The Best 25 War Movies

[zotig111]

I found Guy Sajer's book apologetic at best. He basically states that throughout the war he ran scared and retreated and never even shot at anybody. He only did it to protect France too. :think: Follows the same model that Speer perfected in his Inside the Third Reich.

 

Another obscure movie that I only appreciated later in life was Murphy's War. I wouldn't say it was a top 25, but a good rainy Saturday afternoon time killer. Peter O'Toole played a British sailor who survived his crew machine gunned by the U boat that sank his ship. He is rescued and recovers on a remote French (?) colony where he does get an opportunity for revenge. Obscure film but good for it's portrayal of a tormented atrocity survivor.

[kjones5452]

I gotta kick outta Turners "ROUGH RIDERS" with Sam Elliot and

Tom Berenger.Got it on dvd from Amazon.Nice uniform and weapons

detail.

[kjones5452]

Almost forgot.

Anybody remember the color version of THE LONGEST DAY?

Came out during the early or mid 90s as I recall,during the

time that a group was puttin color to a lot of old movies.

This was done by a different bunch and it looked like it

was supposed to be in color,the other movies had the colors

looking blurred or weird.Hard to explaine. :think:

[Wiendolch]

A Bridge too far

Battleground Bastogne

Stalingrad (NOT the one with the 2 snipers going after each other)

Tora Tora Tora

Kelly's Heroes

 

Erwin

 

I'm with you Erwin those are some of the best and rarely are they shown.

 

Eric

[possum]

One of the the problems with this sort of subject, is that, for me at least, films are a very personal thing. I like a lot of things that others can't stand, and vice versa.

 

Would have to agree that "Battleground" should be on the list, exceptional film. I've also always liked "Kelly's Keroes" and "The Dirty Dozen", but wouldn't necessarily include them on a list of top 25 best war films ever.

 

Anyone seen "All the young men" wth Sidney Poitier? I thought it was pretty good. Not the greatest, but suprised me pleasantly.

 

Maybe we could start a poll, and try and get a picture of what we all enjoy/regard as great.

 

Poss

[cherokee tj]

Viet Nam brought forth some strange war films like The Green Berets (1968) and Apocalypse Now (1979). One of the most quirky Viet Nam related films was Casualties of War (1989) in which director Brian De Palma shows us why he was justified avoiding the draft by moving to Canada. (I saw The Green Berets in a Fort Ord in 1971 and there was alot of laughing and yelling at the screen by recently returned Viet Nam veterans in the theater.)

 

When they premiered The Green Berets at the Fox in Atlanta they sent tickets to local High schools and some friends and I went to the premiere and actually got to meet John Wayne and David Janson before the movie started, thought John Wayne was too old and fat to be playing a Green Beret, but enjoyed the movie at the time.

[giconceptsjw]

Personally, I like the movies actually made during the war years the best. They have a purity and simplicity about them that is all their own and can’t be recaptured. “A Walk in the Sun” (1945) is very good as is “A Guy Named Joe”(1945) “Air Force”(1943) and “The Purple Heart”(1944). These films capture the time and mood of the WWII era like no others. They weren’t censored by political correctness or revisionist history. The vast majority of the nation was on the same page and protesting or sympathizing with our enemies was unheard of, as it should be. Call them corny, blind patriotism, flag waiving or propaganda. To me they instill a sense of pride and purpose that is totally gone from the modern cynical mindset.

 

I’m also not sure why the old war films are condemned and labeled propaganda simply because they portray our enemies in a bad light. Why then are modern films like Platoon not considered propaganda when they so blatantly portray our own military in the worst possible light while ignoring the atrocities of our enemies?

[kjones5452]

I like to watch THE GREEN BERETS for the tiger stripes and Vietnamese uniforms.

The real soldiers used thru out,and the scenes around Ft. Benning.Also for all ya'll

with a sharp eye thats a Mattell Toy Co. version of the m16 that JW smashes against

that tree.Remember men? Thing had a banana clip. It's Mattel and it's swell!

[Divinemind]

In my opinion, The Deer Hunter should be in the top 5. The scenes with Robert Dinero and Christopher Walkin as prisoners were UNREAL acting performances.

[DwightPruitt]

Battle of the (Ft. Hood desert) Bulge

 

I agree, it's a horrible, horrible movie, but one minor quibble- it was filmed in Spain, not Ft. Hood, and used Spanish M-47 and M-24 tanks.

 

 

If I've missed this one being mentioned, I apologize, but the most realistic war movie I've ever seen is Theirs is the Glory. Made in 1946, most of the cast are British/Canadian Airborne vets of Market-Garden. It was filmed in Arnhem, using real equipment, against real German tanks- especially Panthers, a Tiger and PzKw IV. Many of the Dutch cast are playing themselves. The downside is the story is chopped up a bit, and the dubbing is a bit off in spots, but compared to the upside, the downside is minor.

 

Here's a clip:

 

[Sabrejet]

Good choice! Despite the numbers produced, relatively few German panzers survived the war as runners. That's why most post-war movies tend to feature either various US tanks with black crosses painted on them, or panzer look-alikes built on T-34 / T-54 chassis. "Theirs is the glory " is almost unique in that it featured the real thing!

 

Sabrejet :thumbsup:

[Rakkasan187]

I'll throw in my favorites:

 

Wake Island

 

PT 109

 

Sink the Bismark

 

Battle Of Britain

 

Bridge at Remagen

 

Go For Broke

 

Objective Burma

 

Run Silent, Run Deep

 

Destination Tokyo

 

30 Seconds over Tokyo

 

Gardens of Stone

 

The Devils Brigade

 

The Longest Day

 

Enemy at the Gates

 

Cross of Iron

 

The Desert Fox

 

Guns of Navarone

 

The Fighting 69th

 

All Quiet on the Western Front

 

Go Tell the Spartans

 

None But The Brave

 

To Hell and Back

 

Flying Leathernecks

 

Sands of Iwo Jima

 

Fighting Seabees

 

Schindlers List

 

The Hiding Place

 

The Great Escape

 

The War Lover

 

Memphis Belle

 

Hell is for Heros

 

I could continue but I think I'm beating a dead horse here....

 

Leigh..

[krautpot]

"Napola" from 2005. One of the best younger german films:

 

 

Its 1942 in Germany, a 16years old boy, boxer, gets the chance to study at a nazi elite-school. Excellent and powerfull story.

[Robswashashore]

 

Saints and Soldiers

[Sgt Saunders]

I'll add a couple to the list, but I like just

about all of them mentioned above.

 

Bataan

 

Never So Few

 

Cross of Iron

 

Murphy's War

 

The War Lover

Good book too!

 

The Guns of Navarone

 

Force 10 From Navarone

 

Where Eagles Dare

 

Hanover Street

 

Anzio

[MAGNUM T.]

IMHO the best war movie I've ever seen is "Saving Private Ryan".

The first 24 minutes are enough to write Spielberg's name in the movie history.

 

One that I like very much (but I don't know if it can be called a "war movie") is "Hell in the Pacific".

Another of my favourites is Blake Edwards' "Operation Petticoat".

[FNG]

I agree, it's a horrible, horrible movie, but one minor quibble- it was filmed in Spain, not Ft. Hood, and used Spanish M-47 and M-24 tanks.

If I've missed this one being mentioned, I apologize, but the most realistic war movie I've ever seen is Theirs is the Glory. Made in 1946, most of the cast are British/Canadian Airborne vets of Market-Garden. It was filmed in Arnhem, using real equipment, against real German tanks- especially Panthers, a Tiger and PzKw IV. Many of the Dutch cast are playing themselves. The downside is the story is chopped up a bit, and the dubbing is a bit off in spots, but compared to the upside, the downside is minor.

 

Here's a clip:

 

 

I've heard about this film. Any idea on where I can get a copy?

[Johan Willaert]

I've heard about this film. Any idea on where I can get a copy?

 

I know youcan buy it from the Airborne Museum in Arnhem...

 

Maybe they can help you further...

 

http://www.airbornemuseum.org

 

Or here:

 

http://www.slagomarnhem.com/en.html

[posse]

These are often wacked in the DVD player...

- Battleground

- Saving Private Ryan

- Objective Burma!

- Theirs is the glory

- 12 o'clock high

- Never so few

- Memphis Belle

- Apocalyps Now (redux)

- Battle of Britain

- ...

 

 

rgds

Bart P

[Manchu Warrior]

A couple I like. Schindler's List is one of the greatest movies ever made and I liked Harts War and The Pianist was another great movie and one that I never see mentioned is called Days of Glory. The movie is about the North African Muslims who fought for France during WWII. I liked it because it was a true story and it opened my eyes to a part of history that I would not have learned about otherwise.

[BILL THE PATCH]

how about gudalcanel diary, bataan, back to bataan, air force, attack, the steel helmet ( korean war), the fighting 69th, just to name a few more. there are many more.

[peepsight]

Don't forget aperation Burma,with Erol Flynn.filmed in the 40's

[craig_pickrall]

It is Objective Burma not Operation Burma. There is at least one discussion thread on this movie that is recent.

[Garandomatic]

If Fluckey's story about the Barb is to be made a movie, man... That book rocks...

 

I noticed "They Were Expendable" mentioned earlier (3 years earlier!) and wanted to comment. I watched this movie a few times and like it simply because it's the Duke. Been watching him since I was a kid. Anyways, I read "At Close Quarters" recently, and was amazed at some of the little details of the movie that seemed pure Hollywood that appear in what is considered the Bible of the PT Boat service. The crusty old guy that helps them work on their boats? Real dude. Several other things, too.

[robnz]

I have seen tonnes of War films as a film student. I also collect them on DVD. My absolute favourite war or war related films are:

 

1. Ballad of a Soldier (a 1959 Russian film which has to be one of the most moving films ever made)

2. The Pianist (2002, Roman Polanski film starring Adrian Brody about life in the Warsaw Ghetto)

3. All Quiet on the Western Front (the 1930 original academy award winner)

4. The One That Got Away (1957, a great film about the escape of German airman Franz von Werra)

5. The Great Escape (the 1963 film starring Steve McQueen)

6. Der Untergang 'Downfall' (2004 film about the fall of Berlin)

7. The Wooden Horse (1950, which is about the lesser known escape from Stalag Luft III, amazing!)

 

Rob