25 greatest World War II films of all time

Billy Wilder's "Stalag 17" set the tone for prisoner-of-war films to follow. It focuses on a group of American airmen held in a prison camp behind enemy lines during WWII and features an Academy Award-winning performance from William Holden, who would later star in another POW classic on this list, "Bridge on the River Kwai." "Stalag 17" brings both harrowing action and a dark sense of humor that earns its place on this list.

Only one of two nautical-based WWII films on the list, "Sink the Bismarck!" is unique in that it is, to this day, the only film that depicts the Royal Navy's sinking of the German battleship Bismarck, in what would be a decisive battle for naval superiority in the Atlantic. Praised for its historical accuracy in a time when much of the information surrounding the battle was still classified, "Sink the Bismarck!" is still hailed as a top war film of the period.

Based on Alistair MacLean's 1957 novel of the same name, "The Guns of Navarone" depicts a version of the Battle of Leros during the Dodecanese campaign off the island of Kheros. Featuring square-jawed performances from Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn, "The Guns of Navarone" is an action-packed classic no WWII aficionado should miss.

Frank Sinatra lights up the screen as a leader of an Allied group of POWs who stage an escape by freight train in the midst of mountains on one side and Nazis on the other. Sinatra wanted a film that he could hang his hat on as an actor, and his turn as Colonel Joseph Ryan fits the bill perfectly, even if he changed the original ending to something more downbeat. The end result is a rousing tale of struggle and survival, placing it squarely as one of the best of the genre.

Samuel Fuller's epic "The Big Red One" was based in part on his own experiences during WWII with the 1st Infantry Division. The film follows the division on campaigns that go from North Africa to Omaha Beach all the way to western Germany and ending with the liberation of a Czechoslovakian concentration camp. Lee Marvin is every bit as effective in this film as he is in his other WWII outings, and Mark Hamill leaves Luke Skywalker behind in his portrayal of a sniper who is reluctant to kill. A hard-boiled war classic by any measure.

Steve McQueen heads up a fantastic cast, in a rousing and enjoyable WWII tale of Allied soldiers with a plan to escape in John Sturges’ excellent "The Great Escape." While some remember the film for its iconic yet chipper theme, the sheer star power joining McQueen along for the ride — like James Garner, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasance and James Coburn — is more than worth the price of admission (which by now is pretty cheap for a film made in 1963, but you get the point). A must-watch for fans of the genre.

Producer Darryl F. Zanuck wanted a monster account of D-Day that both spared no expense nor held back any star, and the result: "The Longest Day" absolutely delivers. Zanuck had no interest in the typical Hollywood depiction of war and wanted to bring audiences an account of D-Day that had never been shown before, so he chose to do it in a realistic, documentary portrayal of the events, even if casting practically every star in Hollywood sort of negates that realism. Regardless of the excess, the film stands as a WWII great by any measure.

There were plenty of WWII "Men on a Mission" films in the '60s, but only one set the standard for all others to follow. "The Dirty Dozen" tells the story of an Army major (Lee Marvin) who trains a dozen convicted murderers to go on a suicide mission to sack a chateau full of high-ranking Nazis and other German officers. Featuring a cavalcade of the era's stars, including Jim Brown, Donald Sutherland, Charles Bronson, John Cassavetes and Telly Savalas, the film is brazen and brutal for its time. But you'll be glued to the screen.

Depicting the lives of three soldiers in the run-up to the attack on Pearl Harbor, "From Here to Eternity" features stunning performances from Frank Sinatra, Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Ernest Borgnine and Deborah Kerr, as we follow the torrid affairs and other tragedies that envelop the cast all before fate would sweep them up into circumstances far beyond their control. 

While much of Steven Spielberg's acclaim for WWII films begins with "Schindler's List," his first foray into the genre, "Empire of the Sun," is an epic in its own right and largely underrated as compared to the rest of his oeuvre. Set amid Japan's invasion of China, the film focuses on young Jaime Graham (Christian Bale) whose life is turned upside down as the Japanese attacks his home in the Shanghai International Settlement. Separated from his family, Graham goes on an adventure of his own as he tries to stay alive while never giving up hope on being reunited with his family.

A modern-day "Men on a Mission" fable, Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" is an alternate-reality tale of revenge featuring a cast of characters led by Brad Pitt, but featuring a showstopping performance by Christoph Waltz as the despicable yet charismatic SS operative Hans Landa, who oozes villainy in a way not seen on screen in years. While the film has no basis in historical reality, Tarantino delivers a film so exciting, so full of cathartic violence, that in the end, it doesn't even matter.

By marrying a "Men on a Mission" movie with a good old-fashioned heist flick, "Kelly's Heroes" is a one-of-a-kind film bringing together a giant cast on an adventure that brings the weight of similar WWII film, but with a goal. This time the men, led by Clint Eastwood, have their eyes on a prize much larger than freedom, and each of the "Heroes" are willing to go through hell to get it, with the added benefit of winning the war on the side. 

George C. Scott gives an Academy Award-winning performance as the controversial but revered General George S. Patton in the epic "Patton." Maybe it was being released in the cynical '70s, but the film's unflinching approach on one of the most iconic figures of WWII feels better than right in its execution, buttressed by a tour-de-force performance that feels more like a possession than a portrayal. Karl Malden serves as a capable foil to Scott as Omar Bradley. Of all the biopics of the genre, "Patton" stands unopposed, just like the man himself.

While many of the war films on this list are about the bombast of battle, director Frank Pierson's dramatization of the infamous 1942 Wannsee Conference, the meeting that set into the motion the extermination of 6 million Jews, was every bit as explosive in all its quiet protocols and pleasantries among a group of men who treated genocide with all the weight of a dinnertime decision. Kenneth Branagh shines as Reinhard Heydrich, SS leader Heinrich Himmler's right-hand man, but his performance is matched by a stellar cast that includes Stanley Tucci, Colin Firth and Ian McNeice.

Where some WWII films focused on the more subtle hells of war, writer Alistair MacLean was interested in action, action, action in "Where Eagles Dare," based on his novel of the same name. Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton team as a pair of commandos tasked with rescuing a general caught by Nazi forces. Viewers are treated to top-notch filmmaking and harrowing action scenes. 

A companion piece to the lesser "Flags of our Fathers," "Letters from Iwo Jima" depicts the Battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of Japanese soldiers. Featuring a somber and dignified performance from Ken Watanabe and Kazunari Ninomiya, the film goes a long way toward humanizing a relentless enemy, whose quest for honor in war runs parallel to their adversaries.

"'Dunkirk" is an epic vision from director Christopher Nolan about the evacuation of troops stranded in the wake of the Battle of Dunkirk in the early part of WWII. The film takes on a somber, yet dream-like quality as Nolan presents the film, not as a direct narrative, but rather a tapestry of individual perspectives from land, sea and air. Dialogue is sparse, however the images tell a harrowing, and at times heart-wrenching tale of the perilous nature of war, and how hope, no matter how slim, weaves itself into the fabric of tragedy, creating a grim, yet beautiful monument to humanity itself.

"The Bridge on the River Kwai" is a harrowing story of British POWs in a Japanese internment camp tasked with building a bridge in order to connect the Japanese-planned Burma Railway running from Bangkok to Rangoon. Featuring powerful performances from Alec Guinness and Sessue Hayakawa as two men of honor engaged in a battle of wills, the film is as much about the war inside as it is about the war surrounding prisoners and soldiers.

Wolfgang Petersen’s heart-stopping, frighteningly claustrophobic U-boat drama "Das Boot" could quite possibly be one of the darkest of all WWII movies, both literally and figuratively. Led by Jürgen Prochnow's subtly maniacal performance, the film relentlessly piles on pressure in a way that almost feels like a horror film, and to be honest, it may well be. Watch for the infamous "Tiefer" scene, as Prochnow pushes his sub to life-threatening depths in a way that still unnerves with each moment.

Released at the close of WWII, "The Best Years of Our Lives" was remarkable for its time in that it pushed away the gallant propaganda-style narratives and dove right into the realities of what happens when the ticker-tape parades end and life has to begin again. Focusing on three returning soldiers, viewers get a glimpse into concepts such as disability and PTSD, as these men try to readjust to varying degrees of success. Filmgoers and critics equally embraced the film as it ran away with seven Oscars, including Best Picture in 1946.

Possibly the definitive film about the final days of Adolf Hitler, "Downfall" gives viewers a searingly sympathetic performance by Bruno Ganz as Hitler as we're thrust dead center into the absolute insanity of the Nazi leader's inglorious fall from power. Not only an amazing showcase of acting, but also an insightful look into the fall of the Third Reich from the claustrophobic space of a bunker.

Even in the midst of war, a kiss is still a kiss in director Michael Curtiz's romantic drama set during World War II. "Casablanca" features Humphrey Bogart in the role that would forever solidify him not only as a leading man, but an icon of the silver screen as Rick Blaine, a nightclub owner stuck in the middle of a simmering tea kettle of rogues. His complicated life is made more so by the presence of his former lover Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), placing him dead in the crosshairs of Nazis.

The film that turned director Steven Spielberg from an auteur of blockbusters to a serious awards titan, "Schindler's List" is not only one of the greatest WWII films, it's one of the greatest films ever made, period. Telling the story of a German businessman (Liam Neeson) who becomes an unlikely hero as he saves the lives of Jewish workers with the aid of a local Jewish official (Ben Kingsley). Spielberg delivers a powerful, unflinching film of tragedy and hope that can never truly be matched.

There was never any doubt that director Terrence Malick would present a starkly sublime vision of war, but "The Thin Red Line" simply exceeds all expectations as it delivers a sympathetic, yet humane depiction of the battle of Guadalcanal. Featuring A+ performances from Sean Penn, John Cusack, Nick Nolte, George Clooney, John Travolta and Woody Harrelson, the real gem is the star turn from Jim Caviezel, who serves as the soul of a film that questions the need for war in a way few films ever have.

Without question, "Saving Private Ryan" is director Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece, and by far the greatest WWII film ever made. From the opening scene on Omaha Beach, where bodies are put through a literal meat grinder of German artillery and machine gun fire, Spielberg grips the audience in a way that no film before it ever managed...and then it slows down and becomes something even greater. Tom Hanks is at his best as a captain tasked with locating and bringing home the last surviving member of a group of brothers killed in combat. How Hanks and his team get there redefine the "Men on a Mission" subgenre in a way that no other film can ever match.