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| Opening scene from Saving Private Ryan (1998) ranked best WWII movie |
Welcome to the Reel Fives pre-launch movie rankings for best World War II movies of all time. The rankings for WWII movies are based on our pre-launch rankings for its parent genre, best war movies of all-time, which captures war movies more broadly. These top WWII movie rankings are based on the 125 movie ranking sources we found for war movies. In the list of war movies, there were 120 movies, and of those 56 were WWII movies; these 56 WWII films are ranked below. As with the broader war genre, these World War II movie rankings are based on rankings created by movie experts as well as rankings from polling sites that were found online.
World War II has many stories and perspectives, and the film industry is always looking for a story that is just different enough to tell. WWII has been romanticized by history and the film industry. From showing the calm before the storm in Pearl Harbor (2001, ranked 29th) to intense fighting scenes in Saving Private Ryan (1998, the all-time best WWII movie and second overall), WWII films capture both the beauty and tragedy of war. Saving Private Ryan (1998) shows the plight of the families who waited for their sons/husbands/fathers to come home and of the soldiers who refused to let one of their own go. Schindler’s List (1993), ranked the second best WWII film and sixth overall, shows the humanity of a German citizen who does not believe he is fighting the right war. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), ranked third and eighth overall, shows yet a different perspective on WWII by focusing on British POWs in Japan. Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness) decides to build the bridge, despite it helping the Japanese. For Nicholson, the bridge represents British morale and if he can keep his soldiers' morale high, they may just survive. Patton (1970), ranked fifth, focuses on zealous WWII general George S. Patton and his faults that held him back. Writers Francis Ford Coppola and Edmond H. North brought General Patton to life in the film by showing him in some of the biggest battles of WWII, including Battle of the Bulge and D-Day. All of these stories are different and yet sown together by WWII.
It should also be noted that WWII stories are loved by the Academy. Saving Private Ryan (1998) won five Oscars, including Best Director (Steven Spielberg) and Best Cinematography (Janusz Kaminski). Spielberg and Kaminski worked together on Schindler’s List (1993) before Saving Private Ryan (1998), and it won seven Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director (Spielberg), Best Writing, and Best Cinematography (Kaminski). The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) won seven Oscars, including Best Picture (Sam Spiegel), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Alec Guinness), Best Director (David Lean), and Best Writing. Patton (1970) also won seven Oscars, including Best Picture (Frank McCarthy), Best Actor in a Leading Role (George C. Scott), Best Writing (Coppola and North), and Best Director (Franklin J. Schaffner).
Top 56 World War II Movies
Percent of online top fives movies appear in shown
1 . Saving Private Ryan (1998): 51.6%
2 . Schindler's List (1993): 21.7%
3 . The Thin Red Line (1998): 16.1%
4 . The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957): 15.3%
5 . Patton (1970): 11.2%
6 . The Great Escape (1963): 7.25%
7 . Come and See (1985): 6.45%
8 . Lawrence of Arabia (1962): 5.64%
9 . Casablanca (1942): 4.83%
10 (tied). The Longest Day (1962): 4.83%
10 (tied). The Pianist (2002): 4.83%
12 . Inglorious Basterds (2009): 4.83%
13 . Das Boot (1982): 4.03%
14 . Letters from Iwo Jima (2006): 4.03%
15 . The Dirty Dozen (1967): 3.22%
16 . Tora Tora Tora (1970): 3.22%
17 . Ice Cold in Alex (1958): 3.22%
18 . The Downfall (2004): 3.22%
19 . The Dam Busters (1955): 2.41%
20 (tied). The Best Years of Our Lives (1946): 2.41%
20 (tied). Memphis Belle (1990): 2.41%
22 . A Bridge Too Far (1977): 2.41%
23 . Where Eagles Dare (1968): 1.61%
24 . Sands of Iwo Jima (1949): 1.61%
25 (tied). The Human Condition I (1959): 1.61%
25 (tied). Battlegrounds (1949): 1.61%
25 (tied). Kanal (1956): 1.61%
25 (tied). Ivan's Childhood (1962): 1.61%
29 . Pearl Harbor (2011): 1.61%
30 (tied). Went the Day Well (1942): .806%
30 (tied). The Battle of the Bulge (1965): .806%
30 (tied). Attack (1956): .806%
33 (tied). The Cranes are Flying (1957): .806%
33 (tied). Life is Beautiful (1997): .806%
33 (tied). Flags of Our Fathers (2006): .806%
36 (tied). Stalag 17 (1953): .806%
36 (tied). The Josephine Baker Story (1991): .806%
36 (tied). Fires Were Started (1943): .806%
36 (tied). Europa, Europa (1990): .806%
36 (tied). Midway (1976): .806%
41 (tied). The Winter War (1989): .806%
41 (tied). The Imitation Game (2014): .806%
41 (tied). 633 Squadron (1964): .806%
41 (tied). Army of Shadows (1969): .806%
41 (tied). Cross of Iron (1977): .806%
41 (tied). The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008): .806%
47 (tied). Judgement at Nuremberg (1961): .806%
47 (tied). It Happened Here (1967): .806%
47 (tied). The More The Merrier (1943): .806%
47 (tied). Malèna (2000): .806%
47 (tied). Enemy at the Gates (2001): .806%
47 (tied). The Bridge (1959): .806%
47 (tied). Play Dirty (1969): .806%
47 (tied). To Hell and Back (1955): .806%
47 (tied). From Here to Eternity (1953): .806%
47 (tied). Sophie's Choice (1982): .806%
Percent of online top fives movies appear in shown
1 . Saving Private Ryan (1998): 51.6%
2 . Schindler's List (1993): 21.7%
3 . The Thin Red Line (1998): 16.1%
4 . The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957): 15.3%
5 . Patton (1970): 11.2%
6 . The Great Escape (1963): 7.25%
7 . Come and See (1985): 6.45%
8 . Lawrence of Arabia (1962): 5.64%
9 . Casablanca (1942): 4.83%
10 (tied). The Longest Day (1962): 4.83%
10 (tied). The Pianist (2002): 4.83%
12 . Inglorious Basterds (2009): 4.83%
13 . Das Boot (1982): 4.03%
14 . Letters from Iwo Jima (2006): 4.03%
15 . The Dirty Dozen (1967): 3.22%
16 . Tora Tora Tora (1970): 3.22%
17 . Ice Cold in Alex (1958): 3.22%
18 . The Downfall (2004): 3.22%
19 . The Dam Busters (1955): 2.41%
20 (tied). The Best Years of Our Lives (1946): 2.41%
20 (tied). Memphis Belle (1990): 2.41%
22 . A Bridge Too Far (1977): 2.41%
23 . Where Eagles Dare (1968): 1.61%
24 . Sands of Iwo Jima (1949): 1.61%
25 (tied). The Human Condition I (1959): 1.61%
25 (tied). Battlegrounds (1949): 1.61%
25 (tied). Kanal (1956): 1.61%
25 (tied). Ivan's Childhood (1962): 1.61%
29 . Pearl Harbor (2011): 1.61%
30 (tied). Went the Day Well (1942): .806%
30 (tied). The Battle of the Bulge (1965): .806%
30 (tied). Attack (1956): .806%
33 (tied). The Cranes are Flying (1957): .806%
33 (tied). Life is Beautiful (1997): .806%
33 (tied). Flags of Our Fathers (2006): .806%
36 (tied). Stalag 17 (1953): .806%
36 (tied). The Josephine Baker Story (1991): .806%
36 (tied). Fires Were Started (1943): .806%
36 (tied). Europa, Europa (1990): .806%
36 (tied). Midway (1976): .806%
41 (tied). The Winter War (1989): .806%
41 (tied). The Imitation Game (2014): .806%
41 (tied). 633 Squadron (1964): .806%
41 (tied). Army of Shadows (1969): .806%
41 (tied). Cross of Iron (1977): .806%
41 (tied). The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008): .806%
47 (tied). Judgement at Nuremberg (1961): .806%
47 (tied). It Happened Here (1967): .806%
47 (tied). The More The Merrier (1943): .806%
47 (tied). Malèna (2000): .806%
47 (tied). Enemy at the Gates (2001): .806%
47 (tied). The Bridge (1959): .806%
47 (tied). Play Dirty (1969): .806%
47 (tied). To Hell and Back (1955): .806%
47 (tied). From Here to Eternity (1953): .806%
47 (tied). Sophie's Choice (1982): .806%
For the sources these are based on, please see our best War movies page.
Identifying the top movies is our mission.
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