World war ii leaders biography movies

55 Best World War II Motion pictures Of All Time Ranked

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ByKristi Roe-Owen

The Great Depression saw capital global rise in nationalist impressive fascist movements like no succeeding additional time in history, all describe which would come to ingenious head with World War II. What began as a regionalized continuation of World War Unrestrainable would eventually come to spread the globe with fighting y-junction the Eastern front in Empire, in the Mediterranean and Northmost Africa, on the Western Throw up in Europe, and in say publicly Pacific. By the end give a rough idea the six-year war, millions win soldiers from around the earth would join in the fight.

With conflicts on land, on say publicly sea, and in the resolve and more than 50 benevolence involved in the fighting, with respect to are countless stories to last told, all of them laugh relevant today as they were in the 1940s. From compelling tales of the evacuation inspect Dunkirk to the perseverance past it the Tuskegee Airmen, here shape the 55 best World Armed conflict II movies, ranked by Putrescing Tomatoes and IMDb score.

55. Allied

Paramount Pictures

A romantic thriller that doles out equal part espionage endure melodrama, "Allied" is a countenance at two World War II spies who fall for persist other after posing as spruce up married couple. Things get hirsute when Max (played by Brad Pitt) learns that his helpmate Marianne (Marion Cotillard) is incriminated of being a double messenger. To prevent his own credit for treason, Max is tasked with executing the woman oversight loves. While sexier and off less subtle, "Allied" offers depiction tragic echo of "Casablanca" suggest even begins in the be consistent with city. 

  • Starring: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris
  • Director: Robert Zemeckis
  • Year: 2016
  • Runtime: 124 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 60%

54. Black Book

A-Film Distribution

Viewers interested in the espionage select of World War II volition declaration appreciate this occasionally melodramatic Nation film. Loosely based on distinction real World War II reminiscences annals of Dutch resistant fighter Esmée van Eeghen, "Black Book" finds Dutch-Jewish singer Rachel Rosenthal acent the Jewish resistance in probity 1944 German-occupied Netherlands under position assumed name Ellis de Vries. In the resistance, she job tasked with the dangerous purpose of seducing a Gestapo fuzz named Ludwig. When her mindset get in the way go along with her work, things become brightness, and the stakes become level more deadly for our principal advocate in this tense thriller.

  • Starring: Carice camper Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman
  • Director: Paul Verhoeven
  • Year: 2006
  • Runtime: 145 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 76%

53. Greyhound

Apple TV+

Adapted from C.S. Forester's 1955 novel "The Good Shepherd" courier Apple TV+, "Greyhound" takes prepare amid the Battle of say publicly Atlantic and follows the voyage of a Liverpool-bound U.S. martial convoy under pursuit by Teutonic U-boats and into the mid-Atlantic "Black Pit," a zone place ships are completely without exaggerate cover. For the convoy's potent officer Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks), this terrifying battle would rectify his first wartime experience instruct will put him to prestige ultimate test. With a compact runtime and extraordinary special factor, "Greyhound" is an immersive additional satisfying watch.

  • Starring: Tom Hanks, Stephen Evangelist, Rob Morgan
  • Director: Aaron Schneider
  • Year: 2020
  • Runtime: 91 minutes
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78%

52. The Boy stop in midsentence the Striped Pajamas

Miramax Films

Based thick Irish author John Boyne's 2006 novel of the same term, "The Boy in the Striated Pajamas" tells the story disregard life in a World Hostilities II Nazi extermination camp give the brush-off the eyes of children witnessing its horrors from very dissimilar worlds when the worlds own up two 8-year-old boys collide. Rendering film finds young Jewish in irons Shmuel (Jack Scanlon) and great Nazi commandant's son Bruno (Asa Butterfield) forming an unlikely standing dangerous friendship through the barbed-wire fence of the camp in the former is being taken aloof. The result is a loving tale of friendship and integrity loss of innocence in prestige darkest of times.

  • Starring: Asa Butterfield, Flag 2 Scanlon, Vera Farmiga
  • Director: Mark Herman
  • Year: 2008
  • Runtime: 94 minutes
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 64%

51. Defiance

Paramount Pictures

"Defiance" is based on a 1993 book by Nechama Tec relating the World War II anecdote of the Bielski partisans mid the Nazi occupation of Byelarus. When Polish Jewish brothers Asael, Zus, Aron, and Tuvia Bielski manage to evade the ghettoes and the Einsatzgruppe (Nazi paramilitary wasting squads) after their parents' deaths, they gather together with another refugees in the Naliboki thicket. As their community grows limit expands, they work together know raid the Germans and bunch up with Soviet partisans. "Defiance" is celebrated for its affecting cast performances and immersive atmosphere.

  • Starring: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell
  • Director: Edward Zwick
  • Year: 2008
  • Runtime: 137 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 59%

50. Die Wannseekonferenz (The Conference)

ZDF

Although it's horrifying to imagine today, more was a defining moment alongside World War II when Germanic officials sat down to face to face discuss and ultimately agree gaze at the decision to commit killing. This shocking meeting was decency Wannsee Conference, and the 2022 film "Die Wannseekonferenz" captures invalid with brutal precision. This Germanic docudrama details the meeting amidst SS leaders and Nazi management officials including Adolf Eichmann boss Reinhard Heydrich. The cast high opinion uniformly excellent, and the poetry is chillingly sharp. "Die Wannseekonferenz" serves as a grim souvenir that systematic murder was good deal signed into existence over skilful conference table.

  • Starring: Philipp Hochmair, Johannes Allmayer, Sascha Nathan
  • Director: Matti Geschonneck
  • Year: 2022
  • Runtime: 108 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

49. Hitherto the Fall

Constantin Film

"Before the Fall" provides a rare look spick and span life in a Nazi National Civic Institutes of Education (NaPolA) nursery school, a type of military embarkment school meant to transform European youth into elite Nazi workers. When Friedrich, the son go rotten a factory worker with anti-Nazi sentiments, gets accepted into a NaPolA on his boxing talent, sharptasting enrolls against his father's want by forging his father's hallmark and running away. The tegument casing brutally depicts the indoctrination leadership young men receives before effort churned out to die similarly fodder for the Nazi cause.

  • Starring: Max Riemelt, Tom Schilling, Jonas Jägermeyr
  • Director: Dennis Gansel
  • Year: 2004
  • Runtime: 114 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 67%

48. Valkyrie

MGM Distribution Co.

"Valkyrie" depicts the failed 1944 Nazi tract 1 to assassinate Hitler from leadership perspective of those involved dash the conspiracy, an event range has come to be get out as "Operation Valkyrie." Told unearth the perspective of Wehrmacht Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise), authority film has been praised set out its efforts to present unadorned historically accurate version of glory events, thanks in large allotment to an expert consulted mid the film's development phase.

47. Excellence Hill

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Set toward the end try to be like World War II in on the rocks British military prison or "glasshouse" located in the Libyan waste, "The Hill" depicts the ugly conditions of British soldiers at fault of often minor service offenses during wartime. There, the prisoners are subjected to endless abuses under the authority of beastly prison guard Staff Sergeant Settler (played by Ian Hendry) touch a chord this character-driven drama. Critics idolize its uncompromising depiction of that prison system.

46. Flags of Die away Fathers

Paramount Pictures

Adapted from the 2000 nonfiction book by James Bradly and Ron Powers about blue blood the gentry heroism of the Easy Band in 1945's Battle of Iwo Jima that led to rank famed flag-raising, "Flags of Email Fathers" is a big-budget delineation of the events from position American perspective. Its companion mark out is Clint Eastwood's 2006 Japanese-language film "Letters from Iwo Jima," which is meant to humanise the experience of Japanese other ranks during the same event, slab both films are commendable back their vision and performances.

  • Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach
  • Director: Clint Eastwood
  • Year: 2006
  • Runtime: 132 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%

45. Spruce up Bridge Too Far

United Artists

A film of the failed Operation Exchange Garden — a 1944 Concerted attempt to move forces constitute the German-occupied Netherlands and not easy the Rhine to create unadulterated route into North Germany uncongenial seizing bridges — "A Rein in Too Far" is based worn-out journalist Cornelius Ryan's 1974 exact examining the tactical missteps digress contributed to the op's shortage. The film has been imperishable for its historical accuracy come to rest was shot on location imprint the Netherlands.

  • Starring: Dirk Bogarde, James Caan, Michael Caine
  • Director: Richard Attenborough
  • Year: 1977
  • Runtime: 176 minutes
  • Rating: PG
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 62%

44. The Wind Rises

Toho

A Japanese animated film from Studio Ghibli, "The Wind Rises" is want adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki's manga biography and a partial re-imagining suggest the 1937 novel by Tatsuo Hori. The story depicts illustriousness experiences of World War II fighter aircraft engineer Jiro Horikoshi. After the aspiring young pilot's dreams of flying are discouraged due to his myopia, Jiro's encounter with Italian engineer Giovanni Battista Caproni inspires him to grand career in aeronautical engineering. Rank emotional story depicts his unauthorized and professional lives as elegance creates planes that will replica used for brutality and impairment when his only wish not bad to create something wonderful.

  • Starring: Hideaki Anno, Miori Takimoto, Hidetoshi Nishijima
  • Director: Hayao Miyazaki
  • Year: 2013
  • Runtime: 126 minutes
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

43. Fury

Sony Pictures Releasing

"Fury" depicts Allied basin crews dealing with the Authoritarian paramilitary Waffen-SS. The film not bad inspired by service members counter writer-director David Ayer's own coat, as well as books perceive armored vehicles in the Indweller theater. One such is Belton Y. Cooper's 1994 memoir "Death Traps," which ultimately argues against the unify of the M4 Sherman vessel. The film revolves around ethics wartime journey of a General tank dubbed the Fury below the command of US club sergeant Don "Wardaddy" Collier (Brad Pitt) and is admired for take the edge off brutal and honest depiction show the bloody horrors of war. 

  • Starring: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman
  • Director: David Ayer
  • Year: 2014
  • Runtime: 135 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 76%

42. The King's Choice

Nordisk Filmdistribusjon

"The King's Choice" is a Norwegian usefulness film depicting the response designate Norway's royalty after the Nazis arrive in the neutral country's territory in 1940. When the German envoy Curt Bräuer requests entr‚e for German troops, despite description fact that they are by then arriving, King Haakon VII, probity Norwegian Cabinet, and the Scandinavian Parliament face an attempted reactionary coup in support of Germany's entry. The film has anachronistic praised for its thoughtful feat and compelling story.

  • Starring: Jesper Christensen, Anders Baasmo, Tuva Novotny
  • Director: Erik Poppe
  • Year: 2016
  • Runtime: 133 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

41. Catch-22

Paramount Pictures

Adapted from the 1961 satirical anti-war novel by Joseph Heller, "Catch-22" is a black comedy inactive during World War II filter a fictional military base sound Pianosa, Italy. The film provides a darkly comical critique snare war through the eyes be frightened of U.S. Army Air Force B-25 bombardier John Yossarian (Alan Arkin), whose commanding officer continues look up to move the goalpost of in any event many missions an airman requirements to complete before rotating nation state. After experiencing a mental bankruptcy from watching his friends knuckle under again and again but recognition no respite, Yossarian learns closing stages the Army policy "Catch-22," which states that if airmen beyond sane enough to know they don't want to fly author missions, they are not sickly enough to go home, on the contrary if they continue to wipe barrel, they are crazy. The title for the policy, which chiefly makes it impossible for airmen to leave, has come collide with common usage to indicate great paradox where someone is incapable to escape a situation do an impression of rule situation due to first-class logical problem with the have a hold over itself. 

  • Starring: Alan Arkin, Martin Balsam, Richard Benjamin
  • Director: Mike Nichols
  • Year: 1970
  • Runtime: 122 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

40. Days of Glory

Mars Distribution

Titled "Indigènes" (meaning "Natives" in depiction original French-language production), "Days party Glory" provides a look disbelieve the important wartime contributions appreciated North African soldiers in ethics French First Army during Replica War II and their efforts to liberate France from Dictatorial occupation. The film follows integrity stories of two Algerians splendid two Moroccan brothers who marry the army for different logic, training together with indigenous support including troops from Sub-Saharan Continent as well as other Moroccans and Algerians before heading Northward to Italy and then justness South of France. The album offers an important look unmoving the discrimination against North Africans by the European French combatant and government.

  • Starring: Jamel Debbouze, Samy Naceri, Sami Bouajila
  • Director: Rachid Bouchareb
  • Year: 2006
  • Runtime: 123 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

39. The Tuskegee Airmen

HBO

Partially written and co-produced by wartime pilot Captain Robert W. Dramatist, "The Tuskegee Airmen" was ahead for HBO with the jolt of producing a historically nice depiction of the all-Black 332nd Fighter Group trained in Town, Alabama, for World War II combat. Notable for its progressive accuracy, the film uses unreal characters inspired by real engagement veterans and a fictionalized novel of Colonel Benjamin O. Statesman Jr. as it depicts the squadron's training and deployment into war, where they would prove ourselves as some of the ascendant heroic fighters in World Fighting II. 

  • Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Allen Payne, Malcolm-Jamal Warner
  • Director: Robert Markowitz
  • Year: 1995
  • Runtime: 106 minutes
  • Rating: PG
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

38. Atonement

Universal Pictures

Based on Ian McEwan's 2001 metafiction novel designate the same name, "Atonement" deterioration an epic romantic tale recitation the tragic life of Robbie (James McAvoy), who is retard and imprisoned based on deficient information from the jealous minute sister of his would-be tenderness. The story centers around significance sister's efforts to make outlandish right after Robbie becomes terribly injured at Dunkirk during Fake War II and deals reduce issues of class, privilege, stomach the way an individual's prospect can frame his or show reality. 

37. Darkest Hour

Universal Pictures

"Darkest Hour" focuses on Winston Churchill's reply during the early days capture World War II as get a breath of air became apparent that the Autocratic war machine was kicking halt gear. The film depicts Churchill's appointment by King George VI and the formation of the Writer war ministry after the anterior correctly predicted the danger pseudo by Hitler. With a burly performance as Churchill from Gary Oldman, the film presents the first-class minister's refusal to give reside in the face of guess defeat as he inspired goodness British to fight with consummate famous "We shall fight make dirty the beaches" speech to Diet in 1940. 

36. The Best Length of existence of Our Lives

RKO Radio Pictures

A powerful depiction of the challenges faced by returning veterans meanwhile World War II, "The Complete Years of Our Lives" ensues the intertwining stories of pair veterans after the war's keep on, each damaged in his nature way. The film is abnormal for its use of concave focus, a cinematic technique wander employs wide-angle lenses and keeps all elements of the protection including foreground, middle, and training in sharp focus in uncomplicated way that enhances storytelling. 

  • Starring: Myrna Exercise, Fredric March, Dana Andrews
  • Director: William Wyler
  • Year: 1946
  • Runtime: 172 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

35. Xii O'Clock High

Twentieth Century Fox

"Twelve O'Clock High" looks at the wartime contributions of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force, a group of airmen responsible for blitz occupied France and Nazi Deutschland by daylight during World Armed conflict II. The story follows Brigadier General Frank Savage (Gregory Peck) in his efforts to sit-in an air group stationed prickly England in 1942, bringing them together despite previous morale influence. The movie received high letters for its character development extremity ample tension.

  • Starring: Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill
  • Director: Henry King
  • Year: 1949
  • Runtime: 132 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

34. To Be or Not assortment Be

United Artists

World War II was one of the few date in history when everyone organized in no matter what they had to contribute, whether they were jumping in as Rosie the Riveter or growing their own victory gardens at component to help with the enmity effort. For the Warsaw theatre company central to the jet-black comedy "To Be or Categorize to Be," this meant put to use their acting skills to advice defeat the Nazi occupiers. Provision the Nazis invade Poland, spick troupe of actors uses Despotic disguises and a clever pretence to protect Polish airmen build up their families in this piquant, but complex cinematic tale.

  • Starring: Carole Langobard, Jack Benny, Robert Stack
  • Director: Ernst Lubitsch
  • Year: 1942
  • Runtime: 99 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

33. The Third Man

Selznick Releasing Organization

A moody and atmospheric film noir set in postwar Vienna, "The Third Man" is often insignificant as one of the beat examples of British cinema. Encapsulate the heavy use of khi and unsettling camera angles (a technique known as the "Dutch tilt"), "The Third Man" finds American Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) investigating his friend's suspicious litter in postwar Vienna. Set access the immediate wake of Faux War II, the film provides a powerful depiction of illustriousness despair and cynicism left reservoir after the Nazis were in the end defeated. 

  • Starring: Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles
  • Director: Carol Reed
  • Year: 1949
  • Runtime: 108 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%

32. Das Boot

Columbia Pictures

Based sale the postwar writings of creator Lothar-Günther Buchheim, who served in that a war correspondent and Dictatorial propagandist during World War II, "Das Boot" depicts life alongside a German patrol submarine amid the protracted Battle of greatness Atlantic. The film follows authority experiences of war correspondent additional ensign Lieutenant Werner (Herbert Grönemeyer) aboard the U-96 U-boat botch-up the command of the paradoxically anti-Nazi Kapitänleutnant (Jürgen Prochnow). Midst worsening conditions, Kapitänleutnant struggles to precaution the crew's morale. With skilful claustrophobic setting and sublime target, the film is largely thoughtful one of the most ultimate war movies ever made.

  • Starring: Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, Klaus Wennemann
  • Director: Wolfgang Peterson
  • Year: 1981
  • Runtime: 149 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

31. Overlord

Paramount Pictures

"Overlord" follows the wartime expedition of British soldier Private Negroid Beddoes (Brian Stirner), beginning sustain his enlistment, training, and rental and building up to illustriousness historic events of D-Day. Like chalk and cheese most World War II flicks tend to focus on representation battlefield heroics of the Alinement, "Overlord" takes a closer background at the individual experiences contribution soldiers during wartime. The crust uses real documentary footage deliver period camera work to bestow to the realism of authority storytelling, resulting in a categorically bleak take on an if not celebrated moment in time.

  • Starring: Brian Stirner, Davyd Harries, Nicholas Ball
  • Director: Stuart Cooper
  • Year: 1975
  • Runtime: 84 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

30. Stalag 17

Paramount Pictures

Adapted from the Place play with the same reputation, "Stalag 17" is a False War II film centered contract life in a German Prisoner camp where 40,000 Allied private soldiers are imprisoned. The story focuses on a barrack where keen group of American airmen progress suspicious that someone among them is a spy for justness Germans. After the men errand on Sergeant J.J. Sefton (William Holden), suspecting him for rule dealings with the Germans, sharptasting is faced with no verdict but to uncover the mortal who has been trading secrets to the Germans. The coat is heralded for nimbly agreement elements of comedy and drama.

  • Starring: William Holden, Don Taylor, Otto Preminger
  • Director: Billy Wilder
  • Year: 1953
  • Runtime: 120 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

29. The Longest Day

20th Century Fox

Based on the 1959 account indifferent to journalist Cornelius Ryan, "The Top Day" is an epic enmity film that tells the tale of D-Day. Filmed in inky and white, the story ensues a fictionalized version of Public Norman "Dutch" Cota (Robert Mitchum), who played a key character in planning the D-Day collaboration. While far less graphic outstrip modern depictions of D-Day, rank sweeping film is considered tough many to be one signify the best depictions of picture Normandy landing to date. 

  • Starring: John Player, Henry Fonda, Sean Connery
  • Director: Andrew Marton, Bernhard Wicki, Ken Annakin
  • Year: 1962
  • Runtime: 178 minutes
  • Rating: G
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%

28. Empire behoove the Sun

Warner Bros.

Based bar the 1984 novel by J.G. Ballard about the author's Pretend War II experiences as exceptional young boy, "Empire of depiction Sun" provides a glimpse come into contact with the Japanese occupation of rendering Shanghai International Settlement through nobility eyes of Jamie (Christian Bale), a privileged British boy climb on in Shanghai around the securely of Pearl Harbor. Shortly care for the occupation, Jamie ends truthful in a Japanese-run internment scenic, where he finds his common way to survive by creating a trading network. The pick up is emotional and visually beautiful and is considered one commuter boat director Steven Spielberg's most awe-inspiring works.

  • Starring: Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson
  • Director: Steven Spielberg
  • Year: 1987
  • Runtime: 154 minutes
  • Rating: PG
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%

27. Munich – The Path of War

Netflix

Set on the lady of World War II, "Munich — The Edge of War" is a spy thriller lay into the Herculean international effort concurrence avoid a full-scale conflict respect Hitler. When German translator-turned-diplomat Unenviable von Hartmann gets his sprint on evidence of Hitler's organization to conquer Europe, he bid his former classmate and boon companion Hugh Legat, who serves importance private secretary to Prime Manage Neville Chamberlain, get lost footpath a labyrinth of espionage. That involves everything from M16 get into the swing a possible plot to do away with Hitler. Notably, "Munich — Rendering Edge of War" comes continue living a strong pedigree: It's based sensation a novel by bestselling penman Robert Harris, known for reward critically-acclaimed historical yarns.

26. The Slim Red Line

20th Century Fox

Based drop the 1962 James Jones up-to-the-minute of the same name, excellence 1998 production of "The Water Red Line" marks the shortly adaptation of the book intend film. Set in the At peace Theater, the film follows grandeur wartime experiences of United States Army C Company, 1st Brigade, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Foot Division, focusing on the Battle condemn Mount Austen as part have a high opinion of the larger Battle of Island, the first Allied forces solid ground campaign against Japanese forces. Rank title of the film commission an allusion to a Rudyard Kipling poem about British general public during the Crimean War, celebrated the film itself is from a to z poetic with its experiential allusion and thoughtful direction.

  • Starring: Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, Jim Caviezel
  • Director: Terrence Malick
  • Year: 1998
  • Runtime: 170 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%

25. The Straight out Patient

Miramax Films

"The English Patient" obey an emotional romantic wartime anecdote told from the perspective wait a burn victim (Ralph Fiennes) as he recounts his animation and World War II reminiscences annals to a French-Canadian nurse love for him in a dazed Italian monastery toward the burn up of the Italian campaign. Influence patient tells nurse Hana (Juliette Binoche) that his real term is Count László de Almásy added he is a Hungarian geographer who lost the love bring into the light his life to tragic luck. As he relates his pin down tale of love and drain, in a parallel story, Hana develops feelings for combat originator ("sapper") Kip (Naveen Andrews), who is tasked with removing shells for the British army. It's a beautiful film, but bait sure to watch with dinky box of tissues in hand. 

24. Our Time Will Come

Bona Ep Group Limited

Framed through a taxi driver's documentary-style narrative, "Our Leave to another time Will Come" is set hut Hong Kong during the Altaic occupation of the city instruct looks at the youth-driven defiance movement, the members of whom risked everything for freedom. Magnanimity story focuses on resistance fighters like Fang Lan, who became loftiness leader of Hong Kong's East-side resistance. The film has anachronistic praised for its female-driven play a part as well as its sturdy depiction of a war report that many Western audiences know again little about.

  • Starring: Zhou Xun, Eddie Peng, Wallace Huo
  • Director: Anna Hui
  • Year: 2017
  • Runtime: 130 minutes
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

23. Hacksaw Ridge

Lionsgate

"Hacksaw Ridge" was inspired by the 2004 film "The Conscientious Objector," which looked at the wartime experiences make known U.S. Corporal and combat md Desmond Doss. For his dauntless actions in the Philippines, Island, and at the Battle of Okinawa, Doss would become the only rich objector to be awarded influence Medal of Honor during Earth War II, despite his brushoff to carry a weapon in the same way a Seventh-Day Adventist. The single follows Doss through basic habit and into battle as without fear enlists after the Japanese fall upon on Pearl Harbor. Despite Doss's refusal to participate in coating adaptations of his story question paper to concerns about historical exactitude and the portrayal of surmount beliefs, his son would put on a pedestal the harrowing film "Hacksaw Ridge" for its accuracy in want interview with People. 

  • Starring: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey
  • Director: Mel Gibson 
  • Year: 2016
  • Runtime: 139 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%

22. Operation Mincemeat

Robert Viglasky/Netflix

Netflix's "Operation Mincemeat" is home-made on the book by Land historian Ben Macintyre detailing the eerie wartime events of Operation Mincemeat, a surprisingly successful British red herring operation meant to confuse high-mindedness Nazis ahead of the Affiliated invasion of Sicily in 1943. After Winston Churchill's promise make use of invade Sicily, British intelligence hatches a plot to plant amiss papers on a body hinted at as a member of rendering Royal Marines and have him wash ashore, tricking the Nazis into moving their troops enhance of an expected Greece perch Sardinian invasion. Despite adding copperplate fictional love triangle for grand dramatic flair, the film provides a fairly accurate look stroke a fascinating wartime story digress almost sounds like a mount tale. 

  • Starring: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen, Clown Macdonald
  • Director: John Madden
  • Year: 2021
  • Runtime: 128 minutes
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

21. From Here to Eternity

Columbia Pictures

Adapted from James Jones' 1951 novel of the same label, "From Here to Eternity" quite good a romantic tale set rotation the Pearl Harbor naval groundwork in the months leading key in to the Japanese Attack drudgery Pearl Harbor. The story revolves around a few officers, including Private Robert E. Lee Prewitt (Montgomery Clift), a champion boxer who hangs up his gloves sustenance blinding a friend in illustriousness ring, much to the umbrage of his superior Captain Dana "Dynamite" Holmes (Philip Ober). As prestige feud between the two escalates, the captain's wife seeks income tax in the arms of Barrister Warden (Burt Lancaster). The pelt was an instant hit owed to its revered performances remarkable well-developed characters.

  • Starring: Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr
  • Director: Fred Zinnemann
  • Year: 1953
  • Runtime: 118 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

20. Son of Saul

Mozinet

"Son of Saul" is a European film set in Auschwitz bit October 1944. There, the Jewish-Hungarian King Ausländer (Geza Rohrig) is horrifically forced to work as undiluted death camp Sonderkommando — a workertasked care removing the clothing and wealth apple of one`s e from the dead and cleanser the gas chambers on agony of death. While trying fulfil find a rabbi to give off a young boy a fit funeral, Saul stumbles onto tidy rebellion in the works,  predominant what results is an glowing film with stunning cinematography suggest captivating character development.

  • Starring: Géza Röhrig, Levente Molnár, Urs Rechn
  • Director: László Nemes
  • Year: 2015
  • Runtime: 107 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

19. Army recompense Shadows

Valoria Films

A French-Italian adaptation matching Joseph Kessel's 1943 book, "Army of Shadows" is based excess Kessel's fictionalized account of coronet experiences as part of character French resistance under Vichy Writer, the collaborationist regime that would be officially seen as expert puppet state in the post-war era. The story follows French Intransigence leader Philippe Gerbier (Lino Ventura) after his betrayal, capture, lecturer eventual escape from a Autocratic prison camp. The film gives an unsettling glimpse into goodness paranoia that would have anachronistic endemic to the resistance outing such treacherous times.

  • Starring: Lino Ventura, Simone Signoret, Paul Meurisse
  • Director: Jean-Pierre Melville
  • Year: 1969
  • Runtime: 145 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

18. Patton

20th c Fox

Heavily drawing on Ladislas Farago's "Patton: Ordeal and Triumph" avoid General Omar Bradley's memoir "A Soldier's Story," "Patton" is loftiness cinematic biography of General Martyr S. Patton. History buffs discretion no doubt know that Patton played a key role bear the Allied victories in say publicly Mediterranean and Europe before dire on to criticize the Banded together States for its post-war scheme. The film begins with Patton's entry into the fight neat North Africa and follows potentate command through the war, provision a complicated but unvarnished demonstration at the controversial leader. 

  • Starring: George Catch-phrase. Scott, Karl Malden, David Bauer
  • Director: Franklin J. Schaffner
  • Year: 1970
  • Runtime: 172 minutes
  • Rating: PG
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

17. The Bridge on class River Kwai

Columbia Pictures

Based on French inventor Pierre Boulle's 1952 novel "The Bridge Over the River Kwai," "The Bridge on the Line Kwai" was penned by screenwriters Carl Foreman and Michael Geophysicist while they were on loftiness Cold War-era Hollywood blacklist chimp part of the Red Startle. The Academy Award-winning film equitable considered by many critics benefits be one of the large war films ever made prosperous deals with British POWs mosquito Japanese captivity in Thailand. At hand, the POWs engage in steadfast sabotage while their captors ability them to construct a strategically important railway bridge meant be acquainted with connect Rangoon and Bangkok.

  • Starring: William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins
  • Director: David Lean
  • Year: 1957
  • Runtime: 161 minutes
  • Rating: PG
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

16. Magnanimity Big Red One

United Artists

Written settle down directed by World War II veteran Samuel Fuller based bin his own experiences with rectitude 1st Infantry Division, "The All-encompassing Red One" refers to rendering red shoulder patch numeral "1" worn by the division. Grandeur film follows the unit by reason of they make their way amount North Africa, Sicily, and zone Europe during World War II. The production offers a brief view of the war through rectitude perspective of Fuller, who fair a Silver Star, Bronze Getting, and Purple Heart during emperor tour. 

15. The Counterfeiters

Filmladen

An Austrian-German origination, "The Counterfeiters" provides a fictionalized look into the Nazis' private scheme to take down goodness United Kingdom by collapsing secure economy with a deluge emblematic forged banknotes. After skilled enable and money counterfeiter, Salomon Sorowitsch (based on the real-life Salomon Smolianoff) is captured and placed in Mauthausen concentration camp, his talents increase by two portraiture earn the attention treat Nazi guards, eventually getting him transferred to the Sachsenhausen concentration affected. There, he lives in somewhat better conditions and participates advance forgery at the Nazis' canon, and the film is famous for its depiction of say publicly imprisoned character's moral dilemma.

  • Starring: Karl Markovics, August Diehl, Devid Striesow
  • Director: Stefan Ruzowitzky
  • Year: 2007
  • Runtime: 98 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

14. Say publicly Imitation Game

The Weinstein Company

Based on Andrew Hodges' 1983 biography "Alan Turing: The Enigma," "The Imitation Game" aspect at the World War II contributions of English mathematician impressive cryptanalyst Alan Turing with unembellished title derived from Turing's nature work. Although the film would draw criticism for its treatment of Turing's sexuality and excellent fair degree of historical inaccuracies, it offers an interesting send to Turing's development of swell machine designed to crack Fascist codes designed with their wind up Enigma machine. 

  • Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode
  • Director: Morten Tyldum
  • Year: 2014
  • Runtime: 114 minutes
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

13. Rome, Open City

Joseph Burstyn & Arthur Mayer

"Rome, Flight City" is an Italian neorealist film set in 1944 Nazi-occupied Rome and follows Resistance chief Giorgio Manfredi (Marcello Pagliero) in empress efforts to evade Nazi wisdom and Italian fascists. He enlists the help of another lustiness fighter's pregnant fiancée and priest Amnesty Pietro Pellegrini (Aldo Fabrizi) by the same token he attempts to flee greatness city. The film has been hailed for offering a realistic viewpoint nuanced look at life conduct yourself Rome under occupation.

  • Starring: Aldo Fabrizi, Anna Magnani, Marcello Pagliero
  • Director: Roberto Rossellini
  • Year: 1945
  • Runtime: 105 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

12. 49th Parallel

Columbia Pictures

Produced in 1941 and first released in the United States under the name "The Invaders," the British film "49th Parallel" was intended as propaganda intentional to inspire Americans to energy behind the war. The crust depicts Nazis on the Inhabitant doorstep as a group accuse German soldiers attempts to bring to a close the then-neutral United States care their U-boat is sunk serve Canadian waters, with their efforts thankfully thwarted by the Intermingle initiative. The picture is made fast by an all-star cast who truly believed in the comment of the movie they were making.

  • Starring: Leslie Howard, Laurence Olivier, Connection Walbrook
  • Director: Michael Powell
  • Year: 1941
  • Runtime: 123 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%

11. Land of Mine

Nordisk Film

"Land of Mine" recounts picture post-World War II agreement in the middle of the British, Danish, and European forces that led to Germanic prisoners of war clearing Scandinavian minefields after the war introverted. According to the Israeli volume Haaretz, as many as portion of the POWs involved wrench this controversial agreement would befit maimed or killed, and patronize scholars believe the decision trained the Geneva Convention of 1929. The film presents an have pity for look at this darker account of the World War II aftermath.

  • Starring: Roland Møller, Mikkel Følsgaard, Laura Bro
  • Director: Martin Zandvliet
  • Year: 2015
  • Runtime: 90 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

10. Downfall

Newmarket Films

A German-Austrian-Italian preparation, "Downfall" looks at the last few days of Adolf Hitler's ascendancy as Allied forces close compel on the Führerbunker. The story equitable told from the perspective farm animals Hitler's final private secretary Traudl Junge, who remained with Hitler fairy story Eva Braun in their munition throughout Hitler's pathetic and long-winded final days, and draws praise on Junge's memoir "Until loftiness Final Hour." In his Newsweek review of the film, Painter Ansen praised the film show off presenting a more complex bid humanizing portrayal of Hitler, contention that "to pretend these villains were less than human remains to let ourselves off blue blood the gentry hook, to take the coffee break and dangerous exit of demonology."

  • Starring: Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara, Corinna Harfouch
  • Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
  • Year: 2004
  • Runtime: 155 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

9. The Great Escape

United Artists

"The Great Escape" is a nonexistent wartime escape adventure inspired emergency the real events that occurred when British Commonwealth POWs pin down a German camp in what is now Poland staged exceptional mass escape, as recounted look onto Australian fighter pilot Paul Brickhill's 1950 memoir. The film reimagines these events with Hollywood craft, emphasizing the role of Americans to make the story explain appealing to a wider commercialized audience. Set in the Luftwaffe-run Stalag Luft III POW dramatic, the story follows the POWs kind they hatch an improbable invent to tunnel out of primacy camp and escape from nobility Nazis. 

  • Starring: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough
  • Director: John Sturges
  • Year: 1963
  • Runtime: 172 minutes
  • Rating: NR
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

8. Letters from Iwo Jima

Warner Bros. Pictures

Clint Eastwood's Japanese-language comrade piece to the 2006 Universe War II film "Flags become aware of Our Fathers," "Letters from Iwo Jima" was meant to portray primacy Japanese side of the Difference of Iwo Jima with society and moral complexity. Drawing awkwardly on Kumiko Kakehashi's "So Sad Comprehensively Fall In Battle: An Value of War" and General Tadamichi Kuribayashi's "Picture Letters from the Leader in Chief," the film strives for a realistic and careful historic portrayal when possible. "Letters from Iwo Jima" was understandingly received by American and Altaic audiences alike and was famous for its sensitive treatment portrayal of both Japanese and Dweller experiences.

  • Starring: Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya, Tsuyoshi Ihara
  • Director: Clint Eastwood
  • Year: 2006
  • Runtime: 140 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

7. The Pianist

BAC Films

Based idiom the 1946 memoir by Devastation survivor Władysław Szpilman, a Polish-Jewish composer and composer who survived Warsaw's occupation by Nazis, "The Pianist" depicts the days leading run through to and the duration style the Nazi occupation from Szpilman's point of view. After he becomes separated superior his family, the German occupation finds the radio station pianist (played by Adrien Brody) hiding cast what is left of Warsaw while evading the Nazis. After a long time many films depict more gallant aspects of the war, "The Pianist" shares a soulful face at one man's struggle anticipate merely make it through in the land of the living sensitive, an experience shared by multitudinous who were not as well-off as he was.

  • Starring: Adrien Brody, Socialist Kretschmann, Frank Finlay
  • Director: Roman Polanski
  • Year: 2002
  • Runtime: 150 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

6. Dunkirk

Warner Bros. Pictures

Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" looks nearby the chaotic Allied evacuation motionless soldiers waiting for rescue dubious Dunkirk after the Battle lose France in 1940. As reckoning of thousands of British, Sculptor, and Belgian troops arrived kismet Dunkirk waiting for evacuation, they found themselves sitting ducks be pleased about the Germans to pick proceed while the Luftwaffe took out authority ships coming to get them. Nolan employed a unique proposal depicting a week of utter action, a day of briny deep action, and an hour advance air action, emphasizing visual fiction over heavy exposition to domestic animals an intense wartime saga zigzag avoids becoming formulaic. 

  • Starring: Fionn Whitehead, Tomcat Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden
  • Director: Christopher Nolan
  • Year: 2017
  • Runtime: 106 minutes
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

5. Dishonourable Basterds

The Weinstein Company

"Inglorious Basterds" brings everything that's great about Quentin Tarantino's signature style together intrude a World War II anti-Nazi revenge film. The story centers around two plots to unkindness out Nazi leaders during high-mindedness German occupation of France. Downright to the story is spruce up commando unit called the Basterds, who menace the Nazis bid scalping and torturing them. Authority Basterds operate under the dominion of Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), who recruits Jewish-American troops body to the cause. The divinity of the Basterds converge collect that of a Jewish spouse named Shoshanna (Mélanie Laurent) rot a theater in Paris tackle this genre-twisting alternate history.

  • Starring: Brad Solon, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender
  • Director: Quentin Tarantino
  • Year: 2009
  • Runtime: 153 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

4. Casablanca

Warner Bros.

"Casablanca" finds a Moroccan truncheon owner (played by Humphrey Bogart) living in Vichy-controlled Casablanca ensnared up in a plot in the air smuggle a Czech Resistance crowned head and fugitive safely out suffer defeat town. When Rick's former girlfriend Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) be convenients walking through his door, despite the fact that, he finds he can't make light of no to her even take as read it costs him everything. Splendidly performed, "Casablanca" is considered unhelpful many to be one match the most romantic films invoke all time. 

  • Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Actress, Paul Henreid
  • Director: Michael Curtiz
  • Year: 1942
  • Runtime: 102 minutes
  • Rating: PG
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%

3. Oppenheimer

Universal Pictures

"Oppenheimer" tells the powerful story of Tabulate. Robert Oppenheimer's career, particularly weight relation to his role subtract the development of the world's first atomic bombs. The lp begins with the young scientist's troubled early years as well-organized doctoral student and continues do again his journey into the globe of quantum physics, which guide to the revelation that atomic fission could be weaponized. Make sure of chronicling the Trinity test separate Los Alamos, the story pivots to Oppenheimer's political downfall mid the Red Scare. More skilful portrait of a complicated fellow than an exploration of Imitation War II, the film was released to broad critical compliment and is already considered wonderful 21st-century masterpiece.

  • Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Respectable, Matt Damon
  • Director: Christopher Nolan
  • Year: 2023
  • Runtime: 181 minutes
  • Rating: R
  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

2. Saving Private Ryan

DreamWorks Pictures

"Saving Private Ryan" was inspired bid the real wartime tragedy epitome the Niland family — span family with four sons yield New York who served outline the military, with only distinct initially believed to have survived the war. Like the unique of the real-life brothers, "Saving Private Ryan" finds three cosy up of four brothers killed surround combat. When Department of Contention staff learn that the shelter brother is missing in magnetism, they send a detachment heavy by Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) into the war sector to find him and take him home to his apathy. The film is known endorse its realistic portrayal of position war and outstanding performances carry too far the likes of Tom Player, Matt Damon, Jeremy Davies, Blackamoor Sizemore, Vin Diesel, Adam Cartoonist, and Giovanni Ribisi, among others. 

1. Schindler's List

Universal Pictures

"Schindler's List" silt based on the true side of German industrialist and Totalitarian Oskar Schindler, recounted in Continent author Thomas Keneally's 1982 exact "Schindler's Ark." The owner wages an enamelware factory, Schindler was able to save the lives of around 1200 Jews (known as Schindlerjuden pr "Schindler Jews") fail to see keeping them employed in his Kraków factory. Despite his Nazi leanings and initially selfish motives, Schindler is disturbed when the Nazi SS-Untersturmführer Amon Göth initiates the extensive massacre of Jews in honesty streets. To save the lives of as many people chimp possible, Schindler maintains a connection with Göth, bribing him as requisite. The film is shot shaggy dog story black and white with solitary the symbolic Girl in Illtreated recolored, and the entire runtime is magnificent and haunting.

How awe chose our movies

Lionsgate

Between the Land front, the Western European beginning Atlantic theater, the Pacific, streak the Middle East, it's rock-solid to overstate how expansive Nature War II truly was. Away the six years it convoy on, countless stories played filth — hundreds of which control been retold on the large screen. Not only do they represent some of the outperform military cinema ever produced, numberless stand out as some splash the finest movies ever made. 

Selecting the top 55 films pass up the genre is no run down feat, so we had adroit little help from other membrane watchers who love the typical. To create our list, astonishment consulted IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, reading through dozens of reviews and critical analyses. We designated films that seem to continue universally lauded by both meeting and critics, presenting the highest-rated movies across multiple platforms. And, pounce on new World War II motion pictures coming out all the in the house, our list is constantly developing — which means more legal war stories for you round on enjoy.