cinematic example ever. American M47 Patton tanks were used as stand-ins German Panzer VI Königstiger and M24 Chaffee tanks were called "Sherman M4" (while only two Chaffees saw battle in December 1944), let alone the wrong painting on the "Tigers".

* TanksButNoTanks: Probably the most glaring cinematic example ever. American M47 Patton tanks were mocked up as German Panzer VI Königstiger and M24 Chaffee tanks were called "Sherman M4" (while only two Chaffees saw battle in December 1944), let alone the wrong painting on the "Tigers".

The feature was filmed in Ultra Panavision 70 and exhibited in 70 mm Cinerama. Unlike most World War II epics, it contains virtually no portrayals of actual senior Allied leaders, civilian or military. This is presumably because of controversies surrounding the battle, both during the war and after. Though Allied forces ultimately won the battle, the initial Nazi counteroffensive caught them by surprise and caused high casualties. Frequently broadcast on American television in TheSeventies. The film itself is completely made up, and doesn't really match any of the actual Battle of the Bulge moments in Dec 1944 though Jan 1945, with the sole exception of the Malmedy Massacre.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Hessler is based on and [[WhatCouldHaveBeen was originally]] going to be Joachim Peiper, before being changed to avoid getting sued.