"What’s the Best War Movie of All Time?" Topic

Winter is here, and that means it's the perfect time to hunker down on the couch, scroll through the endless catalogs of your favorite streaming services, and pick out a movie to enjoy. Chances are, you'll choose a war movie at least a few times this season…

Poll at Military: link

I watch "In Harm's Way" (1965) every year. The cast is awesome. I also find time to watch "Kelly's Heroes" (1970) along about this time of the year. And what winter time movie watching would be complete without watching "Ice Station Zebra" (1968) on the big A#s TV in the living room with surround sound?

The Longest Day

Waterloo
Zulu
Gettysburg
Zulu Dawn
Platoon
The Crossing
That's my list.

The Alamo (Thornton as Crockett)
Zulu
GLORY
GREYHOUND (on Apple +) -- destroyer vs Uboats
KHARTOUM

Based on my rewatch history:

Zulu Dawn
A bridge to far
The longest day
Gettysburg
Zulu
Khartoum

Zulu Dawn

Others that are high in my re-watch list:

El Cid
Cross of Iron
The Eagle Has Landed
Patton
Throne of Blood
Tora Tora Tora
War & Peace (Bundarchuk)

I wouldn't vote for it as "Best of all time", but definite Honourable Mention Congeniality Award goes to:
Jupiter's Darling

Zulu
Glory
Full Metal Jacket
Gardens of Stone
The Caine Mutiny

Since you said "greatest", I can't pick just one. 🙂

Adding to the list:

Blackhawk Down
T-34
Gates of Stalingrad

The Longest Day

Godzilla Minus One. Seriously. It's about the destruction and aftermath of war (given form in Godzilla) and pain and struggle among those who survived, and the hope that redemption can come, not only for themselves but their families, community and nation.
Glory
The Crossing
The Horse Soldiers
Memphis Belle

Battleground
Das Boot

"Apocalypse Now" in my opinion.

martin

Blackadder Goes Forth
Paths of Glory
M*A*S*H
Come and See

My top ten

Kelly's Heroes
They were Expendable
Das Boot
Ran
Bedford Incident
Stalag 17
Paths of Glory
Wings
Zulu
Lawrence of Arabia

A Bridge To Far

While it is quite new, Godzilla Minus One is a serious contender. Will have to meditate on that come voting time.

I've seen it three times in theaters already, one IMAX and then two regular matinees.

It's certainly the best Godzilla film to date.

The Longest Day.

Four Feathers (1939).

Good one Royston – definitely in top

Beau Geste (1939) – Gary Cooper version

The Longest Day.

Filmed on location of the battle.
Included many who were actual participants.
More historically accurate than the vast majority of war movies.
Is worth watching over and over again.
Has John Wayne in it.

Godzilla Minus One is the runner up. Best Godzilla movie ever, and I have seen them all. It is also an excellent war movie.

Bunkermeister

Master and Commander is also on my top 10

Some I like:
The Four Feathers (1939)
Red Badge of Courage
The Americanization of Emily
Saving Private Ryan
Glory
Bridge on the River Kwai
Stalag 17

Not a war movie, but I still love Jean Reno smashing a peasant in the face with his shield in one of the opening scenes of Just Visiting. Who says a shield can only be used defensively?

Grelber

Stripes. "Lighten up, Frances."

The Outpost
13 Hours
Glory
All Quiet on the Western Front. Pretty much pick your version.

"The Enemy Below" is an underrated classic and certainly gave birth to my favorite TOS episode "Balance of Terror".

12 O'Clock High.

Zulu
Untergang
Seven Samurai
Das Boot
Waterloo
Gods and Generals

Greatest? I hate those kinds of questions.

Ones I love and will watch if I can?

Zulu
A Bridge Too Far
Full Metal Jacket
Lawrence of Arabia
Sink the Bismarck
Black Hawk Down

And probably many many more.

The Longest Day
Kelly's Heroes
All Quiet on The Western Front
Cross of Iron

13 Hours
Heaven and Earth
April 9
Redcliff
The 800
Letters From Iwo Jima
Flowers of War (well done movie, absolutely heartbreaking)

My top ten (but in no particular order):

Zulu
Patton
Lawrence of Arabia
Cross of Iron
A Bridge Too Far
A Bridge on the River Kwai
Kelly's Heroes
Das Boot
Platoon
They Shall Not Grow Old

(Paths of Glory -- honorable mention).

Lawrence of Arabia
Gettysburg
Waterloo
ZULU
The Bridges at Toko-Ri
Patton
The Light Horseman
A Bridge Too Far
Cross of Iron
Das Boot
The Great Escape
Glory
Tora Tora Tora
Midway (1976)
They Were Expendable
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
Full Metal Jacket
Enemy at the Gates
Saving Private Ryan
The Battle of Britain
MASH
The 300 Spartans (1962)
Hamburger Hill
Go Tell the Spartans
Letters From Iwo Jima
Henry V (1989)
Paths of Glory
ZULU Dawn
Four Feathers (1939)
The Wind and the Lion
The Sand Pebbles
We Were Soldiers
All Quite on the Western Front (all versions)
Spartacus
March or Die
Fort Saganne
Beau Geste (1939)
Dr. Strange Love

Honorable Mention: Casablanca

Cross of Iron with James Coburn, James Mason, and David Warner. Outstanding movie

Operation Burma with Errol Flynn, one of Flynn's best.

Battleground – Van Johnson (Holly), John Hodiak, James Whitmore (Oscar nominee), George Murphy (Pops), Ricardo Montalban, Marshall Thompson, Don Taylor, Richard Jaeckel, and a somewhat unknown at the time: James Arness. Great cast.

Others:
Glory
Platoon
Sand Pebbles (McQueen Oscar nomination)

Bob

No US cavalry movies?

Someone did list the "Horse Soldiers" which is a good choice. "She wore a Yellow Ribbon" and "Fort Apache" are good ones.

That is a very tough question!

But the movie I will stop whatever I am doing to watch is…

A Bridge To Far.

The sense of urgency starting after the first half hour builds until the end. The combined arms seen is excellent and the movie is packed will great actors.

Godzill minus one does get honorable mention.

All of the above and The Story of GI Joe.

Zulu
Zulu Dawn
The Longest Day
Enemy Below
Das Boot
The Alamo
The Horse Soldiers
Glory
Red Badge of Courage
Patton
Cross of Iron
Gettysburg
A Bridge too Far
Saving Private Ryan
many others I like

I'm with 35thOVI – can't pick just one

Here was thinking if I had to pick the best one, top 10 is easy if not in order

Thinking of cavalry flicks, this Australian entry is worth a nomination:

The Lighthorsemen (1987)

Forty Thousand Horsemen (not the butchered version released in the US).
Kajaki: The True Story (released in North America as Kilo Two Bravo for some reason).
Dog Soldiers (squaddies versus werewolves- no Geneva Convention issues).
The Cruel Sea.
The Last Valley
The Battle of Britain.
M*A*S*H.
Kelly's Heroes.

I don't think there is a "Best" but there are plenty of great movies for a top 10 list.

Most of the movies named here seem pretty recent, which isn't fair to the older classics like

The Dawn Patrol
Hell's Angels
The Red Badge of Courage
Austerlitz
Theirs is the Glory

…and a lot more I don't have time to mention.

The Beast
Sahara – Bogart version is better than Belushi's which isn't bad

Son of the Morning Star
Glory
Waterloo
The 300 Spartans
Gettysburg
Joyeux Noel/Merry Christmas
Zulu & Zulu Dawn
The Alamo (Wayneamo version)
Tora Tora Tora!

In no particular order. And my filter was, "must be based on real history", not just a fictional story set in wartime, or my list would have been much different.

Lots of honorable mentions!

Lots of great films mentioned. I would watch any of them except, contrary to Old Contemptible, only the Original version of All Quiet is worth the time, if you have read the book. Westfront and Wooden Crosses are good WW1.

I did not notice any films set in India. Tops is Gunga Din, then Flame Over India, the battle parts of Young Winston, The Decievers, original Charge of the Light Brigade (the later one is good too), lots of good ones set in ancient and medieval times. Really good part of Alexander the Great set in India.

Is The Wild Bunch a war movie? There is fighting between the bunch and the Mexicans. Did I miss Mexican revolution movies -- Poncho Villa, etc