10 World War II Movies (Best Works)

September 2, 1945 was the end of World War II. After millions of deaths and a devastated continent, World War II became a symbol of the horrors that wars cause.

Since then, literature and film have told stories based on World War II over and over again. Some of the WWII movies are simply true works of art that should not be missed.

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10 World War II Movies (Best Works)

World War II is an inexhaustible source of stories for writers and film directors. The films that have been made about this war conflict are mostly recreations or stories based on what happened.

All poignant, endearing, thoughtful, and some of them blockbusters. Here is a list of the best films of World War II.

1. Schindler's List

Schindler's List is an iconic WWII film. Oskar Schindler plans a strategy with his trusted accountant to rescue Jewish prisoners from the Nazis.

This film is already a classic of films with this theme. Although the story is based on real events, it takes some fictitious attributions to highlight the plot. Schindler's list was released in 1993 and won 7 Oscars.

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2. The English Patient

English patient tells the tragic story of a seriously injured survivor. This movie focuses on how he has to stay in a monastery to be cared for by a nurse, Hanna.

It is a tragic love story set in the conflict of World War II. This 1996 film was the winner of 9 Oscars including Best Picture. It was directed by Anthony Minghella and starred Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott.

3. Life is beautiful (goes before the thin red line)

Life is Beautiful is an emotional film that takes place in a Nazi concentration camp. This Italian film won the hearts of the world. It is the story of a father and his son taken to a Nazi camp where he makes the boy believe that everything is a game.

It was directed by and starring Roberto Benigni in 1997, and was critically acclaimed and won an Oscar for Best Foreign Film and Best Actor. It shows one of the crudest aspects of the war but maintains a message full of hope.

4. The thin red line

The Thin Red Line is an adaptation of the novel of the same name. This film tells the story of US military troops at the Battle of Guadacanal, in which men were sent there to conquer a strategic hill.

She was considered a great loser at the 1998 Oscars, since she did not win any of 7 nominations. Still a great movie about WWII, with a cast that includes Sean Penn, Jared Leto and John Travolta.

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5. Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan takes place during the Battle of Normandy. With this battle the liberation of the western European territories was achieved. The movie "Saving Private Ryan" tells the story of a group of soldiers who return to rescue the soldier that is his name.

This movie was directed by Steven Spielberg in 1998. It starred Tom Hanks and Matt Damon and winner of 5 Oscars among other awards at different festivals around the world. Although the story is fictitious, it tells real events or makes historical references.

6. Pearl harbor

Pearl Harbor is one of the highest grossing WWII films. This film focuses on the story of two childhood friends who years later fight in World War II during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Although it is a film that is not totally faithful to historical facts, its success lies in the special effects and action scenes. Directed by Michael Bay in 2001, it is a film that won few awards but was widely accepted by the public.

7. The pianist

The pianist tells the story of a man who tries to survive the persecution. Wladyslaw is a brilliant Polish pianist who, thanks to some friends, manages to flee from Poland when it is invaded by the Germans. Still, from that moment on he must live in hiding and facing dangers.

This British film features a masterful performance by Adrien Brody, who won an Oscar among other awards, as well as its director Roman Polanski. This work surprised by the great realism it achieved in the recreation of the Warsaw ghetto.

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8. Letters from Iwo Jima

Letters from Iwo Jima shows World War II from a Japanese perspective. The film begins with some Japanese archaeologists who, while carrying out excavations, find buried letters from soldiers who lived through the Second World War.

It is a film that highlights the Japanese spirit of honor and nationalism. It was directed by Clint Eastwood in 2006, achieving an excellent recreation of the conflict as well as reflecting the fighting spirit of its protagonists. It was a multi-award-winning and critically acclaimed film.

9. Damn bastards or inglorious bastards

Inglourious Basterds is a fictional film set in World War II. This film directed by Quentin Tarantino and is based on the story of three American spies. However, the plot is totally fictitious.

Lieutenant Aldo Raine leads a team of Jewish soldiers to violently attack the Nazis. They prepare a plan to overthrow the leaders and fate leads them to the Shosanna theater, where the owner also plans an attack to avenge the death of her family at the hands of the Nazis.

10. Dunkirk

Dunkirk tells of the difficult situation of the troops during the battle that occurred in this city. This is one of the most recent movies about WWII. It was directed by Christopher Nolan in 2017.

When the Germans advance towards France during World War II, the allied troops are trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk. What seemed like a tragic ending was not thanks to a methodical strategy, which allowed to save more than 300,000 soldiers.

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Bibliographic references

• Schneider, S.J. (2017). 1001 movies you must see before you die. Barcelona: Grijalbo.