But the small details, like the firearms, can still stand out.
However, over the years filmmakers have had to go with what was available.
As a result American and other firearms stood in.
Some of these movies you’ve probably seen, others not. But, did they use the right guns in them? Images: IMFDB
This included Thompson submachine guns dressed up to resemble theMP40.
That is why until the 1990s real AK-47s were still seldom seen in many other American-made films.
Impressively, the armorers also dressed up anM60as a DShK heavy machine gun!
An American M1928 Thompson is mounted on an M1917 .30 Caliber tripod to represent a Japanese machine gun in the filmGuadalcanal Diary. Image: IMFDB
As the Soviet filmmakers couldnt obtain actual M16s, those in the film were visually modified StG44s.
Conclusion
Think you know your guns?
Would you have caught all of these yourself when watching these movies?
A Lewis Gun is mounted to another tripod inGuadalcanal Diaryto stand in for a Japanese machine gun. Image: IMFDB
Today, trying to spot these stand-ins can allow the films to be viewed in a whole new way.
The filmmakers inHangmen Also Dieattempted to make a Thompson submachine gun look like theGerman MP40. Image: IMFDB
While American films wouldn’t use real German MP40s until after the war, the Soviet filmWe Will Come Backfeatured the weapon in 1942. Image: IMFDB
The AK-47 made its big screen debut in the 1955 filmMaksim Perepelitsa, a Russian comedy that was released a year before the world would see the weapon in the Budapest Uprising. Image: IMFDB
Kirk Douglas has the distinction of being the first American actor to use an AK-47 in the 1978 filmThe Fury. Image: IMFDB
In the James Bond filmOctopussy, as Soviet AK-47s were unavailable these men were armed with the Chinese Norinco Type 56. Image: IMFDB
In 1984’sRed Dawn, that is an Egyptian Maadi MISR commercially released semi-automatic — not an AK-47 or AKM. Image: IMFDB
Jennifer Grey is seen firing a convincing look RPK inRed Dawnthat is actually a dressed up Valmet M78. Image: IMFDB
In the filmLord of War, when Nicholas Cage goes to buy thousands of AK-47s the actual weapons are the similar looking Czech-made Sa vz. 58. Image: IMFDB
Made in 1959,The Green Wagonwas a Soviet epic about the Russian Civil War. A DP-27 was unconvincingly made to look like a Lewis Gun. Image: IMFDB
In 1959’sPorkchop Hillabout the Korean War, a Lewis Gun was mocked up to look like the Soviet-designed DP-27. Image: IMFDB
In the Soviet/East German/Polish productionThe Shield and the Sword, German soldiers can be seen armed with the AK-47 instead of the StG44. Image: IMFDB
The Soviet filmI Serve at the Borderhad World War II-era German StG44 assault rifles mocked up to look like the American M16. Image: IMFDB
