I came across this by accident and it was not what I was expecting. I found this to be very moving, emotional. The vehicle. The Hole in the windscreen. He knew what it meant & what it represented. Once again we are reminded of what so many did that time and reminded of the tools they used to do so. Thank you for sharing. Thank you.
He noticed the bullet hole and knew, that the driver never made it, and he noticed that the driver had a girl back home, Jessie, but yes the salute obviously came from one vet to another and a way of saying thanks, or I would not be here doing what iam doing....not sure you are allowed on those beaches however, as they are part of the cemeteries that lay on the hill above the beaches.
joseph weaver I don't think this terrible example of typical horrible French pseudo-esoteric bullshit was actually filmed at Normandy you Pratt! I mean, have you any idea how many Thousands and Thousands of miles of coastline France has! And you think they drove all the way to Normandy to film this shit. Although I thought the salute was tasteful, I swear when it was over I was waiting to hear "Ridicule, by Calvin Klein" or something like that.
joseph weaver Yes,you are allowed on those beaches, Utah, Omaha, Juno, Sword & Gold. They are very much open to the public. No, You can't dig on them. People have though, over the years, and still do in certain places. I did see,years and years ago, a few guy's with metal detectors on the beaches where the landings occurred and east of them.Unexploded Ordinance is the major concern still, all over Europe. Most places have been cleared.
I saw this video again when I was 6 or 7, don’t actually remember very well, I am 16 and half, and I just saw this on recommended after many years.. so many memories...
Without eyes one will not see. Without a mind one will not interpret. This was a beautiful tribute to those that died on D Day! Don't try and get technical!
I agree with you, Simon. Pure nostalgia, nicely done too! From that point of view, the truck, quarter-ton 4x4 Willys or Ford GPW ranks one of the most iconic of vehicles, recognized the World over. I owned one during the early 70's. Fantastic fun!
Simon Rogers I agree, why can't I believe in Santa Clause even though I'm 38? I love the sorry of Santa Clause so excuse me if I still believe, same thing.
Actually,I've witnessed almost identical story back in 80's.The maintenance crew of water filtration facility in Warsaw (Poland) investigated an obstacle buried in Visla River muddy bottom.Using a barge crane they pulled well preserved amphibian version of Willys Jeep,apparently siting there since Russian army attempt to free the city in 1944. Further examination revealed several punctures in vehicle body pierced by heavy German's fire,with one hole in the same spot of windshield...
We left thousands of jeeps in the Philippines, with the stipulation that they could never be returned to the USA. They were converted to Jeepney busses. They have disappeared from the scene today, but new busses still come with a jeep grill.
A lovely piece of film backed up with a really nice tune Here`s to all those brave heroes including my own Father who landed on the Normandy beaches on 6th June 1944. Always remembered & never forgotten
for those that haven't recognized it yet, *every* COLUMBIA Pictures production MUST have a scene-- no matter how much the cost -- with a person lighting up, smoking, inhaling or exhaling a cigarette because the tobacco industry funds Columbia. This is one of the many production companies that caters to your pre-teens.
Nice video, but I didn't find anything funny about it. To all of you picking it apart, it's obviously meant to pay homage to times and events long past. It's art, not a documentary.
Think of the Harley Davidson sound. The Willis Jeep motor was the sweetest sounding motor I've ever heard. My brother-in-law bought a war surplus Jeep after WWII and I drove it a lot. The steering was very quick and took some getting used to. I tried to put it in four wheel drive and broke the cast iron transmission in a few places. Someone actually welded it back but it was never the same. This was about 1949. The last Jeep I ever drove was at Wiesbaden AFB. Lot of the guys had these Jeep station wagons probably because they could get free parts from our uncle Sam.
Mr. Harris. Two of my older brothers served in the Pacific during WWII, and one served in Germany after the war guarding German prisoners of war. In about 1965 or so, one of the brothers who served in the Pacific bought a Jeep, and fixed it up, got it running, and had it all ready to sell -- including a ready buyer. He let me take it out often (as long as I put the gas in it). It was unique in our town in SW Kansas. I enjoyed taking it out for a spin every once in a while. One Sunday I took it out, and a block from his house upon my return, there was a loud metallic THUNK!. That cast iron transmission you mentioned gave out. In my teens at the time, I was so upset --certain that I had ruined it and lost the sale for him. It took him more time to find a transmission, but it all worked out, and he sold it for even a bit more, I think. He is now 85 and doing well. I would love to buy a Jeep from that time (mid- to late-1940s) to drive (carefully) on occasion. Best, James
That's incredible...my husband came home with a WW2 jeep last year...HE said he'd found it buried on the beach too....and to think...I didn't believe him...am sorry I buried him under the patio now!!!! 80)
One interesting thing about those jeeps was the pivoting headlamps that you could rotate and beam back into the engine bay for troubleshooting, designer had some imagination, the original daddy of all FWD.
Americans, get over yourselves! It isn't about how fabulous American stuff is, it's a romantic story, an old man dreaming of lost youth. It's a bit like Woody Allen and the VW Beetle. OF COURSE IT WOULDN'T START! Half the rubbish made now doesn't frickin start, lol. I liked that.
This is a joke, if you haven't figured this out yet, ever seen what a real vehicle looks like after 70 years under ground? nothing much left, rubber is eaten away, glass is smashed, paint torn off, plus, Fuel would eat though the fuel tank, battery would have died long ago.
Broadsidejohn Ha ha ha, you are clearly looking in a mirror there. Why do people like you have to call others names? Is it because you have so many imperfections that you feel the need to hit out at normal people? Chill man.
It was probably NOT the Unleaded shit that they sell these days !!....... BUT they did TIME LAPSE ... Maybe he went to the gas station and got some more without us seeing it.....
Yes, the story line is hokey to the extreme. That's not the point. The vid was very nicely done and a bit touching. Kudos and thanks for making me a bit more introspective today.
Fantastic! For those who don't feel the true emotion of this skit - shame on you, grow up and feel at least some compassion for life. Thanx for this video!
I too have heard stories from several people about the yanks digging mass pits and bulldozing everything from jeeps to weapons and aircraft parts into them before they left for home.
Harry Johnson it is true that the yanks buried a lot of stuff, an old neighbour of mine who passed away about ten years ago was on a detail doing exactly that, unfortunately most of the area is now housing estates in hamble hampshire
peter maidment Well that's a damn shame about them destroying history for housing estates. Here in Norfolk there are lots of old airfields and most of them have returned back to how they were before the war which was agriculture. I'd be willing to bet my bollocks that there are all kinds of buried treasure on these old airfields, well actually it is a fact because I did watch a video on RU-vid where they discovered a whole load of stuff from one such airfield.
This Vid is actually French as I can see, I dont know the reason for this, but two famous French actors for sure in it,....It just shows how much the French of that generation mainly, are grateful for the liberation of France by the allies and love the ww2 US Jeep, every villagers in France can tell you what it is and what it was for, as most of us also until the eighties were still using them in the French army during our national service that was abolished during the 90's I think, we just love it...
this video touched me since i live just a short drive from the Jeep plant. growing up i can remember driving by the old Willys plant on my way to work.
Definitely NOT Supertramp!!! It's L'Uomo Dell'Armonica, the tune 'played' (not really) by Charles Bronson and the music is by Ennio Morricone - the film "Once Upon A Time In The West" - director Sergio Leone. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-aabohqvy0_4.html
I think that after many recent viewings, and being confused over the last few days what it was all about ... I Think that I finally understand what it's about ... I think that "I HAVE GOT THE POINT OF IT !!"... It's just so tremendous...................... 10/10 for effort
Dear-o-dear. Some of the comments below are sad in the extreme. Are we all getting so spoon-fed with practical information that some of us fail to recognize nonsense when it's so obvious? Take this bit of charming cinema for what it is and don't look for any deep and meaningfulness. Or imagine your own explanation. Fuel gumming in the carb - the science of metal corrosion - WW2 tribute....... Come on spoon-feds - do you question every Pixar or Aardman film: "That's silly - toy's can't talk...!" or "I can't believe Grommit is that brilliant - he could win Britain's Got Talent...!" Perhaps you should also question how long it took one man to dig the Jeep out of the beach. Or how he could do it without the tide coming in. Or why the battery was still working. Or why it wasn’t full of sand when he got it out of the beach. Or how he magiced the sand back without a scar where the hole had been while he was off driving along the beach ............."Oh yeah, I hadn't thought of those points........"
Loved it for what it is a short film. That being said people have found old world war 2 jeeps in europe some in caves where yes they held up pretty well. Yes the lines had to be purged and fresh gas had to be put in and tires were not in such great condition but it did fire up on the first time. Never under estimate good solid engineering and that was what the MB and the later M38A1 were great solid engineering. Any one who are fans of the one only top gear "pre clarkson firing " would know of the toyota hilux that they tried to destroy just another example of great engineering at play. I live I ride I am Jeep.
can you imagine just how much stuff is buried over there from the war, and to think there are some out there that say the war never happened, and now we buy their cars.
WHAT KIND OF BATTERY IS IN THAT THING? KEEPS IT CHARGE FOR 70 = YEARS? WHAT ENGINE OIL? WHAT GASOLINE? WHAT KIND OF TIRES KEEP THEIR AIR UP FOR SO LONG?
LET ALONE THE RUBBER ROT AND RUST!?!?!?! what bullshit, i mean sure we made things to last once, but thats just bull shit, the electrical with be a green dust, the battery would be mush, the tires rotted out, the crank shaft and cycinders seezed, the oil would be a mud of carbon and sand, and the body would be riddled with rust holes, theres not a chance in hell that would happen
Hollywood battery Hollywood oil and gas Hollywood tires and air. This Jeep came with the "Hollywood American Patriotism Superiority Rustfree Invincible Package"
I would like to add for info that the pick up is actually a French made 4X4 Peugeot 504 that was a actually a very quality resistant vehicule that north Africaners loved tom use for the desert as extremely reliable, the diesel engine was just a great machine and still is, well sought after nowadays, I beleive....
It occurs to me that the older guy drank the wine, fell asleep, woke up, and went to get his jeep which must have sunk into the sand leaving only the woven seat cover. The tide having come in again, filled the hole and smoothed out the sand again. It was buried only hours, not decades... (but, that he was also driving the orange utility truck).
i may not have a willys,i have the argentinian made one,the kaiser IKA....but,they day i bought it,got flattened...then,after that day,i started it,and realize,got no water,oil pressure was too low,got no gasket joint and the starter was missing a carbon....otherwise,it was in running order, what i want to say with this ? well,a found jeep can be ready to be operative even in that conditions,they are tiny tanks more than a jeep....the old technology,is forever,classics never die. i wish to be lucky some day,go to europe and come back with a buried jeep...to restore ir or to leave it in my living room,but,still a jeep,and thats what it counts... btw....Respect to all those who gave their life back then in normandy,cause of them,i am free to write all these words from a distant country.
Both of these old fellers obviously dropped to many trips in the sixties, seems like it paying off.. very lovely though, it is a story of memories and what life delves us, these two old guys missed each other by seconds, could of made a difference in there short time We are all lost souls in a world of wondering..
What I thought of it was the old man sleeping is jessy, and his buddy got shot in the war, and he keeps that net where the jeep was, I think that the older man was in the war, and it makes me sad to think that ones memory could be changed by one man with a medal detector
First actor is André Darricau _Alais Darry Cowl_ and the second is Michel Galabru who's still alive .Darry Cowl died a few years back.The second was adjudant Gerbé in Le gendarme de Saint Tropez.
How do people not understand the wine drinker fell asleep and dreamed about someone finding a jeep? The last bit with the jeep is "it was a dream or was it" for artistic flair with ambiguity.
Nice idea for a video and no need for all the unrealistic comments we all know this is impossible so no need to say it. I do know where they are a load of WW2 jeeps buried under a park in Aintree next to the Grand National track if anyone wants to dig them up.
i watched this vid 40 times, and you know, at about number 39 i thought how i had wasted so much time on the previous 38, and then i felt bad about that and the time i was wasting watching it on the 39th, so i watched it again to get past that, and then finally decided i had completely confused myself with the whole deal.
I think this is a touching homage to the Americans who landed at Normandy. IMHO, it's in the mind of the man who falls asleep i the dunes, dreaming that the little old guy with the metal detector finds a relic of the Normandy invasion. The dream, having seemed so real, causes the man in the dunes to come down and look for tire tracks, finding only the netting on the sand. But then the man in the jeep shows up at the gas station. So was it really a dream...?
This was a great video. Too bad though, that we see a lot of haters of it. To all of the geniuses who are bad mouthing the video - - have you ever heard of a VID that was made simply for fun &/or entertainment? Are these hallowed grounds? Certainly, but if you could see it in this context, you would see NO disrespect to those whom have fallen for their respective countries & how about the reverence to this Ol' Ford? That things a BEAUTY! (I've got a '46 CJ-2A in my garage that's a Willys Overland.) Somebody here's readin' WAYYY too much into the message of this old man's video - - it was a great, fun story.
i agree whole heartily, except you give the haters way to much credit for THINKING about the message of this old man's video. these haters are incapable of thinking
Lovely and nostalgic and for you mutters who don't get the point of it well there's no hope is there it's for your imagination to run away with you deeeerrrrrrrrrr !
a jeep buried on the beach would look like that in a coupleof months. not decades. it would have long rotted away. so unrealistic.. but still kinda cool and interesting
Just a way of remembering, that people died on those beaches. but yes, even if in tact I doubt he would have drove away, if willy's were still making jeep's it would make a great commercial.
I KNOW RIGHT !!! It's like in Star Wars when the Death Star blows up at the end, and you hear this massive chest pounding boom! What the? There's no sound in space! So unrealistic... Oh, and in the new Superman when a .45 bullet bounces off his eyeball, but a piece of his own planet almost kills him? If bits of Krypton kill Kryptonians how could billions of them live there right? Dude... So unrealistic
I think that the jeep belonged to the old man when he was in service during WW2, and the bullet hole is from when his friend was shot while driving it or he was barely missed, ect.
I think the interpretation is that the driver was shot and the jeep was abandoned, as the bullet hole was on the drivers side. And the man saluted the jeep out of respect for its fallen crew
:-)) if it was a German veicle that was found burried 70 years in the sand... or a bog... i believed that it wold come out with the engine roaring... but... an American jeep?! LOL!!! even the paintings on the german planes that were slavaged under the water for 70 years... were in perfect conditions...
Nice find, but when did a rather nice Willys Jeep probably buried for nearly forty plus years in salt water soaked sand, start up and drive out of its sandy grave. If it's completely genuine then i am the next Pope.