Here is my Memorial Day Top Ten list of War movies. I make no bones about it – this is a personal list. I am not arguing these are objectively the ten best war films of all time; if I were making that case I would be reaching farther back in history for some of the classics that inspired many of these later films. But I must admit I prefer the more recent films simply for their brutal realism.
Those of us who have never seen actual combat do well to appreciate what soldiers go through and the special effects these days are pretty ridiculous in their depiction of the horrors of war. What I find fascinating about war films and war in general is in the midst of the worst aspects of humanity, the greatest elements of humanity -namely sacrifice, courage and honor show themselves in the purest of form. The ultimate in dichotomies.
10. Black Hawk Down
Yes, the characters were a bit blah and the filmmakers didn’t weave much of a narrative into the film, but the brutality and desperation is as intense as any nightmare scenario could possibly ever get. There are a few scenes from a helicopter’s point of view as it relentlessly sprays these militant mobs with machine gun fire. I would not want to have been in those crowds. Crazy to think that our response to this situation gone wrong (as in we pulled out and left Somalia to its own wolves) played a big part in Bin Laden’s perception that America was nothing more than a paper tiger and his resulting boldness to plan and execute 9/11. Thanks Bill.
9. The Lost Battalion
When I ran out of war movies I came across this made for TV film with Ricky Schroeder (chuckle) and gave it a shot. It was surprisingly very good. Based on a true story (always the best) about an “American battalion of over 500 men that gets trapped behind enemy lines in the Argonne Forest in October 1918 France during the closing weeks of World War I” (imdb). Ricky did a fine job.
8. The Hiding Place
OK this is not really a war movie and the movie itself is nothing spectacular, but the true story behind it is profound and had a huge impact on my life. This film was my first introduction to the insanity of the holocaust -I believe I first saw it when I was about nine. I just could not believe such a thing happened and it sparked my life long fascination with all things WWII. Most impacting though, are the faith elements behind it all. The Ten-Booms were a Dutch family who hid Jews in their home during WWII. All were caught and killed except Corrie who lived to tell the story. I have since been to the Ten Boom home and stood in the actual hiding place where they hid the Jews which was…surreal to say the least. It is a must go destination when traveling to Europe and the book is a must read for everyone on the planet as far as I am concerned.
7. To End All Wars
An indie film that’s a true story about four Allied POW’s who endure harsh treatment from their Japanese captors during World War II while being forced to build a railroad through the Burmese jungle. Ultimately they find true freedom by forgiving their enemies. (imdb) Starring Kiefer Sutherland who made this right before he signed up for becoming Jack Bauer. I thought this was really an amazing film.
6. We Were Soldiers
Great film about the first American battle in Vietnam that shows the back home battle of the wives and families as well. Some of the battle sequences are outrageous. High dollar special effects in this one really drive home the horror of war.
5. Joyeux Noël
A French film about the amazing true story of WWI Christmas eve trench warfare gone right. Based upon what is known as the “Christmas Truce” which “is a term used to describe several brief unofficial cessations of hostilities that occurred on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day between German and British or French troops in World War I, particularly that between British and German troops stationed along the Western Front during Christmas 1914.” (from wikipedia)
An unbelievable story. To think these guys were shooting and killing each other on December 23rd and on Christmas they were playing soccer is amazing to me. When they finally had to ‘get back to the whole war thing’ they wouldn’t do it and had to be pulled from the lines.
An essential film.
4. The Pianist
From imdb- The true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman who, in the 1930s, was known as the most accomplished piano player in all of Poland, if not Europe. At the outbreak of the Second World War, however, Szpilman becomes subject to the anti-Jewish laws imposed by the conquering Germans. By the start of the 1940s, Szpilman has seen his world go from piano concert halls to the Jewish Ghetto of Warsaw and then must suffer the tragedy of his family deported to a German concentration camps, while Szpilman is conscripted into a forced German Labor Compound. At last deciding to escape, Szpilman goes into hiding as a Jewish refugee where he is witness to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (April 19, 1943 – May 16, 1943) and the Warsaw Uprising (1 August to 2 October 1944).
This movie is intense.
3. Band of Brothers
OK it’s not a movie but if a mere two hours doesn’t do it for you, this will. The hardest parts to watch are when they briefly interview the dudes that where there who talk about the battles depicted in the film. When they start crying it gets me every time.
My first job out of high school was at a lumberyard where I worked with an old guy who was a paratrooper on D-Day and liberated the Dachau concentration camp. He wasn’t much of a talker but when I could get some stories out of him -believe me, I was all freaking ears.
2. Schindler’s List
Pretty much the definitve film on the holocaust. Enough said.
1. Saving Private Ryan
Although this movie started the whole shaky camera thing which has gotten out of control (I mean c’mon, do we need that effect in conversations? e.g. “The Shield”) -it doesn’t get anymore realistic than this. I saw this in the theatres and that first twenty minutes of the Normandy beach invasion has got to be one of the most intense -if not THE most intense piece of filmmaking sequences of all time. I thought I was going to explode. Literally. The vets who were there saw this and said, “Yep, that was pretty much it…except for the smell”.
God bless those guys.
Update: Must put in ‘The Pacific’. Wow.
Nice list. Regarding Blackhawk Down: I think “brutality”, “desperation”, and “nightmare scenario” describe it pretty well. I saw it in the theater and probably didn’t distance myself enough emotionally. I remember thinking, “I just want to go home.” I’ve avoided seeing it again ever since.
And yet I watch Band of Brothers at least once a year.
I wonder if the problem with Black Hawk Down is there is little sense of purpose so it just feels like -I’m outta here?
Keith,
Great list. I couldn’t begin to argue against any of these (not that I’d want to, anyway). Shindler’s and Ryan are also in my top 1 & 2 all-time. They’re slam-dunks. I remember watching both in the theaters, and having the same deep, visceral, gutteral reaction to both, at the same time: feeling sick to my stomach, and being so uncomfortable that I wanted to get up and leave. I’ve heard from many vets as well as holocaust survivors that both of these films are highly realistic, from personal and direct experience. Hiding Place was huge for me, as a kid, also.
Always have really liked “Bridge Over the River Kwai” with Alec Guinness, William Holden, Sessue Hayakawa, Jack Hawkins. In 1997, this film was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and selected for preservation in the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry. This 1957 movie, about a group of mostly British and a few American POWs under the boots of the Japanese in Burma, who, regardless of rank, were forced to work on the construction of a bridge over the Kwai River, part of a railroad that is to link Bangkok, Thailand and Rangoon, Burma, and who then blew up the bridge after its completion, is one of the earliest and quintessential pieces of the tyranny, brutality and lawlessness of the Japanese during WWII. A must see, for anyone, in my opinion.
Also, “A Bridge Too Far”. Directed by Richard Attenborough, with a huge (almost unbelievable actually) cast of stars that included Dirk Bogarde, James Caan, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Elliott Gould, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Ryan O’Neal, Laurence Olivier, Robert Redford, Maximilian Schell, Liv Ullmann, and Denholm Elliott. The film tells the story of Operation Market-Garden, and its ultimate failure, the Allied attempt to break through German lines and seize several bridges, with the main objective the bridge over the Lower Rhine (Neder Rijn) River, in the occupied Netherlands during World War II. The name for the film comes from a comment made by British Lieutenant-General Frederick A.M. Browning, deputy commander of the First Allied Airborne Army, who told Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, the operation’s architect, before the operation, “I think we may be going a bridge too far.”
Interesting side note: Steven Spielberg’s idea for putting his Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers actors through boot camp was inspired originally by Attenborough for this film. Attenborough put many of the extras/soldiers through a mini-boot camp and even had them housed in a barracks of sorts during filming.
“A Bridge Too Far” captures the frustration, dealing with the unknown and constantly shifting sands of the enemies’ moves and position (which frutstrate and obsoletes the original (and even subsequent) plan(s), fear of the unknown, and the horror and intensity of battle, including hand-to-hand (from the house-to-house scenes)… You can see where Spielberg’s “Private Ryan” hand-to-hand scenes come from (just without the shaky cameras! lol…)
I loved the Pianist and Schindler’s List, otherwise, I am not a fan of war movies.
How about It’s a Beautiful Life and Sophie’s choice?
Hey Scott. With “…Kwai” I agree it is a classic and if I made a top 10 most influential list it would be in there for sure. I just saw it later in life after seeing all these other films and it lacked the sense of realism for me as it had that huge screen static 50’s cinematic style to it. “A Bridge too Far” though… I think I might have to make it a top 11 list (this one goes to eleven…) I saw that right after I saw Hiding place when I was also still a single digit in age and that movie had a profound effect on me as well. Some of those scenes are burned forever in my mind. Like when the one guy runs out to the field to get the dropped food package and gets killed with a single shot. I was crushed. I still have pit in my stomach when I think of that scene.
You know I am ashamed to say I have not seen Sophie’s choice. And I had what I think is called “Life is Beautiful” on the list until I thought of Joyeaux Noel. I had to make an Executive decision and the true story always wins…
Couldn’t help coming back to suggest a few myself (in no particular order):
The Guns of Navarone and Force 10 From Navarone. Of the two, I think I prefer Force 10.
The Great Escape
Good Morning Vietnam
Glory
Enemy at the Gates (maybe I’m just a Russophile)
Braveheart
Gladiator
Victory. Okay, it’s a little corny, but still fun.
Star Wars. Does this one count?
Star Wars lol. Awesome… I vote yes.
Oh, Keith, I didn’t mention before, I’ve never seen Joyeaux Noel, but your list is so dead on you’ve got me totally intrigued, so it’s not only made onto my “must rent” list it’s in my top 3. Have to see if it’s even on Netflix…
And Steve: Great call on “Braveheart”. Gotta be in my top 20 all-timers, of ANY genre.
And since we’re on the subject of Scottish subjugation and oppression, how ’bout “Rob Roy”? My ancestor (Rob Roy MacGregor) and clan’s only time in the spotlight, our family’s proverbial “15 minutes of fame”, front and center… And a great movie on fighting through oppression, tyranny and rallying wildly disparate and historically distrusting and in-fighting groups (clans, in this case) into a unified solidarity to kick the oppressor’s butts (but fighting through a lot of stuff prior to that).
P.P.S. – And yeah, that scene is indelibly etched in my brain, for all time. Like the scene in Private Ryan where the Jewish kid from NY is fighting hand-to-hand in the bell tower with the German, and gets killed when he runs out of energy and the German slowly slides the knife into his heart…
It’s on netflix – I may have spelled it wrong though…
You’re related to Rob Roy? That’s awesome… I did see that movie.
That was a rough scene. The actor was Adam Goldberg. I was actually in a video with him for Sixpence None The Richer’s “There she goes”. He talked about it a bit and said it was a pretty surreal scene to shoot -had to get in a body cast.
Band of Brothers HAS TO BE Numero Uno.
My younger brother was a ranger in Somalia during the BHD situation. He still won’t watch the movie.
Gallipoli…the last 45 minutes are as intense as any other war movie, but in a different way. The ending chokes me up every time.
great tip- I’ll have to check that one out…