Favorite War movies
Jeff Krause
War has long been one of the most popular movie genres. Whether they depict famous events, little known conflicts or individual experiences, war movies bring this too common human experience to the screen. In the 1920s and 1930s, there were films about the American Civil War and many other historic conflicts but the genre really took off during World War II. Hollywood’s contribution to the war effort included everything from famous directors like John Ford filming documentaries during the Battle of Midway, stars entertaining the troops overseas, and numerous films that were as much propaganda as they were entertainment. After the war, films became more realistic and focused on famous events that had occurred during the war or the human cost of the war.
Our favorites lists are never quantitative. These are not the biggest or highest grossing war movies of all time. These are the war movies that we have watched many times. In keeping with our classic theme, our selections were all released at least thirty years ago. Without that restriction, Saving Private Ryan may, in fact, be first on this list. It will have to wait a few years.
The Bridge on the river kwai (1957)
Among the epics for which David Lean is famous is the World War II classic The Bridge on the River Kwai. The film tells the story of a group of British prisoners of war who are forced to build a railway bridge for their Japanese captors. At first, the prisoners do not cooperate but, gradually, their commander comes to believe that constructing the bridge will keep his men fit and disciplined and give them a sense of pride. The prisoners have no idea that the Allies have their eye on the bridge and plan to blow it up before the Japanese can make use of it. The film won seven Oscars including Best Director for Lean and Best Actor for Alec Guinness. Guinness’s portrayal of the British commander is one of our favorite performances in any film.
Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)
Released nearly three decades after the Pearl Harbor attack, Tora! Tora! Tora! tells the story of the events leading up to and including the attack. The film was created in two separate parts with one filmed in the U.S. and the other in Japan. Each part tells the story of a nation headed for war, one knowingly and the other unknowingly. Most of the film is a dramatic buildup to the eventual attack and, at times, the film feels more like a documentary than a Hollywood production. There is no love interest and no fictionalized action or characters. Instead, it is a realistic and historically accurate portrayal of actual events. As one of the most realistic war films ever made, Tora! Tora! Tora! earns the 2nd spot on our list of favorite war movies.
Battleground (1949)
The oldest film about World War II on our list dominated by that war, is Battleground. Battleground is the story of a squad of paratroopers who are rushed to the front lines to stop the German advance at the Battle of the Bulge in late 1944. The squad battles the Germans, the elements and their own desire to go home. The members of the squad are not superhuman. They are everyday Americans doing the best they can in a horrible situation. Battleground is a gritty, endearing classic that influenced and set the standard for many future war films with its realistic portrayal of soldiers and their struggles. To celebrate our favorite war movies, read our review of Battleground.
The Longest Day (1962)
The Longest Day was based on a book of the same name by Cornelius Ryan. It tells the story of the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. The Longest Day is an epic film featuring a star-studded cast. Stars with major and minor roles include John Wayne, Richard Burton, Henry Fonda, Robert Ryan, Sean Connery and many others. However, the film is much more than an opportunity to see many stars on screen at the same time. It is an interesting and thorough retelling of the day’s events from both the Allied and German sides. In large part, this is due to Ryan’s storytelling skills and the way he incorporated compelling first-hand accounts from all sides in both his book and the screenplay. An honorable mention goes to another screen adaptation of a Cornelius Ryan book, A Bridge Too Far (1977).
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
We struggled a bit with including Full Metal Jacket on this list. Full Metal Jacket is like two movies. The second part, where the combat takes place, is interesting but would probably not earn a place on this list. On the other hand, the first part of the film is a masterpiece of filmmaking. Stanley Kubrick’s story of a platoon of marines going through basic training could stand alone as a great movie. R. Lee Ermey, in his first major role, plays a tough drill instructor who pushes his recruits to the breaking point in order to turn them into the Marines we see in combat during the second half of the film. Unfortunately, he pushes one of them too far. You could turn the film off as the first half ends and feel like you have watched a great war movie. The second half has its moments but sometimes feels like bonus footage after the brilliance of the first half.
