On June 6, 1944, American paratroopers were dropped into Normandy. Faced with deplorable conditions, many of them landed dozens of kilometers from their initial drop zone. This was the case for several soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division, who found themselves near the small village of Graignes, 30 kilometers from Carentan. Aided by the local population, the paratroopers decided to establish a defensive position there, which was soon besieged by an SS division.

The film met mixed critical reception, but I do think that the imdb rating is totally unfair.

Objections to the movie remain : -editing is questionable and the film is too long

-the lack of means is often obvious

-but,IMHO,the biggest flaw is the languages :all the Americans seem fluent in French which they speak without the slightest accent ;no problem of communication ,which is thoroughly implausible ;it would have been more honest to use an interpreter :the priest ,probably the most educated person in the village ,could have fit the bill quite well ;it's all the more annoying since the Germans ,on the other hand ,speak their own language -subtitles could have been useful.

It would have been more credible to use American actors all the same !(again,subtitles exist)

That said, the movie is estimable ;based on a true story of heroism ;this is not spectacular in spite of the shootings ; it's a war movie ,but without a single star,without the usual clichés generally invented by the screenwriters (no love story between one of the Americans and a girl from the village ; no son/father antagonism;no traitor) ;though the film is inevitably too long,the story is told with a great simplicity, showing the peasants' ordinary self-denial which takes them to the final sacrifice -the horror is filmed in such a succint style it becomes even more shocking; the soldiers,anxious to join their forces but longing to see their American state again,and their major a human officer whose main concern is that they got their wish are men of flesh and blood who have their moments of doubt and fear; as the situation becomes more and more desperate -what can you do when you are outnumbered that much?-, hope against hope survives.

Less known than the Oradour-sur -Glane massacre (10th June 1944),what happened in Graignes should not be forgotten ;several inhabitants where awarded the Distinguished Cross posthumously.

The war genre features armed conflicts, both historical and fictional, and the experiences of individuals and groups involved in warfare. This genre explores the physical, emotional, and moral challenges faced by soldiers, civilians, and others affected by war.

During 1944, American paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne missed their drop zones, landing 30km off-target at Graignes village. Villagers helped them defend against an SS division, but a massacre , earning it the name little Fort Alamo.

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