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Subgenre Sampler

 
Civil WarCivil War (2024) Recommended
Dir. Alex Garland
Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Stephen McKinley Henderson
The most expensive film made by upstart studio A24, this urgent and chillingly relevant dystopian thriller represents a solid return to form for…
Outpost, TheOutpost, The (2020)
Dir. Rod Lurie
Feat. Scott Eastwood, Caleb Landry Jones, Orlando Bloom
War movie depicting events during the War in Afghanistan in 2009, when the Taliban attacked a vulnerable US Army outpost called Combat Outpost…
Catch-22 (TV Mini-series)Catch-22 (TV Mini-series) (2019)
Dir. Grant Heslov, George Clooney
Feat. Christopher Abbott, Kyle Chandler, Daniel David Stewart
Updated six–part adaptation of the difficult–to–adapt classic Joseph Heller novel, a WWII satire which was formerly adapted as a…
Danger Close: The Battle of Long TanDanger Close: The Battle of Long Tan (2019)
Dir. Kriv Stenders
Feat. Travis Fimmel, Luke Bracey, Richard Roxburgh
Australian war film set in a Vietnamese rubber plantation in 1966, where 108 inexperienced Australian and New Zealand soldiers are fighting against…
Kill Team, TheKill Team, The (2019)
Dir. Dan Krauss
Feat. Nat Wolff, Adam Long, Osy Ikhile
War drama which fictionalises events from the documentary of the same name from 2013, following a morally conflicted US Specialist whose platoon are…
MidwayMidway (2019)
Dir. Roland Emmerich
Feat. Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Woody Harrelson
Thrilling war film set during the Battle of Midway, fought during WWII between the American and Japanese armies in the Pacific. Features a strong…
12 Strong12 Strong (2018)
Dir. Nicolai Fuglsig
Feat. Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Pena
An American special forces team is deployed to Afghanistan after 9/11 with a mission to track down the Taliban. A rousing tribute to American heroism…
HurricaneHurricane (Mission of Honor) (2018)
Dir. David Blair
Feat. Iwan Rheon, Milo Gibson, Stefanie Martini
The tale of a Polish pilot who together with his comrades join the Hurricane Squadron 303 of the British Royal Air Force to fight during the Battle…
OverlordOverlord (2018)
Dir. Julius Avery
Feat. Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Mathilde Ollivier
A small group of American soldiers discover secret Nazi experiments after they are dropped behind enemy lines the day before D–day. A gleefully…
DunkirkDunkirk (2017) Recommended
Dir. Christopher Nolan
Feat. Fionn Whitehead, Jack Lowden, Barry Keoghan
Christopher Nolan's grandiose staging of the famous evacuation of the French port of Dunkirk in May 1940 is a departure from the fantasy pictures the…
Journey's EndJourney's End (2017)
Dir. Saul Dibb
Feat. Sam Claflin, Asa Butterfield, Paul Bettany
Adaptation of the 1928 play by war veteran R.C. Sheriff, set in the trenches in Aisne during WWI, where British officers face tensions, terror,…
Megan LeaveyMegan Leavey (Rex) (2017)
Dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Feat. Kate Mara, Ramon Rodriguez, Tom Felton
Heartfelt war drama based on the true events about the eponymous young female US Marine corporal whose unique discipline and bond with a military…
Wall, TheWall, The (2017)
Dir. Doug Liman
Feat. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, John Cena, Laith Nakli
Two American soldiers are trapped by an Iraqi sniper in this deadly psychological thriller. Combining impressive marksmanship with a battle of wits,…
War for the Planet of the ApesWar for the Planet of the Apes (2017) Recommended
Dir. Matt Reeves
Feat. Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn
The third and final installment in the excellent Planet of the Apes prequel trilogy, with director Matt Reeves returning to complete the story that…
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)
Dir. Michael Bay
Feat. James Badge Dale, John Krasinski, Max Martini
Michael Bay is comparatively restrained as he helms this visceral recreation of the attack on the U.S. compound in Libya.
300: Rise of an Empire300: Rise of an Empire (2014)
Dir. Noam Murro
Feat. Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey
A second wave of sword and sandal gore, with Greek general Themistokles, outnumbered but determined, leading the charge against another massive…
Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond (TV Mini-Series)Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond (TV Mini-Series) (2014)
Dir. Mat Whitecross
Feat. Dominic Cooper, Lara Pulver, Lesley Manville
The colourful and perilous adventures of Ian Fleming are liberally brought to life in this wartime spy romp pitched as the making of James Bond.
FuryFury (2014) Recommended
Dir. David Ayer
Feat. Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman
An Allied tank on a deadly mission behind enemy lines finds itself outnumbered and outgunned in this heavy duty WWII vehicle for Brad Pitt, more…
Kajaki: Kilo Two BravoKajaki: Kilo Two Bravo (2014) Recommended
Dir. Paul Katis
Feat. David Elliot, Mark Stanley, Scott Kyle
Nerve–wracking thriller, based on a true story, finds a unit of British paratroopers stranded in a minefield left over from the Soviet invasion.
William Kelly's WarWilliam Kelly's War (2014)
Dir. Geoff Davis
Feat. Tony Bonner
Low budget Australian WWI film following two brothers who enlist and are sent to Europe, fighting from the trenches of Gallipoli to the Western…
Lone SurvivorLone Survivor (2013)
Dir. Peter Berg
Feat. Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch
Mark Wahlberg portrays Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, the eponymous lone survivor of a covert mission against al–Qaeda gone wrong, in this powerful…
16121612 (2012)
Dir. Vladimir Khotinenko
Feat. Pyotr Kislov
Bloated Russian 'historical' epic renders the 17th century civil war that ravaged the divided country as a Peter Jackson–esque battle fantasy.…
Into the WhiteInto the White (2012)
Dir. Petter Naess
Feat. Florian Lukas, Rupert Grint, David Kross
Gentle anti–war drama with downed German and English pilots taking refuge in the same cabin in snow–bound Norway. Based on a true story.
5 Days Of War5 Days Of War (2011)
Dir. Renny Harlin
Feat. Rupert Friend, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Richard Coyle
Mediocre propaganda piece in which an American journalist, his cameraman, and a Georgian native get caught in the crossfire in the war between Russia…
Bomber, TheBomber, The (Ballada o bombere (Ballad Of A Bomber)) (2011)
Dir. Vitaliy Vorobyov
Feat. Nikita Efremov, Ekaterina Astakhova, Aleksandr Davydov
Hum–drum war film – originally a television series – has a Russian aircraft crashing in Nazi occupied territory and the three…
Fall of the InnocentFall of the Innocent (The Butcher of Prague) (2011)
Dir. Petr Nikolaev
Feat. Karel Roden, Zuzana Fialova, Zuzana Bydzovska
WWII drama about the Nazi massacre and destruction of the Czech village of Lidice. The main protagonist is a man from the village who is sent to…
Front Line, TheFront Line, The (2011)
Dir. Hun Jang
Feat. Ha-kyun Shin, Soo Go
Big battles clash with big themes in this sizable war epic set during the last days of the Korean war, where soldiers from both the North and South…
My WayMy Way (2011)
Dir. Kang Je-Gyu
Feat. Jang Dong-Gun, Joe Odagiri, Bingbing Fan
The director of BROTHERHOOD OF WAR raises the stakes with this louder, bloodier, more spectacular WWII epic, centred on the true story of rival…
Sinking of the Laconia, The (TV Mini-Series)Sinking of the Laconia, The (TV Mini-Series) (2011)
Dir. Uwe Janson
Feat. Andrew Buchan, Brian Cox, Franke Potente
Gripping reenactment of the events surrounding the ill–fated Laconia, a British ocean liner crippled by a German U–boat, who in turn…
Beneath Hill 60Beneath Hill 60 (2010)
Dir. Jeremy Sims
Feat. Brendan Cowell, Gyton Grantley, Harrison Gilbertson
Gripping, untold story of Australian daring beneath the trenches of WWI concerns a group of rag–tag engineers charged with sabotaging the…
Green ZoneGreen Zone (2010) Recommended
Dir. Paul Greengrass
Feat. Matt Damon, Amy Ryan, Brendan Gleeson
Action ace Paul Greengrass deploys Bourne leading man Matt Damon in this frenetic, politically pointed thriller focused on the hunt for Weapons of…
Pacific, The (TV Series)Pacific, The (TV Series) (2010) Recommended
Feat. Joseph Mazzello, James Badge Dale, John Seda
Searing, no–expense–spared follow–up to the Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg–produced BAND OF BROTHERS shifts its epic perspective…
Strike Back (TV Series)Strike Back (TV Series) (2010-2017)
Feat. Andrew Lincoln, Richard Armitage, Michelle Lukes
An high–octane action series centred on the intersecting operations of an SAS Sergeant (Armitage) and an SIS Agent (Lincoln) over the course of…
Attack on LeningradAttack on Leningrad (2009)
Dir. Aleksandr Buravsky
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Mira Sorvino, Armin Mueller-Stahl
A soaring, action–packed journey of heroism and sacrifice as one crusading journalist desperately fights to uncover the horrors buried within…
BetrayalBetrayal (2009)
Dir. Hakon Gunderson
Feat. Lene Nystrøm, Götz Otto, Kåre Conradi
Deceit and opportunism are the currencies traded in this passable wartime thriller, recommended for fans of MAX MANUS. Lene Nystrøm (of 90’s pop…
Inglourious BasterdsInglourious Basterds (Inglorious Bastards) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Quentin Tarantino
Feat. Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Eli Roth
A cocky, revisionist war epic channeling spaghetti westerns and the Dirty Dozen, Quentin Tarantino’s long–time pet project is perhaps his…
DefianceDefiance (2008)
Dir. Edward Zwick
Feat. Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell
Edward Zwick (GLORY) delivers big, earnest moments in this true story of four brothers who launch an all–Jewish resistance against the Nazis…
Female AgentsFemale Agents (Les femmes de l'ombre) (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jean-Paul Salome
Feat. Sophie Marceau, Julie Depardieu, Marie Gillain
Substantial, exciting WWII espionage thriller following an all–female commando unit of the French Resistance recruited to rescue a British…
Max Manus: Man of WarMax Manus: Man of War (2008) Recommended
Dir. Joachim Roenning, Espen Sandberg
Feat. Aksel Hennie, Agnes Kittelsen, Nicolai Cleve Broch
Rousing wartime actioner chronicles the exploits of irrepressible Norwegian resistance hero Max Manus, whose sabotaging of the Nazi’s stampede…
Miracle at St. AnnaMiracle at St. Anna (2008)
Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Derek Luke, John Turturro, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
A messily formed, though nonetheless vital piece of corrective history, with Spike Lee directing this recreation of the feats of the…
Rambo: ReloadedRambo: Reloaded (2008)
Dir. Sylvester Stallone
Feat. Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz, Matthew Marsden
Rambunctious, ultra–violent Sylvester Stallone–directed actioner sees Sly reprising his ammo–strapped role (this time in…
Red Baron, TheRed Baron, The (Der rote Baron) (2008)
Dir. Nikolai Müllerschön
Feat. Maxim Mehmet, Til Schweiger, Joseph Fiennes
Biographical melodrama focused around Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the celebrated showboating WW1 pilot. Thrilling airborne set–pieces make up…
Tropic Thunder Tropic Thunder (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ben Stiller
Feat. Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jnr., Jack Black
Ferociously funny action comedy from actor–director Ben Stiller, following a group of pretentious actors on a mission to create the biggest…
Tunnel RatsTunnel Rats (2008)
Dir. Uwe Boll
Feat. Wilson Bethel, Michael Pare, Mitch Eakins
Inept Vietnam War pic with U.S Special Forces sent into an elaborate underground maze to kill the Vietcong. By consensus this is Boll's "best"…
AssemblyAssembly (2007)
Dir. Feng Xiaoning
Feat. Hanyu Zhang
Searing Chinese war drama set during the country's last days of Civil war, in which a courageous army captain fights tooth and nail to stave off a…
Black Belt Black Belt (Kuro-obi) (2007)
Dir. Shunichi Nagasaki
Feat. Akihito Yagi, Tatsuya Naka
Defence meets attack in this measured martial arts drama set in 1930s Japan, in which two karate experts (played by real–life karate pros) take…
Hunting Party, TheHunting Party, The (2007)
Dir. Richard Shepard
Feat. Richard Gere, Terrence Howard, James Brolin
Action–packed serio–comic political thriller in the spirit of THREE KINGS centres on the shaggy dog story of an intrepid trio of…
Last Legion, TheLast Legion, The (2007)
Dir. Doug Lefler
Feat. Colin Firth, Ben Kingsley, Aishwarya Rai
CGI fantasy dramatising the plight of Rome's last emperor, the child Romulus Augustus, and his protectors – Firth, Kingsley, and Bollywood star…
Mark of Cain, TheMark of Cain, The (2007)
Dir. Marc Munden
Feat. Leo Gregory, Matthew McNulty, Gerard Kearns
Based on real first–person accounts, this fictional British war drama explores the effects of the Iraq conflict on two young soldiers who can…
MongolMongol (2007) Recommended
Dir. Sergei Bodrov
Feat. Tadanobu Asano
A fiercely–mounted early history of Genghis Khan, from the Mongol leader’s childhood years through to his all–conquering warpath across…
300300 (2006)
Dir. Zack Snyder
Feat. Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Dominic West
Brawny, unapologetic war mongering from the imagination of Frank Miller (SIN CITY), this ancient warrior epic indulges heavily in CGI effects and a…
Above and Beyond (TV Mini-Series) Above and Beyond (TV Mini-Series) (2006)
Dir. Sturla Gunnarsson
Feat. Jason Priestley, Joss Ackland, Kenneth Welsh
Commendable mini–series based on the true story of the Atlantic Ferry Operation in WW2 – a last–ditch aerial attack from Canada's…
Black BookBlack Book (Zwartboek) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Paul Verhoeven
Feat. Carice Van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman
A Jewish singer goes deep undercover for the Dutch resistance in this splashy, larger–than–life WWII yarn set in Nazi–occupied…
FlyboysFlyboys (2006)
Dir. Tony Bill
Feat. James Franco, Martin Henderson, Jean Reno
Soaring, occasionally hokey aviation adventure recalling the true–life exploits of the Lafayette Escadrille, a French fighter squadron patched…
Rescue DawnRescue Dawn (2006) Aro Favourite
Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies
In dramatizing the unforgettable true story of Dieter Dengler – heroic subject matter of doco LITTLE DIETER NEEDS TO FLY – Werner Herzog…
Great Raid, TheGreat Raid, The (2005)
Dir. John Dahl
Feat. Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, Connie Nielsen
Forthright retell of one of WWII's most daring missions, where a group of US Army Rangers plotted to rescue 511 American POWs from a Japanese prison…
KokodaKokoda (2005)
Dir. Alister Grierson
Feat. Jack Finsterer, Simon Stone, Travis McMahon
Visceral, against–the–odds WWII flick revisits the legendary story of inexperienced Aussie battlers taking on the mighty Japanese army in…
Last Drop, TheLast Drop, The (2005)
Dir. Colin Teague
Feat. Billy Zane, Michael Madsen, Sean Pertwee
Competent, if not exactly scintillating, suspenser in which a group of allied soldiers are airdropped into Europe to steal gold and other treasures…
Lord Of WarLord Of War (2005)
Dir. Andrew Niccol
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Jared Leto, Bridget Moynahan
A thoughtful though heavy–handed thriller about an intelligently amoral Ukrainian–American (Cage), who dedicates himself to the world…
Over There (TV Series)Over There (TV Series) (2005)
Feat. Josh Henderson, Luke MacFarlane, Erik Palladino
Demanding Iraqi War excursion from Steven Bochco (NYPD BLUE) focuses on a US army unit’s dispatch to Iraq. Light on politics, this nevertheless…
Brotherhood of WarBrotherhood of War (Tae Guk Gi) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Kang Je-Gyu
Feat. Jang Dong-Gun, Won Bin, Lee Eun-Joo
Deemed as one of the most graphic and violent war films ever made, this tells the story of two South Korean brothers (Bin and Dong–Gun) who…
Ike: Countdown to D-DayIke: Countdown to D-Day (2004)
Dir. Robert Harmon
Feat. Tom Selleck, James Remar, Timothy Bottoms
Historical war dramatization of the three months leading up to Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy, and how General Dwight Eisenhower…
TroyTroy (2004)
Dir. Wolfgang Petersen
Feat. Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom
Homer's epic is cranked up to full fury in this Hollywood CGI–ed adaptation, depicting the seige of Troy by the vengeful Greek army and the…
Master and Commander - The Far Side of the WorldMaster and Commander - The Far Side of the World (2003) Recommended
Dir. Peter Weir
Feat. Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, James D'Arcy
Vivid sea–chase yarn, set during the Napoleonic Wars, with Crowe commanding the screen as the sympathetic captain of a British frigate…
Napoleon (TV Mini-series)Napoleon (TV Mini-series) (2003)
Dir. Yves Simoneau
Feat. Christian Clavier, Gerard Depardieu, John Malkovich
A handsomely staged French (though English language) production of the life of Napoleon Bonaparte (Clavier) from his youthful antics, military…
Four Feathers, TheFour Feathers, The (2002)
Dir. Shekhar Kapur
Feat. Heath Ledger, Wes Bentley, Kate Hudson
The British Army copes with an uprising in Sudan in 1875, while one officer must redeem himself from a charge of cowardice – which earned him…
Gods and GeneralsGods and Generals (2002)
Dir. Ronald F. Maxwell
Feat. Jeff Daniels, Stephen Lang, Robert Duvall
Prequel to GETTYSBURG, this American Civil War drama follows the career of Confederate general 'Stonewall' Jackson. Filled with the same epic…
K19 - WidowmakerK19 - Widowmaker (2002)
Dir. Kathryn Bigelow
Feat. Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson
Solid actioner revisits the long–censored account of a Russian super–submarine which had a disastrous reactor meltdown…
We Were SoldiersWe Were Soldiers (2002) Recommended
Dir. Randall Wallace
Feat. Mel Gibson, Greg Kinnear, Chris Klein
Big–budget, lavish re–enactment of America’s curtain–raiser in the Vietnam War, the fierce battle of la Drang, with an…
WindtalkersWindtalkers (2002)
Dir. John Woo
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Christian Slater, Adam Beach
Based on a little–known chapter of WWII – the use by the US army of Navajo Indians for their ‘unbreakable’ language to help…
Band of Brothers (TV Series)Band of Brothers (TV Series) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Phil Alden Robinson, Richard Loncraine, Mikael Salomon
Feat. David Schwimmer, Ron Livingston
The brainchild of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, this excellently–produced WWII mini–series follows the fortunes of ‘Easy Company’,…
Behind Enemy LinesBehind Enemy Lines (2001)
Dir. Jason Moore
Feat. Owen Wilson, Gene Hackman
Beyond–credibility gungho actioner which has fighter–pilot Owen Wilson shot down over Bosnia because he’s witnessed a Serb…
Black Hawk DownBlack Hawk Down (2001) Recommended
Dir. Ridley Scott
Feat. Sam Shepard, Ewan McGregor, Josh Hartnett
Intense, eardrum–battering re–enactment of a street–battle during the US campaign in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993, painting the…
Enemy at the GatesEnemy at the Gates (2001) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud
Feat. Jude Law, Ed Harris, Rachel Weisz
A big–budget recreation of the crucial WWII battle of Stalingrad, in which Germans and Russians fought it out till there was a toll of over 1…
Pearl HarbourPearl Harbour (2001)
Dir. Michael Bay
Feat. Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, Josh Hartnett
Overblown, but technically impressive rendition of the 1941 Japanese surprise–attack on Pearl Harbour in which a sizable proportion of the US…
TigerlandTigerland (2001)
Dir. Joel Schumacher
Feat. Colin Farrell, Clifton Collins Jr., Matthew Davis
The dir. of recent Hollywood gloss forsakes stars for a gritty, admired character piece set in a Vietnam War–bootcamp in Louisiana, 1971.…
UprisingUprising (2001)
Dir. Jon Avnet
Feat. Leelee Sobieski, Hank Azaria, David Schwimmer
An above–par telemovie that depicts the clearing of the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII by the Nazis. Treading similiar territory to SCHINDLER'S…
Patriot, ThePatriot, The (2000)
Dir. Roland Emmerich
Feat. Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson
Mel Gibson transplants the patriotic, anti–English fervour of BRAVEHEART into an American Revolutionary setting, playing real–life…
Rules of EngagementRules of Engagement (2000)
Dir. William Friedkin
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson, Tommy Lee Jones, Guy Pearce
Colonel Samuel L. Jackson interprets the 'rules' when the US Embassy in Yemen is attacked by terrorists. But after the smoke has cleared 83…
U-571U-571 (2000)
Dir. Jonathan Mostow
Feat. Matthew McConaughey, Harvey Keitel, Bill Paxton
World War 2: Matthew McConaughey and his submarine crew snatch a vital German spy machine, then find themselves trapped on a U–boat where all…
Crossing, TheCrossing, The (1999)
Dir. Robert Harmon
Feat. Jeff Daniels, Roger Rees, Sebastian Roche
Acclaimed telemovie recreation of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware during the American War of Independence. Jeff Daniels lives up to the…
Emperor and the Assassin, TheEmperor and the Assassin, The (Jing Ke Ci Qin Wang) (1999)
Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Gong Li, Zhang Fenyi
Vast, gilded historical spectacle set in the 3rd Century BC, centred on China's legendary first Qin emperor's struggle to consolidate a unified…
Three KingsThree Kings (1999) Aro Favourite
Dir. David O. Russell
Feat. George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice-Cube
A refreshingly irreverent view of the US Military translated into a box–office hit for this unpredictable black–comedy that puts a…
Trench, TheTrench, The (1999)
Dir. William Boyd
Feat. Paul Nicholls, Daniel Craig, Danny Dyer
WWI film set in the 48 hours leading up to the Battle of the Somme, in which the British Army lost the greatest number of soldiers in a single day of…
Hornblower (TV Series)Hornblower (TV Series) (1998-2003)
Feat. Ioan Gruffudd
Lavish, high–end production of C. S. Forester's legendary Horatio Hornblower, with Ioan Gruffudd staunchly portraying the British Naval…
Saving Private RyanSaving Private Ryan (1998) Recommended
Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns
Tom Hanks commands a squad assigned to retrieving a single man from behind German lines in WWII France. With 'sacrifice' the key theme,…
SoldierSoldier (1998)
Dir. Paul Anderson
Feat. Kurt Russell, Gary Busey, Jason Scott Lee
Military sci–fi adventure wherein Kurt Russell utters terse words as an out–moded fighting machine grasping at a few straws of humanity…
Thin Red Line, TheThin Red Line, The (1998) Aro Favourite
Dir. Terrence Malick
Feat. Nick Nolte, Sean Penn, Elias Koteas
A studiously arthouse rendition of WWII, isolating a crucial battle of the Pacific campaign (Guadacanal) as a minutely observed microcosm of humanity…
GI JaneGI Jane (1997)
Dir. Ridley Scott
Feat. Demi Moore, Viggo Mortensen, Anne Bancroft
A staunch, suede–headed Demi Moore is enlisted in a US Army commando squad in a call for equal–opportunity by stylist dir. Ridley Scott. …
Andersonville (TV Mini-series)Andersonville (TV Mini-series) (1996)
Dir. John Frankenheimer
Feat. Frederic Forrest, Ted Marcoux, Jarrod Emick
TV western set during the American Civil War, about a group of Union soldiers who are sent to a Confederate prison camp near Andersonville, Georgia…
Blade, TheBlade, The (1996)
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Xin Xin Xiong, Moses Chan, Man Cheuk Chiu
Honour and retribution are the key themes in this densely–plotted, straight–faced actioner set in a mythic–historical setting.…
GettysburgGettysburg (1993)
Dir. Ronald F. Maxwell
Feat. Jeff Daniels, Tom Berenger, Martin Sheen
A truly epic screen version of the three–day American Civil War battle of 1863. The director's decade–long obsession is rich in military…
StalingradStalingrad (1992) Recommended
Dir. Joseph Vilsmaier
Feat. Dominique Horwitz, Thomas Kretschmann, Jochen Nickel
Superlative evocation of WW2 tragedy from a German perspective. A unit of soldiers are posted to the front line in the merciless Russian winter to…
Bullet in the HeadBullet in the Head (1990) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Woo
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Jacky Cheung, Waise Lee
John Woo's indictment of war as raw and visceral as its title. Three friends flee Hong Kong and find themselves knee deep in the corruption and…
Fourth War, TheFourth War, The (1990)
Dir. John Frankenheimer
Feat. Roy Scheider, Jurgen Prochnow, Harry Dean Stanton
Cold War thriller set during the early days of detente has Scheider and Prochnow as two border commanders whose friendly rivalry on the…
Memphis BelleMemphis Belle (1990)
Dir. Michael Caton-Jones
Feat. Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz, Tate Donovan
A likeable modern war drama with a well–known, fresh–faced male cast who make up the crew of the title B–17 bomber about to…
Night of the Fox (TV Mini-series)Night of the Fox (TV Mini-series) (1990)
Dir. Charles Jarrott
Feat. Michael York, George Peppard, Deborah Raffin
An American officer is captured on German soil during WWII and a daring plot is hatched by the allies to rescue him. based on the novel by Jack…
Born On the Fourth of JulyBorn On the Fourth of July (1989)
Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise gives an exhilarating performance as Ron Kovic, the teenage patriot who became an embittered, paralysed Vietnam vet, to finally emerge as…
Casualties of WarCasualties of War (1989)
Dir. Brian De Palma
Feat. Sean Penn, Michael J. Fox, John Leguizamo
A squad of soldiers become caught in the moral dilemma of wartime Vietnam. Platoon leader Sean Penn goes beyond the call of duty while Michael J.…
Farewell to the KingFarewell to the King (1989)
Dir. John Milius
Feat. Nick Nolte, Nigel Havers, Frank McRae
Half–successful attempt to fashion a mythic tale from the Japanese invasion of Borneo in WW2, with a US Army deserter (Nolte) and a British…
GloryGlory (1989)
Dir. Edward Zwick
Feat. Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick, Cary Elwes
Time and place is perfectly re–created in this moving account of the plight of Negro soldiers during the American civil war. 
Bat 21Bat 21 (1988)
Dir. Peter Markle
Feat. Gene Hackman, Danny Glover, Jerry Reed
Gene Hackman is shot down over enemy lines deep in war–torn Vietnam; Danny Glover is the Air Force pilot charged with saving his skin. Expect…
Beast, TheBeast, The (the Beast Of War) (1988)
Dir. Kevin Reynolds
Feat. George Dzundza, Jason Patric, Stephen Baldwin
Laying aside the usual sympathies, this American war–drama pursues a tense running–battle between a Soviet tank–crew and Afghani…
Rambo 3Rambo 3 (1988)
Dir. Peter MacDonald
Feat. Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna
The belated finale to the RAMBO series sees the human battletank John Rambo (Stallone) dropped into Afghanistan to rescue his mentor (Crenna). In…
Escape From SobiborEscape From Sobibor (1987)
Dir. Jack Gold
Feat. Rutger Hauer, Alan Arkin, Joanna Pacula
An unsettling and chilling account of an attempt by Jews to escape the Sobibor concentration camp in Eastern Poland in 1944. Originally made for…
Full Metal JacketFull Metal Jacket (1987) Recommended
Dir. Stanley Kubrick
Feat. Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onofrio
Disturbing account of the recruitment, training and combat of young Americans in Vietnam. A powerful indictment of the senselessness of war, superbly…
Hamburger HillHamburger Hill (1987)
Dir. John Irvin
Feat. Anthony Barrile, Don Cheadle, Courtney B. Vance
Matter–of–fact depiction of a particularly costly battle of the Vietnam War, in which US troops repeatedly tried to capture 'Hill 937' in…
Lighthorsemen, TheLighthorsemen, The (1987)
Dir. Simon Wincer
Feat. Peter Phelps, Jon Blake, Sigrid Thornton
Gung–ho and melodrama collide in this WWI adventure of Australian–mounted infantry (and a few Gallipoli veterans) in Palestine. The tone…
PlatoonPlatoon (1986) Recommended
Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen
This film won the Best Picture Oscar for its compelling and sincere account of the Vietnam, also ushering the era of 1980s film reappraisals of the…
Rambo 2Rambo 2 (1985)
Dir. George Pan Cosmatos
Feat. Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Charles Napier
Iconic actioner in which traumatised commando John Rambo (Stallone) returns to Vietnam to rescue imprisoned G.I.s. Simplistic and violent, but a key…
Missing in ActionMissing in Action (1984)
Dir. Joseph Zito
Feat. Chuck Norris, M. Emmet Walsh
Simplistic but iconic 80s actioner, with Norris as a RAMBO–figure, a Vietnam Vet who returns to liberate POWs from their jungle hellholes.…
Red DawnRed Dawn (1984)
Dir. John Milius
Feat. Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Harry Dean Stanton
Playing out the US fear/fantasy of Commie invasion, this sees a high–school football team (led by Patrick Swayze) make for the hills and wage…
Hong Kong 1941Hong Kong 1941 (Dang doi lai ming) (1983)
Dir. Po-Chi Leong
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Alex Man, Kien Shih
One of Chow Yun–Fat's early classics, this portrays the disturbing invasion of Hong Kong by the Japanese in 1941, which disrupts the dreams and…
Uncommon ValorUncommon Valor (1983)
Dir. Ted Kotcheff
Feat. Gene Hackman, Fred Ward, Reb Brown
Gene Hackman plays an American marine who believes his son is still being held in Laos in the aftermath of The Vietnam War. From the director of the…
Under FireUnder Fire (1983) Recommended
Dir. Roger Spottiswoode
Feat. Nick Nolte, Joanna Cassidy, Gene Hackman
A sterling drama concerning journalistic ethics in the mire of the Nicaraguan civil war. Nick Nolte is a photographer who is tempted into taking…
1915 (TV Mini-series)1915 (TV Mini-series) (1982)
Feat. Scott Burgess, Scott McGregor, Lorraine Bayly
A solid recreation of the Great War era, this TV mini–series charts the experiences of several young men leaving the home–front in…
Attack Force ZAttack Force Z (1982)
Dir. Tim Burstall
Feat. Mel Gibson, Sam Neill, Chris Haywood
Manly, gung–ho war vehicle stars fresh–faced Australasians Mel Gibson and Sam Neill as commandos dispatched to rescue survivors of a…
Das BootDas Boot (The Boat) (1981) Aro Favourite
Dir. Wolfgang Petersen
Feat. Jurgen Prochnow
Nail biting, meticulous and realistic account of a German U–boat's prowlings through the North Atlantic. The most expensive German film to…
VictoryVictory (Escape to Victory) (1981) Recommended
Dir. John Huston
Feat. Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, Max von Sydow
Implausible yet jolly entertaining WWII story has a soccer team of assorted POWs attempting to escape a Paris stadium during a match against the Nazi…
Big Red One, TheBig Red One, The (1980) Recommended
Dir. Samuel Fuller
Feat. Lee Marvin
The best role in years for Lee Marvin, who plays the intrepid squadron leader of director Sam Fuller's WWII memoirs. Distinctive war film is…
Dogs of War, TheDogs of War, The (1980)
Dir. John Irvin
Feat. Christopher Walken, Colin Blakely, Tom Berenger
Frederick Forsyth's best–seller gets reasonably good treatment here, Christopher Walken playing a hard bastard mercenary hired by Big Business…
KagemushaKagemusha (1980)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kenichi Hagiwara
A majestic 16th century saga about a petty thief who ascends to tribal leadership on account of his resemblance to a dying warlord. Shared the top…
Lion of the DesertLion of the Desert (1980)
Dir. Moustapha Akkad
Feat. Anthony Quinn, Oliver Reed, John Gielgud
An epic account of the 'David and Goliath' battle on the Libyan desert between Mussolini's all–powerful army and the Bedouin, circa 1930. 
Sea Wolves, TheSea Wolves, The (1980)
Dir. Andrew McLagen
Feat. Gregory Peck, Roger Moore, David Niven
Salty War drama based on a real covert mission during World War II in which a group of middle–aged civilian ex–soldiers are sent by the…
Apocalypse NowApocalypse Now (1979) Aro Favourite
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall
A harrowing account of a soldier's hazardous river journey, his mission to assasinate a renegade colonel who has gone mad in the depths of the…
Apocalypse Now ReduxApocalypse Now Redux (1979) Aro Favourite
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall
Twenty years after its release, dir. Coppola’s expressionist epic of the Vietnam War, is ‘healed’ (redux in Latin) by the re–inclusion of…
From Hell to VictoryFrom Hell to Victory (1979)
Dir. Umberto Lenzi
Feat. George Peppard, George Hamilton, Horst Buchholz
Italian exploitation hack Umberto Lenzi directs this serviceable WWII epic, about six friends who vow to reunite despite going their separate ways…
G.I. SamuraiG.I. Samurai (Sengoku jieitai; Time Slip) (1979)
Dir. Mitsumasa Saito
Feat. Sonny Chiba, Jun Eto
A squadron of Japanese soldiers, together with their weaponry, helicopter and gunboat, are accidentally caught in a 'time slip' and transported back…
Boys in Company C, TheBoys in Company C, The (1978)
Dir. Sidney J. Furie
Feat. Stan Shaw, Andrew Stevens, R. Lee Ermey
A rugged and absurdist action film about young soldiers scarred by the horrors and blunders of war. Faintly critical of America’s involvement, this…
Deer Hunter, TheDeer Hunter, The (1978) Recommended
Dir. Michael Cimino
Feat. Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep
A grimly realistic portrait of how the atrocities of the Vietnam war have an effect on a group of friends. Robert De Niro heads a virtuoso cast in…
Wild Geese, TheWild Geese, The (1978)
Dir. Andrew McLagen
Feat. Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris
Trashily entertaining adventure yarn has a gaggle of middle–aged mercenaries drawn into a rescue job for a kidnapped politician in deepest…
Bridge Too Far, ABridge Too Far, A (1977)
Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, Robert Redford, Sean Connery
Perhaps a battle–scene too far for some, but for afficiandos this epic account of an abortive Allied invasion of Holland is sure to provide…
Cross of IronCross of Iron (1977) Recommended
Dir. Sam Peckinpah
Feat. James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason
A doomed German platoon facing annihilation at Russian hands find their instinct for personal glory greater than their instinct for…
Eagle Has Landed, TheEagle Has Landed, The (1977)
Dir. John Sturges
Feat. Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall
German commandos plot to assasinate Winston Churchill in this suspenseful thriller, apparently based on fact. Michael Caine, strangely plausible as a…
Last Remake of Beau Geste, TheLast Remake of Beau Geste, The (1977)
Dir. Marty Feldman
Feat. Marty Feldman, Michael York, Ann-Margret
Marty Feldman directs and co–writes this star–studded satire loosely based on the novel Beau Geste, a frequently–filmed story of…
MacArthurMacArthur (1977)
Dir. Joseph Sargent
Feat. Gregory Peck
A well–mounted political biography of the WW2 General during the Pacific wars.
Battle of MidwayBattle of Midway (1976)
Dir. John Smight
Feat. Henry Fonda, Charlton Heston
A large–scale re–enactment of this decisive WWII naval battle. A huge all–star cast, scrap it out.
Conduct UnbecomingConduct Unbecoming (1975)
Dir. Michael Anderson
Feat. Michael York, Richard Attenborough, Trevor Howard
Well–made, though somewhat old–fashioned version of Barry England's play about misbehaviour among the British Army in India. The stars…
A Fistful of DynamiteA Fistful of Dynamite (Duck, You Sucker!) (1971) Recommended
Dir. Sergio Leone
Feat. Rod Steiger, James Coburn, Romolo Valli
Leone’s final spaghetti–western is a sprawling adventure set in the Mexican revolution, with fistfuls of action and comedy aplenty to rival…
Last Valley, TheLast Valley, The (1971)
Dir. James Clavell
Feat. Michael Caine, Omar Sharif, Brian Blessed
Epically framed, though a little ponderous, this action vehicle for Michael Caine is set in the final decade of the 17th century 'Thirty Years War'.…
Murphy's WarMurphy's War (1971)
Dir. Peter Yates
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Sian Phillips, Philippe Noiret
Shipwrecked off the coast of Venezuala by a U–Boat near the end of WWII, Peter O'Toole decides to recuperate a derelict seaplane and mount a…
Raid on Rommel (1971)
Dir. Henry Hathaway
Feat. Richard Burton, John Colicos, Wolfgang Preiss
In 1942 Libya, a German–speaking British Intelligence officer uses former British POWs, some dressed in German uniforms, to fulfill a secret…
McKenzie Break, TheMcKenzie Break, The (Escape) (1970) Recommended
Dir. Lamont Johnson
Feat. Brian Keith, Helmut Griem, Ian Hendry
Mostly engrossing, and certainly unusual and authentic, this is a WWII POW escape yarn with a difference – here, it's Germans attempting to…
Too Late The HeroToo Late The Hero (Suicide Run) (1970)
Dir. Robert Aldrich
Feat. Michael Caine, Cliff Robertson, Ian Bannen
An impressive WW2 actioner from one of the experts, dir. Aldrich (ATTACK) investing a dangerous mission in the Pacific with a certain moral…
Battle of BritainBattle of Britain (1969)
Dir. Guy Hamilton
Feat. Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier, Trevor Howard
Michael Caine and Laurence Olivier head an ensemble cast of British old boys for this extravagant re–enactment of the famous aerial battle that…
Bridge at Remagen, TheBridge at Remagen, The (1969)
Dir. John Guillermin
Feat. George Segal, Robert Vaughn, Ben Gazzara
One of the tougher, smaller 60s Hollywood depictions of war in a period otherwise dominated by epic clunkers. In the later stages of WW2, George…
Probability Zero (1969)
Dir. Maurizio Lucidi
Feat. Henry Silva
AnzioAnzio (1968)
Dir. Edward Dmytryk, Duilio Coletti
Feat. Robert Mitchum, Peter Falk, Arthur Kennedy
Robert Mitchum and Peter Falk lead an international cast for this ropey war epic – an Italian–American co–production about…
Charge of the Light BrigadeCharge of the Light Brigade (1968)
Dir. Tony Richardson
Feat. Trevor Howard, John Gielgud, David Hemmings
Updated version of the Mid–Victorian battle made in the sardonic spirit of the swinging sixties. Trevor Howard, John Gielgud and David Hemmings…
Devil's Brigade, TheDevil's Brigade, The (1968)
Dir. Andrew V. McLaglen
Feat. William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards
Efficient actioner with an American colonel tasked with creating a special forces unit from Canadian troops and a ragtag group of American misfits.
Play DirtyPlay Dirty (1968)
Dir. Andre De Toth
Feat. Michael Caine, Nigel Davenport, Nigel Green
During the Desert War in North Africa, a group of British commandos disguised in Italian soldiers must travel behind enemy lines and destroy a vital…
Villa RidesVilla Rides (1968)
Dir. Buzz Kulik
Feat. Yul Brynner, Robert Mitchum, Herbert Lom
Violent western set during the Mexican revolution, with Robert Mitchum playing a corrupt Texas gunrunner and pilot who joins Pancho Villa (Yul…
Dirty Dozen, TheDirty Dozen, The (1967) Recommended
Dir. Robert Aldrich
Feat. Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson
A group of hardened criminals redeem themselves when recruited for a suicide mission during World War 2. An exciting adventure classic.
Night of the Generals, TheNight of the Generals, The (1967)
Dir. Anatole Litvak
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Tom Courtenay
WWII crime thriller concerning the prolonged investigation of the murder of a Polish prostitute and German agent that implicates three generals, and…
Blue Max, TheBlue Max, The (1966)
Dir. John Guillermin
Feat. George Peppard, Anton Diffring, James Mason
Impressively staged, this WW1 actioner concerns the career of ace German combat pilot Bruno Stachel (Peppard). Although the human drama is fairly…
Is Paris Burning?Is Paris Burning? (Paris brûle-t-il?) (1966)
Dir. Rene Clement
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Charles Boyer, Leslie Caron
An international cast grace this lengthy war drama, set in 1944 Paris as the retreating Germans prepared to burn the city to the ground on Hitler's…
TobrukTobruk (1966)
Dir. Arthur Hiller
Feat. Rock Hudson, George Peppard, Guy Stockwell
This WW2 desert actioner is about the activities of the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), who ran commando raids against Rommel and his Afrika…
Triple CrossTriple Cross (1966)
Dir. Terence Young
Feat. Christopher Plummer, Romy Schneider, Trevor Howard
Minor curio concerns the real–life adventures of English safe–cracker Eddie Chapman (Plummer) who was in prison on Jersey when the Nazis…
Battle of the BulgeBattle of the Bulge (1965)
Dir. Ken Annakin
Feat. Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw, Robert Ryan
Admirable and far from simplistic recreation of the Nazi's WW2 counter–offensive in the Ardennes in 1944, which led to a series of bitter…
Cast a Giant ShadowCast a Giant Shadow (1965)
Dir. Melville Shavelson
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Senta Berger, Angie Dickinson
Spectacular epic concerning the Israeli War of Independence in 1947–8, that like EXODUS somewhat romanticises events. Weaves a romance around…
Heroes of Telemark, TheHeroes of Telemark, The (1965)
Dir. Anthony Mann
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Richard Harris, Ulla Jacobsson
Douglas and Harris are bickering leaders of an allied attempt to destroy a Nazi atom–bomb factory in the snowy wastes of Norway. Predictably…
In Harm's WayIn Harm's Way (1965)
Dir. Otto Preminger
Feat. John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Patricia Neal
Epic and stately treatment of the aftermath of Japan's WW2 attack on Pearl Harbour, with Wayne playing a sidelined Admiral who tries to claw back…
MorituriMorituri (1965)
Dir. Bernhard Wicki
Feat. Marlon Brando, Yul Brynner, Trevor Howard
Unusual WW2 adventure features Brando as an anti–Nazi German who tries to persuade a German freighter plying the Pacific to defect to the…
Weekend at DunkirkWeekend at Dunkirk (1964)
Dir. Henri Verneuil
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Catherine Spaak, Georges Geret
The decimation of French and English troops who retreated to the coastal settlement of Dunkirk in 1940 is the sobering subject of this otherwise…
Great Escape, TheGreat Escape, The (1963) Recommended
Dir. John Sturges
Feat. Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough
McQueen heads a star–studded international cast in this superb drama based on a true account of an escape from a German POW camp by a group of…
Hell Is For HeroesHell Is For Heroes (1962) Recommended
Dir. Don Siegel
Feat. Steve McQueen, Bobby Darin, Fess Parker
An expertly written and delivered WWII adventure, where a small squad of US soldiers, headed by Steve McQueen, must hold off an advancing German…
War Lover, TheWar Lover, The (1962)
Dir. Philip Leacock
Feat. Steve McQueen, Robert Wagner, Shirley Anne Field
WW2 drama involving two Yankee pilots in England who form a deadly duo in the air, and two sides of a love triangle on the ground. Slow–moving,…
On the DoubleOn the Double (1961)
Dir. Melville Shavelson
Feat. Danny Kaye, Dana Wynter, Wilfrid Hyde-White
Zany action–comedy set during the Invasion of Normandy, where an American soldier and talented mimic (Danny Kaye) impersonates a British high…
Long and the Short and the Tall, TheLong and the Short and the Tall, The (1960)
Dir. Leslie Norman
Feat. Richard Todd, Laurence Harvey, Richard Harris
A taut WW2 drama, based on a stageplay, set around a dysfunctional British patrol caught out behind enemy lines in Burma. Hinging on the treatment…
Sink the BismarckSink the Bismarck (1960)
Dir. Lewis Gilbert
Feat. Kenneth More, Dana Wynter, Laurence Naismith
A no–nonsense depiction of the WW2 hunt by the British navy to destroy the German super–warship Bismarck. Conveying both the allied…
Hidden FortressHidden Fortress (1958)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune
Toshiro Mifune displays astounding skill with horse and sword as the ultimate warrior in this innovative amalgam of fairy–tale and Samurai…
Ice Cold In AlexIce Cold In Alex (1958) Recommended
Dir. J. Lee-Thompson
Feat. John Mills, Anthony Quayle
After a hurried retreat from the siege of Tobruk, a band of medics and nurses in an ambulance, attempt an arduous crossing of the Libyan Sahara…
Men in WarMen in War (1958)
Dir. Anthony Mann
Feat. Aldo Ray, Robert Ryan, Vic Morrow
Robert Ryan and Aldo Ray play the leaders of a small detachment of American soldiers cut off and desperately trying to rejoin their division over a…
China GateChina Gate (1957)
Dir. Samuel Fuller
Feat. Gene Barry, Angie Dickinson
In 1954, during the French Indochina War, an Eurasian female smuggler and a group of French Foreign Legion mercenaries, infiltrate the enemy…
Pride and the Passion, ThePride and the Passion, The (1957)
Dir. Stanley Kramer
Feat. Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Sophia Loren
A solemn epic set around Napoleon's campaign in Spain in the early 19th century – the cast doing their sincere best with a fairly passionless…
Throne of BloodThrone of Blood (1957)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Takashi Shimura
Kurosawa transposes MacBeth into a Samurai setting and the result justifies his reputation. Nothing short of an awesome spectacle Shakespeare himself…
D-Day - The Sixth of JuneD-Day - The Sixth of June (1956)
Dir. Henry Koster
Feat. Robert Taylor, Richard Todd, Edmond O'Brien
Well–executed enactment of the Normandy landings in WW2, with some extravagent action scenes and solid dramatics.
Battle CryBattle Cry (1955)
Dir. Raoul Walsh
Feat. Van Heflin, Raymond Massey, Aldo Ray
Entertaining WWII yarn concerning a squad of American marines romancing and training (in Paekakariki, New Zealand!) before heading off to action in…
Purple Plain, ThePurple Plain, The (1954)
Dir. Robert Parrish
Feat. Gregory Peck, Win Min Than, Bernard Lee
Strong psychological drama, shot in lush Technicolor, with Peck as a shell–shocked pilot stuck with wounded comrades behind enemy lines in the…
Malta StoryMalta Story (1953)
Dir. Brian Desmond Hurst
Feat. Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Anthony Steel
A taut wee adventure set among the special forces of the British Air Force defending the island of Malta during WW2. Real–life locations and a…
Angels One FiveAngels One Five (1952)
Dir. George More O'Ferrall
Feat. Jack Hawkins, Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray
British war film following the experience of a young fighter pilot in the Battle of Britain during WWII. Based on the book "What Are Your Angels…
MutinyMutiny (1952)
Dir. Edward Dmytryk
Feat. Angela Lansbury, Mark Stevens
Adventure movie set during the War of 1812, where a captain collecting a war loan of gold finds that his crew have plotted a mutiny to try to obtain…
Desert Fox, TheDesert Fox, The (1951)
Dir. Henry Hathaway
Feat. James Mason, Jessica Tandy, Sir Cedric Hardwicke
James Mason gives a definitive performance as Nazi General Rommel (which he repeated for THE DESERT RATS), whose troubles proved overwhelming despite…
Red Badge of Courage, TheRed Badge of Courage, The (1951) Recommended
Dir. John Huston
Feat. Audie Murphy, Royal Dano, Arthur Hunnicutt
A classic film version of the classic American Civil War novel by Stephen Crane, which depicts the line between courage and cowardice in the Yankee…
Halls of MontezumaHalls of Montezuma (1950)
Dir. Lewis Milestone
Feat. Richard Widmark, Jack Palance, Karl Malden
Unflashy and well–cast war film, that follows the US Marines into action on a Pacific island. Makes a fairly gung–ho contrast to dir.…
BattlegroundBattleground (1949)
Dir. William A. Wellman
Feat. Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban
A tough depiction of WW2 combat set among an American squad during the gruelling Battle of the Bulge, that stands as something of an early classic.…
Sands of Iwo JimaSands of Iwo Jima (1949)
Dir. Allan Dwan
Feat. John Wayne
Popular WWII saga with John Wayne as a tough Sarg, spurring his troops on in the Pacific.
13 Rue Madeleine13 Rue Madeleine (1947)
Dir. Henry Hathaway
Feat. James Cagney, Annabella, Richard Conte
A group of OSS operatives penetrate behind German lines in this rough–edged WWII thriller. Seeking a secret missile site, they must also…
Theirs is the GloryTheirs is the Glory (Men of Arnhem) (1946)
Dir. Brian Desmond Hurst
Feat. Stanley Maxted
British war movie depicting the 1st Airborne Division's involvement in the 1944 Battle of Arnhem, a battle which was also the subject of A BRIDGE TOO…
Henry VHenry V (1944) Recommended
Dir. Laurence Olivier
Feat. Laurence Olivier, Robert Newton, Leslie Banks
Brimming with zest, this Shakespeare adaption became an instant classic when released, featuring Laurence Olivier in full sail as the youthful…
Purple Heart, ThePurple Heart, The (1944)
Dir. Lewis Milestone
Feat. Dana Andrews, Richard Conte, Farley Granger
Watchable flag–waver from WW2 depicts the show trial of a crew of American airmen (led by Andrews) who are shot down over Tokyo in 1944. Has…
Rats of Tobruk, TheRats of Tobruk, The (The Fighting Rats of Tobruk) (1944)
Dir. Charles Chauvel
Feat. Chips Rafferty, Peter Finch
Aussie battler Chips Rafferty fight hard in the Battle of Rommel in this chest–thumping follow–up to FORTY THOUSAND HORSEMEN.
Guadalcanal DiaryGuadalcanal Diary (1943)
Dir. Lewis Seiler
Feat. Anthony Quinn, Lloyd Nolan, Preston Foster
Filmed just after US victory in the Solomon Islands during WW2, this standard issue war–film is a reasonably solid account of a grueling…
We Dive at DawnWe Dive at Dawn (1943)
Dir. Anthony Asquith
Feat. John Mills, Eric Portman, Niall MacGinnis
Sturdy WWII actioner has a British sub sent out to sink a heavily–armed Nazi battleship with the help of three German sailors, but getting into…
One of Our Aircraft is MissingOne of Our Aircraft is Missing (1942)
Dir. Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Feat. Eric Portman, Bernard Miles, Hugh Williams
Brisk war–thriller about how a six man British aircrew must find their way back to England across the Occupied Netherlands. Raised above the…
Forty Thousand HorsemenForty Thousand Horsemen (40,000 Horsemen) (1940)
Dir. Charles Chauvel
Feat. Chips Rafferty
This rollicking war romp depicts the deeds of the Australian Light Horse cavalry during WWI. Stars the archetypal Aussie bushman, Chips Rafferty.
Lives of a Bengal Lancer, TheLives of a Bengal Lancer, The (1935)
Dir. Henry Hathaway
Feat. Gary Cooper, Franchot Tone, Richard Cromwell
Set in India during the British Raj, this rousing literary adaptation follows a British regiment struggling to retain it's stronghold in the…
Hell's AngelsHell's Angels (1930) Recommended
Dir. Howard Hughes
Feat. James Hall, Jean Harlow, Ben Lyon
Still highly watchable, this early sound feature financed and 'directed' by the notorious Howard Hughes, boosts its melodramatic story of WWI heroics…

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