MOVIE (Date) AA = Academy Award (BP=Best Picture, BA=Best Actor, SA=Supporting Actor, BD= Best Director) h = the plot is substantially historically accurate


TOP FIVE (1-5 PICK ‘EM ORDER):


THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957) Br. h AA BP Re Japan’s British POWs; Alec Guinness

TORA! TORA! TORA! (1969) h Re Pearl Harbor w/ Jason Robards, Joseph Cotton, et al

PATTON (1970) h AA BP w/ George C. Scott as General Patton

‘BREAKER’ MORANT (1979) Austr. h Austr. AA Re Austrailians in The Boer War

ZULU (1964) Brit. h Re British Army in Africa Wars w/ Michael Caine

and the remainder of the top fifty:

6. GLORY (1989) h Re Civil War black regiment; Matthew Broderick

7. THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963) h Re WW II POWs w/ Steve McQueen, et al

8. GETTYSBURG (1993) h w/ Civil War re-enactors; Martin Sheen as Lee

9. CAINE MUTINY (1954) Re WW II w/ Humphrey Bogart

10. DAS BOOT (1981) German Re German sub in WW II


11. THE GREEN BERETS (1968) w/ John Wayne & his actual son as Seabee LT

12. THE BLUE MAX (1966) Re WW I w/ George Peppard & Ursula Andress

13. MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935) AA BP Clark Gable and Charles Laughton

14. GALLIPOLI (1980) Austr. h Re British/Austrailia in WW I w/ Mel Gibson

15. THE BRIDGE AT REMAGEN (1969) h w/ George Segal, Ben Gazzara, Robert Vaughn


16. THE SAND PEBBLES (1966) w/ Steve McQueen & Candice Bergen

17. STALAG 17 (1953) AA BA William Holden Re American POWs

18. PLATOON (1986) AA BP w/ Charlie Sheen in Vietnam

19. MIDWAY (1976) h w/ Henry Fonda as Nimitz & Charlton Heston

20. BRAVEHEART (1995) h AA BD Directed by and starring Mel Gibson



21. A BRIDGE TOO FAR (1977) h Re Market Garden; Sean Connery/Michael Caine

22. SOLDIER OF ORANGE (1979) Dutch Re Six Dutch University students in WW II

23. THE KILLING FIELDS (1984) h AA SA Haing S. Ngor Re Cambodian war

24. THE CRUEL SEA (1953) Brit. Re WW II Britian-to-Murminsk convoys

25. A MIDNIGHT CLEAR (1992) Re WW II Europe Theater GIs


26. THE LONGEST DAY (1962) h Re Normandy landing w/ John Wayne, et al

27. THE MEMPHIS BELLE (1990) Brit. h Re B-17 bombing over Germany

28. TWELVE O’CLOCK HIGH (1949) Re USAF in Europe w/ Gregory Peck

29. SPARTACUS (1960) AA SA Peter Ustinov; Kirk Douglas

30. SERGEANT YORK (1941) h AA BA Gary Cooper


31. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930) AA BP & AA B? BD w/ Lew Ayres

32. THE LIGHTHORSEMEN (1987) Aust h Re Australian Light Horse Brigade cavalry charge

33. MACARTHUR (1977) h w/ Gregory Peck as General Douglas MacArthur

34. PT-109 (1963) h w/ Cliff Robertson as JFK in WW II

35. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962) Brit. h AA BP w/ Peter O’Toole as T. E. Lawrence


36. BATTLE OF THE BULGE (1965) h w/ Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw, Robert Ryan

37. THE BLUE AND THE GREY (1982) w/ Gregory Peck, Stacey Keach, John Hammond

38. THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE (1951) Re Civil War w/ Audie Murphy

39. ZULU DAWN (1979) h w/ Burt Langcaster, Peter O’Toole in Zulu War

40. CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE (1936) h Re British at the Crimea w/ Errol Flynn


41. WAR AND PEACE (1956) w/ Henry Fonda & Audrey Hepburn

42. PATHS OF GLORY (1957) Re WW I w/ Kirk Douglas

43. THE EAGLE HAS LANDED (1977) w/ Michael Caine & Robert Duvall

44. BILLY BUDD (1962) w/ Terrance Stamp, Peter Ustinov, Robert Ryan

45. VON RYAN’S EXPRESS (1965) w/ Frank Sinatra, Trevor Howard


46. THE DIRTY DOZEN (1967) Re WW II w/ Lee Marvin, et al

47. TOO LATE THE HERO (1969) Re WW II w/ Michael Caine & Cliff Robertson

48. SINK THE BISMARCK! (1960) Brit. h Re WW II w/ Kenneth More, Dana Wynter

49. THE DESERT FOX (1951) h w/ James Mason as Rommel

50. AWAY ALL BOATS (1966) Re WW II Navy Amphibs w/ Jeff Chalander


BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS

1. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998) h AA+ Re WW II Normandy Landings w/ Tom Hanks


MOVIES WITH WAR IN THE BACKGROUND


1. THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951) AA BA Humphrey Bogart, Katherine Hepburn

2. DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965) w/ Omar Sharif, Julie Christie

3. TWO WOMEN (1961) Ital. AA BA Sophia Loren Re WW II civilians in war

4. SOUTH PACIFIC (1958) w/ Mitzi Gaynor & singing Seabees

5. THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING (1975) R. Kipling tale w/ Sean Connery & Michael Caine

6. REDS (1981) h w/ Warren Beatty as Jack Reed & Diane Keaton


MOVIES SET IN THE COLD WAR

1. THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER (1990) Re First Tom Clancy novel; Sean Connery

2. CRIMSON TIDE (1995) w/ Gene Hackman & Densel Washington

3. AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN (1982) AA SA Louis Gossett, Jr. w/ Richard Greer

4. TOP GUN (1986) w/ Tom Cruise, Kelly McGuillis

5. A FEW GOOD MEN (1992) w/ Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson


ROMANCE AND WAR

1. CASABLANCA (1943) AA BP & AA BA Humphrey Bogart & cast

2. GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) AA BP, AA BA, & AA SA, & AA BD w/ cast

3. D-DAY - THE SIXTH DAY OF JUNE (1956) w/ Robert Taylor & Dana Wynter

4. THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI (1954) w/ William Holden, Grace Kelly, Mickey Rooney

5. HANOVER STREET (1979) w/ Harrison Ford, Leslie-Ann Down, C.Plummer


WW II WARTIME PICTURES

1. SENTIMENTAL FAVORITE:

THE FIGHTING SEABEES (1944) (B&W) A Classic w/ John Wayne & Susan Hayward

2. WAKE ISLAND (1942) (B&W) w/ Robert Preston, William Bendix

3. GUADALCANAL DIARY (1943) (B&W) w/ Preston Foster, William Bendix

4. THE FLYING TIGERS (1942) (B&W) w/ John Wayne and the China Flying Volunteers

5. BATAAN (1943) (B&W) w/ Robert Taylor down in a blaze of glory

6. BACK TO BATAAN (1945) (B&W) w/ John Wayne, Anthony Quinn take it back.


COMEDY

1. MISTER ROBERTS (1955) AA SA Re Navy w/ Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon

2. MASH (1969) Re Korea w/ Elliott Gould and Donald Sutherland

3. OPERATION PETTICOAT (1959) Re Navy in WW II w/ Cary Grant & Tony Curtis

4. STRIPES (1981) Re Army w/ Bill Murray & John Candy

5. PRIVATE BENJAMIN (1980) Re Army w/ Goldie Hawn

6. KELLY’S HEROS (1970) Re Army in WW II Europe w/Clint Eastwood

7. CATCH-22 (1970) Re WW II w/ Alan Arkin


SEEN BUT UNRANKED (• recommended)

BATTLESHIP POLEMKIN (1925) Russian AA BP Re 1905 Russian Revolution (Silent)

WINGS (1927) (B&W) First AA BP; WW I w/ Clara Bow, Gary Cooper

GUNGA DIN (1939) • w/ Cary Grant, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

A WING AND A PRAYER (1944) • w/ Don Ameche, Dana Andrews, Henry Morgan

SANDS OF IWO JIMA (1949) (B&W) w/ John Wayne

HALLS OF MONTEZUMA (1950) • Re WW II w/ Richard Widmark et al

OPERATION PACIFIC (1951) Re WW II w/ John Wayne

TORPEDO ALLEY (1953) Romance w/ Mark Stevens, Dorthy Malone

THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS (1955) • h Re WW II and pre-Sicily invasion espionage

THE ENEMY BELOW (1957) • DD vs. U Boat; Robert Mitchum, Hans Jurgens

RUN SILENT, RUN DEEP (1958) w/ CO Clark Gable & Burt Lancaster

TORPEDO RUN (1958) • w/ CO Glenn Ford, XO Ernest Borgnine

UP PERISCOPE (1958) • Re WW II w/ James Garner, Edmond O’Brien

PORK CHOP HILL (1959) Re Korea w/ Gregory Peck, George Peppard

NEVER SO FEW (1959) Re WW II w/ Frank Sinatra & Gina Lollibrigida

THE GUNS OF NAVARONE (1961) Re WW II Gergory Peck & David Niven

HELL IS FOR HEROS (1962) Re WW II w/ Steve McQueen, Fess Parker

55 DAYS AT PEKING (1963) • w/ Charlton Heston, David Niven, Ava Gardner

THE TRAIN (1964) Re WW II w/ Burt Lancaster & Paul Scofield

NONE BUT THE BRAVE (1965) w/ Frank Sinatra

IN HARM’S WAY (1965) Re WW II w/ John Wayne & Kirk Douglas

MORITURI (1965) Re Espionage w/ Marlin Brando, Yul Brenner

KARTOUM (1966) h • w/ Charlston Heston, Nigel Green

THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS (1966) h Re Revolt against the French in Algiers

TOBRUK (1967) • w/ Rock Hudson, George Peppard, Nigel Green

ANZIO (1968) Fr.-Ital.-Spanish • w/ Robert Mitchum, et al

BATTLE OF BRITIAN (1969) Brit. h • w/ Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer

WATERLOO (1970) • w/ Rod Steiger & Christopher Plummer

THE LAST DETAIL (1973) Re Navy prisoner detail w/ Jack Nicholsen

THE EXECUTION OF PRIVATE SLOVIK (1974) h• w/ Martin Sheen, Gary Busey, Nead Beatty

GO TELL THE SPARTANS (1978) Re Early Vietnam Army w/ Burt Lancaster

APOCALYPSE NOW (1979) Re Vietnam w/ Martin Sheen & Marlin Brando

IKE (1979) • Re WW II Robert Duvall, Lee Remick, et al.

THE BIG RED ONE (1980) w/ Lee Marvin & Mark Hamill

UNCOMMON VALOR (1984) Re Vietnam POWs w/ Gene Hackman

THE SEA WOLVES (1984) h w/ Gregory Peck, David Niven, Roger Moore

RAN (1985) Re Japanese warlords of 16th century Japan

HEARTBREAK RIDGE (1986) Re USMC w/ Clint Eastwood

YOUNG WINSTON (1986) h •• w/ Simon Ward, Ann Bancroft, Robert Shaw

1941 (1986) w/ Dan Ackeroed, John Belushi, Robert Stack

FULL METAL JACKET (1987) Re USMC and Vietnam

THE HANOI HILTON (1987) h Re Vietnam Conflict POWs in Hanoi

HAMBURGER HILL (1987) Re Vietnam and 101st Airborne Division

GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM (1987) w/ Robin Williams as the USAF D.J.

PLATOON LEADER (1988) w/ Michael Didikoff based on the book

IRON TRIANGLE (1989) Re Vietnam w/ Jeff Bridges

NAVY SEALS (1990) Re Modern Seals w/ Charlie Sheen

A SOLDIER’S STORY (1991) • w/ Howard E. Rollins, Jr., Denzel Washington

PRISIONERS OF THE SUN (1991) Aust. w/ Brian Brown, George Takei, Terry O’Quinn

ANDERSONVILLE (1996) • Civil War CSA Prison Camp w/cast of 100’s

THE SEA HAWK (1940) B&W • Britian vs. Spain w/ Errol Flynn and Claude Rains

BEHIND THE RISING SUN (1943) Re Japan’s Militaristic society, assorted cast


MADE FOR TV SERIES

“Winds of War” (1988) (IX parts) Based on the books by Herman Wouk

“War and Remembrance” (1988) (XII parts) Based on the books by Herman Wouk

w/ Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen,
Jane Seymore, John Gielgud, Sharon Stone, et al.

“McHales’ Navy” (series) w/ Ernest Borgnine & Tim Conway


TV DOCUMENTARY SERIES

“Victory At Sea” h WW II done in the 1950’s

“World at War” h WW II done in the 1980’s

“The Civil War” h Done in the 1990’s

“The Great War” h Done in 1996.

References:

• Legendary War Movies by Peter Guttmacher, Metrobooks, Friedman/Fairfax Publishers, New York, NY, 1996.
• 1996 Movie and Video Guide, Leonard Maltin, Signet Book, New York, NY, 1995

WAR MOVIES NOT YET SEEN

--. HELLCATS OF THE NAVY (1957) w/ Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis (Reagan)


MOVIES NOT YET SEEN but in VHS rental format

--. MAN IN THE MIDDLE (1964) Brit. not on VHS w/ Robert Mitchum

--. ESCAPE TO ATHENA (1979) Brit. w/ Roger Moore, Telly Savalas

--. NAVY BLUE AND GOLD (1937) w/ Robert Young and James Stewart

--. NAVY BLUES (1941) not on VHS w/ Ann Sheridan, Jack Oakie

--. THE NAVY COMES THROUGH (1941) w/ Pat O’Brien, George Murphy

--. NAVY WIFE (1956) not on VHS w/ Joan Bennett, Gary Merrill

--. THEY WERE EXPENDIBLE (1945) w/ John Wayne, PT boats in the Phillippines

--. THE GREAT SANTINI (1979) w/ Robert Duvall

--. GO FOR BROKE (1951) w/ Van Johnson

--. TAPS (1981) w/ Timothy Hutton, George C. Scott

--. BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL (1956) w/ Robert Wagner, Broderick Crawford

--. THE PURPLE HEART (1944) w/ Dana Andrews

--. HELL IN THE PACIFIC (1968) w/ Lee Marvin

--. HELL TO ETERNITY (1960) w/ David Janzen

--. TO THE SHORES OF TRIPOLI (1942) w/ John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara

--. TO HELL AND BACK (1955) w/ Audie Murphy


UNSEEN MOVIES INDEXED In "Legendary War Movies" (whether in VHS format not determined)


--. AIR FORCE (1943)

--. ANCHORS AWEIGH (1945)

--. BATTLEGROUND (1945)

--. BEACH READ (1967)

--. THE BEDFORD INCIDENT (1965)

--. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946)

--. THE BICYCLE THIEF (1948)

--. THE BIG PARADE (1925)

--. THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915)

--. BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY (1989)

--. THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL (1978)

--. THE BOYS IN COMPANY C (1978)

--. THE BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY (1928)

--. CHINA GATE (1957)

--. COMING HOME (1978)

--. CORVETTE K-225 (1943)

--. DAWN PATROL (1925)

--. THE DAY AFTER (1983)

--. THE DEER HUNTER (1983)

--. THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (1959)

--. DISTANT THUNDER (1988)

--. DIVE BOMBER (1941)

--. FAILSAFE (1964)

--. A FAREWELL TO ARMS (1932)

--. FLIGHT COMMAND (1940)

--. FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS (1943)

--. FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE (1921)

--. THE GARDEN OF FINZI-CONTINIS (1971)

--. THE GREAT DICTATOR (1940)

--. HEARTS AND MINDS (1987)

--. HEROS (1987)

--. HOPE AND GLORY (1987)

--. IN COUNTRY (1989)

--. INDOCHINE (1992)

--. IN WHICH WE SERVE (1942)

--. ISN’T LIFE WONDERFUL (1924)

--. I WANTED WINGS (1941)

--. JOHNNY DOUGHBOY (1943)

--. JUDGEMENT AT NUREMBURG (1961)

--. JUMP INTO HELL (1955)

--. KAGAMUSHA (1980)

--. LA GRANDE ILLUSION (1937)

--. LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER (1935)

--. LOST COMMAND (1966)

--. THE LOST PATROL (1934)

--. MAJOR PAYNE (1995)

--. MARATHON MAN (1976)

--. MARINE RAIDERS (1944)

--. THE MEN (1950)

--. MRS. MINIVER (1942)

--. NAPOLEON (1927)

--. THE NIGHT OF THE GENERALS (1966)

--. PASIAN (1946)

--. PRIDE OF THE MARINES (1945)

--. RASHOMON (1950)

--. ROME, OPEN CITY (1945)

--. SAHARA (1945)

--. SALUTE TO THE MARINES (1943)

--. SAYONARA (1957)

--. SCHINDLER’S LIST (1993)

--. THE SEARCH (1948)

--. SEVEN SAMAURAI (1954)

--. SHOAH (1985)

--. SINCE YOU WENT AWAY (1944)

--. THE SORROW AND THE PITY (1969)

--. SPANISH EARTH (1937)

--. THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER (1917)

--. THE STORY OF G.I. JOE (1945)

--. STRIKE COMMANDO (1987)

--. SWING SHIFT (1984)

--. TELL IT TO THE MARINES (1927)

--. THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO (1944)

--. THE TIN DRUM (1979)

--. TO EACH HIS OWN (1949)

--. TRIUMPH OF THE WILL (1935)

--. A WALK IN THE SUN (1946)

--. WATCH ON THE RHINE (1943)

--. WHO’LL STOP THE RAIN (1978)

--. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942)

--. THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY (1983)


END