Documenting a reunion and reconciliation between American GIs and their German counterparts 55 years after the Battle of the Huertgen Forest--a six-month ordeal in the frigid winter of 1944 that left 60,000 dead--this deferential DVD has far more old soldiers pointing from hilltops than historical context. With no battlefield maps, no discussion of strategy, and no mention of the standoff's outcome, the film seems designed for other World War II veterans, rather than students of history. The copious interviews are rich with war stories, but most are about the circumstances of the war in general: miraculous survivals, bloody bodies, letters from home, helmet sponge baths, and--from the German side--the horror of learning what Hitler was really up to. News anchors Tom Brokaw and Walter Cronkite and economist John Kenneth Galbraith contribute their thoughts as well, and the film features some previously unseen footage from American combat cameramen. But the elements of directors Jessica Glass and David Eilenberg's On Common Ground do not add up to enough to hold the interest of viewers who are not already predisposed to hearing old soldiers' stories. DVD extras include a sparse, redundant commentary track (which mutes the original audio track, so there are long silences), a behind-the-scenes featurette, a list of military divisions engaged at the Huertgen Forest, and a map that provides no battle details. Libraries with larger WWII collections will surely want to consider adding yet another "greatest generation" tribute, but this is optional for others. Aud: C, P. (R. Blackwelder)
On Common Ground
(2003) 75 min. DVD: $19.99. Hart Sharp Video (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. Volume 20, Issue 1
On Common Ground
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