The Best WWII movie

[Commander]

What is the best World War II movie you have ever seen?

[DigitusImpudicus]

Wow! You don't ask the tough questions, do you?

I would classify WWII movies into two categories:
1. Realistic representations
2. Blood-n-guts guys-on-a-mission movies.

Most have elements of both, but are more clearly representing one or the other. For example, "Saving Private Ryan" has elements of a "guys-on-a-mission" movie, but is clearly a more realistic film--especially that heart-stopping sequence on Omaha Beach. In contrast, "Guns of Navarone" has some realistic elements, but is clearly an entertainment film.

I could not give you just one, but here are a few of my favorites from each of my categories:
#1
Schindler's List
Operation: Burma
Saving Private Ryan
Das Boot
Enemy at the Gates

#2
Where Eagles Dare
The Great Escape
Guns of Navarone
Kelly's Heroes
The Dirty Dozen

The best WWII film, IMO, is not a film at all, but the 10 part HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers". There is no more authentic representation of WWII infantry combat than this series, which includes interviews with some of the surviving men of Easy Company.

Chris--

[tedkaw]

Gotta agree with Chris, that band of brothers was extremely well done. In terms of historical accuracy and shoot em up action.

I have never seen Operation:Burma, but for DI to give it such a high rank, I mght have to check it out.

[Gustav II Adolph]

Not in any kind of order:

Battleground
08/15
Das Boot
Talvisota (The Winter War)
Die Brücke
Kellys Heros
Von Ryans Express
The Eagle Has Landed
Saving Pivate Ryan
Cross of Iron

[jterrain]

Wow! You don't ask the tough questions, do you?

I would classify WWII movies into two categories:
1. Realistic representations
2. Blood-n-guts guys-on-a-mission movies.

Most have elements of both, but are more clearly representing one or the other. For example, "Saving Private Ryan" has elements of a "guys-on-a-mission" movie, but is clearly a more realistic film--especially that heart-stopping sequence on Omaha Beach. In contrast, "Guns of Navarone" has some realistic elements, but is clearly an entertainment film.

I could not give you just one, but here are a few of my favorites from each of my categories:
#1
Schindler's List
Operation: Burma
Saving Private Ryan
Das Boot
Enemy at the Gates

#2
Where Eagles Dare
The Great Escape
Guns of Navarone
Kelly's Heroes
The Dirty Dozen

The best WWII film, IMO, is not a film at all, but the 10 part HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers". There is no more authentic representation of WWII infantry combat than this series, which includes interviews with some of the surviving men of Easy Company.

Chris--

I think that is a darn nice list. For whatever my opinion is worth.

[gashead]

my favourite WW2 films are:

The Great Escape
Downfall
Battle of Britain
The Desert Rats
The Desert Fox
Enemy At The Gates
The Dirty Dozen
The Longest Day

but my absolute favourite is A Bridge Too Far

dont like saving private ryan too much except for the opening few minutes-goes downhill from there

[Professor Phantom]

Schiendler's List...most definitely
A Beautiful Life
Battle of Britain
Saving Private Ryan...just for reality

[Nick]

633 Sqaudron
Battle of Britain
Guns of Navarone
Saving Private Ryan
The Longest Day
The Great Escape
Band of Brothers

[Melisende]

Battle of the Bulge

Anything with an all star cast (as in real hollywood actors - you know, the "old" ones) :)

[clairem]

I love to watch WW2 movies, I have just finished watching Battle of Britain, my first time and quite enjoyed it!

Schindlers List
Sophie Scholl-The Final Days
Downfall
The Great Escape
The Dirty Dozen.

Could I add another list to the catagory mentioned above and that would be propaganda films made during the war. I watched 'Freedom Radio' (1941) for the first time last week, it was ok as long as you take into account when it was made and the audience it was made for! ( and forgive the very BBC English accents of the Gestapo!)

[Silverghost]

Damn... there is nothing in my list, that exists in English translations. What a pity!
But from yours, I also vote for Band of Brothers. Quite good movie, IMO.
And thanks for other, that I never heard before. I'll try to find them.

[Melisende]

Which "Downfall" - I watched the German version (ie: german speaking, English subtitles) the other night on SBS TV in OZ - and I am fairly certain there was an English one with Robert Carlyle.

[Sun Tzu]

Great Escape, Dirty Dozen, Kelly's heroes, and Band o Brothers

[crossroadclarence]

1. Bridge Over the River Kwai

2. Triumph of the Will (auf Deutsch "Triumph das Willens" by Leni Riefenstahl a real time propaganda film)

3. The US Army's "Why We Fight"

4. Band of Brothers

[Belisarius]

Which "Downfall" - I watched the German version (ie: german speaking, English subtitles) the other night on SBS TV in OZ - and I am fairly certain there was an English one with Robert Carlyle.

Robert Carlyle played Hitler brilliantly, but that was a TV drama series of Hitler's early life and rise to power. I think it was called Hitler:The rise of Evil. Unfortunately I didn't see all of it, so I don't know if it covered the last days.

[Taliesin]

I have to say

The Pianist
Land of Hope and Glory
Saving Private Ryan

Are there any films based on WWI at all?

[southernlady]

Are there any films based on WWI at all

Flyboys (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flyboys) which wasn't too bad. Liz

[Belisarius]

I have to say

The Pianist
Land of Hope and Glory
Saving Private Ryan

Are there any films based on WWI at all?

"A Very Long Engagement" is worth a look. Its based on the novel by Sebastien Japrisot. Although set just after WW1 there are lots of "flashbacks".

"Aces High" with Malcolm MacDowell is the British version of "Flyboys" only with real planes!

"The Trench" is a film about the prelude to the 1916 Somme offensive.

I think there's another one called "Joyeuse Noel" about the 1914 unofficial Christmas ceasefire.

There's an excellent Kirk Douglas film about the aftermath of a disastrous French attack, where the French top brass look for scape goats, but I can't remember the title.

Almost forgot [how could I? :eek:] the biggest of them all, "All quiet on the Western Front."

[1of300]

Saving Private Ryan
Band of Brothers

Clairem-Another great prop film is "With the Marines at Tarawa (1944). The film won the 1945 Academy Award (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award) for Best Documentary Short Subject (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Documentary_Short_Subject). No actors just very gruesome scenes that Roosevelt gave approval for showing.

[Scathach]

How about " The Last Bullet".

[Nikd]

"Iron Cross", directed by Sam Pekinpa and with the excellent James Coburn.

[Melisende]

Pekinpa --- excellent director!

[summerisle]

Best war movies, in my opinion, for philosophical reflections are; Terence Mallick's The Thin Red Line and Coppola's Apocalypse Now. Best Vietnam movie between Full Metal Jacket and Platoon. Best "derring do" movie either Where Eagles Dare or Von Ryan's Express. Finally, best "all star" cast movie either The Longest Day or A Bridge Too Far. Other notables,and there are many, include Letters from Iwo Jima, Conspiracy, Tears of the Sun, anything by David Lean and The Dambusters(if only for the music).

[Iron]

Saving Private Ryan by far. The realities of war were captured extremely well in that film, far more than any other film that has been made.

Oh, and Downfall - superb acting. (The German film - English subtitles)

For a mini series it has to be Band of Brothers also by a huge margin.

[James1234]

I agree with previous posts re: Band of Brothers, Das Boot, and A Bridge Too Far.

Not great, but deserves mention "Sink The Bismark". Limited action sequences, but interesting focus on naval planning and logistics.

World War One related, I recommend the French Classic "The Grand Illusion" Set primarily in German POW Camps

[James1234]

Belisarius,

It's been quite a while since your post, but the Kirk Douglas movie you referenced is "Paths of Glory", directed by Stanley Kubrick.

[Sun Tzu]

Great Escape is one of my favorites

[Cadell]

Das Boot!

[gashead]

Robert Carlyle played Hitler brilliantly, but that was a TV drama series of Hitler's early life and rise to power. I think it was called Hitler:The rise of Evil. Unfortunately I didn't see all of it, so I don't know if it covered the last days.

that was a brilliant program. It was a mini, 2-episode series. The 1st was how Hitler started his rise in politics and ended with him being arrested after the attempt of a 'pusch'. The 2nd was during prison and when he came out afterwards.

[Belisarius]

Belisarius,

It's been quite a while since your post, but the Kirk Douglas movie you referenced is "Paths of Glory", directed by Stanley Kubrick.

Yes! Thank you. :)

[Edgewaters]

"Iron Cross", directed by Sam Pekinpa and with the excellent James Coburn.

I think you mean Cross of Iron. That's my personal favourite as well.

[jtipton504]

The Dirty Dozen or The Big Red One.....

[JerseyPerson14]

Midway, saving private ryan, a bridge on the river kwai, casablanca

[Dr Realism]

Pearl Harbor, starring Josh Harnett and Ben Affleck by far.

Ha! Yeah right. I slept through the first 7 hours.

I kinda liked Downfall, especially the ending with the drunk Russian soldiers. It does ask a profound question, what does one do when the fighting stops? Drink vodka I guess.
It's kind of ironic that so many people in the bunker committed suicide but then you find out that a lot of them who didn't, lived until the late 90's and up to 2002. Wow!

[Pantagruel]

Anyone else seen Europa, Europa? It's based on the true story of a young Jew that survived the war by joining the Hitler Youth; it's a very good film.

[Cadell]

Schindler's List and Downfall are close seconds to Das Boot in my opinion

[amyjoanna]

Schindler's List and the Band of Brothers series were the only ones that actually affected me personally, and have become part of my personal feelings towards WWII as a whole, so in that sense I guess they're probably my favourites...

Having said that, Downfall was really brilliant, and who can deny the Great Escape as one of the best movies of all time??

[dianamt54@hotmail.com]

Above and Beyond, about the pilot who dropped the bomb on Japan. Has a lot that corelates today.
The Longest Day
I know this is WWl, but Sgt. York. I also thinks this movie has a lot to say that people can relate to today.

[black flag nc]

Paths of Glory was about WW1. Excellent film.

As for WW2, I don't think Saving Private Ryan can be beat. Among my other favs are Windtalkers, Memphis Belle, The Dirty Dozen, and The Great Escape.

[slowmode]

Downfall and Letters from Iwo Jima have to be my favourate. Its not everyday you see a good perspective of the Japanese in WWII

[HistoryBuff7]

Enemy at the Gates story isn't realistic.

[Melisende]

"Mr Roberts" with Henry Fonda - a very human perspective - though the "sequal" left much to be desired.

[sammy]

anyone that does not cry at Life is Beautiful has no heart.

[Tynesider]

A WW2 film I come back to again and again is 'Dunkirk', made in the early 50s. No special effects, it perfectly summarises the confusion, chaos and the quiet courage of soldiers left in the lurch by crushing defeat, and civvies who got into their pleasure boats to try and help out.

The mention of Operation Burma - this film actually caused riots in Indian/ Malayan cinemas where British 14th army soldiers objected to their part in Burma being air-brushed out by Errol Flynn's heroics. Savign Private Ryan comes perilously close to doing the same with Normandy.

[mlipo]

Enemy at the Gates story isn't realistic.

The crossing of the volga scene at the beginning made me squirm it seemed so real, but I don't think they would have attempted it during the day...:)

[avon]

I think the setting for Enemy at the Gates is pretty realistic. I don't really think the movie purports to replicate an historical event. Rather, it uses the Battle for Stalingrad as a context for a love story.

[dan lawrence]

Stalingrad, way better than Enemy At The Gates.

[Son of Cathal]

http://thumbnails5.imagebam.com/1925/e2d6bb19243277.gif (http://www.imagebam.com/image/e2d6bb19243277)

The best WW2 film representation I have seen

[avon]

http://thumbnails5.imagebam.com/1925/e2d6bb19243277.gif (http://www.imagebam.com/image/e2d6bb19243277)

The best WW2 film representation I have seen

Agreed, :) (so long as we can add Downfall) ;)

[galteeman]

I think the setting for Enemy at the Gates is pretty realistic. I don't really think the movie purports to replicate an historical event. Rather, it uses the Battle for Stalingrad as a context for a love story.
I think the sniper portrayed was based on an actual soviet hero Vasily Zaytsev.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily_Grigoryevich_Zaitsev

The English patient was rather good. good book as well.

[dan lawrence]

I think the sniper portrayed was based on an actual soviet hero Vasily Zaytsev.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily_Grigoryevich_Zaitsev

The English patient was rather good. good book as well.

Both German and Russian Snipers were based real people, However the German Sniper i was told Never fought on the Eastern Front and was killed before Stalingrad.

[Edgewaters]

The other day I watched Conspiracy - the 2001 movie of that name (there have been several others use the same name). It's not a war movie in the sense of having battle scenes etc but a film about the Wansee Conference. Quite good ... probably a little dry for some though. Definately not a "best" by any means, but I always appreciate a movie that doesn't rely on special effects, explosions, sex, or profanity but still holds your attention with script and dialogue alone.

Some will probably complain that German accents aren't used, for me this was actually a bonus ... it reduces the "otherness" and brings to life the "banality of evil" in a way that German accents utterly fail to do.

[Ian The Poet]

The Longest Day.
The Great Escape.(Mainly because it is a tribute to the fifty that were murdered by the Nazis.)
The Battle of Britain.

[sylla1]

Das Boot

[codz95]

Band of Brothers wins hands down.

[dstorms]

My personal favorite war movie is Apocalypse Now (Vietnam Era). IMO it's the best story of any war movie. The cinematography and sound track are marvelous. Being an enlisted combat soldier, I enjoyed how the film captured the essence of the military mindset.

Other favorites include:

Saving Private Ryan
Platoon (Vietnam Era)
Das Boot (English Subtitles)
Patton
Flags of Our Fathers (Clint Eastwood)
Letters From Iowa Jima (Clint Eastwood)
Enemy at the Gates
The Great Escape
Full Metal Jacket (Vietnam Era)
The Patriot (American Revolutionary War)
We Were Soldiers (Vietnam Era)

[Market Garden]

Ones I've seen so far I have to say

Hart's War
The pacific
Band of brothers

[leakbrewergator]

Letters From Iwo Jima was pretty good. I also liked Saving Private Ryan.

[Reis]

Das Boot
My bet goes on this one

[Edgewaters]

Band of Brothers wins hands down.

Not a movie.

[Gaius]

Saving Private Ryan. Only movie that can make me tear up every time I watch it ;)

Flags of Our Fathers & Letters From Iwo Jima are good ones too. I enjoyed the book as well.

[alsoubani]

Saving private Ryan, not necessarily the story but for the battle scenes, and the fact that it is the first movie that showed how bloody and not glamorous a war is.
band of brothers I know it is not a movie but it is great.

[Raypc800]

I have to say

The Pianist
Land of Hope and Glory
Saving Private Ryan

Are there any films based on WWI at all?

An excellent WW1 movie is called "The Fighting 69Th." all star cast James Cagney , Pat O'Brien,Alan Hale and George Brent. :)

[Raypc800]

Let's see some that I enjoy are

The Devil's Brigade
To Hell and Back
Gung Ho
Go For Broke
Aerial Gunner
Thin Red Line
The Battle of the Bulge
The Sea Wolves
Minesweeper
Bombs Over Burma
The Desert Fox
Stalag 17
Twelve O'clock High

Two comedy series to watch was the Original McHale's Navy and of course Hogan's Heroes.

[Edgewaters]

Are there any films based on WWI at all?

Yes ... the classic All Quiet on the Western Front. The American Film Institute ranks it the 7th best epic film of all time:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFI's_10_Top_10#Epic


There are quite a few others ... Gallipolli, Lost Battalion (two versions), and Lawrence of Arabia to name a few.

[MilitaryKiwi]

just watched Cross of Iron last night for the first time and loved it! Great film from the German perspective....even if they were speaking fluent English.

[beorna]

just watched Cross of Iron last night for the first time and loved it! Great film from the German perspective....even if they were speaking fluent English.
Yes, I think Steiner is a great movie. I have looked a lot of WWII movies, the most are from US or British. Of course they are often well done, but usually they spread too much heroism. I will not critisize that the Germans often be shown as completely idiots and the GIs act like Arnolds. But I think a top WWII movie should show war as it is. So the top movies for me are mostly coming from Germany. It is Steiner- Cross of Iron, Der Arzt von Stalingrad, 08/15, Das Boot, Die Brücke, Des Teufels General, Hunde wollt ihr ewig leben, Stalingrad (allthough there is critics too). Of course I like films like the bridge of Arnhem or Remagen. they are good as well.

[diddyriddick]

Das Boot-Most realistic I've seen of WWII submarine combat.
Tora! Tora! Tora! Most historically accurate war movie that I'm familiar with
The Longest Day- Pretty accurate
Letters from Iwo Jima-Very good film from the Japanese perspective
Saving Private Ryan- Need I explain?
Schindler’s List- Captures the natural human drama of the holocaust

[beorna]

I think your list is not the worst one:)
I am not sure with Ryan, i have to look it again. Schindler's list is of course a very good movie. I excluded it because I don't see it as war movie

[DreamWeaver]

Stalingrad, from the makers of Das Boot, and Come and See.

[beorna]

Stalingrad, 1993 by Vilsmaier

[irishcrusader95]

windtalkers,set in the pacific war. very good action scenes and also a story of friendship. the ending made me cry the first time i watched it

[beorna]

is this the movie with the navajo soldiers?

[irishcrusader95]

is this the movie with the navajo soldiers?
ya that's the one, directed by john woo and stars nicolas cage