Angie Ambos
World War II has likely gone down in history as the darkest play any humankind has ever witnessed throughout its entire existence, and it’s no surprise that it was adapted to the cinema screen. Directors have been depicting the harrowing details of the war since its end, pushing out some of the best-ever WWII movies. Here’s an overview of the ten most renowned movies set in the Second World War.
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The first one is of immense magnitude, and it’s none other than the great creator of classics – Steven Spielberg’s 1998 classic, “Saving Private Ryan.” Set during the D-Day invasion in June 1944, this film featured award-winning shots of the violent battle of Omaha Beach. It follows the heroic journey of a band of brothers searching for a missing soldier.
Second, we have the classic “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Directed by Lewis Milestone, it follows the journey of a group of German lads who were eager for glory when they signed up to fight in the war. As it turns out, they had no idea of the gruesome reality awaiting them and soon became disillusioned with the war.
The next movie is one of the ultimate classics, “Schindler’s List.” Directed by Spielberg once again, this movie narrates the story of Oskar Schindler, one of the greatest righteous gentiles of the war. Through his actions, more than 1,000 Jews were saved from the death camps which the Nazis had set up.
The fourth one to make a list is “The Bridge of River Kwai.” Directed by David Lean, this movie tells the story of British Prisoners of War who the Japanese captured. They aim to build a bridge across the 4th longest river on earth or face dire consequences.
“The Great Escape,” directed by John Sturges, follows the plan of an escape from a German Prison-of-War camp. The plans were hatched by British POWs and starred some of the era’s biggest names, including Steve McQueen.
The sixth movie is Carol Reed’s classic “The Third Man.” This classic follows the hunt of an American, Holly Martins, in search of an old friend Harry Lime. The story is surprisingly complex and dynamic even today.
One of the greatest book adaptations of all time, “Gone with the Wind,” comes in as the seventh movie on our list. Directed by Victors Fleming, this movie follows the fortunes of Scarlett O’Hara, a Southern belle filled with determination and grit to keep her family estate despite the war.
Eighth, we have the “Battle of Britain.” Directed by Guy Hamilton, the movie narrates the story of the battle where the RAF fighter pilots threw up a stubborn resistance to the Nazis in their advances on the British mainland.
Next is the 1966 classic “The Battle of Algiers.” Directed by Gillo Pontecorvo, the story follows the Algerian struggle for independence from the regime that reached its climax in the Algiers bombardment in 1957.
Lastly, at the tenth spot is the Hollywood classic “Pearl Harbour.” Directed by Michael Bay, it narrates the story of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which led to the US entry into the war.
These ten movies have become timeless classics over the years. So if you want to dive into the dark history of WWII, these movies are just the way to go.
