The release of Pearl Harbor continues a recent trend that has seen several World War II-themed movies storming theaters. Since Steven Spielberg’s gripping Saving Private Ryan debuted in 1998, a variety of others have premiered to varying degrees of success, notably Life Is Beautiful, Jakob the Liar, The Thin Red Line, Enemy at the Gates, and U-571. Here’s a look at the best World War II films, from movies that depict the art of war to those that examine the psychology of life in the trenches.
Spielberg’s masterpiece about World War II, which begins with a shocking 25-minute sequence portraying the chaos and carnage at Omaha Beach, manages to honor the heroism of American soldiers without glorifying war. Fifty years and several movies later, Ryan is considered the first film to truly capture the experience of D-Day on film. Matt Damon, Edward Burns, and Tom Sizemore each give impeccable performances and several unforgettable moments come from virtual unknowns, namely Jeremy Davies as Corporal Upham, a frightened pacifist, and Giovanni Ribisi as the heroic Medic Wade.
Patton cleaned up at the Oscars, winning seven trophies, including Best Picture, Best Actor (George C. Scott, though he refused the award), and Best Director (Franklin Schaffner). Scott perfectly captured the general’s contempt for diplomacy, as well as his complex and belligerent personality. The actor’s unparalleled performance remains one of Hollywood’s greatest moments. The film did not attempt to smooth out the general’s rough edges; rather, it depicted the general as the brilliant yet flawed human that he was. Another big Oscar winner, with trophies for Best Picture, Best Director (David Lean), Best Actor (Alec Guinness), and Best Cinematography (Jack Hildyard). This psychological drama blurs the line between hero and villain as Alec Guinness’s Col. Nicholson and Sessue Hayakawa’s Col. Saito fight a battle of wills as the Japanese leader, Col. Saito, forces British POWs, under Nicholson, to build a bridge over which the Japanese will move arms. Nicholson develops a prideful obsession with erecting the perfect structure, disregarding its purpose and beneficiary. The film’s closing lines, “Madness, madness, madness,” are among the most argued over and memorable in cinema. Before Pearl Harbor, Midway was the definitive naval-air battle movie. A silly subplot about a naval officer (Charlton Heston) and his junior officer son distracts from the drama surrounding the 1942 battle. Nevertheless, the film, with a huge all-star cast (Heston, Henry Fonda, James Coburn, Hal Holbrook, Robert Mitchum), realistically captures the tension of the decisive battle. Stock footage from old Japanese war movies and authentic war footage lend an air of authenticity to the film.
Undeniably one of the best films of the 1990s. Veering from his trademark high-tech blockbuster, Steven Spielberg directed (and won his first Oscar for the effort) the black-and-white historical epic. Liam Neeson is outstanding as the complex WWII profiteer who saved thousands of Jews by employing them in his factory and went broke in the process. Ralph Fiennes is equally convincing as the sadistic commandant who presides over the Plaszow Forced Labor Camp.
title: “World War Ii Movies” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-11” author: “Richard Page”
Stalag 17 One of the most realistic depictions of a P.O.W. camp. William Holden won a Best Actor Oscar for his turn as a conniving yet enterprising sergeant who’s accused of being a Nazi spy. The prisoners try to overcome boredom by playing practical jokes on the unsuspecting guards and planning their escape from the camp, which is run with an iron fist by Otto Preminger’s vicious commandant. Director Billy Wilder adapted the film from the Broadway play with his characteristic mordant wit. Director Mike Nichols delivers one of the most surreal and biting military satires in film history with this faithful adaptation of Joseph Heller’s classic novel. Catch-22, a stylish, nuanced look at the insanity of war, is driven by trenchant dialogue and unabashed sarcasm. The heavy-handed symbolism threatens to undermine the narrative, however. The film was overshadowed at the box office by MAS*H, but it’s worth a look on video.
Ok, it’s not a war movie per se, but set against the backdrop of WWII, the classic certainly merits inclusion. Considered by many to be one of Hollywood’s top five films, Casablanca immortalized Bogart, Bergman, and “As Time Goes By.” This suspenseful saga of a nightclub owner, his old flame, and her underground-leader husband is required watching for every film fan. Long before Saving Private Ryan brought D-Day to life on the big screen, The Longest Day was the seminal film about the Allied invasion at Normandy. A big-budget, intricate epic, the film required the services of four directors and five writers. It re-enacts the bloody battles from both sides. Check out the all-star cast: John Wayne, Rod Steiger, Peter Lawford, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Richard Burton, Sean Connery, Sal Mineo, Eddie Albert, Red Buttons.
Japanese and American directors collaborated to craft this authentic look at the days preceding the attack on Pearl Harbor. The scenes filmed by the Japanese are noticeably more finessed.
title: “World War Ii Movies” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-23” author: “Jerrie Rose”
Perhaps the best–and most realistic–submarine film ever made, Das Boot chronicles a German U-Boat mission, flawlessly capturing the ennui and conflicting emotions faced by the crew as it pursues and evades the enemy Allies. A film set entirely on a sub and nearly three hours long should feel claustrophobic and cramped, yet brisk pacing, nail-biting suspense, and kinetic cinematography keep things moving at a steady clip. Das Boot, originally a six-hour German miniseries, was re-released in 1997 with an additional hour of footage seamlessly edited into the narrative. A thoughtful biopic of German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (James Mason) that follows his retreat from North Africa and his growing disillusionment with Hitler. A brilliant and practical tactician, Rommel defies Hitler and withdraws from Africa. Upon returning to Berlin, Rommel takes part in a plot to assassinate the Fuhrer and pays the price with his life. Director John Sturges remained faithful to the events chronicled in the book, by Paul Brickhall. Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, and James Coburn lead the all-star cast in this fast-paced, epic blockbuster about a group of Allied P.O.W.s who join forces to mastermind a mass escape from a Nazi prison camp built to be impassable. Fabulous score by Elmer Bernstein.
Another great tension-filled sub film. Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster clash as the commander and executive officer of the USS Nerka. Gable’s “Rich” Richardson takes command of the Nerka after the Japanese sink his previous sub. His obsession with seeking revenge irritates his crew, and Lancaster’s lieutenant thinks he should be the one in charge.
A hilarious, character-driven look at a group of noncombatants eager for some excitement, both in battle and on the sidelines. Henry Fonda reprised his wildly successful Broadway role as chief cargo officer of the Reluctant whose efforts to see combat are thwarted by his petulant captain (James Cagney). Jack Lemmon won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as the crafty Ensign Frank Pulver who tries to lighten things up on the ship by luring nurses onboard and tormenting the captain.
