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As of late, I have to say that I have been pleasantly, although belatedly surprised by Task Force (1949) starring Gary Cooper. A very underrated take at carrier warfare in the Pacific that didn't get the sort of recognition you'd expect, especially when one considers the much better-known and still rather underwhelming movie that is 1976's Midway.

ORIGINAL: Leandros

For tactical scenes, The Thin, Red Line does it for me. Not necessarily because the actors were directed to show excellent, what we in Norwegian call "feltmessig opptreden" - proper behaviour in the field, if you like, but when the GIs approached the bunker line with Colt.45s and Garands, shooting when advancing - and the "pling" of the empty ammo clip leaving the Garand - that did it to me.

Interesting to see, too, how that rowdy actor (can't remember his name, was it Lee Marvin?) fires his Colt pistol - no two-hand grip there, which I believe is correct for the period. One-hand grip, that is.

Fred

Nick Nolte was the angry Colonel. Sean Penn played a Sgt. Either one could be considered "rowdy".

ORIGINAL: mrchuck

Best British war movie!

2 choices in my opinion:
Lawrence of Arabia (of course)
The Hill. Obscure but excellent, good turn by Sean Connery.

And maybe a third if you want so much stiff upper lip it's almost a parody: In which we serve.

The Hill is a great movie about behavior, the war is just background.
Far ahead of its time, all good acting.
Must admit it belongs to my top 10 all time favorite movies.

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Schindler's List
Battle of Britain
Waterloo
Conspiracy
Operation Daybreak

Very good choices sir - in line with some of my own favorites - good choices.

I am uncertain if the following are considered American / British or combined; and despite (some or numerous) inaccuracies I would add to the list:

1) Dunkirk - thoughtful

2) Bridge at Remagen - inaccurate about battle circumstances but strong on the human element of war

3) Bridge too Far - very interesting perhaps accurate portrayal of command structure decisions - again the human civilian cost is noted.

4) Patton - as noted above - historical study in Human Character.

5) Saving Private Ryan - noted many times here

6) Hacksaw Ridge - not a cliff face - a ridge [8D] - but a great tale of (a) human courage

7) Monument Men - not especially a war movie - well acted interesting story about the Wars affect of culture

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8) Bridge over River Kwai

9) D Day - the old classic version where Germans speak German - French speak French - British speak a 'kind of English' [8D] - Americans speak English. I know all the faults of the film yet its timeless tribute to one of the most important battles for the sake of Democracy - nostalgia still draws me to watch again and again despite so many accuracy issues.

Interestingly I have never yet seen Thin Red Line.

For some reason - I have meant to view it many times but just never got to it yet.

PS Lawrence of Arabia - perhaps one of my 3 most favorite films is WW1 not WW2 [8D]

Cross of Iron, although it features Coburn and was directed by Peckinpah, it is not really an American war movie.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_of_Iron

Good movie, but Imo disappointing as book adaptation.
Of course this is where the Iron Crosses grow.

With hindsight I find most American war movies pretty cringe worthy, in modern times I make an exception for the series Brothers in Arms, Saving Pvt Ryan and honorable mention to The Beast (of War) - some good combat scenes in the beginning - The Hurt Locker and Black Hawk Down.

The Thin Red Line has some memorable scenes mixed with some extremely poor scenes (especially anything with miscast John Travolta in it, but also “pretty hair” Sean Penn). Cavaziel is something special in that movie, some hints as being Jesus-like - which I told my wife back then. Some of his scenes ate what lifts the movie, but otherwise some of the hazy flashbacks I found extremely boring.

IMO a great war movie is a great movie first and a war movie second, the war is the environment not the story.

When the war IS the story, we enter the realm of docudrama, with the inclusion of the latter spoiling history and the reenactment being pretty dry for a long sitting.

Tora Tora Tora, I later found out I like the scenes directed by the Japanese director / team, but I find the US side standard and not that interesting.

Damn .. to many movies...

Interesting I have also never seen Cross of Iron - another "I intend to" but never done.

Thanks for note on "Thin Red Line"

Tora Tora Tora - damn - how did I miss - especially noted above. Great movie with thoughtful vignettes about Japanese and American Command Structures... put it near the top.

Hi all,

It is "shame" that one of my favorite war movies - "Aces High" (1976) is British... [8D]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aces_High_(film)


Leo "Apollo11"

ORIGINAL: Fishbed

As of late, I have to say that I have been pleasantly, although belatedly surprised by Task Force (1949) starring Gary Cooper. A very underrated take at carrier warfare in the Pacific that didn't get the sort of recognition you'd expect, especially when one considers the much better-known and still rather underwhelming movie that is 1976's Midway.

+1 to this. It's the best naval war film that I've ever seen, and a great look at the Interwar US Navy

I'll also throw in The Wings of Eagles about the life of Spig Wead.

Some of my favorites US war films:

Platoon
Full Metal Jacket
Black Hawk Down
Tora Tora Tora
Midway
Patton
Letters from Iwo
Saving Private Ryan
Paths of Glory
Gods and Generals (Gettysburgh too)

Great but not really war movies, more like movies set in war time:
Caine Mutiny
Empire of the Sun
Thin Red Line

This was an excellent opening sequence with some great footage and the excellent mix in the music [&o]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sqwkpiFg4c

Demarcation!! and another excellent piece of music to accompany the scene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbX1ZIuD0ac

Thin Red Line
Empire of the Sun
Schindler's List
Black Hawk Down
Lawrence of Arabia

Ah hell...I would add the Hurt Locker and Glory as well...

Now I have to see Cross of Iron, can't believe I have never seen it! I was a teenager the last time I watched Waterloo, going to have to watch that again to see how it rates these days.

Though war movies, the top three are also on my top list for favorite movies in all genres.

The best "not a movie" is Band of Brothers

Not American, but I hate not mentioning them...I love Das Boot and Gallipoli and they would make the international list.

And the Razzie definitely goes to Pearl Harbor (2001)!

ORIGINAL: gabeeg

I was a teenager the last time I watched Waterloo, going to have to watch that again to see how it rates these days.

warspite1

Waterloo won't disappoint [&o]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kYW8OsqzK0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjHw3pkrY-A

ORIGINAL: gabeeg

I love Das Boot and Gallipoli and they would make the international list.

warspite1

Oh yes [:)] Kleenex at the ready - Jean-Michel Jarre meets Albinoni (music heaven)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UclsBepOfm4

Dive! Dive!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snnwjoToN-8

But we can't forget one of the finest pieces of music ever written - and certainly the finest war movies track. Take it away Samuel Barber [&o]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEv3zzKyiFQ

ORIGINAL: gabeeg

And the Razzie definitely goes to Pearl Harbor (2001)!

warspite1

But at least it had one nice track though [;)]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NkRNg0TZOw

Here’s a sample from The Odd Angry Shot:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=liPbdkgLdJc

Above us the Waves - Kenneth More and Donald Sinden use midget subs to do for the Tirpitz
Battle of Britain - For a pre CGI era some fabulous aerial sequences using the entire Spanish airforce! (they still had HeIIIs and Me109s)
Angels One-five
In Which We Serve
and for a bit of fun - Bell Bottom George or Get Cracking

ORIGINAL: Jellicoe

Above us the Waves - Kenneth More and Donald Sinden use midget subs to do for the Tirpitz.

I haven't seen this movie. Is it supposed to portray the midget attacks in Northern Norway or in the Trondheim Fjord?

Fred

Nice piece of music from We Were Soldiers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_Lc3EQkyDU

Both the film and the music belong on my top lists.

Hi Leandros

It portrays both the chariot and then the midget sub attacks on the Tirpitz, so I guess northern Norway

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Above_Us_the_Waves

ORIGINAL: Jellicoe

Hi Leandros

It portrays both the chariot and then the midget sub attacks on the Tirpitz, so I guess northern Norway

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Above_Us_the_Waves

Thank you - googling the movie I find that it supposedly cover both the one in the Trondheim Fjord (Operation Title, 1942) and the other in Northern Norway.

Fred
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ORIGINAL: Orm

Nice piece of music from We Were Soldiers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_Lc3EQkyDU

Both the film and the music belong on my top lists.

BIG FAN of that movie and its soundtrack!

You know, even though I think either Paths of Glory or All's Quiet on the Western Front should rank number one, if you put Zulu together with Zulu Dawn you've got one hell of a piece of work. Either one separately is fairly amazing, together they tell a great story.

And, as much as any such, they both endeavored to be historically accurate, and mostly succeeded.