William A. Wellman's BATTLEGROUND ('49) follows the siege of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge in WWII. 20 veterans of the 101st Airborne were hired to train the actors and appeared in the film as extras. The film won 2 Oscars for Best Cinematography & for Best Writing. | Turner Classic Movies: TCM

BATTLEGROUND ('49) was often referred to as THE BIG PARADE for World War II. The earlier picture, an account of the ordinary soldier in wartime, was released in 1925, several years after the end of the First World War, and was an unexpected hit. MGM chief Louis B. Mayer insisted Americans didn't want to look back on an earlier war, but both pictures proved Mayer wrong when they turned out to be hugely successful and garnered awards and critical praise. | Turner Classic Movies: TCM