The 50 greatest war films of all time

Fall in for TONY's list of mighty military movies.

By David Fear, Joshua Rothkopf and Keith Uhlich Thu May 26 2011

War films: Click to the next image to see our 50 greatest war films of all time
War films: Inglourious Basterds (2009)
War films: Ride with the Devil (1999)
War films: Twelve O'Clock High (1949)
War films: Hell in the Pacific (1968)
War films: In Which We Serve (1942)
War films: Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)
War films: Ballad of a Soldier (1959)
War films: The Red Badge of Courage (1951)
War films: The Great Escape (1963)
War films: The Sun (2005)

War films: Click to the next image to see our 50 greatest war films of all time

What better way to honor the sacrifice of Memorial Day than with a ranked list of cinematic greatness? TONY Film has slogged through its own basic training to arrive at the 50 ultimate war movies—and not merely the ones with the biggest battle scenes (though expect plenty of ammo). Rather, here are the most profound statements, pointed and patriotic alike, on the distinctly human condition of fighting. We offer the list to you, our readers, along with our sharpest salute. Why not put on your war face and sound off, in the comments section below?

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Quentin Tarantino makes the WWII film his own: violent, verbose and endlessly entertaining. There's plenty of bloodshed, but this gloriously demented pulp fiction is more about the destructive power of words. In QT's universe, the right turn of phrase—especially when tripping from the malevolently multilingual tongue of Nazi commandant Hans Landa—can kill both body and spirit.—Keith Uhlich

Watch now on iTunes Watch now at Amazon Instant Video

Ride with the Devil (1999)

You wouldn't expect anything less complex from director Ang Lee (The Ice Storm, Brokeback Mountain), whose oblique take on the Civil War—specifically guerrilla fighting in Missouri—thrilled critics and mystified crowds. A pre-Spidey Tobey Maguire anchors the movie in sympathy, while Jeffrey Wright electrifies as a liberated slave.—Joshua Rothkopf

Watch now on iTunes Watch now at Amazon Instant Video

Twelve O'Clock High (1949)

Gregory Peck had already arrived as a magnetic onscreen presence by the time this minutely detailed WWII Air Force drama gave him his most ambitious role to date, as a stern disciplinarian whose leadership transforms a bomber unit into a well-oiled machine. The ultimate praise: The movie was required viewing at military-service academies for decades—Joshua Rothkopf

Buy on Amazon

Hell in the Pacific (1968)

Two soldiers—one American, the other Japanese—are marooned on an uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean during the height of WWII and must work together to survive. Director John Boorman crafts a potent existential parable out of their plight (Jean-Paul Sartre would be proud) while also allowing the great Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune to rage with crowd-pleasing gusto.—Keith Uhlich

Buy on Amazon

In Which We Serve (1942)

Let's give it up for wit-of-all-trades Nol Coward, who wrote, codirected (with David Lean), starred in and even composed the score for this veddy British WWII naval tale, about a shipwrecked crew and their valiant efforts to carry on with stiff upper lips.—Joshua Rothkopf

Watch now at Amazon Instant Video

Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)

John Wayne was born to the swagger of a certain kind of war film, neither especially negative nor devoid of a soldier's vulnerability. This celebratory recreation of the title's WWII Allied triumph accommodates plenty of heart-thumping jingoism but also the fatalism of sniper fire.—Joshua Rothkopf

Buy on Amazon

Ballad of a Soldier (1959)

A delicate Russian-made tribute to that nation's staggering sacrifice during WWII, Grigori Chukhrai's drama concerns a teenage infantryman's journey back home for a six-day break, a reward for taking out two German tanks. He marvels at the rape of the land—and also connects with a beautiful girl. It's a film about the value of the fight.—Joshua Rothkopf

Buy on Amazon

The Red Badge of Courage (1951)

The verdict is still out what could have been the full edit of this Civil War picture, which was drastically cut to under 70 minutes after poor test screenings. Given the talent of the director—John Huston, whose next film was The African Queen—we're inclined to believe he was onto something special with Stephen Crane's classic. Enough of Huston's noirish vision remains.—Joshua Rothkopf

Watch now on iTunes Watch now at Amazon Instant Video

The Great Escape (1963)

Made at the peak of Hollywood's studio system and a flawless example of robust mainstream entertainment, John Sturgess's protoblockbuster turned Steve McQueen into a marquee idol—he gobbles up the lens even before he jumps the barbed-wire fence of his WWII POW camp on a motorcycle. Amazingly, the story is a real-life one.—Joshua Rothkopf

Watch now at Amazon Instant Video

The Sun (2005)

In the final days of WWII, twitchy Japanese Emperor Hirohito (Issei Ogata in a spectacularly oddball performance) holes himself up in an underground bunker while Douglas MacArthur and his troops inch closer to the palace. Russian director Alexander Sokurov's haunting character study is a dreamy and disquieting look at an enigmatic man sliding from power.—Keith Uhlich

Buy on Amazon

« previous
next »

50–41
40–31
30–21
20–11
10–1

Your rating
Name *
Email *
Comment *
* mandatory fields

Comments & ratings

(25 ratings)

http://shares4u.webnode.in/torrent-movies/ my list of top 3 with download link for al movies

shares4u Fri Aug 17 2012
Report
1. Name *
2. Email *
3. Reason *
Black hawk down, flags of our fathers, letters from Iwo Jima, gettysburg, glory ring a bell?

Alex Mon Aug 13 2012
Report
1. Name *
2. Email *
3. Reason *
Where is Letter from Iwo Jima, Tora Tora Tora and Battle of Algiers O_O ?

Nawfel Sun Aug 12 2012
Report
1. Name *
2. Email *
3. Reason *
i honestly cant believe apocalypse now is even on the list much less in 2nd place. and how did they forget the actual best war movie of all time? saving private ryan anybody!?

caymin Sat Aug 11 2012
Report
1. Name *
2. Email *
3. Reason *
The Blue Max and Enemy at the Gates are both good war movies... Why is there not one Civil War or Ancient times war movie on that list.

Matthew Sun Aug 5 2012
Report
1. Name *
2. Email *
3. Reason *
Black Hawk Down, Tears of The Sun, Flags Of Our Fathers Is also missing. Starship Troopers should not be considered a war movie but a the Scrince Fiction war movie. And platoon is at least a top 10 Movie in my opinion.

Frank Sat Aug 4 2012
Rated as: 2/5
Report
1. Name *
2. Email *
3. Reason *
Love lists, though not usually the lists Time Out produces. I told myself "If Barry Lyndon isn't Top 5, I can't come to this site anymore." Turns out Barry Lyndon isn't even on the list. Whaaaaaaat!!!?!?!?!?!

Greg W. Locke Tue Jul 31 2012
Report
1. Name *
2. Email *
3. Reason *
Agree with Lawrence that Schindler's List and Tora Tora Tora should be included. I would place Schindler's list in the top 5 for sure. Starship Troopers is decent enough but I would have categorized it as Sci Fi. Clearly our analysts haven't seen these films, Lawrence of Arabia of a Bridge Too Far. Odd.

Jonathan Bywater Mon Jul 23 2012
Report
1. Name *
2. Email *
3. Reason *
P.S. Forgot to add the best one of all: 'Lawrence of Arabia'. How in God's name can Starship Troopers or the Dirty Dozen be above that?

Jonathan Bywater Mon Jul 23 2012
Report
1. Name *
2. Email *
3. Reason *
First, let me just say I'm ok with Starship troopers being up there. It was a great movie, and if you don't agree, you clearly lack the intellect to understand what made that movie so great. However, you left off plenty of great war movies. "Tora Tora Tora" is an absolutely fantastic film, one of the greatest war films of all time. You also left off "Life is Beautiful" and "Schindler's List". I did discover some great new movies to watch, so I must thank you for that, but lots of these movies could be left off, and replaced with better movies.

Lawrence Mon Jul 23 2012
Report
1. Name *
2. Email *
3. Reason *