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The Big Red One

The Big Red One

Only chance could have thrown them together. Now, nothing can pull them apart.

1980113 minRMidcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Director
Samuel Fuller
Starring
Lee Marvin, Mark Hamill, Robert Carradine, Bobby Di Cicco

A veteran sergeant of World War I leads a squad in World War II, always in the company of the survivor Pvt. Griff, the writer Pvt. Zab, the Sicilian Pvt. Vinci and Pvt. Johnson, in Vichy French Africa, Sicily, D-Day at Omaha Beach, Belgium and France, and ending in a concentration camp in Czechoslovakia where they face the true horror of war.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Big Red One?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Big Red One streaming on Howdy via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Big Red One?

The Big Red One earns 5 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Haunting.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Big Red One worth watching?

The Big Red One's Midcredits score is the 83rd percentile of all films, from 38K ratings across 6 sources. 72% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

83rd percentile

Better received than 83% of films

86th percentile among Drama84th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)83rd
Approval (how many liked it)81st

71 /100

83rd percentile of all films

86th percentile among Drama85th percentile among 1980s

Critics 77 · Audience 71

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

72% liked it

81st percentile of all films

83rd percentile among Drama82nd percentile among 1980s
72% rated it 7–1028% rated it 1–6

Critics 88% · Audience 77%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

89th percentile

38K ratings across platforms

91st percentile among Drama88th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 29% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$4.5M
Domestic gross$7.2M
Worldwide gross$7.2M

Returned 1.6× its budget — 82nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree that the film is a low-budget, episodic WWII drama focused on character and authenticity rather than large-scale spectacle.

Fans praised

  • authentic first-hand WWII experience with gritty realism
  • Lee Marvin's gruff, wear-worn sergeant anchors the film
  • character-driven human drama over spectacle

Detractors panned

  • low-budget look and dated effects
  • slow, uninteresting dialogue and pacing
  • cliched and naive battle scenes

What stands out

Emotional impactDivisive80

moving portrayal of war's toll, carries a heavy heart

ActingDivisive78

Lee Marvin's weathered sergeant, Mark Hamill's fresh-faced soldier, Robert Carradine's narrator

AtmosphereDivisive75

gritty, authentic feel of WWII from soldier's perspective

OriginalityDivisive75

grounded personal account, avoids typical heroic cliches

CharactersDivisive70

ordinary men shaped by war, minimal backstory but strong presence

TensionDivisive70

harrowing moments in asylum and concentration camp

Plot and storyDivisive50

episodic and rambling, no central arc but follows squad through campaigns

PacingDivisive45

deliberately slow and episodic, some find it dragging

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 13 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 13 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Big Red One like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseElegiac
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its grim subject matter with utter seriousness and respect, never undercutting the horror or the humanity of the soldiers.
The rideSustained combat tension and grim fatalism pervade the entire film, with the elegiac weight of loss never far from the surface.
StructureThe story is told as a string of loosely connected battle vignettes, following the squad from one campaign to the next, with a conventional chronological structure underneath.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film lingers as a sobering, unsentimental portrait of survival and the cost of war, leaving the viewer to reflect on what the soldiers endured.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Voyage
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% (this title) · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Survival ordeal: Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).

4% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film follows a squad through a series of battles, from North Africa to Germany, as they struggle to survive the war. The episodic journey through hostile territory fits a survival ordeal.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsLoyalty · 4% of filmsIdentity · 14% of films
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe core theme is the surrogate family formed among the squad, whose loyalty to each other becomes their only constant in the anonymity of war.
StanceThe film mourns the human cost of war and the fragility of the soldiers' makeshift family, observing their survival with solemnity rather than celebration.

The world

Mid 20th centuryRuralWildernessInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Dana Kaproff
SettingThe European theater of WWII, from North Africa to the concentration camps
MusicA mournful, militaristic score underscores the futility and camaraderie of the campaign.

Content guide

Is The Big Red One okay for kids?

R

The Big Red One is rated R: “Rated R for war violence and some language” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (58/100), sexual content at moderate (37/100), language at moderate (45/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (43/100) and frightening material at moderate (47/100). Overall it is heavier than 13% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 12 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Brazil16
  • Argentina18
  • Belgium12
  • Czechia18+
  • FinlandK-16
  • Netherlands12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 40% of all filmsHeavier than 13% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 34%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 32%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 18%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 56%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 30%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 34% of R-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Big Red One have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Big Red One?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Lee Marvin
as The Sergeant
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mark Hamill
as Pvt. Griff - 1st Squad
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Robert Carradine
as Pvt. Zab - 1st Squad
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bobby Di Cicco
as Pvt. Vinci - 1st Squad
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kelly Ward
as Pvt. Johnson - 1st Squad
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Stéphane Audran
as Underground Walloon Fighter at Asylum
Siegfried Rauch
as Sgt. Schroeder
Serge Marquand
as Rensonnet
Charles Macaulay
as General
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Alain Doutey
as Sgt. Broban - Vichy Soldier
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Big Red One?

Movies like The Big Red One include The Steel Helmet (1951), Ice Cold in Alex (1958) and The Dirty Dozen (1967). Of the 10 closest matches, most are films set during World War II, and most are survival ordeal stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 10 share its world: war epic. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Big Red One?

813 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: war epic. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.