There is virtually no guy that doesn’t like war movies. They show camaraderie, fighting, generally have a lot of explosions, and teach us a bit of history. In the last 100 years some outstanding directors have made their name with war films. This is a list of the ten best war films. Rated from good to best:
10. Platoon [Director: Oliver Stone, 1986]
A gritty and emotional look at the lives of a platoon of American soldiers as they patrol, fight and die in the jungles of Vietnam as seen through the perspective of a young recruit. Two veteran sergeants clash when one of them precipitates a massacre of villagers.
9. Full Metal Jacket [Director: Stanley Kubrick, 1987]
A two-segment story that follows young men from the start of recruit training in the Marine Corps to the lethal cauldron known as Vietnam. The first segment follows Joker, Pyle and others as they progress through the hell of USMC boot-camp at the hands of the colorful, foul-mouthed Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. The second begins in Vietnam, near Hue, at the time of the Tet Offensive. Joker, along with Animal Mother, Rafterman and others, face threats such as ambush, booby traps, and Viet Cong snipers as they move through the city.
8. Das Boot [Director: Wolfgang Petersen, 1981]
It is 1942 and the German submarine fleet is heavily engaged in the so called “Battle of the Atlantic” to harass and destroy English shipping. With better escorts of the Destroyer Class, however, German U-Boats have begun to take heavy losses. “Das Boot” is the story of one such U-Boat crew, with the film examining how these submariners maintained their professionalism as soldiers, attempted to accomplish impossible missions, while all the time attempting to understand and obey the ideology of the government under which they served
7. L’Armée des Ombres [Director: Jean-Pierre Melville, 1969]
France, 1942, during the occupation. Philippe Gerbier, a civil engineer, is one of the French Resistance’s chiefs. Given away by a traitor, he is interned in a camp. He manages to escape, and joins his network at Marseilles, where he makes the traitor be executed… This non-spectacular movie (do not expect any Rambo or Robin Hood) shows us rigorously and austerely the everyday of the French Resistants : their solitude, their fears, their relationships, the arrests, the forwarding of orders and their carrying out… Both writer Joseph Kessel and co-writer and director Jean-Pierre Melville belonged to this “Army in the Shadows”.
6. The Pianist [Director: Roman Polanski, 2002]
The true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman who, in the 1930s, was known as the most accomplished piano player in all of Poland, if not Europe. At the outbreak of the Second World War, however, Szpilman becomes subject to the anti-Jewish laws imposed by the conquering Germans. By the start of the 1940s, Szpilman has seen his world go from piano concert halls to the Jewish Ghetto of Warsaw and then must suffer the tragedy of his family deported to a German concentration camps, while Szpilman is conscripted into a forced German Labor Compound. At last deciding to escape, Szpilman goes into hiding as a Jewish refugee where he is witness to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
5. The Bridge on the River Kwai [Director: David Lean, 1957]
The film deals with the situation of British prisoners of war during World War II who are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the Burma-Siam railway. Their instinct is to sabotage the bridge but, under the leadership of Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness), they are persuaded that the bridge should be constructed as a symbol of British morale, spirit and dignity in adverse circumstances. At first, the prisoners admire Nicholson when he bravely endures torture rather than compromise his principles for the benefit of the Japanese commandant Saito (Sessue Hayakawa). He is an honorable but arrogant man, who is slowly revealed to be a deluded obsessive. He convinces himself that the bridge is a monument to British character, but actually is a monument to himself, and his insistence on its construction becomes a subtle form of collaboration with the enemy.
4. Apocalypse Now [Director: Francis Ford Coppola, 1979]
Vietnam, 1969. Burnt out Special Forces officer Captain Willard is sent into the jungle with top-secret orders to find and kill renegade Colonel Kurtz who has set up his own army within the jungle. As Willard descends into the jungle, he is slowly over taken by the jungle’s mesmerizing powers and battles the insanity which surrounds him. His boat crew succumbs to drugs and is slowly killed off one by one. As Willard continues his journey he becomes more and more like the man he was sent to kill.
3. Paths of Glory [Director: Stanley Kubrick, 1957]
In Stanley Kubrick’s “Paths of Glory” war is viewed in terms of power. This mesmerizing, urgent film about a true episode in World War I combines the idea that class differences are more important than national differences with the cannon-fodder theory of war, the theory that soldiers are merely pawns in the hands of generals who play at war is if it were a game of chess. The result of this amazing film has been the emergence of one of the great talents in contemporary cinema, the master whose greatest work was yet to come.
2. Lawrence of Arabia [Director: David Lean, 1962]
An inordinately complex man who has been labeled everything from hero, to charlatan, to sadist, Thomas Edward Lawrence blazed his way to glory in the Arabian desert, then sought anonymity as a common soldier under an assumed name. The story opens with the death of Lawrence in a motorcycle accident in London at the age of 47, then flashbacks to recount his adventures: as a young intelligence officer in Cairo in 1916, he is given leave to investigate the progress of the Arab revolt against the Turks in World War I. In the desert, he organizes a guerrilla army and–for two years–leads the Arabs in harassing the Turks with desert raids, train-wrecking and camel attacks. Eventually, he leads his army northward and helps a British General destroy the power of the Ottoman Empire.
1. Casablanca [Director: Michael Curtiz, 1942]
In World War II Casablanca, Rick Blaine, exiled American and former freedom fighter, runs the most popular nightspot in town. The cynical lone wolf Blaine comes into the possession of two valuable letters of transit. When Nazi Major Strasser arrives in Casablanca, the sycophantic police Captain Renault does what he can to please him, including detaining Czech underground leader Victor Laszlo. Much to Rick’s surprise, Lazslo arrives with Ilsa, Rick’s one time love. Rick is very bitter towards Ilsa, who ran out on him in Paris, but when he learns she had good reason to, they plan to run off together again using the letters of transit.
Notable Omissions: Braveheart, Schindler’s List, Hotel Rwanda
My personal number one :
Johnny got his gun (1971 version)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067277/
Having grown up on standard gung-ho 50's and 60's war films, this came as a shock when I first saw it, aged 8. I never looked at my toy guns again in quite the same way.
An absolute must-see.
Wheres shindlers list ?????
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO True!
Che: even reading the synopsis makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable!
Sounds like that Metalica song I’ve heard so much. Black I think. I’d have to see it to know. To get the full affect you’d have to hear the Full Version. Excerpts for the movie dialog all through it. Very Creepy.
I guess it’s called ‘One’.
Greez
Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan it’s actually a good movie, nice effects, interesting plot, (loosely based on the Niland brothers case) but its Americanized-patriotic theme makes it only a blockbuster hit!
its the best
are you serious? it is one of the greatest movies of all time. it opened the eyes of people who believed war was a glorious thing. it showed all the gore and attrocities of the war that everybody overlooked. a true masterpiece that was robbed of the best picture oscar
It’s nonsense-bullets killing under six feet of water?The opening scenes portray just what these men had to endure,after that it goes rapidly downhill into the realms of fantasy as a squad of misfits take on half an SS Panzer Div.and we all know just how crap the Allies in Normandy,or anywhere else,were compared to those guys.Real soldiers-not butchers,bakers and candlestick makers.The fake Tiger tanks were good though.
this list is pretty good its just missing one thing…Glory. just watching it gives me goose bumps.
thats just a hands down classic.
Im not saying it has to be here, but the first war movie that really got the point across to me that war sucks was blackhawk down, probably just cause its what we face right now.
Duh, could you pick anything more obvious?
Go:
Big Red One
Thin Red Line
Ivan’s Childhood
Thin red line’s a really good one. ill check those others out, all im saying is BHD (however obvious) was the first for me that got that point across. saints and soldiers is another good one
Der Untergang or “Downfall”!, Schindler’s List!, the old classic one Battleship Potemkin! and The Great Escape! WarMovies:P
Don’t know if I’d really classify Casablanca as a war movie. In it, the war is mostly a backdrop for the itrigue, which I think is the main aim of the movie.
The Great Escape, would be a better choice, I’m thinking. Even Kelly’s Heroes, even though that has a broad comedic element and many of my grog friends get insane when they constantly point out to me that the “Tigers” in the film have Russian T-34 chassis.
12 O’Clock high is also another excellent war movie, that I would consider before Casablanca.
Come and See is essential viewing – nothing else comes close to evoking the real horror of war. You never forget it.
As Daniel said, Downfall is one of the greats.
Glad you included L’Armée des Ombres.
What about saving private ryan people??
what about all’s quite on the western front?
Thanks for all the extra films you have all mentioned. Obviously I can’t put them all in the list
You forgot Three Kings. Not only is it the single best war film to be watching right now- since america is in iraq again, but even besides that, the first scene in the film is reason enough to see it alone. “Are we shooting people? Hey are we shooting people or what here?”
And black hawk down should get a runner up…
And btw, saving private ryan doesn’t deserver to be on the list… you were right to exclude it. It’s not a moving film, it’s a film that moves you to be moved. It manipulates you into being moved, it’s sugar calories, not nutrition. Points for the opening scene though.
Bog: yeah – the opening scene is great, but it just doesn’t compare to a film like the Pianist for its deep emotional impact. Spielberg is all about Hollywood, not art.
all quiet on the western front is way better as a book than as a movie, but if there were a war book list it could make it, even though it was originally intended to be almost antiwar
Spielberg is not all about hollywood. Schindler’s List is an amazing movie, and for that matter, definetly art.
Chris: I just found Schindler’s List to be contrived – and frankly, I think it was capitalizing on the holocaust. A far better film about the holocaust is Life is Beautiful.
Is Casablanca a war movie??? I didn’t know that.
My favorite war movies are:
Black Hawk Down
Saving Private Ryan
Platoon
Full Metal JAcket
Wind Talkers
We Were Soldiers
Life Is Beautiful
basically my list as well, with the addition of apocalypse now
betshopboy: It is set during the war. I love Life is Beautiful – it is an amazing film.
definately Glory and Thin Red Line, I totally agree with Ian, everytime I watch that movie, especially the ending charge i get goose bumps. and best of all, unlike a lot of these, its a true story! The charge up the dune face, turning the tide of the battle, then to only to run up against one could only assume was cannister (if not double cannister) shot from cannon in an confined space. To prove their worth as equals they go charging into death head on, a very moving film in my mind and should be on this list.
evan: thanks for the comment. It is duly noted
Band of Brothers belongs on this list.
Although not really a movie, but a mini-series making up 10 mini-movies that each could stand up as top 10 war movies on thier own.
Band of Brothers is incredible.
I guess iam the odd man out…I really dont like war movies.
I do have to agree with betshopboy though “Life is Beautiful” was a great movie
Jimmy5: Yes – Band of Brothers is great – but as you said: it is a mini-series.
Dave: Life is Beautiful is mentioned on another list here – it is great.
I disagree with the criticism of “Saving Private Ryan.” Even if the rest of the movie is considered to be trite Hollywoodism – which I don’t htink it is – the strength of its opening scene (which is some 35 minutes long, BTW) merits a place on this list. I recall seeing this one in the theatre and during the moments of first-person vantage where the camera goes underwater and than back over the surface, I could hear people in the audience reflexively gasping for air. I also recall numerous people in the audience crying their eyes out at the end. The folks who had nothing to say as they were leaving? The folks old enough to have lived through it. They just wanted to get the hell out of there. Frankly, I commend them for having had the courage to go see it. SVP is also one of the most realistic portrayals of what battlefield conditions in the European theatre were like ever put to film. The horror and visceral nature of combat in the movie – its superficial characterization aside – makes it an important war film to watch. any kid who has romantic notions of joining the military should be required to watch this movie first.
Thanks Bill. I admire the passion you feel about the subject.
Crimanon, the Metallica song is called “One” from the album …And Justice For All
Glad to see Das Boot on here.
Flags of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, Gallipoli, Hotel Rwanda and The Guns of Navarone are war movies that struck a chord with me. (albeit they do not belong in in the top 10.) I also enjoyed the 300 which lacked any historical value whatsoever but was able to make up for it other areas, namely the visual artistry.
TFullerman: I haven’t seen the Iwo Jima film but have seen the rest and agree that they are excellent.
kind of suprised not to see “The Dirty Dozen” up there. Great flick, a few of the “good guys” die, dunno if Bronson got an Oscar for it, but I know he should have. Nice list though.
Ditch platoon and put in saving private ryan instead. Also battle of Algiers should have been there.
Another vote for Glory, definitely deserved to be in there. Honorable mention for Flight of the Intruder.
Thanks for the extra movies guys – consider the comments to be like a “notable others” list
What? No The Longest Day? I thought that was awesome. It had John Wayne AND Sean Connery (mind you, he was much younger at the time).
mmm… thanks for mentioning that film – I have not seen it but will definitely do so now.
Good work mentioning Das Boot here, one of my favourites.
what about gods and generals, gettysburg and zulu?
Where’s “Glory?” (1989) That was the best. The only good ones on here are “Bridge on the River Kwai” and “Paths of Glory.”
Gettysburg is sweet
“i want you to put fire on that mountain”
I agree with most of the list except the last two which use war merely as a backdrop to the main story. Deer Hunter and Gallipoli should be on there.
Deer Hunter, Dirty Dozen I agree. I also liked Kelly’s heroes, force 10 from navorone. I thought Patton would be on there and even Mash.
a good houlacaust movie that wasnt mentioned is the devis arithmatic, stars kirsten dunst and britney murphy. i really enjoyed it.
ed9362: I haven’t seen that film but I definitely will – I love Britney Murphy – she is one of my favorite actresses.
*was
Jfrater, i am not a big Britney murphy fan but in this she is brilliant, better than kirsten dunst. for u i say it is a must see. also while i am reccomending movies see “chopper” if you can find it. it has eric bana and i think very few people in the U.S would have see it.
ed9362: definitely better than Kirsten Dunst. I haven’t seen Chopper but I have seen it in the video stores and I included Eric Bana on another list here for that film – I really should watch it sometime.
I was pleasantly surprised to see Army of Shadows in this list. Great film.
dont know if pearl harbour qualifies,but its the only war movie i’ve actually sat thru til the end
there are many good war movies from Finland. like Unknown soldier, Tali-Ihantala 1944, just to name a few
“the lighthorsemen” is a classic aussie war film it is about what i bellieve was the last successful lighthorse charge in history. it happened in palestine and aussies defeated the turks.
PATTON????
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN???
BATTLE OF THE BULGE????
COME ON MAN, THESE ARE BETTER THAN ALL OF THOSE. THE PIANIST? THATS A SISSY MOVIE.
Glory is the best war movie of all time. Also up there is we were soldiers, excellent movie.
I think this list is seriously remiss for the absence of Ronald Maxwell’s 1993 epic “Gettysburg.” It is distinguished by superb and honest portrayals by Martin Sheen, Tom Beringer, and Jeff Daniels; moving images of the American landscape; not to mention an admirable congregation of dedicated recreationalists. It is not without faults, but is certainly worthy of a position on this list.
What makes movies like Guns of Navarone (Gregory Peck)
Force Ten from Navarone (Robert Shaw) and Where Eagle Dare ( Richard Burton) so incredible is not merely the acting prowess of the leads but the story itself. Master story teller Alistair Mclean engineers a seemingly simple story only to unfold rhythmically revealing a convoluted plot for our hero’s.
I think ’10 More Awsome War Movies’ is in order. Patton, and Saving Private Ryan are two obvious choices. There are some really awsome underrated war movies like Enemy at the Gates, or Atentát which deserve some recognition.
nice list, here is another top 10 war movies list…
http://mad6986.googlepages.com/top10warmovies
WTF? No Patton? No A Bride Too Far? No All Quiet On The Western Front? I just don’t consider the Pianist to be a “war” movie. In that case Jakob The Liar could be a “war” movie.
Sorry about the “text message talk” thing up there.