The Ghost Army (2013)

During World War II, a hand-picked group of American GI's undertook a bizarre mission: create a traveling road show of deception on the battlefields of Europe, with the German Army as their... See full summary »

Director:

Rick Beyer

Writer:

Rick Beyer

Stars:

Wesley Clark, Peter Coyote

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Wesley Clark	...	Himself
Peter Coyote	...	Narrator (voice)

Storyline

During World War II, a hand-picked group of American GI's undertook a bizarre mission: create a traveling road show of deception on the battlefields of Europe, with the German Army as their audience. The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops used inflatable rubber tanks, sound trucks, and dazzling performance art to bluff the enemy again and again, often right along the front lines. Many of the men picked to carry out these dangerous deception missions were artists. Some went on to become famous, including fashion designer Bill Blass. In their spare time, they painted and sketched their way across Europe, creating a unique and moving visual record of their war. Their secret mission was kept hushed up for nearly 50 years after the war's end.

---

Plot Keywords:

deception | world war two | independent film | 

---

Taglines:

Illusion was their ultimate weapon

---

Genres:

Documentary | History

---

Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 March 2013 (USA)

Box Office

Budget:

$240,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Plate of Peas Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

68 min (original)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

La Marseillaise
(uncredited)
Written by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle

User Reviews

Tremendously entertaining and off-beat documentary

Tremendously entertaining and off-beat documentary about a U.S. WWII corps largely made up of artists, designers, stage folk, and craftsmen, tasked with both improving camouflage, and creating the illusion of troops where they weren't. They used a combination of inflatable tanks and infantry pieces, along with broadcasting false orders by radio, and playing the sounds of an army unit over loudspeakers. They did a lot of good, while often taking on the nerve shattering task of trying to draw fire themselves, directing it away from the real battle units.

There's a lot of humor here, unusual and appreciated for a WWII doc. But on the flip side, there's not a lot of emotion, and it can be a bit repetitive. An interesting true story of an oddball but important group of soldiers.