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10 Greatest War Films of All Time
By John
So it's a list format, and that means just about everyone will disagree in one way another.
Still, I'll ask anyway.
What are the 10 greatest war films of all time?
My picks:
10 ) The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) Obi-Won Kenobi reminds us why we have the Code of Conduct.
9) The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) Errol Flynn meets my favorite poet, Tennyson. Awesomeness and vengeance ensue.
8) The Longest Day (1962) Top down look at the D-Day invasion, complete with dumbass Nazis waiting for Patton to storm across the channel and attack Calais.
7) Alexander Nevskiy (1938) Commie porn! A Russian prince mobilizes the peasants and whups Kraut tail. This is one of the few products to come out of the Soviet Union that didn't suck. The other one was Tetris. (Okay, entertainment wise...at least. What can I say? They made great tanks).
6) The Battle of Algiers (1966) Even though this documentary on the nasty Algerian Liberation Front was the product of a smug Italian socialist who lionized the thugs who laid the groundwork for modern terrorism, this is one of those films that can't be ignored. It should be mandatory viewing for all officers and NCOs who are deployed (or deploying) to the Middle East.
5) Zulu (1964) Splendid historical drama on the Battle of Rorke's Drift. Plus, proof that Lieutenants are useful!
4) Lawrence of Arabia (1962) Is this tale of a British intelligence officer's guerrilla campaign against the Ottoman Turks still relevant today? You betcha!
3) Saving Private Ryan (1998) I remember watching grown men leave the theater in tears. Powerful and brilliant.
2) Apocalypse Now (1979) Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is one of those few Vietnam films bearing that rare distinction of not being total crap.
1) Patton (1970) My personal favorite. George C. Scott as Patton was one of the greatest performances in cinematic history. Plus, there's mention of VMI!
Here's what you won't see.... any of those crappy "military ruined my life" flicks. We like to talk about heroes on OPFOR, not sniveling cry babies like Tom Cruise in Born on the Fourth of July.
You also won't see Band of Brothers. That gets a category of its own. One because it's a mini-series, not a movie. Two, because it was such a splendid bit of film making, I honestly think that it is beyond compare. There isn't a first year cadet at any senior military college or academy that can make it through the year without doing a pushup or seeing Band of Brothers. That's a fact, folks.
Das Boot, Tora Tora Tora, The Guns of Navarone, and The Sands of Iowa Jima all get honorable mentions. Yeesh there are so many excellent World War II flicks.
Notice most of them were made back in the good old days, back when Hollywood knew what it meant to be a hero?
Anyway, what are your favorites?
*Update* Robert Averch emails:
I forgot to mention that The Lighthorsemen are buried in Israel and Jewish volunteers (not Muslims) tend to their graves on a regular basis. Among them, my very good friend, blogger Treppenwitz.
Here's more on the Battle of Beersheba, the fight which inspired the film. I hate to take the lazy man's way out and use the Wikipedia reference, but they've actually posted an impressive write up.
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Comments
Twelve O'Clock High, and the superior but forgotten Command Decision. Taken together they are the definitive pictureS of why we sometimes must fight, and what the costs of that need are.
Can't believe you didn't mention the timeless classic Red Dawn! Might not be a true war film but it is...riveting. As a side note, great site, a daily read for me, keep up the good work.
John,
Without a doubt, Band of Brothers is alone the best chunk of film making about the ETO ever made. Having read the Ambrose book of the same title a year prior to the announcement of the mini-series, and being a total buff on the subject,(respectfully walked the length of Omaha beach with my two young sons in 97), I was not confident that the book could be done justice.
That is, until the executive producers were made known. They did an excellent job and
my wife cleared the decks every night it was on so I could enjoy this masterful production
without any interruptions from the kids. I willing paid the price for the box set when it came out on DVD. Now my sons always are asking "Dad?", " Can we watch Band of Brothers tonight?". What an AWESOME series...
Richard
Agree completely with Tregonsee. I actually saw Command Decision before I saw Twelve O'Clock High which I imagine is somewhat unusual. Both are superb.
As for additions, two that immediately come to mind are Black Hawk Down and We Were Soldiers. While not necessarily in the traditional vein of a "war movie," Master and Commander is very good and has some good insights into leadership. Something a little more obscure is a WWII espionage movie titled "Where Eagles Dare." Has Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton as the leaders of an Allied team sent in to rescue an American General from the Schloss Adler, a mountaintop fortress. Lots of double crossing and plot twists. Good music as well. Has one of the better Richard Burton lines. He's talking to an old girlfriend...
Girlfriend: "But I thought you loved me!"
Burton: "I can't help what you think."
WHERE EAGLES DARE is exceptional! Likewise 12 O'Clock High.
But I think the best war movie has got to be A BRIDGE TOO FAR.
That movie tells the story of a battle, whereas Where Eagles Dare entertains, and 12 O'Clock High tells the story of men in battle. There's a slight distinction.
I think Hollywood needs to return to making war movies.
And I don't know about the rest of you, but 300, recently released on DVD, is IMMENSELY entertaining, and Lena Hadley is absolutely ravishing!
As for Command Decision, which is also exceptional, if I recall, Command Decision doesn't portray any actual air engagements. It simply portrays the psychic toll that "command decisions" exact on serving officers.
I haven't seen Command Decision in a while though.
Another movie, which is similar to Command Decision, is DAWN PATROL. That's good too!
FLYBOYS wasn't bad.
And THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN movie was pretty good too.
'Where Eagles Dare' and 'Battle of Britain' instantly spring to mind.
A few of my favourites (not in any order);
-Gettysburg.
-Dark Blue World (has Spitfires AND Tara Fitzgerald. 'nuff said!!!!).
-Enemy at the Gates.
-The Odd Angry Shot. Little known outside of Australia- good film on an SAS patrol in SVN. Very funny too.
-Kokoda- also little known outside of Australia, but very good. You can preview the battle scenes on youtube..... take a look.
John:
Wonderful list. Let me add some of my favorite war fims.
"The Seven Samurai" This might be the greatest how to manual on how to fight terrorists. The battle in the rain and mud in the end is the single most important action sequence in modern film. No director working in Hollywood today can shoot without making reference to this brilliant piece of filmmaking. This is the greatest war movie ever made — bar none.
"The Winter War" This obscure Finnish film tells the little known story of the Finnish Winter war against the Russians in 1939. A cross-section of Finnish farmers go to war against overwhelming odds for 100 days. Intensely human and packed with great war scenes, this film is a gem.
"Come and See." Practically unknown this Beylorussian movie about the German atrocities of World War II might be the most brutal and surrealistic war movie I have ever seen. This is not a film of set battle pieces, but a movie where atrocities are the norm for the film's teenage protagonist. It's an eye-opener for sure.
"The Lighthorsemen" a fine modest Australian movie directed by my friend Simon Wincer. The Aussies were the best light cavalrymen during World War I and their incredible storming of the fortress of Jaffe in Palestine (Israel) is the subject of this fantastic film. This is old fashioned entertainment with splendid soldiers on fine horses, gleaming swords and full on charges. Glory and courage. Enjoy!
Every cadet should be REQUIRED to watch They Came To Cordura with Gary Cooper and Rita Hayworth.
Is there a time period qualifier? Because 300 is a big winner in our household.
John, my friend, how could you forget all the great NAVY war movies?
While your list is outstanding, and I tend to agree with it, you left off some notable flicks.
The Sand Pebbles is certainly an excellent one. Don't forget the following:
Midway
In Harm's Way
Run Silent, Run Deep
The Cruel Sea
The Final Countdown (ok, so it's not REALLY a war movie, but sort of is)
The Bedford Incident
Hamburger Hill (saw that one in Lex Vegas during my cadetship)
Full Metal Jacket
Just to name a few...
All excellent candidates!
I would add the following:
"The Enemy Below"
"Glory"
I had forgotten about "The Lighthorsemen". We used to watch that flick every sunday at the USO (NTC Orlando now closed...)
Crap! Forgot "Heartbreak Ridge"
Survive, adapt and overcome
Cross of Iron
"Sgt York" is one I always liked in the category focusing on individuals. The nice part about this one is that it had as much to do with character as it did exploits.
I agree about BoB, best series/movie/TV show of any genre ever made.
I'll also second A Bridge Too Far. Great movie, but if you haven't read the book, it can get a bit confusing and overlong. I think they showed it on TV about once a month when I was a kid, fond memories...
"Sands of Iwo Jima" caused me to change my Marine reserve enlistment contract in Arty to active duty Infantry at the last minute. Lost a year of DEP retirement eligability too because of old Sgt Stryker. I never regretted that and have told folks about that ever since.
"Wild Geese", while not an A1 film, has to score in the top 25 simply for it's subject matter- possibly one of the most neglected subjects in war films -post colonial Africa.
"Band of Brothers" still makes me choke up. The baseball game in the 10th episode leaves me with a heavy heart. It's not the passing of the dead that hurts so much but the separation of the living when our service together ends.
Chet
In harms way. I think it rivals Patton for all time best. Zulu is up there too.
Doug Santo
Pasadena, CA
Got to have "Das Boot' and "Breaker Morant" in the mix...two of the most intense movies I recall
Great picks! I'd include/extend the list with:
Breaker Morant
Master and Commander
The Light Horsemen
Twelve O'Clock High
Run Silent, Run Deep
The Blue Max
The Battle of Britain
Heartbreak Ridge
Glory
Gettysburg
The Patriot
Platoon
To Hell and Back
Blackhawk Down
I would have to add:
We Were Soldiers
Black Hawk Down
and a movie that I saw on a Saturday afternoon. I liked it so much that I stayed and watched it a second time. As a kid, boy, was I in trouble when I got home two hours late -
Darby's Rangers
test
That was weird, I couldn't post....
John, I don't how you could narrow it down to 10, all of the movies suggested are great.
I have to give my thumbs up to Kokoda and The Light Horsemen. They were recommended to me by an Aussie right around Australia Day and are excellent movies.
I have to disagree with Apocalypse Now. When I see guys surfing in the middle of a battle and they're wearing my 1st Cav patch I have to think "Scott Thomas".....a little to fantastical......
In Harms Way
Full Metal Jacket
We Were Soldiers
Black Hawk Down
Platoon
Run Silent Run Deep
The Hunt for Red October
Das Boot
Breaker Morant
Band of Brothers
Saving Private Ryan
Oh and NOT Top Gun
I respect Apocalypse Now as a good movie, but I absolutely hate, hate, hate it as a war movie.
Replace Apocalypse Now with A Bridget To Far, and you have a great top 10.
Apocalypse?? If you were there its a crock.
None of the RVN movies got it right but Platoon & FMJ
had some accurate parts. No John Wayne? Get real. Otherwise great list.
John Wayne was in Sands of Iwo Jima, wasn't he (already listed up top.)
Say it ain't so!! No one here mentioned The Great Escape? A movie I've seen more than Christmas Vacation?
BTW, PBS/Nova has a followup with an archaeological dig and reenactment. See the program, or visit the website (A href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/greatescape/">pbs.org/wgbh/nova/greatescape/, ---complete with tunnel interactive!
My two cents:
10. Paths of Glory
9. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
8. Black Hawk Down
7. Conan
6. A Bridge Too Far
5. Stalingrad
4. Saving Private Ryan
3. Patton
2. Gettysburg
1. 300
Ed, you read my mind re: The Great Escape.
And I liked both Tora! Tora! Tora! and Midway, for their portrayal of Yamamoto and the Japanese warfighters, along with our own.
Not liking Born on the Fourth of July and you might not agree with his post-Vietnam actions, but Ron Kovic as a Marine is no slouch.
Top 10
10. Battle of Britain
9. Tora, Tora, Tora
8. Battle Cry (much better book)
7. Battle of Midway
6. Battle of the Bulge
5. Wake Island
4. Full Metal Jacket
3. Pork Chop Hill
2. Saving Private Ryan
1. All Quiet on the Western Front
Das Boot has its good points but its tone is too much like a Vietnam film. Perhaps it's one more reason why too few Germans are willing to defend themselves.
My list would include In Harm's Way.
I second (or third or whatever) Black Hawk Down .
I love Lee Marvin, so I'd add The Big Red One
I forgot one...Stalag 17.
Has anyone ever seen "When Trumpets Fade"? It was an HBO movie with Ron Eldard. I'm not a vet and I always wondered what men who served thought of this one.
Here's four more in no particular order
Bataan
They Were Expendable
Airforce
Fort Apache
I'd second the motion for "Glory" to be included in the list, and add "The Great Escape" as well.
And though I'm not sure it should go into the top ten, I'd also give honourable mention to "The Guns of Navarone."
As an aside, the movie "Victory" was a quirky POW/soccer story with Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone, Pele, and many of the top soccer players of the world at the time. POW's kicking Nazi tail on the soccer pitch! Not all-time-great material, but fun nevertheless.
I must say, I'm amazed no-one has piped up yet in favour of "GI Jane"... ;)
What/ No "Kelly's Heroes"?!
I always liked Steven Berkhof's portrayal of Adolf Hitler in "War and Rememberance" myself.
And it had Robert Mitchum in it.
And the submarine scenes were done pretty well too, I thought.
Would "From Here to Eternity" count as a war movie? It's set in the days leading up to Pearl Harbor.... That was the first time I had ever heard such fabulous trumpet music. It's been decades, but I haven't forgotten (although it likely may sound better in my mind's memory than it really was!)
Bravo Two Zero
Big Red One
The Siege of Firebase Gloria
The Green Berets
Dirty Dozen (inaccurate as hell, but worth it for the cast)
I'd have to add Blackhawk Down and Glory.
Another vote for "Kelly's Heroes"!!
It is hard to stop at 10...but some other names...(additions not deletions)
Air Force
Away All Boats
The Enemy Below
The Rough Riders
The Wind and The Lion
Wake Island
Bridges at Toko Ri
12 Oclock HIgh
Cheyenne Autumn
Sands of The Sulfur Island (Iwo Jima)
Zulu
The Great Raid (I think is underrated)
Robert
two more
Pearl Harbor (the Love Story/raid can go but the Doolittle scenes on the boat are pretty good)
30 Seconds over Tokyo
Robert
I'll stop..
Proudly we serve
The Alamo (latest version)
The long version of HIROSHIMA
Done really
Robert
Hey I can second that modern version of The Alamo.... not bad.
I like the way a few aussie movies are making the list here.....
One of my favorites is "A Bridge Too Far" because of the memories it brings up - I watched it at the theater with an older man who had fought for the Germans. He left before the movie was over saying, "War is terrible!"
My other favorite is "We Were Soldiers" because I love those men personally.
Das Boot has its good points but its tone is too much like a Vietnam film. Perhaps it's one more reason why too few Germans are willing to defend themselves.
It's hard to make a movie about the U-Boat war that has a happy ending! Didn't the U-Boat force take 75% casualties? Maybe if they'd made a movie about Prien sinking the Royal Oak - but eventually even Prien got killed.
I sure didn't expect the movie Stalingrad to have a "positive tone" or a happy ending, but it was a great movie anyway.
Another excellent movie to add to the list:
Downfall
how about 2 alamos in the top 10
The Alamo with John Wayne
I think the next poll question should be: "What's the best music score in a war movie?"
I think it has to be "Where Eagles Dare."
Enemy at the Gates
Borderline Bob:
I miss you more than Michael Bay missed the mark
When he made Pearl Harbour
I miss you more than that movie missed the point
And that's an awful lot girl
And now that you've gone away,
And all I'm trying to say
Is Pearl Harbour sucked
And I miss you
I need you more than Ben Affleck needs Acting School
He was terrible in that film
I need you more than Cuba Gooding needed a bigger part
He's way better than Ben Affleck
And now that you've gone away,
And all I'm trying to say
Is Pearl Harbour sucked
And I miss you
Pearl Harbour sucks
Just a little bit more than I miss you
No St Crispin's day would be complete without a showing of Henry V (Kenneth Branagh's version http://tinyurl.com/29rbrq), essential for The Speech, if nothing else.
Churchill said Mrs. Miniver was worth "a whole fleet of destroyers" to the war effort. And, heck, it's got Greer Garson. http://tinyurl.com/yq2qa5
Billy Wilder's Best Years of Their Lives cannot be forgotten.
Did anyone mention Dr Strangelove?
No Caine Mutiny?
I agree with the person who said We Were Soldiers needs to be there.
Why we fight - Schindler's List
Why we shouldn't - GWTW
Americans at their best - Sgt York
Not so much - Fighting 69th http://tinyurl.com/2y2aad
Your 10 and so many of the others are really great. Very glad to see the two POW movies I have liked for a long time, The Great Escape and Stalag 17 mentioned. My dad who was a navigator of a B-17 always liked 12 O'Clock High. When I was old enough I could see why he never really talked much about it.
In no particular order (and more than 10)
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
Rio Bravo
Fort Apache
The Horsesoldiers
Gunga Din
The Four Feathers (The old one, not the one made for TV)
Kellys Heroes
Battleground
Northwest Passage
The Last of the Mohicans
Go Tell The Spartans
The Man Who Would Be King
Stalag 17
The Great Escape
Waterloo
Anzacs
Damn The Defiant
633 Squadron
The Dam Busters
Mrs Miniver
They Were Expendable
Sahara
Go For Broke!
Run Silent, Run Deep
King Rat
In Which We Serve
The Lighthorse Men
"To Hell and Back" with Audie Murphy. Can't knock the true story of one of the greatest war heroes ever!
I might of missed it above, but the greatest war movie ever made was KELLY'S HEROES.
All good flicks no one has listed a bomb yet...(OK so my take on Pearl Harbor wasnt greated with a round of applause, but the USS Hornet scenes are good!)
Best music score...Where Eagles Dare or The Battle of Britian...the opening melody is pricelss
Of course "South Pacific" was a "war movie"...
Robert
Imagine, no votes for "All quiet on the Western Front", probably the best of "classic" war films...life amongst the Kaiser's best in the trenches during the worst year of WWI...and has no-one ever seen "Walk in the Sun", Lewis Milestone's adaptation of Harry Brown's WWII book about a platoon of US soldiers, after having lost their officers when establishing a beachhead in southern Italy, are led by several non-coms to capture a German-held farmhouse. Extremely realistic portrait of a small group of GIs given a minor objective within an enormous battle plan. Brilliant acting and directing.-
The movie Waterloo (1970), with Christopher Plummer as Wellington and Rod Steiger as an aging Napoleon, is probably my all-time favorite war movie. The guy who plays Blucher is also excellent, as is Dan O'Herlihy as Ney. It did get mentioned above, but only once, and in the middle of a long list, so I thought it was worth repeating.
All the above are great war flicks, let me add two more not mentioned, "Action in the North Atlantic" and "Porkchop Hill" Oh and one more "Battleground"!
Oh I almost forgot, The opening scene in "Gladiator" with Russel Crow, "On my signal, unleash Hell!" Which should be todays war theme!!
FORT APACHE
Colonel (Henry Fonda): "We saw some Apache on our ride into the fort."
Sargeant (the Duke): "If you saw them, they weren't Apache."
Guess who dies.
In Fort Apache, John Wayne's character was a Captain not an NCO.
The first time I watched "Private Ryan" it was the most touching intense emotional movie I had seen. But on repeated viewings the plot holes and inaccuracies take over and I have a difficult time watching it.
Fort Apache
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
Rough Riders
Pork Chop Hill
Cain Mutiny
Twelve O'Clock High
To Hell And Back
We Were Soldiers
Blackhawk Down
The Great Raid
Battle of Britian
My favorite adult war movies are:
Shaving Ryan's Privates
Big Pink One
Black C*ck Down
My thoughts on your list........
Not enough John Wayne!
Not enough Navy!
LOL. It's a tough job. I love the movies you've named and most of the suggestions in the comments.
But if you are going to make me pick one...."In Harm's Way". Over and above it being a great war movie.....John Wayne in chocker whites....leaves.....me....stupified!
Albany, "Rio Bravo" was a western. I think you mean "Rio Grande".
Don't overlook "The Sand Pebbles" (1966).
Origin of the term "that's not your rice bowl".
Okay I'll start with the obvious...
1949's She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
1948's Fort Apache
1968's The Green Berets
1942's Mrs. Miniver... my personal favorite, if you haven's seen it, you need to.
But what about...
1945's They Were Expendable with John Wayne and Robert Montgomery
1945's Blood on the Sun with James Cagney
1951's Flying Leathernecks with John Wayne
1942's Flying Tigers with " "
1943's Destination Tokyo with Cary Grant
1970's Tora Tora Tora, okay not the GREATEST but good right?
Then we can't forget the movies that protrayed some great heorines like...
1950's Three Came Home with Claudette Colbert
and
1943's So Proudly We Hail also starring Claudette Colbert
But one of the greatest war movies or rather post war movie is 1946's THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES with Myrna Loy and Fredric March. It's incredible, long, but incredible.
Oh yeah and Cary Grant's I Was a Male War Bride! Hey it's funny!
Border
Maggie
I bow my head in shame...yes, I meant Rio Grande.
I don't know if anyone is still reading this but has anyone seen "When Trumpets Fade" or "The Lost Batallion"?
U can download a lot of movies at loadingvault.com - the best rapidshare ever!
you can also try http://filespump.com
to look for files you are interested in.
Where were Full Metal Jacket, Platoon, Black Hawk Down? On a different note, Apocalypse Now shoulda been No. 1. I consider it to be the greatest war movie ever because its depiction of true human emotion in such harrowing situations is unparalled by that of any other movie
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Noob here...started following the site from Micael Yon's reference. A good movie that didn't get mentioned was "Flight of the Intruder". Also, even though it's not an 'official war' movie, "Sand Pebbles" was a great movie. And in the special category you need to mention "Victory at Sea".
Total agreement on Patton.