military movies with non regulation hair cuts

[Who?]

The hat rule seems logical too, given that as I recall the original purpose behind the short military cut was to give your enemy less he could grab hold of in a hand to hand situation...

This is pretty much why many cops wear a crew cut.

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

Its pretty standard in most movies for hair styles to reflect the time and place they were made and not the time and place the movie depicts. This particularly true for women and for the primary cast. Extras in the background will often have more accurate clothing and hair. Another example of a movie with the star wearing the appropriate military haircut is The Warlord, (1965). Heston has the 11th C. Norman haircut

The Warlord is a long neglected masterpiece.

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

To look at the other side--- In movies like "Saving Private Ryan" and many others the Germans are portrayed as having shaved or at very least exceptionally short hair. In reality, look at photographs from WWII. The Germans almost always sport hair noticeably longer than their Allied adversaries. Accounts by GIs often mention the "long, greasy hair" of the Germans. But modern neo-Nazis favor the skinhead look, so we back-project that look onto the Germans of the mid-'40s.

 

[Edward]

To look at the other side--- In movies like "Saving Private Ryan" and many others the Germans are portrayed as having shaved or at very least exceptionally short hair. In reality, look at photographs from WWII. The Germans almost always sport hair noticeably longer than their Allied adversaries. Accounts by GIs often mention the "long, greasy hair" of the Germans. But modern neo-Nazis favor the skinhead look, so we back-project that look onto the Germans of the mid-'40s.

I suspect also - although I claim no expertise in this, and would welcome views from those with more knowledge - whether there were certain looks fashionable among the True Believers in the SS that also then get projected onto all conscripts and professional soldiers alike across the Heer?

 

[Turnip]

I would say that mainly depended on two factors.
Distance to Hauptkampflinie and progress on time beam.
The closer to HKL and the later in war the less time, emphasis and discipline in respect of proper make-up and outfit.
May the first US troops during 1943 to mid 1944 have met comparably well equipped German front soldiers in good physical condition things tipped to the worse with any new conscription wave.
And already at that time most German troops had not much in common anymore with those of the earlier waves, pre war up to mid 1942 latest.
Once the West-Allied crossed the German border in early 1945 they literally met the very last reserves, scraped together to hold their bones into the fire in a long lost fight.
Supportive troops and staff located more rearward usually looked a bit better, especially those higher ranks.

Though the circumstances in the late western theater have still been way less existential, devastating and grinding for all German troops, compared to the things happening in the east.

All above is of course only just scratching the surface and my very own personal opinion.

 

[Edward]

I would say that mainly depended on two factors.
Distance to Hauptkampflinie and progress on time beam.
The closer to HKL and the later in war the less time, emphasis and discipline in respect of proper make-up and outfit.
May the first US troops during 1943 to mid 1944 have met comparably well equipped German front soldiers in good physical condition things tipped to the worse with any new conscription wave.
And already at that time most German troops had not much in common anymore with those of the earlier waves, pre war up to mid 1942 latest.
Once the West-Allied crossed the German border in early 1945 they literally met the very last reserves, scraped together to hold their bones into the fire in a long lost fight.
Supportive troops and staff located more rearward usually looked a bit better, especially those higher ranks.

Though the circumstances in the late western theater have still been way less existential, devastating and grinding for all German troops, compared to the things happening in the east.

All above is of course only just scratching the surface and my very own personal opinion.

Thanks. It's amazing how much more nuanced the reality is the more you dig than the sort of pat, 'easy' version from some sources. It was only digging around after a particular scene in Fury that I discovered the SS had used conscription very late in the war. The most shocking bit, I think, was always going to be sending children out to the front line (as well depicted in Jojo Rabbit, one of the most affecting WW2 pictures I've ever seen), something which sadly becomes a likelihood pretty much anywhere when it comes down to that sort of last ditch action. (Not that there was anything sad about the Nazis losing, obviously, but.... kids...)

 

[Turnip]

Gernan kids in combat units have been a phenomenon that already appeared in 1943 in form of Flakhelfer/Luftwaffenhelfer.
Due to the tremendous German losses, mainly in the east and south, during that year several younger vintages have been conscripted to replace regular troops in the home FLAK units in order to make these free for front line use.
As allied air war over Germany increased in intensity every year 43, 44, 45 „home“ FLAK may sound more cozy than it possibly was, especially for all those batteries deployed around bigger to huge cities and industrial areas, what represented the mass of this branch.
The further down the time beam the younger the kids and the older the grandpas, also in Volkssturm and Volksgrenadier… units.

 

[Harry Gooch]

It drove me nuts when New McGarrett and New Magnum showed up in their dress whites with three-day beards or goattees.

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

It drove me nuts when New McGarrett and New Magnum showed up in their dress whites with three-day beards or goattees.

I rarely watch the tele though occasion does occur. The old Magnum PI wasn't bad when back I saw more tele
but the newer version is a bit much. Accuracy as to correct uniform and proper grooming standard foremost,
why else do it but correctly? Everyone in London thought Major-domo Higgins was an Englishman.