Sergeant York -- the 1941 movie


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Blackhawk
August 14, 2003, 12:15 PM
Saw it on cable late last night, and it made me wonder about the historical accuracy.

I couldn't tell a Springfield 1903 from an Eddystone 1917 or a Remington 1903, but the scenes with the rifles were great.

What really got me to thinking were the sidearms the Americans were using. They sure looked like Lugers and definitely not M1911s.

What were they, and was the representation of the arms used historically accurate?

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Leatherneck
August 14, 2003, 12:22 PM
There was an American Eagle Luger, and they're fetching a couple grand now:eek:

TC
TFL Survivor

justashooter
August 14, 2003, 12:28 PM
york used a 1917 enfield, and a colt 45, or so they say. as i remember it, cooper used a springfield in the film, but i imagine that in the trenches, you used whatever fell to your hand.

the losses in the first war were staggering in number. paschendale saw the last gasp of almost a 1/2 million men in just a few short days. much of the european theatre in the height of the conflict was wholesale slaughter. by comparison, d-day was a game of sandlot stickball. largely unreported in this country, this war stole the flower of many a nation's youth.

the cripling war debts england forced on the defeated axis powers were the direct cause of hitlers ascension, and the death of many a fine young man.

SteyrAUG
August 14, 2003, 12:30 PM
In the movie he used a '03 Springfield, in real life it was a 1917 Enfield.

The movie planned to use a 1911 .45 but the blanks wouldn't cycle the action so they had Sgt. york use a captured Luger for the film.

AndABeer
August 14, 2003, 12:42 PM
the firing range scene from that movie has to be my all time favorite

"Sharpshooter York requests a remark."

Dayum skippy he does. :D

JohnBT
August 14, 2003, 02:41 PM
"the cripling war debts england forced on the defeated axis powers were the direct cause of hitlers ascension, and the death of many a fine young man."

Well, if they hadn't pursued the war with so much vigor they wouldn't have had any war debts, now would they? You make it sound like it should have been forgive and forget after Germany started it and lost it.

There are many who think we used the atomic bomb on the wrong enemy. Or should have used one on each.

John

BigG
August 14, 2003, 02:51 PM
Favorite line: Mother York: "Mighty fine shootin' fo a man in his likker."

BigG
August 14, 2003, 02:58 PM
City Slicker Drummer to Local: "How did you get into this valley?"

Local: "We wuz born here." :D

Blackhawk
August 14, 2003, 03:05 PM
It's a great movie, and one of my favorites despite some cheesy battle scenes like when a POW lobs a grenade a couple of yards behind "Pusher" who gets mortally wounded without even being knocked off his feet.

I especially loved a lot of the one liners too. :D

Mike Irwin
August 14, 2003, 03:19 PM
"the cripling war debts england forced on the defeated axis powers were the direct cause of hitlers ascension, and the death of many a fine young man."


So close, and yet so far...

Sigh.

TheeBadOne
August 14, 2003, 03:44 PM
I'm going to get me a piece of bottom land

-Sgt York

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