ERA, what's your best WWII movie?
- Thread starter Jindrax
- Start date
Memphis Belle (1990) is always a great time and hasn't been mentioned yet. Much, much more to follow in a later edit.
The Story of G.I. Joe (1945)
It's a WWII movie that was made during WWII. While it doesn't have the effects of modern war movies, it still holds up.
It's a WWII movie that was made during WWII. While it doesn't have the effects of modern war movies, it still holds up.
Casablanca. By far the best one imo.
The scene when they sing La Marseillaise always makes me cry.
The scene when they sing La Marseillaise always makes me cry.
Saving Private Ryan is up there. Saw it in the theater way back when; that opening scene was INTENSE on the big screen.
Das Boot is great.
Shout out to Band of Brothers, even though it's a show.
For a something a little different, I highly recommend "Conspiracy," with Kenneth Branagh and Stanley Tucci. Excellent, dialogue focused movie that's sort of like a play in that it takes place almost entirely in one house. It's about the Wannsee Conference of 1942.
Das Boot is great.
Shout out to Band of Brothers, even though it's a show.
For a something a little different, I highly recommend "Conspiracy," with Kenneth Branagh and Stanley Tucci. Excellent, dialogue focused movie that's sort of like a play in that it takes place almost entirely in one house. It's about the Wannsee Conference of 1942.
Downfall.
The acting from Bruno Ganz as Hitler was some of the best acting I've seen. The film is also different from most WW2 movies as it's from the perspective of not only the dying, Nazi regime, but also the citizens of Berlin during the chaos and bloodshed of the Soviet invasion. A truly fantastic movie.
Saving Private Ryan is a close second.
The acting from Bruno Ganz as Hitler was some of the best acting I've seen. The film is also different from most WW2 movies as it's from the perspective of not only the dying, Nazi regime, but also the citizens of Berlin during the chaos and bloodshed of the Soviet invasion. A truly fantastic movie.
Saving Private Ryan is a close second.
Best overall: Come and See (1985)
Best in English language: Twelve O'clock High (1949)
Note that these recommendations aren't for those who are looking for a "fun time" watching a war movie. War is actual, real-life hell and, IMO, shouldn't be depicted with "entertainment value" in mind.
Best in English language: Twelve O'clock High (1949)
Note that these recommendations aren't for those who are looking for a "fun time" watching a war movie. War is actual, real-life hell and, IMO, shouldn't be depicted with "entertainment value" in mind.
Older movies are always important, but especially so for this genre. These are the movies people saw immediately following the war. It is important to see depictions of the enemy as well as how the boots on the ground perspective was told in the various stages and theatres of WW2. Later movies will be written and star actors that were actually in the war.
I watched war movies in December. I sorted my watch list from then and then edited out all the WW1, Korean, and Vietnam films and this is the list I came up with. I also took out the vast majority of the blatantly obvious choices that will be suggested over and over by younger viewers. I was left with the following. I put a notation next to the ones that I thought were especially interesting or thought they deserve extra attention. These movies cover the war from the ground, sea, and air. Hell, these can be further divided into subgenres for frogmen, submarine warfare, and POW movies.
Battle of the Coral Sea (1959)
The Frogmen (1951)
In Harm's Way (1965)
Is Paris Burning? (1966) -This about the underground soldiers of Paris who aided allies and performed gorilla attacks. (Intermission at 2hr mark!)
King Rat (1965)
The Last Blitzkrieg (1959) - Told from the side of Grmans who perform undercover ops vs the Allies. A rare view of WW2 and weird to see the main character killing allied soldiers left and right.
Merrill's Marauders (1962)
The Negro Soldier (1944) - US War Department's documentary focusing on the contribution of blacks during WW2. Super interesting stuff here.
None But The Brave (1965) - My favorite WW2 movie of this era. American & Japanese soldiers are stranded on an island and have to work together. The ending was fucking crazy. The movie treated the Japanese with dignity and respect.
Operation Bullshine (1959) - Lighthearted Comedy that I enjoyed. May have had a few song & dance routines lol.
Play Dirty (1969)
Raid on Rommel (1971)
Retreat, Hell! (1952)
Sailor of the King (1953)
The Seas Shall Not Have Them (1954)
Sink The Bismark (1960)
Storming Juno (2010) - Canadians on D-Day
The Bridge at Remagen (1969)
The Wackiest Ship in the Navy (1960)
They Were Expendable (1945)
To Have and Have Not (1944)
Torpedo Run (1958)
Where Eagles Dare (1968)
Why We Fight: The Battle For Russia (1943) - US Propaganda film shown to soldiers. Does not pull punches. Terrible, real footage.
Yesterday's Enemy (1959) -What would you do in this situation? type of movie. Makes you question your morals during war time.
A Bridge Too Far (1977)
Ambush Bay (1966)
Battle of Britain (1969)
Battleground (1949)
Beachhead (1954)
Big Red One (1980)
Bombardier (1943)
Bon Voyage (1944)
Fat Man & Little Boy (1989) - Dramatization about the process behind the creation of the atomic bomb.
Fighting Seabees (1944)
Great Raid (2005)
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Kelly's Heroes (1970)
The Cut-Throats (1969) Pure schlock with tons of explicit nudity - part of the sexploitation craze of the time and worth seeing for a peek into that genre alone
Guns of the Navarone (1961)
12 O'clock High (1949)
A Midnight Clear (1982)
Edit: Another interesting perspective into this era is the movies that were made leading up to and including war time. These were the movies that soldiers would frequently be shown as a form of rest and relaxation. It's odd to see movies of that time and remember that a soldier as likely watching it the day before heading out to D-Day or a few days after returning from horrible front line battles.
I watched war movies in December. I sorted my watch list from then and then edited out all the WW1, Korean, and Vietnam films and this is the list I came up with. I also took out the vast majority of the blatantly obvious choices that will be suggested over and over by younger viewers. I was left with the following. I put a notation next to the ones that I thought were especially interesting or thought they deserve extra attention. These movies cover the war from the ground, sea, and air. Hell, these can be further divided into subgenres for frogmen, submarine warfare, and POW movies.
Battle of the Coral Sea (1959)
The Frogmen (1951)
In Harm's Way (1965)
Is Paris Burning? (1966) -This about the underground soldiers of Paris who aided allies and performed gorilla attacks. (Intermission at 2hr mark!)
King Rat (1965)
The Last Blitzkrieg (1959) - Told from the side of Grmans who perform undercover ops vs the Allies. A rare view of WW2 and weird to see the main character killing allied soldiers left and right.
Merrill's Marauders (1962)
The Negro Soldier (1944) - US War Department's documentary focusing on the contribution of blacks during WW2. Super interesting stuff here.
None But The Brave (1965) - My favorite WW2 movie of this era. American & Japanese soldiers are stranded on an island and have to work together. The ending was fucking crazy. The movie treated the Japanese with dignity and respect.
Operation Bullshine (1959) - Lighthearted Comedy that I enjoyed. May have had a few song & dance routines lol.
Play Dirty (1969)
Raid on Rommel (1971)
Retreat, Hell! (1952)
Sailor of the King (1953)
The Seas Shall Not Have Them (1954)
Sink The Bismark (1960)
Storming Juno (2010) - Canadians on D-Day
The Bridge at Remagen (1969)
The Wackiest Ship in the Navy (1960)
They Were Expendable (1945)
To Have and Have Not (1944)
Torpedo Run (1958)
Where Eagles Dare (1968)
Why We Fight: The Battle For Russia (1943) - US Propaganda film shown to soldiers. Does not pull punches. Terrible, real footage.
Yesterday's Enemy (1959) -What would you do in this situation? type of movie. Makes you question your morals during war time.
A Bridge Too Far (1977)
Ambush Bay (1966)
Battle of Britain (1969)
Battleground (1949)
Beachhead (1954)
Big Red One (1980)
Bombardier (1943)
Bon Voyage (1944)
Fat Man & Little Boy (1989) - Dramatization about the process behind the creation of the atomic bomb.
Fighting Seabees (1944)
Great Raid (2005)
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Kelly's Heroes (1970)
The Cut-Throats (1969) Pure schlock with tons of explicit nudity - part of the sexploitation craze of the time and worth seeing for a peek into that genre alone
Guns of the Navarone (1961)
12 O'clock High (1949)
A Midnight Clear (1982)
Edit: Another interesting perspective into this era is the movies that were made leading up to and including war time. These were the movies that soldiers would frequently be shown as a form of rest and relaxation. It's odd to see movies of that time and remember that a soldier as likely watching it the day before heading out to D-Day or a few days after returning from horrible front line battles.
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Come And See if you can handle hell through a child's perspective.
The Thin Red Line if you're up for a philosophical and poetic perspective on WW2. Its setting and themes stand out amongst other WW2 movies. Absolutely stunning cinematography, as is usual for Malick films.
Ivan's Childhood is a must, especially if you've never seen a Tarkovsky film.
Pearl Harbor. Although I recommend just reading Ebert's review of the movie rather than watching the movie itself
The Thin Red Line for me. Malick at his best. Criterion's Blu-ray is amazing if you get the chance to check it out.
Outstanding picture. I would also add...
A Bridge Too Far
Das Boot
Dirty Dozen
Generation War
Band Of Brothers
Saving Private Ryan's Privates
All the obvious choices have been mentioned so I'll add two left-of-center, not battle focused picks:
Army of Shadows, about French Resistance fighters(this was mentioned earlier but more people need to see it)
and
A Canterbury Tale, the idiosyncratic masterpiece of The Archers.
Army of Shadows, about French Resistance fighters(this was mentioned earlier but more people need to see it)
and
A Canterbury Tale, the idiosyncratic masterpiece of The Archers.