Saints and Soldiers (2003)

Director:

Ryan Little

Writers:

Matt Whitaker (writer)
Geoffrey Panos (story)

Release Date:

25 March 2005 (USA)

Genre:

War | Action | Drama | Adventure

Tagline:

Trapped behind enemy lines. All they have is their hope.

Plot:

Four American soldiers and one Brit fighting in Europe during World War II struggle to return to Allied territory after being separated from U.S. forces during the historic Malmedy Massacre.

Plot Keywords:

Soldier | Massacre | American Soldier | Battle | Behind Enemy Lines

Awards:

16 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Corbin Allred	...	Cpl. Nathan 'Deacon' Greer
Alexander Polinsky	...	Medic Steven Gould (as Alexander Niver)
Kirby Heyborne	...	Flt. Sgt. Oberon Winley
Larry Bagby	...	Pvt. Shirley 'Shirl' Kendrick (as Lawrence Bagby)
Peter Holden	...	SSgt. Gordon Gunderson
Ethan Vincent	...	Rudolph 'Rudi' Gertz
Melinda Renee	...	Catherine Theary
Ruby Chase	...	Sophie Theary (as Ruby Chase O'Neil)
Jeff Birk	...	Radio Announcer
Benjamin Gourley	...	Private McKinley (as Ben Gourley)
Tane Williams	...	Injured One-Armed Soldier
Randy Beard	...	German Officer #1
Curt Doussett	...	German Soldier #1
Michael Buster	...	German Soldier #2
M. Casey Reeves	...	Weeping Soldier
Chris Clark	...	American Soldier #1
Christian Lee	...	Conversing German #1
Christian Malzl	...	Conversing German #2
Philip Malzl	...	Conversing German #3
Dawn Graham	...	Ghost Figure
Julie Graham	...	Ghost Figure
Addy Meldrum	...	Ghost Figure
Matthew Meldrum	...	Ghost Figure
McKay Meldrum	...	Ghost Figure
Kelly Moyle	...	Ghost Figure
Lincoln Hoppe	...	German Soldier #3
Kelly Klindt	...	German Officer #2
Jason Allred	...	Peeing German
Joel Bishop	...	German Soldier #4
Michael Tanner	...	American Foxhole Soldier #1
Gavin Bentley	...	American Foxhole Soldier #2
Chris Kendrick	...	Sergeant Meldrum
Spencer Funk	...	German Soldier #5
Sterling Funk	...	German Soldier #6
Bill Ferguson	...	American Medic #1
Richard J. Clifford	...	American Medic #2
Aaron Moffett	...	WWII Re-Enactor
David Jones	...	WWII Re-Enactor
John Lewis	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Nick Stentzel	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Aaron Volesky	...	WWII Re-Enactor
David Murphy	...	WWII Re-Enactor
John Robert	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Oliver Burt	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Adam McGrath	...	WWII Re-Enactor
David Swansen	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Jonathan Craddock	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Paul Dixon	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Adam White	...	WWII Re-Enactor
David Wright	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Jordan Smith	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Peter Maurer	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Alan Firestone	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Dean Byrne	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Joseph Reed	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Phillip Bryant	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Allen Vilkrey	...	WWII Re-Enactor
D.J. Shaw	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Justin Kramer	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Randy Killen	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Anson Gessel	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Don Cygan	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Keith Lawson	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Reise House	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Armando Altheman	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Doug Bayless	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Roger Hampel	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Kerry Schallon	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Rhett Panos	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Benjamin Traver	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Douglas Britton	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Kevin Johnson	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Rob Noble	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Bill Hutchinson	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Flint Barber	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Kristopher Carpenter	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Brad Hammond	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Garrett Carter	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Kurt Kroeck	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Ryan Fink	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Brendan Booth	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Gary Paskiang	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Kyle Bath	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Ryan Sager	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Brent Cheney	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Gary Sokol	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Lance Jensen	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Ryan Templeman	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Brent Hale	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Geoffrey Panos	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Lance Otto	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Sabas Parada	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Brent Parks	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Hardy Cherry	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Mark S. Fordham	...	WWII Re-Enactor (as Mark Fordham)
Sam Hunter	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Brent Taylor	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Howard Wright	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Mark Hoffman	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Scott Adams	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Brian Jensen	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Ian Willard	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Mark Thomas	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Scott Baird	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Bruce Morgan	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Jacon Hart	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Marshall Matthews	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Scott Westwood	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Byron Ferguson	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Jake Watters	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Martin Boganowski	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Scott Wiscombe	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Caleb Douglas	...	WWII Re-Enactor
James McDonald	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Martin Gajkowski	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Sean Cowger	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Cameron Ferre	...	WWII Re-Enactor
James McDonnell	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Matt Jarman	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Sebastian	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Chaz Willnaver	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Jason Davis	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Matthew Gerom	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Shane Van Linn	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Chester Barber	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Jason Smith	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Maxim Derhak	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Steve Black	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Chris Davenport	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Jeff Brown	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Micah Bishop	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Steve Effler	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Corey Clyne	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Jeff Quirin	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Michael Birkland	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Steve Fordham	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Cortland Johnson	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Jeff Wheeler	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Michael Dunn	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Steve Myers	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Dallas Shaw	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Jesse Ferguson	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Michael Hede	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Tarl Lambson	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Daniel Rawson	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Jesse Hafen	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Micheal Cryer	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Thomas P. O'Brien	...	WWII Re-Enactor (as Thomas O'Brien)
David Banner	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Jim Gould	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Micheal Loveland	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Todd Bellmyer	...	WWII Re-Enactor
David Dodoridge	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Jim Polatty	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Mike Embry	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Tony Short	...	WWII Re-Enactor
David Effler	...	WWII Re-Enactor
John Hooper	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Mike Wood	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Travis Nutley	...	WWII Re-Enactor
David Hunter	...	WWII Re-Enactor
John Johnson	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Neal Vickrey	...	WWII Re-Enactor
Trenton James	...	WWII Re-Enactor (as Trenton Krummenacher)

Directed by
Ryan Little

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Geoffrey Panos		story and screenplay
Matt Whitaker		writer

Produced by
Adam Abel	....	producer
Lawrence Bagby	....	associate producer
Brian Brough	....	associate producer (as Brian A. Brough)
Michael Buster	....	associate producer
Charles Chan	....	executive producer
Sunny Chen	....	executive producer
Ryan Little	....	producer
Fenton Quinn	....	associate producer (as Fenton G. Quinn)

Original Music by
J Bateman
Bart Hendrickson		(as Bart K. Hendrickson)

Cinematography by
Ryan Little		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Wynn Hougaard

Casting by
Jennifer Buster

Production Design by
Steven A. Lee

Makeup Department
Tiffany Fronk	....	assistant hair stylist
Tiffany Fronk	....	assistant makeup artist
Beth Hill	....	hair stylist
Beth Hill	....	makeup artist
Jodi Horne	....	hair stylist
Jodi Horne	....	makeup artist
Julie Mortenson	....	hair stylist
Julie Mortenson	....	makeup artist
Tara Starling	....	hair stylist
Tara Starling	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Adam Abel	....	post-production supervisor
Brian Brough	....	post-production supervisor (as Brian A. Brough)
Brian Brough	....	production manager (as Brian A. Brough)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jason Allred	....	second second assistant director
Brian Brough	....	first assistant director (as Brian A. Brough)
Heather Toone	....	second assistant director

Art Department
David Bisson	....	art department intern
Travis Deming	....	storyboard artist
Stephen K. Ellis	....	art department intern (as Stephen Ellis)
Christian Harold Jones	....	property intern (as Christian Jones)
Tyler Keegan	....	set dresser
Jennifer Lee	....	set dresser
Joshua Ligairi	....	art department intern
Aimee McDonald	....	scenic artist
Krik Myers	....	swing
John Shircliff	....	leadman
Bryan Stinson	....	property master

Sound Department
Travis Allen	....	foley artist
Jeff Carter	....	sound designer
Jeff Carter	....	sound mixer
Spencer Carter	....	boom operator
Andy Potvin	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Carlos Sanches	....	post-production sound engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Scott Hurst	....	special effects technician
Michael Roundy	....	special effects coordinator
Nathan Roundy	....	special effects technician
Ryan Roundy	....	special effects assistant coordinator
Mark S. Fordham	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Stunts
Garin Clark	....	stunts
Casey Clayton	....	fight coordinator
Tyler Keegan	....	stunt coordinator
Tyler Keegan	....	stunts
Joshua Ligairi	....	stunts
Dave Spencer	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Mark L. Andersen	....	director of photography: second unit
Robert Conder	....	electric swing (as Rob Conder)
Robert Conder	....	grip (as Bob Conder)
Kent R. Findlay	....	gaffer (as Kent Findlay)
Glenn Fisk	....	jib operator
Dalan Granat	....	director of photography: second unit
Dalan Granat	....	second assistant camera
Matthew F. Hamilton	....	first assistant camera
Jared Hess	....	camera loader
Jerusha Hess	....	camera loader
Scott Hurst	....	electric swing
Scott Hurst	....	grip
Jake Johnson	....	still photographer
Chris Kendrick	....	best boy electric
Kelly Klindt	....	key grip
Andrew Klint	....	electric swing
Andrew Klint	....	grip
Kevin Woodward	....	best boy grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Debra Box	....	assistant wardrobe
Anna K. Findlay	....	wardrobe
Ann Robinson	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Richard E. Flores	....	negative cutter (as Richard Flores)
Stephen E. Kuns	....	colorist
Bill Scott	....	color timer

Music Department
Britani Bateman	....	music licensing assistant
Britani Bateman	....	musician: singer
J Bateman	....	orchestrator
Bart Hendrickson	....	orchestrator (as Bart K. Hendrickson)
David Krueger	....	musician: trumpet
Larry Lowe	....	musician: french horn
Trey Vittetoe	....	music licensing supervisor

Transportation Department
Roger Condron	....	picture car prep
John Johnson	....	picture car provider
Van Johnson	....	picture car provider
Monty 'Zooma' Little	....	transportation coordinator
Marshall Matthews	....	picture car provider
Karl Smith	....	picture car provider
George Stokes	....	picture car provider
Bob Thomas	....	picture car provider
Jake Watters	....	picture car prep

Other crew
Adam Abel	....	location manager
Myron J. Bouwhuis	....	production accountant
Debra Box	....	set medic
Jeffrey S. Breglio	....	legal counsel (as Jeffrey Breglio)
Stuart Burgess	....	production assistant
Casey Clayton	....	medical advisor
Chris Coppel	....	assistant locations
Calvin Cory	....	production assistant
Kelly Decker	....	caterer: Art City Trolley
Samuel J. Dominguez	....	production assistant
Mike Embry	....	WWII weapon prep
Geoffrey Griffard	....	production intern
Mike Hammari	....	craft service
Kirsten Heder	....	production intern
Eric Johnston	....	key set production assistant
Tyler Keegan	....	set security
Mary Jo Manwill-Conder	....	script supervisor (as Mary J. Conder)
Russ McDonald	....	pilot and owner: P-51
Addy Meldrum	....	re-enactor coordinator
Ray Meldrum	....	armorer
Ray Meldrum	....	senior military advisor (as Raymond Meldrum)
Marsh Morford	....	production assistant
Thomas P. O'Brien	....	re-enactor coordinator
Thomas P. O'Brien	....	technical advisor: German
April Philips	....	production intern
Christian Purser	....	production intern
Ann Robinson	....	set medic
Aaron Lee Syrett	....	liason: film commission
Rik Walters	....	researcher
Brittany Wiscombe	....	extras coordinator
Brittany Wiscombe	....	production coordinator

Thanks
Mike Dunn	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Go Films
• Medal of Honor Productions LLC

Distributors

• KOAN (2003) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• Acteurs Auteurs Associés (AAA) (2006) (France) (DVD)
• EuroVideo (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Excel Entertainment
• Future Film (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• GoDigital Media Group (2009) (USA) (all media) (digital)
• GoDigital Media Group (2009) (worldwide) (all media) (digital)
• Imagem Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (video) (DVD)
• IndieFlix (2009) (worldwide) (all media)
• KOAN (2003) (non-USA) (DVD)
• KOAN (2003) (non-USA) (VHS)
• Murena International (2010) (Russia) (all media)
• SP Films (2010) (Argentina) (all media)

Special Effects

• M.R. Effects

Other Companies

• Alpha Cine Laboratory  post-production services
• Art City Trolley  catering
• Art Machine  key art design
• Artist Point Productions  music recorded and mixed at
• BLR Enterprises Inc.  military firearms and vehicles provided by
• Bouwhuis, Morril & Co.  accounting services
• Mach i Audio  audio services
• Oppenheimer Cameras  camera equipment and lenses

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for war violence and related images (edited for re-rating)

Runtime:

USA:90 min | Argentina:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:PG-13 (edited for re-rating) | USA:R (original rating) | UK:15 | Finland:K-15 | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Alpine, Utah, USA

Company:

Go Films

Trivia:

All guns used in the film are authentic and fully-functional, modified to shoot blanks.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The Belgian woman is seen making WHITE flour bread: this is almost impossible as in war time Europe it was quite a luxury, found only on the black market in the big cities, or on the desks of high officials, and for certain not in the poor house in the middle of the Ardennes forest.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 20th IFP Independent Spirit Awards (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Villa

Proselytizing with WWII

It's a Mormon production that avoids explicitly labeling the hero as a Mormon in order to draw in a wider Christian audience. The movie has many problems that were not related to the limited budget. To begin with, the characters who escape the Malmedy Massacre are wearing 101st Airborne Div. shoulder patches. This unit was not in the area of attack at the beginning of the German's Ardennes offensive. In fact, it was members of a field artillery observation battalion who were captured at Malmedy. The portrayal of the medic is is unbelievable and designed to make the Mormon hero appear even more saintly. It was a rare occurrence that a combat medic in the European Theater would carry a sidearm, let alone a rifle while wearing red cross identification patches as this was a violation of the Geneva Conventions. The medic in this movie carries a rifle without hesitation and acts more like an infantryman. The movie claims to be based on actual events, but the only actual event it seems to use is the massacre. The plot line for the RAF pilot seems pretty bogus. He says he was flying photo reconnaissance, but that early in the battle Allied aircraft were grounded by the weather. Even if conditions were clear in England, ground fog and a low cloud cover would have prevented the taking of intelligence photos from the air.

The film looks nice, but that is about it. The production needed a fact checker.