How close is the movie to the real Audie Murphy?

Never was that familiar with the details and how well the movie stayed to the truth- probably fairly close. I will say that he must have been a much better soldier than he ever was an actor. As much as I like old westerns, the channel will switch immediately if Murphy is in the movie.

I loved the movie. In real life he was one of the most decorated. I just wondered if the movie was an exaggeration.

Dunno about the true-to-life aspect, but I sure enjoyed the film. Especially the farmhouse scenes and the back-and-forth attacks in the field.

Did some research and found out that Audi Murphy was the second most decorated soldier in US history. The first: a Lt. Colonel Matt Urban.

Allowing for the fact that Audie was not a great actor, I do love this movie.

I figure if the truth be told, I doubt it actually did the man justice.

The picture is fairly true to Murphy's life and accomplishments. There's an interesting scene in which Murphy is about to go after some Germans while armed with a Thompson submachine gun. Another character hands him an M1 rifle and a bandolier and says he'll need that rather than the Thompson.

Murphy was by many accounts a mean and nasty son of a bitch who took a short man complex out on the Germans.

He gave a great performence in John Huston's western "The Unforgiven" in which he plays a Texian who hates Indians ( "red-hide niggers") and kills more of them than smallpox did. I think the role was an insight into Murphy's character.

I loved the movie. In real life he was one of the most decorated. I just wondered if the movie was an exaggeration.

From an interview with a military historian, they actually downplayed some of his "heroic feats" in the movie and I think it was at Murphy's suggestion. Besides being a great soldier, he was also very humble.

The first time I went to Arlington, I went with my friend and his father, a Marine. (I'd say ex-Marine but don't think it ever leaves them.) He took us around Arlington and towards the end of the day after seeing the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, USS Maine monument, and others we ended up at a collosal monument to a long dead, but politically connected high ranking officer literally 7 feet tall. Next we went to a tiny marker nearby that belonged to Audie Murphy. It has a running string of the decorations he received that boggles the mind and leaves little doubt that he was the real deal. Regarding the huge monument we were shown, according to my friend's dad that officer never stepped on a battlefield & spent his career stateside. I'd guess his family wanted everyone to think more of his career. I would have to believe that Murphy's marker reflects the type of man he was as well.

Allowing for the fact that Audie was not a great actor, I do love this movie.

I figure if the truth be told, I doubt it actually did the man justice.

I am no expert, but I deduce that any man, say again, any man, who wins a battlefield commission is most probably a hell of a fighter and a "true" leader whose officer's status was born out combat, a claim that few can make.

Recently, Murphy was left out of an encyclopedia of famous Texans. Few complained. Sic transit gloria.

To get back to the thread, can a movie be great if the star gives up a poor performance? Well, maybe. Can actors, who never saw combat provide a memorable performance that contributes to a great movie? You decide, but I say yes.

Btw, the contributors to this thread deserve a great thank you for providing me at least a dozen great war flicks to watch when time provides. In a while, I would like to post the 5 best WWII flicks I failed to post cuz I forgot about them. But fortunately many of you didn't. So as a reward, you have my blessing to go out and buy that two grand set of speakers, or vintage electronics you have been looking at for more than a week. Just tell your wife some dotty old guy on the internet said it was the right thing to do--before the piece(s) got away to some truly undeserving character.

Who wants to start a petition for a weekly WWII flick on the cable Military Channel? Or on Turner Movies Channel?