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Subgenre Sampler

 
Come See the ParadiseCome See the Paradise (1990)
Dir. Alan Parker
Feat. Dennis Quaid
An epic romance about a hot–headed unionist whose love affair with a Japanese American is torn apart when the state interns 100,000 Japanese…
Jeweller's Shop, TheJeweller's Shop, The (1989)
Dir. Michael Anderson
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Olivia Hussey, Ben Cross
Charming, low–key adaptation of a play by Pope John Paul the Second. Burt Lancaster in his last film role plays a jeweller in 1930's Poland…
Welcome HomeWelcome Home (1989)
Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Feat. Kris Kristofferson, JoBeth Williams, Sam Waterston
Fairly tepid post–Vietnam War drama has Kris Kristofferson play a pilot shot down over Cambodia and was rescued by a Khmer Rouge woman, whom he…
Good Morning, VietnamGood Morning, Vietnam (1987) Recommended
Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker
Robin Williams tour–de–force performance as an irreverant, rebel radio–jock stationed in Saigon during the Vietnam War. The funny…
Heartbreak RidgeHeartbreak Ridge (1986)
Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Clint Eastwood, Marsha Mason, Everett McGill
Eastwood stars as a rugged drill sergeant assigned to a platoon of raw recruits in order to whip them into shape. Lesser Eastwood effort is also…
EleniEleni (1985)
Dir. Peter Yates
Feat. John Malkovich, Kate Nelligan, Linda Hunt
John Malkovich plays a U.S. reporter in Greece trying to find the long–lost truth about his mother's political execution.
Mussolini and IMussolini and I (1985)
Dir. Alberto Negrin
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Anthony Hopkins, Susan Sarandon
The last days of Il Duce as embodied by Bob Hoskins in this strong Italian miniseries.
A Soldier's StoryA Soldier's Story (1984)
Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Howard Jr. Rollins, Adolph Caesar, Art Evans
In charge of an inquiry into the murder of a black sergeant on an army base in 1944, investigator Howard E Rollins Jnr uncovers a knot of racial…
BirdyBirdy (1984) Recommended
Dir. Alan Parker
Feat. Matthew Modine, Nicolas Cage
Matthew Modine and Nicolas Cage star in this complex yet compelling tale of a disturbed war veteran's descent into believing he is a bird. A bold and…
Killing Fields, TheKilling Fields, The (1984) Recommended
Dir. Roland Joffe
Feat. Sam Waterston, Haing S. Ngor, John Malkovich
Devastating and award–winning account of Pol Pot's regime in Cambodia.
Last Bastion, TheLast Bastion, The (1984)
Dir. Chris Thomson
Feat. Bill Hunter, Ray Barrett, Robert Vaughn
Australia's involvement in World War II is explored from behind closed doors in this dramatisation of the decisions made by politicians and generals…
Privates On ParadePrivates On Parade (1982)
Dir. Michael Blakemore
Feat. John Cleese
John Cleese stars in this perky adaptation of the play about a gay Song and Dance Unit of the Brtish army stationed in 1940s Singapore.
Sophie's ChoiceSophie's Choice (1982)
Dir. Alan J. Pakula
Feat. Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline
Master of many accents Meryl Streep won an Oscar for her role as a European refugee of the Nazi death–camps whose uneasy relationship with…
Private Schulz Private Schulz (1981)
Feat. Michael Elphick, Ian Richardson, Billie Whitelaw
Gleefully macabre farce focuses on the scheming titular character who convinces the Nazis to mass counterfeit millions of five pound notes in a bid…
Private BenjaminPrivate Benjamin (1980)
Dir. Howard Zieff
Feat. Goldie Hawn, Eileen Brennan, Armand Assante
Well–fashioned vehicle for Hawn's natural comic talents, she here plays a swanky socialite who joins the army on the spur of the…
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…
19411941 (1979)
Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Toshiro Mifune
The dir.’s only real commercial failure, this loose slapstick comedy, set in a Californian seaside town visited by a Japanese submarine in 1941,…
All Quiet on the Western Front  All Quiet on the Western Front (1979)
Dir. Delbert Mann
Feat. Ernest Borgnine, Richard Thomas, Donald Pleasence
While the 1930's film of Erich Maria Remarque's exceptional anti–war novel is undoubtedly a masterpiece, this later version should not be…
JunoonJunoon (1979)
Dir. Shyam Benegal
Feat. Shashi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah
Indian drama set during the 1857 War of Independence, where a feudal chieftain falls for an Anglo–Indian woman and encounters bitter opposition…
Testament of Youth (Mini-series)Testament of Youth (Mini-series) (1979)
Dir. Moira Armstrong
Feat. Cheryl Campbell, Peter Woodward, Emrys James
Sterling adaptation of Vera Brittain's memoir recounts her early years and lost loves admidst the turmoil of the first world war.
Go Tell the SpartansGo Tell the Spartans (1978)
Dir. Ted Post
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Craig Wasson, David Clennon
Set in the early stages of the conflict in Vietnam, Lancaster plays a Major who, with a small band of untested soldiers, is ordered to hold a small…
Holocaust (TV Mini-series)Holocaust (TV Mini-series) (1978) Aro Favourite
Dir. Marvin J. Chomsky
Feat. Meryl Streep, James Woods, Michael Moriaty
Captivating saga of a Jewish family shattered by the rise of the Nazis. One of the top–rating and best quality mini–series of the 1970s.
JuliaJulia (1977)
Dir. Fred Zinnemann
Feat. Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave, Jason Robards Jr.
Dramatising the 1930s memories of playwright Lillian Hellman (THE LITTLE FOXES), this Oscar–winning classic centres on the relationship between…
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…
Secret Army (TV Series)Secret Army (TV Series) (1977)
Feat. Bernard Hepton
This gripping – and unlike its comedy spoof successor ALLO' ALLO!, deadly serious – BBC dramatic series focused on the exploits of a…
Once an Eagle (TV Mini-Series)Once an Eagle (TV Mini-Series) (1976)
Feat. Sam Elliott, Glenn Ford, Amy Irving
Much lauded, epic mini–series spanning the tumultuous years from WWI to the Vietnam Era, about two Army officers whose vast personal…
When The Boat Comes In (TV Series)When The Boat Comes In (TV Series) (1976) Recommended
Feat. James Bolam, James Garbutt, Jean Heywood
'Northern' drama series set in a post–WW1 Britain, where Ex–Sergeant Jack Ford (Bolam) and his family must deal with the aftermath…
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…
QB VII (TV Mini-Series)QB VII (TV Mini-Series) (1974)
Dir. Tom Gries
Feat. Ben Gazzara, Anthony Hopkins, Leslie Caron
A multiple Emmy–winning adaptation of the novel by Leon Uris (best known for "Exodus") detailing the gripping court battle between a…
Adolf Hitler: My Part in His DownfallAdolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (1973)
Dir. Norman Cohen
Feat. Jim Dale, Arthur Lowe
Jim Dale plays a young Spike Milligan, then an aspiring jazz musician who in 1940 reluctantly obeys his call–up and joins the Royal Artillery…
Blockhouse, TheBlockhouse, The (1973)
Dir. Clive Rees
Feat. Peter Sellers, Charles Aznavour, Jeremy Kemp
A crafted, though minor serious role for Sellers as one of a number of slave–labourers at work on the Nazi's Normandy defence bunkers. On…
MASH (TV Series)MASH (TV Series) (M*A*S*H) (1972-1983)
Feat. Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, Loretta Swit
Long running and much loved TV Series loosely based on Robert Altman’s 1969 film set in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in the Korean…
Up the FrontUp the Front (1972)
Dir. Bob Kellett
Feat. Frankie Howerd, Bill Fraser, Hermione Baddeley
One of Frankie Howerd's bigscreen starring roles in a spinoff of the 'Up Pompeii' TV Series. Here he plays an WWII soldier who has invasion plans…
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…
Dad's Army The MovieDad's Army The Movie (1971)
Dir. Norman Cohen
Feat. Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn
The feature film is a coarser expansion of the characters and situations that endeared millions to the long–running TV show.
Johnny Got His GunJohnny Got His Gun (1971) Recommended
Dir. Dalton Trumbo
Feat. Timothy Bottoms, Marsha Hunt, Jason Robards Jr.
Excoriating anti–war statement based on the dir.'s own novel, concerns an ordinary infantryman in WW1 and his nightmare experiences. In 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…
Kelly's HeroesKelly's Heroes (1970)
Dir. Brian G. Hutton
Feat. Clint Eastwood, Donald Sutherland, Telly Savalas
Comic WWII yarn in which Clint Eastwood recruits a wildcat tank platoon to help rob a bank in German territory. Features one of Donald Sutherland's…
Last Grenade, TheLast Grenade, The (1970)
Dir. Gordon Flemyng
Feat. Sir Stanley Baker, Honor Blackman, Alex Cord
Slam–bang action pic with Baker and Cord as opposing mercenaries duking it out in exotic Hong Kong locales, shot in scope and with a…
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…
PattonPatton (1970) Recommended
Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Feat. George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Michael Bates
George C. Scott is unnervingly convincing as the real life WW2 General with whose military convictions were indeed unnerving. Co–written by…
Tora! Tora! Tora!Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)
Dir. Richard Fleischer
Feat. Martin Balsam, Soh Yamamura, Jason Robards Jr.
Elaborate account of events that led to the bombing of Pearl Harbour, told from both American and Japanese veiwpoints. Explosive finale.
WaterlooWaterloo (1970) Recommended
Dir. Sergei Bondarchuk
Feat. Rod Steiger, Christopher Plummer, Orson Welles
Napoleonic epic from the Russian director of WAR AND PEACE is dramatically woolly, but includes superb, sprawling battle–scenes. Rod Steiger…
Army of ShadowsArmy of Shadows (L'Armée des Ombres, aka Army in the Shadows) (1969) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
Feat. Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel
Melville’s heavyweight masterpiece – by turns sombre, exhilarating, and tension–filled – tackles the clandestine rearguard…
Castle KeepCastle Keep (1969)
Dir. Sydney Pollack
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Patrick O'Neal, Jean-Pierre Aumont
Anachronistic WWII film in which a ragtag squad of GI's, led by an eye–patched Burt Lancaster, hunker down in a medieval castle and try to halt…
Oh! What a Lovely WarOh! What a Lovely War (1969) Recommended
Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. John Rae, Corin Redgrave, Maurice Roeves
Powerful anti–war musical adapted from the play by Charles Chilton, which depicts the mass blunder of WWI through the experiences of the poor…
Probability Zero (1969)
Dir. Maurizio Lucidi
Feat. Henry Silva
Secret of Santa Vittoria, TheSecret of Santa Vittoria, The (1969)
Dir. Stanley Kramer
Feat. Anthony Quinn, Anna Magnani, Hardy Kruger
Bombastic war comedy with Quinn as a wine sodden local buffoon who through a number of contrivances becomes town mayor. When the townsfolk learn of a…
Virgin Soldiers, TheVirgin Soldiers, The (1969)
Dir. Norman Cohen
Feat. Lynn Redgrave, Hywel Bennett, Nigel Davenport
Comdey–drama following a squad of naive young British soldiers in 1950's Singapore who fall for the daughter of the Regimental Sergeant Major.
Where Eagles DareWhere Eagles Dare (1969) Recommended
Dir. Brian G. Hutton
Feat. Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood, Mary Ure
Exciting adaptation of Alistair MacLean's WW2 novel concerning British paratroopers rescue mission from an impregnable castle.
ZuluZulu (1969)
Dir. Cy Endfield
Feat. Sir Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson
Vivid historical epic about a British army post besieged by the Zulu hordes in 19th century South Africa. Half of the film is a blow by blow recount…
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…
Damned, TheDamned, The (1968)
Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, Ingrid Thulin, Helmut Berger
Italian dir. Luchino Visconti casts a languorous eye over the decline of a German industrialist family during the Nazi era. Heavyweight cast includes…
Green Berets, TheGreen Berets, The (1968)
Dir. Ray Kellogg, John Wayne
Feat. John Wayne, David Janssen, Jim Hutton
Notoriously jingoistic blockbuster designed to drum up support for America's invasion of Vietnam. The Duke leads two ace fighting teams into battle…
Hell in the PacificHell in the Pacific (1968) Recommended
Dir. John Boorman
Feat. Lee Marvin, Toshiro Mifune
American GI Lee Marvin encounters lone Japanese soldier Toshiro Mifune on a remote Pacific island. A series of tense confrontations unfolds, expertly…
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…
How I Won the WarHow I Won the War (1967)
Dir. Richard Lester
Feat. John Lennon, Michael Crawford
John Lennon and Michael Crawford do service in this black satire on military lunacy.
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…
Guerre Est Finie, LaGuerre Est Finie, La (1966)
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Yves Montand, Ingrid Thulin, Genevieve Bujold
(The War is Over). Deeply romantic film in which Spanish Civil War refugee Yves Montand tries in vain to keep alive the memory of his struggle.
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…
KhartoumKhartoum (1966)
Dir. Basil Dearden
Feat. Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, Charlton Heston
Lavishly mounted biopic of General Gordon's defeat by Arab tribesmen in 1833.
Lost CommandLost Command (1966)
Dir. Mark Robson
Feat. Anthony Quinn, Alain Delon, George Segal
Atypical war movie follows Anthony Quinn's realpoliticking officer through French colonial defeats from Dien Bien Phu to Algeria. Tough action film…
PatriotismPatriotism (Yûkoku) (1966)
Dir. Yukio Mishima
Feat. Yukio Mishima, Yoshiko Tsuruoka
Short film directed by Japanese writer and revolutionary Yukio Mishima, based on his short story of the same name published in 1961. Set in February…
Sand Pebbles, TheSand Pebbles, The (1966)
Dir. Robert Wise
Feat. Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, Candice Bergen
An epic series of adventures on an American gunboat in the turbulent China of the 1920s, Steve McQueen giving a particularly underrated performance,…
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…
War and PeaceWar and Peace (1966) Aro Favourite
Dir. Sergei Bondarchuk
Feat. Lyudmila Savelyeva, Vyacheslav Tikhonov, Irina Gubanova
The definitive version of Leo Tolstoy's gargantuan novel, set during the Napoleonic invasion of Russia in the early 19th century. Nothing else quite…
What Did You Do In The War, Daddy? What Did You Do In The War, Daddy? (1966)
Dir. Blake Edwards
Feat. James Coburn, Dick Shawn, Aldo Ray
Deft farce set during World War II. Coburn and company charged with seizing a small Sicillian village are surprised to find its inhabitants only too…
Battle of Algiers, TheBattle of Algiers, The (1965) Aro Favourite
Dir. Gillo Pontecorvo
Feat. Brahim Haggiag
Gripping account of the Muslim uprising which led to the withdrawal of France from Algeria was shot merely four years after the revolution, and as…
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…
Bedford Incident, TheBedford Incident, The (1965)
Dir. James B. Harris
Feat. Richard Widmark, Sidney Poitier
Excellent Cold war navy thriller in which an US captain (Richard Widmark) treads the nuclear tightrope in obsessive pursuit of a Russian sub.
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…
Hill, TheHill, The (1965) Recommended
Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Sean Connery, Ian Bannen, Roy Kinnear
Intense military stockade drama, with Sean Connery doing gruelling punishment in the Sahara.
Hogan's Heroes (TV Series)Hogan's Heroes (TV Series) (1965-1966)
Feat. Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer, John Banner
Cheeky American WW2 series centred around a motley bunch of Yankee prisoners and their haphazard endeavours to disturb the Nazi war effort and make…
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…
King RatKing Rat (1965)
Dir. Bryan Forbes
Feat. George Segal, James Fox, Tom Courtenay
Star–studded adaption of James Clavell's novel, set in a Japanese POW camp during WWII. At the darker end of the genre, with 'hero' George…
Once Before I DieOnce Before I Die (1965)
Dir. John Derek
Feat. John Derek, Ursula Andress, Richard Jaeckel
Fairly substandard drama with a good premise set in the Philippines in 1941, where a column of Americans retreats before the advancing Japanese.…
Von Ryan's ExpressVon Ryan's Express (1965)
Dir. Mark Robson
Feat. Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra plays an unpopular US Colonel who leads a train–bound escape from an Italian POW camp. Tension mounts to a smashing finale.
Americanization of Emily, TheAmericanization of Emily, The (1964)
Dir. Arthur Hiller
Feat. James Garner, Julie Andrews, Melvyn Douglas
Plucky black comedy with James Garner as the scapegoat for a wacky US admiral's grand plan to have a American naval officer be the first killed at…
Back Door to HellBack Door to Hell (1964)
Dir. Monte Hellman
Feat. Jimmie Rodgers, Jack Nicholson, John Hackett
Rousing tale of a three–man commando team as they try to knock out a Japanese communication center. Strong performances, ribald banter, and…
Father GooseFather Goose (1964)
Dir. Ralph Nelson
Feat. Cary Grant, Leslie Caron, Trevor Howard
Wartime situational comedy with Cary Grant in his penultimate role as an uncouth South Sea beachcomber who becomes a coast watcher for the Allies,…
Guns of August, TheGuns of August, The (1964)
Dir. Nathan Kroll
A World War I documentary based on the writings of Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Barbara Tuchman that traces the origins and actions of the…
King and CountryKing and Country (1964) Recommended
Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, Tom Courtenay, Leo McKern
Earnest, expertly acted drama in which a detached army lawyer (Dirk Bogarde) attempts to defend a working–class deserter (Tom Courtenay) during…
McHale's NavyMcHale's Navy (1964)
Dir. Edward Montagne
Feat. Ernest Borgnine, Tim Conway, Joe Flynn
War–time comedy where marines are embroiled in a gambling misadventure, based on the 60's TV sitcom of the same name.
Secret Invasion, TheSecret Invasion, The (1964)
Dir. Roger Corman
Feat. Stewart Granger, Raf Vallone, Mickey Rooney
Expedient actioner is a rare, unsensational Roger Corman flick about British intelligence using criminals behind enemy lines in WW2 Yugoslavia.
Thin Red Line, TheThin Red Line, The (1964)
Dir. Andrew Marton
Feat. Keir Dullea, Jack Warden
First version of James Jones' war–novel (later redone by Terrence Malick), chronicles the US invasion of Guadalcanal during WWII in grim B&W,…
Train, TheTrain, The (1964)
Dir. John Frankenheimer
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield, Jeanne Moreau
Burt Lancaster leads the French Resistance in stopping (or at least diverting) a train used by the Nazis to steal precious French art treasures in…
633 Squadron633 Squadron (1963)
Dir. Walter Grauman
Feat. Cliff Robertson, James Clavell
WWII airmen Cliff Robertson and co maintain their staunchly British reserve as they prepare to bomb a Nazi rocket factory in Norway. Slow but with…
Donovan's ReefDonovan's Reef (1963)
Dir. John Ford
Feat. John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Jack Warden
One of dir. Ford’s more comically inclined efforts with ex–Navy buddies John Wayne, Lee Marvin and Jack Warden raising hell on the remote…
300 Spartans, The300 Spartans, The (1962)
Dir. Rudolph Mate
Feat. Richard Egan, Ralph Richardson, Diane Baker
Richard Egan leads the hardened best of Sparta into the famous battle at Thermapayle between the Greek and Persian empires in in the 5th century…
Damn the Defiant!Damn the Defiant! (H.M.S. Defiant) (1962)
Dir. Lewis Gilbert
Feat. Alec Guinness, Dirk Bogarde, Anthony Quayle
Naval drama set aboard a British warship during the Napoleonic wars is a defiantly good–quality effort. Script, photography (by Christopher…
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…
Ivan's ChildhoodIvan's Childhood (1962)
Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Nikolai Burlyayev, Valentin Zubkov, Yevgeni Zharikov
A teenage spy works behind enemy lines in WW2 Germany. The Russian master's first feature is his least self–conscious and most efficient…
Longest Day, TheLongest Day, The (1962)
Dir. Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, Bernhard Wicki
Feat. John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum
One the great WW2 films, with over 40 international stars. The large scale battle scenes have taken some outdoing.
Guns of Navarone, TheGuns of Navarone, The (1961) Aro Favourite
Dir. J. Lee Thompson
Feat. Gregory Peck, David Niven
A great WW2 nail–biter in which Gregory Peck and David Niven lead the all–star macho cast as an elite squad assigned to destroy two giant…
Judgement at NurembergJudgement at Nuremberg (1961)
Dir. Stanley Kramer
Feat. Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Maximilian Schell
Dramatisation of the trial of the Nazi judges at Nuremberg, facing the patient integrity of Judge Spencer Tracy. Epic, gripping courtroom drama, with…
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…
Light Up the Sky!Light Up the Sky! (1960)
Dir. Lewis Gilbert
Feat. Ian Carmichael, Benny Hill, Dick Emery
Ian Carmichael leads an inept searchlight unit during in this bumbling and occasionally tragic wartime comedy. Larrikins Benny Hill and Tommy Steele…
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…
Tunes of GloryTunes of Glory (1960) Recommended
Dir. Ronald Neame
Feat. Alec Guinness, John Mills, Dennis Price
Two colonels of a Scottish regiment – one convivial, one disciplinarian – face off in a battle of wills in this drama of peacetime…
Danger Within (1959)
Dir. Don Chaffey
Feat. Richard Attenborough
In an Italian POW camp in WW2, 400 plan to escape but one plans to betray. Can you spot the traitor? Richard Attenborough leads the cast of suspects.
Hiroshima Mon AmourHiroshima Mon Amour (1959)
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Emmanuelle Riva, Eiji Okada
Romance between a French actress and a Japanese architect rekindles their traumatic wartime experiences. The twin threads of despair and sensual love…
Human Condition, TheHuman Condition, The (No Greater Love, Road to Eternity, A Soldier's Prayer) (1959-1961) Aro Favourite
Dir. Masaki Kobayashi
Feat. Tatsuya Nakadai, Michiyo Aratana
An epic Japanese film trilogy following the life of a well–intentioned yet naïve pacifist and socialist as he tries to survive in the…
Operation AmsterdamOperation Amsterdam (1959)
Dir. Michael McCarthy
Feat. Peter Finch, Eva Bartok, Tony Britton
Gripping wartime drama tracking two gem specialists attempting to remove a valuable horde of diamonds from Amsterdam in 14 hours before the nasty…
Operation PetticoatOperation Petticoat (1959)
Dir. Blake Edwards
Feat. Cary Grant, Tony Curtis
Submarine Capt. Cary Grant and First Mate Tony Curtis excel in this seaborne comedy.
Pork Chop HillPork Chop Hill (1959)
Dir. Lewis Milestone
Feat. Gregory Peck, Harry Guardino, Rip Torn
Given a gritty believability by Dir. Milestone ('All Quiet on the Western Front'), this recounts the bloody, meaningless conquest of a lowly hill…
A Time to Love and a Time to DieA Time to Love and a Time to Die (1958)
Dir. Douglas Sirk
Feat. John Gavin, Jock Mahoney, Don DeFore
Bittersweet WWII melodrama finds Douglas Sirk at his gravest; John Gavin plays a returning German solider who falls in love under the shadow of war.…
Carve Her Name With PrideCarve Her Name With Pride (1958)
Dir. Lewis Gilbert
Feat. Virginia McKenna, Paul Scofield, Jack Warner
Brit war–time romance centred on a lady living in London during WW2 who marries and has a child with a French soldier. Upon hearing of his…
DunkirkDunkirk (1958)
Dir. Leslie Norman
Feat. Richard Attenborough, John Mills, Bernard Lee
British war film set during the 1940 evacuation of French and British troops from the beaches of Dunkirk, following the contrasting perspectives of a…
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…
Hunters, TheHunters, The (1958)
Dir. Dick Powell
Feat. Robert Mitchum, Robert Wagner, Richard Egan
Robert Mitchum portrays an aging fighter pilot in the Korean War who falls for the wife of a fellow squadron member in this aviation–romance.
I Was Monty's Double I Was Monty's Double (1958)
Dir. John Guillermin
Feat. Clifton James, John Mills, Leslie Phillips
Absorbing war drama based on the true story of a man hired to imitate General Montgomery in order to hoodwink the Germans before the North Africa…
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…
Kings Go ForthKings Go Forth (1958)
Dir. Delmer Daves
Feat. Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood
Frank Sinatra and Tony Curtis are comrades in arms who fight over Natalie Wood, but her mixed heritage arouses their bigotry instead.
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…
Quiet American, TheQuiet American, The (1958)
Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Feat. Michael Redgrave, Audie Murphy
This early screen adaptation of Graham Greene’s cautionary novel was the first major film to address to thorny issue of Vietnam, although loses…
Run Silent, Run DeepRun Silent, Run Deep (1958) Recommended
Dir. Robert Wise
Feat. Clark Gable, Burt Lancaster
One of the best WWII submarine movies, this pits Commander Clark Gable against rebel Lt. Burt Lancaster as together they patrol the deeps.
Sea of SandSea of Sand (Desert Patrol) (1958)
Dir. Guy Green
Feat. Richard Attenborough, Vincent Ball, Michael Craig
Brit war thriller about an army team sent to destroy a German petrol dump in preparation for an attack who are confronted by their enemies in the…
Young Lions, The (1958)
Dir. Edward Dmytryk
Feat. Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, Dean Martin
Sensitive, well–mounted WW2 epic charts the effect of war on young lives from both sides. Marlon Brando as a confused German commandant…
Bitter VictoryBitter Victory (1957)
Dir. Nicholas Ray
Feat. Richard Burton, Curt Jurgens, Ruth Roman
Superior war drama is set around a WW2 mission by British commandos in North Africa, trying to retrieve vital papers from a German HQ before…
Bridge on the River KwaiBridge on the River Kwai (1957) Recommended
Dir. David Lean
Feat. William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins
Another rousing, grand scale production from director Lean, about a group of British POW's employed by the Japanese to build a bridge, while their…
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…
Cranes are Flying, TheCranes are Flying, The (Letyat Zhuravli) (1957) Recommended
Dir. Mikhail Kalatozov
Feat. Tatyana Samojlova, Aleksei Batalov, Vasili Merkuryev
A Russian classic which conveys homefront anxieties during WW2 for a young bride whose original fiance has gone to the front. Pursued by his…
Enemy Below, TheEnemy Below, The (1957)
Dir. Dick Powell
Feat. Robert Mitchum, Curt Jurgens, Theodore Bikel
Naval thriller with Mitchum as a U.S. destroyer captain caught in a cat–and–mouse battle with German U–boat commander Jurgens he…
Heaven Knows, Mr. AllisonHeaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)
Dir. John Huston
Feat. Robert Mitchum, Deborah Kerr
Kerr and Mitchum play a nun and Marine sergeant respectively, who are stranded on a desert island during WWII – the island happens to also be…
Hellcats of the NavyHellcats of the Navy (1957)
Dir. Nathan Juran
Feat. Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan, Arthur Franz
WW2 submarine actioner that is chiefly remembered as the only film to star both Ronald Reagan and his future wife Nancy Davis. Storywise this…
Ill Met By MoonlightIll Met By Moonlight (1957)
Dir. Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, Marius Goring, David Oxley
Conventional WW2 flick focused on a group of Resistance fighters in German occupied Crete who hatch a plan to kidnap the head of the German army.…
Kiss Them For MeKiss Them For Me (1957)
Dir. Stanley Donen
Feat. Cary Grant, Jayne Mansfield, Leif Erickson
Very very silly war comedy with Grant and his navy buddies fighting for their right to spend their shore leave as they see fit, which inevitably…
One That Got Away, TheOne That Got Away, The (Einer Kam Durch) (1957)
Dir. Roy Ward Baker
Feat. Hardy Kruger, Colin Gordon, Terence Alexander
Sturdy war thriller centred on the true story of German airman Franz von Werra – the only German POW to successfully escape from allied custody…
Paths of GloryPaths of Glory (1957) Aro Favourite
Dir. Stanley Kubrick
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker, Adolphe Menjou
Kubrick's muscular drama deals frankly with the hypocrisy and inhumanity of military ethics, based on a true incident in WWI France. Following a…
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…
Raintree CountyRaintree County (1957)
Dir. Edward Dmytryk
Feat. Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, Eva Marie Saint
Civil War set romance has Montgomery Clift as a schoolteacher whojoins the Union Army as they march into Georgia in the hope of finding his estranged…
Run of the ArrowRun of the Arrow (1957)
Dir. Samuel Fuller
Feat. Rod Steiger, Brian Keith, Charles Bronson
Technicolour western set in the aftermath of the American Civil War, with Confederate veteran Rod Steiger going rogue and joining the Sioux, but…
Sad Sack, TheSad Sack, The (1957)
Dir. George Marshall
Feat. Jerry Lewis, David Wayne, Phyllis Kirk
A charming adaptation of the beloved comic strip by George Baker, with Jerry Lewis playing a hopeless soldier whose planned six weeks weeks of…
SayonaraSayonara (1957)
Dir. Joshua Logan, Marlon Brando
Feat. Patricia Owens, Ricardo Montalban, Martha Scott
An effective, well–acted version of James Michener's novel set during the Korean War, in which ace pilot Brando inconveniently falls in love…
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…
Until They SailUntil They Sail (1957) Recommended
Dir. Robert Wise
Feat. Jean Simmons, Joan Fontaine, Paul Newman
1950s Christchurch is the novelty star of this MGM prestige picture set entirely in Canterbury, New Zealand, with landmarks such as the Christchurch…
Yangtse Incident, TheYangtse Incident, The (The Yangtze Incident, Battle Hell) (1957)
Dir. Michael Anderson
Feat. Richard Todd
The crew of the HMS Amethyst must escape via the Yangtse river after sauntering into China on the eve of Communist takeover. A riveting dramatization…
A Town Like AliceA Town Like Alice (1956)
Dir. Jack Lee
Feat. Virginia McKenna, Peter Finch
Based on Neville Shute's 1950s bestseller, this WWII drama opens with the fall of Singapore and the internment of Virginia McKenna in a Japanese POW…
Attack!Attack! (1956) Recommended
Dir. Robert Aldrich
Feat. Jack Palance, Lee Marvin, Eddie Albert
Departing from the glory–day stories of WW2, Aldrich offers a hard–edged realism to the nightmare of war. Jack Palance, Lee Marvin and…
Battle of the River PlateBattle of the River Plate (1956)
Dir. Michael Powell, Emeric Pressbuger
Feat. John Gregson, Anthony Quayle, Peter Finch
Straight–ahead account of the British attempt to capture a gigantic German battleship in 1939 off the coast of South America.
Burmese Harp, TheBurmese Harp, The (Biruma no tategoto) (1956) Recommended
Dir. Kon Ichikawa
Feat. Rentaro Mikuni
Another muted anti–war elegy conceived during Japan’s post–WWII recovery, this tells the journey of a Japanese private, who upon…
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.
KanalKanal (1956)
Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Teresa Izewska, Tadeusz Janczar
The darkest chapter of dir. Wadja's WWII 'Trilogy', is an unremitting portrayal of the last gasps of the 1944 Warsaw uprising. With desperate…
Man Who Never Was, TheMan Who Never Was, The (1956)
Dir. Ronald Neame
Feat. Clifton Webb, Gloria Grahame, Robert Flemyng
Riveting adaptation of Ewen Montagu's book about the true story of a British Navy commander's involvement in a tricky scheme to fool the Nazis, by…
Private's ProgressPrivate's Progress (1956)
Dir. John Boulting
Feat. Richard Attenborough, Dennis Price, Terry-Thomas
Popular Ealing war satire finds Ian Carmichael, as the film’s spotty college freshman, conscripted to military service where he’s whipped into…
Reach for the SkyReach for the Sky (1956)
Dir. Lewis Gilbert
Feat. Kenneth More
British WW2 favourite tells the courageous true story of pilot Douglas Bader who overcame the amputation of both legs to miraculously continue his…
Above Us the WavesAbove Us the Waves (1955)
Dir. Ralph Thomas
Feat. John Mills, Donald Sinden, John Gregson
Robust submarine yarn from WW2 concerns the efforts of Commander John Mills and his men to sink the deadly German battle–ship 'Tirpitz' with…
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…
Cockleshell HeroesCockleshell Heroes (1955)
Dir. Jose Ferrer
Feat. Jose Ferrer, Trevor Howard, Anthony Newley
Fictionalised account of Operation Frankton, a British canoe–borne raid on Bordeaux Harbour during WWII.
Colditz Story, TheColditz Story, The (1955)
Dir. Guy Hamilton
Feat. John Mills, Eric Portman, Christopher Rhodes
A compulsive and tightly wound prison yarn, set around the supposedly unescapable German POW camp. Britisher John Mills unites prisoners of various…
Long Gray Line, TheLong Gray Line, The (1955)
Dir. John Ford
Feat. Tyrone Power, Maureen O'Hara, Donald Crisp
Engrossing true life tale of military instructors Marty Maher and his rise to the top of his profession.
Mister RobertsMister Roberts (1955) Recommended
Dir. John Ford
Feat. Henry Fonda, James Cagney, Jack Lemmon
Naval officer Henry Fonda yearns for combat but instead must tolerate his eccentric captain (James Cagney). Jack Lemmon won an Oscar for his funny…
Napoleon Napoleon (1955)
Dir. Sacha Guitry
Feat. Daniel Gelin, Raymond Pellegrin, Yves Montand
A somewhat farcical film that suffers from being dubbed into English, over–narration, and the attempt to give a complete account of Napoleon's…
To Hell and BackTo Hell and Back (1955)
Dir. Jesse Hibbs
Feat. Audie Murphy
Unique war film presents Audie Murphy in his own real–life story as the most decorated US Soldier during WW2.
Bridges at Toko-Ri, TheBridges at Toko-Ri, The (1954)
Dir. Mark Robson
Feat. William Holden, Grace Kelly
Ace pilot William Holden is out to destroy the 'impossible' target in this excellent Korean War thriller.
Caine Mutiny, TheCaine Mutiny, The (1954)
Dir. Edward Dmytryk
Feat. Humphrey Bogart
Solid action with unstable Ship's Captain Humphrey Bogart contending with mutinies and typhoons.
Carrington V.C.Carrington V.C. (Court Martial) (1954)
Dir. Anthony Asquith
Feat. David Niven, Margaret Leighton, Allan Cuthbertson
Legal drama adapted from the stage play in which a court–martial attempts to find out why, and if, an officer embezzled his unit's funds.
Dambusters, TheDambusters, The (Dam Busters, The) (1954) Recommended
Dir. Michael Anderson
Feat. Michael Redgrave, Ursula Jeans, Charles Carson
British inventor Barnes Wallis's ingenious attempts to destroy German dams during WWII forms the basis of this splendid thriller. Michael Redgrave…
Generation, AGeneration, A (Pokolenie) (1954)
Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Roman Polanski
Fast–moving account of the Polish Resistance during WWII, as a scrappy young recruit falls in love with his unit leader. Depicts the spirited,…
Hell and High WaterHell and High Water (1954)
Dir. Samuel Fuller
Feat. Richard Widmark, Bella Darvi, Victor Francen
Cold war thriller with Widmark helming a submarine in pursuit of a Red freighter. Unexceptional by Samuel Fuller's usual standards – he was…
High and the Mighty, TheHigh and the Mighty, The (1954) Recommended
Dir. William A. Wellman
Feat. John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Laraine Day
John Wayne undercuts his bravura persona as the reluctant hero piloting a stricken passenger flight over the Atlantic. Solid disaster clichés and a…
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…
Twenty-Four EyesTwenty-Four Eyes (24 Eyes/Nijushi no hitomi) (1954) Recommended
Dir. Keisuke Kinoshita
Feat. Hideko Takamine, Chishu Ryu
An elegiac triumph of nostalgia for youth and wartime humanism, this cherished landmark of Japanese cinema gracefully chronicles the 20–years…
Desert Rats, TheDesert Rats, The (1953)
Dir. Robert Wise
Feat. Richard Burton
No–nonsense British Army officer Richard Burton assumes command of an Australian platoon, but struggles to win their respect. Sequel to The…
Fear and DesireFear and Desire (1953)
Dir. Stanley Kubrick
Feat. Kenneth Harp, Frank Silvera, Paul Mazursky
Kubrick's debut feature – not regarded as worthy of reconsideration by the director himself – is nonetheless a eerie allegorical war…
From Here to EternityFrom Here to Eternity (1953) Recommended
Dir. Fred Zinnemann
Feat. Frank Sinatra, Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr
Frank Sinatra established himself an actor alongside Burt Lancaster in this account of life at a Honolulu barracks at the time of Pearl Harbour.…
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…
They Who DareThey Who Dare (1953)
Dir. Lewis Milestone
Feat. Dirk Bogarde
Bonus film with SLEEPING TIGER is a Dirk Bogarde WWII actioner that details a commando raid on German–controlled Aegean air fields.
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…
Cruel Sea, TheCruel Sea, The (1952) Recommended
Dir. Charles Frend
Feat. Denholm Elliott
Bracing account of life aboard a British Corvette during WWII fighting German U–Boats and Atlantic storms, featuring a young Denholm Elliot…
Hangman's KnotHangman's Knot (1952)
Dir. Roy Huggins
Feat. Randolph Scott, Donna Reed, Claude Jr. Jarman
Handsome technicolour western with Randolph Scott leading a band of Confederate soldiers who are unaware that the war is over, and attack a wagon of…
Invasion U.S.A.Invasion U.S.A. (1952)
Dir. Alfred E. Green
Feat. Gerald Mohr, Peggie Castle, Dan O'Herlihy
A crudely devised, but fascinating slice of early Cold War paranoia, this has the 'Land of the Free' being invaded by hordes of Russians, with…
Stalag 17Stalag 17 (1952) Recommended
Dir. Billy Wilder
Feat. William Holden, Don Taylor, Otto Preminger
Sophisticated WW2 film in which comedy and suspense make uneasy but fascinating bedfellows. William Holden leads imprisoned American G.Is who plan…
What Price Glory? (1952)
Dir. John Ford
Feat. James Cagney, Dan Dailey, Corinne Calvet
Soldiers James Cagney and Dan Dailey take time out from the trenches of WWI for some zesty romantic rivalry over local attraction Corrinne Calvet.
Appointment with VenusAppointment with Venus (1951)
Dir. Ralph Thomas
Feat. David Niven, Glynis Johns, Kenneth More
Bizarre war drama based on a true story about a small recently occupied British isle with a very important prize cow living on it that the War Office…
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…
Fixed BayonetsFixed Bayonets (1951)
Dir. Samuel Fuller
Feat. Richard Basehart, Gene Evans, Michael O'Shea
Brassy Korean War flick with a diminished platoon struggling for survival, and Basehart as the soldier terrified of having leadership thrust upon…
Go for Broke!Go for Broke! (1951)
Dir. Robert Pirosh
Feat. Van Johnson, Warner Anderson, Don Haggerty
The story of the 442nd Regiment, a team composed of second–generation Japanese–American soldiers fighting in Italy who were heavily…
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…
American Geurrilla In The PhillipinesAmerican Geurrilla In The Phillipines (I Shall Return) (1950)
Dir. Fritz Lang
Feat. Tyrone Power, Micheline Presle
War film from Fritz Lang following a group of American soldiers stranded in the Philippines after a motor torpedo boat is destroyed by Japanese…
At War With The EnemyAt War With The Enemy (1950)
Dir. Hal Walker
Feat. Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis
After stealing the show in MY FRIEND IRMA, the duo of Martin and Lewis took centre stage here for the first time, enveloped in the potential madness…
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.…
OdetteOdette (1950)
Dir. Herbert Wilcox
Feat. Dame Anna Neagle, Trevor Howard, Marius Goring
Drama based on the true story of Odette Sansom, the British Special Operations Executive agent in WWII who miraculously evaded death after being sent…
Wooden Horse, The (1950)
Dir. Jack Lee
Feat. Leo Genn, David Tomlinson, Anthony Steel
Allied P.O.W.'s attempt to escape a Nazi prison camp by way of an excercise vaulting horse.
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.
Twelve O'Clock HighTwelve O'Clock High (1949) Recommended
Dir. Henry King
Feat. Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck is at his peak as a General brought in to restore morale to a squadron engaged in daily bombing raids over Germany. One of the great…
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…
Germany Year ZeroGermany Year Zero (1947) Aro Favourite
Dir. Roberto Rossellini
A heart–breaking depiction of life in the post–WW2 ruins of Berlin, in which a boy struggles to help his family who are forced to live in…
Captive HeartCaptive Heart (1946)
Dir. Basil Dearden
Feat. Michael Redgrave, Rachel Kempson, Frederick Leister
An exciting story of POWs in WWII Germany. Michael Redgrave gives an acclaimed performance as a Czech prisoner masquerading as a British officer.
PaisaPaisa (1946) Recommended
Dir. Roberto Rossellini
Feat. Carmela Sazio, Robert Van Loon, Benjamin Emmanuel
Six short films focusing on the minor victories and losses of ordinary folk during WW2. Pioneering the now–familiar use of documentary footage,…
Years Between, TheYears Between, The (1946)
Dir. Compton Bennett
Feat. Michael Redgrave, Valerie Hobson, Dame Flora Robson
Michael Redgrave plays a British MI6 officer who returns home after working for the French Resistance to find that his wife, who had presumed him…
A Bell For AdanoA Bell For Adano (1945)
Dir. Henry King
Feat. Gene Tierney, John Hodiak, William Bendix
Hodiak plays an army major assigned to restore order in a small Italian town in this gentle–natured drama. The luminous –and blonde…
Objective, BurmaObjective, Burma (1945)
Dir. Raoul Walsh
Feat. Errol Flynn, James Brown
A swift, gritty WW2 actioner in which Errol Flynn heads a paratroop mission to disable a Japanese radar station against considerable odds.
Rome: Open CityRome: Open City (1945) Recommended
Dir. Roberto Rossellini
Feat. Anna Magnani, Aldo Fabrizi
Neo–realist war drama about resistance fighters in fascist Italy places the action right inside the everyday and humanises the heroic.…
They Were ExpendableThey Were Expendable (1945)
Dir. John Ford
Feat. John Wayne, Robert Montgomery
Fine tribute to the US Torpedo–boat troops who were last to retreat from the Philippines after Pearl Harbour. John Wayne and Robert Montgomery…
Walk in the Sun, AWalk in the Sun, A (1945)
Dir. Lewis Milestone
Feat. Dana Andrews, Richard Conte, George Tyne
Absorbing character study of men at war set in WW2 North Africa.
Way to the Stars, The (1945)
Dir. Anthony Asquith
Feat. John Mills, Michael Redgrave, Douglas Montgomery
An RAF airfield in WWII is the setting of this unassuming war–drama, set around the lives of the ‘flyers’ and the ground–crew. Given…
Fighting Sullivans, The (1944)
Dir. Lloyd Bacon
Feat. Anne Baxter, Edward Ryan
Early telling of the true story that inspired SAVING PRIVATE RYAN about five brothers who served in WWII (in reality, at Guadacanal).
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…
Passage to Marseille (1944)
Dir. Michael Curtiz
Feat. Humphrey Bogart, Claude Rains, Peter Lorre
Distinguished by the use of flashbacks within flashbacks, this WW2 propaganda piece re–unites the director with CASABLANCA alumnae.
Pin Up GirlPin Up Girl (1944)
Dir. H. Bruce Humberstone
Feat. Betty Grable, John Harvey, Martha Raye
Betty Grable, America's #1 pin–up during WWII, strikes a pose as a canteen girl who pretends to be broadway star in order to stay close to her…
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.
Since You Went AwaySince You Went Away (1944)
Dir. John Cromwell, Andre De Toth
Feat. Joseph Cotton, Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones
While husband Joseph Cotton is away at WWII, Claudette Colbert must hold home and family together. A lengthy dose of home–front stoicism, that…
Thirty Seconds Over TokyoThirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)
Dir. Mervyn LeRoy
Feat. Spencer Tracy, Robert Mitchum, Robert Walker
True life WW2 story about the first American air raids on Japan with Spencer Tracy and Robert Mitchum in his leading debut.
Uncertain GloryUncertain Glory (1944)
Dir. Raoul Walsh
Feat. Errol Flynn, Paul Lukas, Lucile Watson
Wartime romance with Flynn playing French criminal Jean Picard who vows to make the ultimate sacrifice, only to fall in love.
Way Ahead, TheWay Ahead, The (1944)
Dir. Carol Reed
Feat. David Niven, Stanley Holloway, Trevor Howard
A depleted battalion must scrub up and train a ragtag bunch of conscripts to re–fill the positions left by deceased soldiers in this morale…
White Cliffs of Dover, TheWhite Cliffs of Dover, The (1944)
Dir. Clarence Brown
Feat. Elizabeth Taylor, Roddy McDowall, Irene Dunne
Patriotic sentiment up full–bore, this extended saga of English–American fraternising over both World Wars, has Irene Dunne and family…
Action in the North AtlanticAction in the North Atlantic (1943)
Dir. Lloyd Bacon
Feat. Humphrey Bogart, Raymond Massey, Alan Hale
Dramatic battle scenes highlight this Oscar–nominated WW2 drama, in which Bogie portrays the first mate of a freighter travelling the…
Air ForceAir Force (1943)
Dir. Howard Hawks
Feat. John Garfield
Persuasive propaganda piece focusing on the crew of a B–17 bomber, quite thrilling in the hands of director Hawks.
Crash Dive Crash Dive (1943)
Dir. Archie Mayo
Feat. Tyrone Power, Anne Baxter, Dana Andrews
A submarine lieutenant and his commander fall in love with the same girl in this thrilling propaganda piece that won the 1943 Oscar for best special…
Destination Tokyo (1943)
Dir. Delmer Daves
Feat. Cary Grant
Suspenseful Cary Grant war melodrama set aboard a U.S sub encroaching Japanese waters.
Edge of DarknessEdge of Darkness (1943)
Dir. Lewis Milestone
Feat. Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan, Walter Huston
Taut account of Resistance activities in Norway during WWII, has extra–good camerawork of Erroll Flynn, Ann Sheridan and Walter Huston in some…
Five Graves to CairoFive Graves to Cairo (1943)
Dir. Billy Wilder
Feat. Franchot Tone, Anne Baxter, Erich von Stroheim
Rousing early outing for Billy Wilder; a nimble, well–executed piece of WWII propaganda exaggerating the exploits of a British corporal officer…
Flemish Farm, TheFlemish Farm, The (1943)
Dir. Jeffrey Dell
Feat. Clive Brook, Clifford Evans, Jane Baxter
Low budget WW2 aviation drama focused on a regiment of Belgian pilots who use a Flemish farm as an airstrip with one of the injured men becoming…
For Whom the Bell TollsFor Whom the Bell Tolls (1943)
Dir. Sam Wood
Feat. Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman
Splendidly mounted Spanish civil–war drama, in which International Brigade–er Gary Cooper leads local guerillas, including Ingrid…
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…
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, TheLife and Death of Colonel Blimp, The (1943) Recommended
Dir. Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Feat. Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr, Anton Walbrook
The numerous off–beat adventures of a British soldier are chronicled over a period of three wars, with Deborah Kerr playing all three of the…
Millions Like UsMillions Like Us (1943)
Dir. Sidney Gilliat
Feat. Patricia Roc, Gordon Jackson, Anne Crawford
Honest dramatization of the British "home front" during the second World War focuses on a factory worker struggling to overcome her grief after the…
SaharaSahara (1943)
Dir. Zoltan Korda
Feat. Humphrey Bogart
Good WWII actioner, with Humphrey Bogart commanding a tank stuck behind enemy lines.
Silver Fleet, TheSilver Fleet, The (1943)
Dir. Vernon Sewell
Feat. Ralph Richardson, Esmond Knight, Googie Withers
A rousing WW2 maritime drama in which a Dutch shipping port owner decides to swindle the Nazis by agreeing to provide them with his submarines for…
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…
WWII - The John Huston DocumentsWWII - The John Huston Documents (Let There Be Light; The Battle of San Pietro) (1943-1947) Recommended
Dir. John Huston
Two legendary war documentaries from John Huston (THE MALTESE FALCON) who participated in WWII as a combat filmmaker yet whose films are the…
Day Will Dawn, TheDay Will Dawn, The (1942)
Dir. Harold French
Feat. Hugh Williams, Griffith Jones, Deborah Kerr
Propaganda fuelled WW2 drama about a foreign journalist reporting on German U–Boats attacking Norwegian ships who finds himself up against the…
Desperate JourneyDesperate Journey (1942)
Dir. Raoul Walsh
Feat. Errol Flynn, Ronald Reagan
Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan are stranded Allied pilots who flee the clutches of the Nazis in Boy's Own WW2 propaganda film.
First of the FewFirst of the Few (Spitfire) (1942)
Dir. Leslie Howard
Feat. Leslie Howard, David Niven, Rosamund John
Rousing true life tale of aircraft designer R.J. Mitchell and his streamlined monoplane that led to the devolpment of the spitfire. Released with…
Goose Steps Out, TheGoose Steps Out, The (1942)
Dir. Basil Dearden, Will Hay
Feat. Will Hay, Frank Pettingell, Charles Hawtrey
British war comedy with Hay as a bumbling teacher conveniently turns out to be the double of a German general. In the true spirit of wartime…
In Which We ServeIn Which We Serve (1942) Recommended
Dir. David Lean
Feat. Sir Noel Coward, John Mills, Bernard Miles
WW2 drama contrasts the service lives of a destroyer crew with their memories of back home. Powerful film won an Oscar for writer, director and star…
Journey into FearJourney into Fear (1942)
Dir. Norman Foster
Feat. Joseph Cotten, Dolores Del Rio, Orson Welles
Hitchcockian suspenser set around an American engineer's adventures in WW2 Turkey. Loaded down with a maze–like plot (written by star Joseph…
Mrs. MiniverMrs. Miniver (1942) Recommended
Dir. William Wyler
Feat. Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon
An unabashed patriotic war drama, so effective in that capacity it garnered political commendation as well as six Oscars, including Best Picture and…
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…
Secret MissionSecret Mission (1942)
Dir. Harold French
Feat. Michael Wilding, James Mason, Hugh Williams
Wartime propaganda piece focused around four Brit intelligence officers on a mission in France to gauge the force of the German defences while being…
Thunder BirdsThunder Birds (Soldiers of the Air) (1942)
Dir. William A. Wellman
Feat. Gene Tierney, Preston Foster, John Sutton
Routine wartime love triangle with two fighter pilots falling for a radiant Gene Tierney, gorgeous Technicolor and ace aerial photography liven it up…
To Be or Not to BeTo Be or Not to Be (1942) Recommended
Dir. Ernst Lubitsch
Feat. Jack Benny, Carole Lombard
Wonderful black comedy about a Polish theatre group who in the face of a German invasion, become involved in a covert operation that masquerades them…
Went the Day Well?Went the Day Well? (1942) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alberto Cavalcanti
Feat. Leslie Banks, Valerie Taylor, Marie Lohr
British pluck and courage is put to the test in this Graham Greene story, where a cosy English village is infiltrated during WWII by a truckload of…
49th Parallel49th Parallel (1941)
Dir. Michael Powell
Feat. Laurence Olivier
A taut, effective actioner in which five German U–boat men become stranded off the Canadian coast and try to make it overland to the neutral…
Cottage to LetCottage to Let (1941)
Dir. Anthony Asquith
Feat. Leslie Banks, Alastair Sim, John Mills
Brit thriller focusing on an inventor in the business of bomb testing for the Air Ministry, whose supposedly innocent domestic staff is riddled with…
Dive BomberDive Bomber (1941)
Dir. Michael Curtiz
Feat. Errol Flynn
The life and duties of a navy doctor turned flight surgeon entering WW2 with a dashing Errol Flynn. Notable for top–flight aerial sequences.
Jean Grémillon: During the OccupationJean Grémillon: During the Occupation (Remorques, Lumière d'été, Le Ciel Est à Vous) (1941-1944)
Dir. Jean Gremillon
Feat. Jean Gabin, Madeleine Renaud
Three character–driven dramas from the heralded French film director who has been little represented outside of his home country: Remorques…
Sergeant YorkSergeant York (1941) Recommended
Dir. Howard Hawks
Feat. Gary Cooper
A wartime classic about a real–life pacifist turned WW1 hero. Gary Cooper won an Oscar for his vivid portrayal.
They Died With Their Boots OnThey Died With Their Boots On (1941)
Dir. Raoul Walsh
Feat. Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland
Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland lead a great cast for the life and times of General Custer. Part romantic comedy, part tragedy, done in grandest…
Fighting 69th, TheFighting 69th, The (1940)
Dir. William Keighley
Feat. James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, George Brent
James Cagney plays a loudmouthed braggart who alienates his comrades and officers, but the regimental chaplain (Pat O'Brien) has faith that he'll…
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.
Let George Do It!Let George Do It! (1940)
Dir. Marcel Varnel
Feat. George Formby, Phyllis Calvert, Garry Marsh
Ealing Studios comedy sees George Formby star as a ukulele player who unwittingly takes the wrong boat and finds himself mistaken for a British…
Four Feathers, TheFour Feathers, The (1939) Recommended
Dir. Zoltan Korda
Feat. John Clements, Ralph Richardson, Sir C. Aubrey Smith
Best version of the much–filmed, classic A E W Mason story, where a British civilian (John Clements), accused of cowardice, must prove himself…
Spy In Black, TheSpy In Black, The (U-Boat 29) (1939)
Dir. Michael Powell
Feat. Conrad Veidt, Valerie Hobson, June Duprez
The brilliant debut collaboration between Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (COLONEL BLIMP, THE RED SHOES), twists an already exciting spy yarn…
Alexander NevskyAlexander Nevsky (1938)
Dir. Sergei Eisenstein
Feat. Nikolai Cherkassov, Nikolai Okhlopkov
Eisenstein's first sound film is a patriotic epic about the 13th century hero who led his people against the Teutonic Knights. Monumental battle…
Dawn Patrol, TheDawn Patrol, The (1938)
Dir. Edmund Goulding
Feat. Errol Flynn, David Niven
Errol Flynn and David Niven play ace fighter–pilots in a tense action/drama set during WWI.
I Accuse (J'Accuse) (1938)
Dir. Abel Gance
Feat. Victor Francen, Line Noro, Marie Lou
Dir. Gance’s own remake of his 1919 silent classic, in which a soldier traumatised by the slaughter of WWI attempts to prevent future…
Grand IllusionGrand Illusion (La Grande Illusion) (1937) Recommended
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Jean Gabin, Pierre Fresnay, Erich von Stroheim
The heroics and hypocrasies of war are illustrated through an imprisoned French squadron in WW1 and their cultured German commandant. A hailed…
Wee Willie WinkieWee Willie Winkie (1937)
Dir. John Ford
Feat. Shirley Temple, Victor McLaglen
Charming adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's adventure story, with young Shirley negotiating between the British army and Afghani rebels.
Charge of the Light BrigadeCharge of the Light Brigade (1936)
Dir. Michael Curtiz
Feat. Errol Flynn
Rousing action on the North–western frontier with Errol Flynn leading the climactic charge into certain death with fellow British cavalry men.
Crusades, TheCrusades, The (1935)
Dir. Cecil B. DeMille
Feat. Loretta Young, Henry Wilcoxon
Hollywood Heavyweight Cecil B. DeMille Directs this overblown spectacle that differs vastly from it's grisly historical origins.
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…
All Quiet On the Western FrontAll Quiet On the Western Front (1930) Recommended
Dir. Lewis Milestone
Feat. Louis Wolheim, Lew Ayres, John Wray
Landmark film looks at WW1 from the enemy's point of view. It remains brilliant and quite moving after all these years. Academy Award winner for Best…
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…
NapoleonNapoleon (1927) Recommended
Dir. Abel Gance
Feat. Albert Dieudonne
Renowned silent epic treats the life of the French general and emperor as a melodramatic spectacle of the highest order, with a…
WingsWings (1927) Recommended
Dir. William A. Wellman
Feat. Clara Bow, Charles Rogers, Gary Cooper
Renowned silent film represents the epic struggles of the allied airforces in WWI, with brilliant aerial sequences, battle recreations and several…

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