We could argue all day about the definition of Britishness in war films, but we all know what it means. This is the Think Defence list of the Top 25 British War Films
The definition of a British War Film is one that is largely British in character.
They may have been directed by non-British directors, or have non-British actors in the cast, and may even have been made in Hollywood or elsewhere, but they retain that element of Britishness that we all understand.
So no Das Boot, Saving Private Ryan or Apocalypse Now, sorry folks.
The judging criteria does not include historical accuracy, whether the correct buttons and rank insignia were worn, or whether the film is a ‘visceral and worthy portrayal of the realities of war’, or some other such artsy bollocks.
It is not a list for the film buff, historian or the yoghurt-weaving wheatgrass smoothy types for them to bemoan the inhumanity and pointlessness of war.
Instead, it is simply enjoyability for a wet Sunday afternoon in.
Most of these have a backstory that is as good as, if not better, than the film.
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The Think Defence Top 25 British War Films
25 — Breaker Morant
The trailer
Watch it because…
An excellent film, what else is there to say?
Major Thomas: The barbarities of war are seldom committed by abnormal men. The tragedy of war is that these horrors are committed by normal men in abnormal situations.
Edward Woodward and Bryan Brown are magnificent.
The end scene, bloody hell, lip-wobbling stuff
24 — The Heroes of Telemark
Trailer
Watch it because…
The scenery
Kirk Douglas’ chin
The bit on the boat with the kids, nail-biting.
Not particularly full of memorable quotes, though!
Terboven: Winston Churchill is puffing an extra big cigar today. And we laugh at him. Why? Because all these containers, which the British did so much to destroy, have already been pre-fabricated in Berlin. They are already on their way here and will be installed by tomorrow.
Nilssen: That is… I must say that is fantastic efficiency!
Terboven: Don’t you ever make the mistake of under-rating the Germans. By Easter we will have not merely 10000 pounds of heavy water, but 12000 pounds of heavy water.
An old-school war film, but one made especially interesting by the backstory, Hitler’s aspirations for atomic weapons and the at-all-cost effort to thwart them.
A documentary from Ray, who, by the end, had whittled a table and chair from three pine cones and a bucket of snow.
23 — The Dam Busters
Trailer
Watch it because…
Special effects, questionable, but some classic quotes, the immortal Dambusters March music beloved of England football fans everywhere and the best Carling Black Label advert ever.
Official, Ministry of Aircraft Production: You say you need a Wellington Bomber for test drops. They’re worth their weight in gold. Do you really think the authorities will lend you one? What possible argument could I put forward to get you a Wellington?
Barnes Wallace: Well, if you told them I designed it, do you think that might help?
And of course, that advert
Perhaps best of all, it is a fairly unvarnished account of the actual operation.
22 — The Guns of Navarone
Trailer
Watch it because…
It is simply a classic.
In musical form
Read the original book.
21 — Hannibal Brooks
The trailer
Watch it because…
Not many would include this in a list, but I like it, great performances all round, is understated, and is just an enjoyable film with a nice ending.
It has an elephant in it, and Oliver Reed, what more do you want.
The full film is also commonly available on YouTube
20 — Master and Commander
The trailer
Watch it because…
Russell Crowe is excellent.
Capt. Jack Aubrey: England is under threat of invasion, and though we be on the far side of the world, this ship is our home. This ship is England.
The Royal Navy giving the French a proper kicking, as is the law.
The lesser of two weevils
The battle scene
Read the book…
19 — The Battle of Britain
The trailer
Watch it because…
The story is of course well known, but this quote reveals the role of radar.
Senior civil servant: Churchill puts great faith in radar.
Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding: It’s vital, but it won’t shot down aircraft.
Senior civil servant: Ha… well I must say you don’t, exactly exude a spirit of optimism.
Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding: God willing we will hold out minister.
Senior civil servant: I see. So I tell the cabinet, that you’re trusting in radar and praying to God, is that right?
Air Chief Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding: [chuckles] more accurately the other way round. Trusting in god and praying for radar. But the essential arithmetic is that our young men will have to shoot down their young men at the rate of four to one, if we’re to keep pace at all.
The few.
Learn more…
18 — Dog Soldiers
The trailer.
Watch it because…
Not technically a war film, but I make the rules around here, and it is an enjoyable portrayal of British soldiers with some top class swearing.
One of the best lines in any film ever
I hope I give you the shits you fucking wimp
and
We are now up against live, hostile targets. So, if Little Red Riding Hood should show up with a bazooka and a bad attitude, I expect you to chin the bitch.
Get a copy…
17 — The Cruel Sea
The trailer
Watch it because…
The only villain is the sea, the cruel sea…
Capt. Ericson: [after choosing a battle strategy that has cost lives] I had to do it!
Lockhart: Anyway, it’s all in the report.
Capt. Ericson: It was my fault!
Lockhart: I… I identified it as a submarine. If anyone murdered those men, I did.
Capt. Ericson: No one murdered them – it’s the war, the whole bloody war! We’ve just got to do these things and say our prayers at the end.
The scene where the Merchant Seamen are in the water and the U-Boat underneath them is brilliantly done.
Watch it just for that, being in charge is a lonely place.
Learn more…
16 — Where Eagles Dare
The trailer
Watch it because…
Forget the historical nonsense, shocking voice procedure and sometimes comedy special effects, all can be forgiven for ‘Broadsword Calling Danny Boy’
Vice Admiral Rolland: Security? The word’s become a bloody joke!
Admit it, you had Broadsword Calling Danny Boy as a ringtone, didn’t you!
Read the book…
15 — The Way Ahead
The trailer.
Watch it because…
Filmed before the outcome of WWII was certain it is an excellent study of wartime film making
We would have dug trenches and taken the Germans in the rear
Ooh-err
At the end of the film, instead of closing with ‘The End’ it instead shows ‘The Beginning’
An overlooked gem.
Get a copy…
14 — The Wild Geese
The trailer
Watch it because…
Mr Vickers makes a guest appearance
The free-fall scene is also bloody fantastic.
Dumbledore Richard Harris, Richard Burton, Hardy Kruger and Roger Moore give great performances, but they are all upstaged by Jack Watson playing RSM Sandy Young. Jack Watson served as a Royal Navy PTI during the War and eases into the overdone RSM role with familiar ease borne of ‘doing lots of shouting’
On your feet you fucking abortion
RSM Sandy Young
The actor that played the part of ‘Tosh’ was named Ian Yule, an ex-Para and SAS soldier, and Joan Armatrading does a pretty good theme song, what more could you want?
Theme song
Get a copy…
13 — The Great Escape
The trailer
Watch it because…
What would Christmas be without it?
An outstanding performance from each one of the actors, with a backstory of equal measure.
Ramsey: Up the rebels.
Goff: Down the British.
The Cooler King
Von Luger’s Butter
Oh, and watching the RAF personnel wearing white socks with their uniform, priceless
Learn more…
12 — Lawrence of Arabia
The trailer
Watch it because…
Simply put, a remarkable film.
Looks fantastic on the widescreen
T.E. Lawrence: So long as the Arabs fight tribe against tribe, so long will they be a little people, a silly people — greedy, barbarous, and cruel, as you are
This is what they mean when a film is described as epic.
The Attack
Learn more…
11 — Bridge on the River Kwai
The trailer
Watch it because…
A great big fat moral dilemma and a truly horrific backstory
It does have a rather nice cantilever bridge though, and some sunshine.
Colonel Nicholson: What have I done?
Alec Guinness, stiff upper lips all round, a 2″ mortar and the memorable end scene.
The ending that launched a thousand memes.
Read the book…
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10 — Who Dares Wins
Trailer…
Watch it because…
The music is great
It has SLRs
A leading actor with a bit of a military background.
Colonel Hadley: When the SAS is called upon to do what we’re trained to do, we have been likened to a surgeon cutting out a cancer. It’s a filthy and difficult job. We don’t like doing it, but it’s our duty
Best of all, the original embassy re-decorators were closely involved, including, if Wikipedia is to be believed, in several scenes.
The final raid scene is brilliantly done, OK, so the ninjas hanging underneath the Scout helicopters might have been a bit far-fetched, but the rest is enjoyable stuff.
It didn’t receive great critical acclaim, especially from the Guardian, what would they know?
Did I tell you I was the second man on the balcony?
The raid
The late great Lewis Collins
Get a copy…
9 — Went the Day Well
The trailer
Watch it because…
Another wartime film, with obvious echoes in Dad’s Army and The Eagle Has Landed, like The Way Ahead, an overlooked classic.
This quote is unintentionally amusing;
You Germans are partial to sausage, aren’t you?
But watch it, and you will not forget the teacher with the hand grenade scene or Dame Thora Hird dropping Germans with a .303
Get a copy…
8 — Warriors
Trailer.
Watch it because…
Acclaimed drama documentary Warriors depicts British soldiers’ experiences as peacekeepers for the United Nations Protection Force during the Bosnian War (1992-95), the psychological impact of the atrocities they witness but are not allowed to stop, and their struggle to readjust to civilian life. Although the characters are fictitious and Bosnian scenes were filmed in the Czech Republic, the production team thoroughly researched real events such as 1993’s Ahmići massacre through interviews, documents, archive footage and a visit to Bosnia by director Peter Kosminsky and writer Leigh Jackson.
This is actually difficult to get hold of as it was a BBC film, made for TV, but it is a superb film and well worth seeking.
Some familiar faces, ‘before they were famous’
Learn more…
7 — An Ungentlemanly Act
Watch it because…
The film has a couple of fantastic quotes
Why would anyone bother with half a million sheep and some seaweed?
And my favourite
Lt. Quiroga: Mr Hunt… Time to give up Mr Hunt… your phone is cut off… armoured amphibious vehicles will be closing in soon!Mr Hunt,We have very superior numbers… I am sure you are a reasonable man… come out with your hands on head… alone!
Colour Sgt. Muir: Fuck off you spick bastards!
Quite
Soldiers doing soldier stuff.
Get a copy…
6 — Ice Cold in Alex
The trailer
Watch it because…
The scene with the ambulance and the hill, spirit-crushing, or not.
Capt. Anson: [draining his glass of beer] Worth waiting for.
The final scene used real lager and required multiple takes, they were mullered at the end!
Ultimately, a film about British fair play and determination, which is why it has such a satisfying ending.
The advert!
Learn more…
5 — A Bridge Too Far
The trailer
Watch it because…
Two bridge-related films in the Top 10, who would have thought it!
Corporal Hancock: Sir.
[Offers mug of tea]
Major General Urquhart: Hancock. I’ve got lunatics laughing at me from the woods. My original plan has been scuppered now that the jeeps haven’t arrived. My communications are completely broken down. Do you really believe any of that can be helped by a cup of tea?
Corporal Hancock: Couldn’t hurt, sir.
[Urquhart accepts his mug of tea]
It has a Bailey Bridge
An incredible storyline.
And the fact that it had just about every actor of the day in it.
The Germans surrender
The Red Devils of Arnhem
Read more…
4 — Kajaki
The trailer
Watch it because…
A story told with no sentimentality or commentary on some of the more obvious issues it raises
Spud McMellon: This country’s full of shit left behind when armies fucked off, Russians, it was the mines. Ten million fucking mines. God knows what we’re going to leave behind.
It is called Kilo Two Bravo for US audiences, but don’t let that put you off.
A humbling story of brave men and a brilliant film, whichever way you put it.
A documentary
3 — Carry On… Up the Khyber
Trailer.
Watch it because…
Just soak up the glorious and magnificently inappropriate late sixties-era humour, Welsh scenery and the devils in skirts!
Captain Keene: [news of the native revolt arrives] What do you intend to do, sir?
Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond: Do? Do? We’re British. We won’t do anything…
Major Shorthouse: …until it’s too late.
Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond: Exactly. That’s the first sensible thing you’ve said all day.
The dinner party scene, is one of the funniest pieces of cinema ever created.
Get a copy…
2 — The Guns at Batasi
The trailer.
Watch it because…
Undoubtedly, the best portrayal of an RSM ever seen on screen (although perhaps a bit hammed up), a fantastic performance by Richard Attenborough
Headdress, in the mess, perish the thought!
Mr. Boniface! I’ve been a member of this Mess for 23 years, Sir. In all that time I’ve never seen anybody, man, woman or child, Sergeant, Warrant Officer, Field Marshal or Prime Minister walk into this mess with his hat upon his head. I do not see you now, Sir.
RSM Lauderdale tears Mr. Boniface a new one.
Finally, in a scene that will be familiar to anyone who has ever dared not to salute an officer whilst in the presence of the RSM.
Get a copy, you won’t be disappointed.
1 — Zulu
The trailer
Watch it because…
Singing
Bayonets
Bridge building
The best bits are far too many to list.
Colour Sergeant Bourne: It’s a miracle.
Lieutenant John Chard: If it’s a miracle, Colour Sergeant, it’s a short chamber Boxer Henry point 45 calibre miracle.
Colour Sergeant Bourne: And a bayonet, sir, with some guts behind.
The remarkable final battle scene
Volley by ranks, front-rank fire
Memorable
Forget the outrageous slurs on the good character of Private Henry Hook (who was a model soldier and campaigning teetotaller) and Commissary James Langley Dalton (who was the most experienced soldier at the mission station and widely credited with initiating the defence)
Read a book as a penalty for enjoying it…
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Went the day well – glad that’ s in the list a definite classic and the scene where the telephone operator throws pepper in the German’s face and clubs him to death is one of the most chilling that you will see. No Colditz Story, Wooden Horse, Angels One Five, Appointment in London, Sink the Bismarck, Yangtse Incident, In Which we Serve or Dunkirk. All in my top 25, appreciate view differ though
Kajaki, is an amazing film-shame that it was so difficult to seek out. Sky had it on PPV , but yet to show it neither have Channel Four or any terrestrial channel. Mind you -it was one of those films where the most common word did rhyme with duck
No Dad’s Army ? (The first one)
Went the Day Well is a classic as is The Way Ahead but I’ve always felt that Carry on Sergeant was Part 2 of TWA for its depiction of National Service. However my Top Three would all be Powell Pressburger films. A Matter of Life and Death, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (which Churchill wanted banned) and the cream of the crop for me, The Small Back Room which is an absolute corker of a film . It ranges across interdepartmental rivalries , alcoholism and relationships, new weapons including the Compressed Air “Reeves” Gun and the way they are chosen to the final solving of a new randomly dropped German anti-personnel bomb. If you haven’t seen it scour the internet for a copy as DVDs are rare…and pricey! Well worth the effort
I would rate Where Eagles Dare higher but great choices!
How about Freedom–the Football game where POWs vs Nazis occur and the former escape in the end.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083284/combined Sorry I meant Victory or Escape to Victory
Might I suggest, “Contact” as worthy of inclusion on the list…. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088949/reviews?ref_=tt_urv
633 Squadron?
Agree with senior moment. The original Dads Army movie is part of my definition of Britishness. Battle of the River Plate is also missing. Along with First of the Few. Although Where Eagles Dare is a fave of mine, it is a WW2/cold war spy thriller hybrid.
Shout out for “Sharpe ‘s Eagle”
Sean Bean: “All you have to do is stand and fire 3 rounds a minute: now you and I know you can fire 3 rounds a munute; but what I want to know, is can you stand?”
And who wouldn’t fall for Assumption Serena as Commondante Theresa?
Very fond of Pete Postlethwaite ‘ s Obidiah Hakeswill in the next couple of films as well: “Obidiah ‘as to ‘ave ‘is scratchings, Mother.”
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One of my rare trips to the cinema to see the new “Dads Army”. A wobbly start & in places in the middle, but turned out all right in the end.
On tv, what about “A piece of Cake”, the last hurrah of Southern TV before it lost its franchise, circa 1990?
That BBC drama doc on Dunkirk was quite good.
Perhaps we need a thread on the war films not made yet, but we would like to see? So the Battle of the Bulge from the British viewpoint. I accept it was a mainly American/German battle, but that’s why the British involvement on the ground & in the air is always overlooked.
Or the British Pacific fleet launching carrier aircraft to bomb Japan in 1945. Or British carriers during the Korean War.
I always fancied a Where Eagles Dare remake, but set in the Argentinian Andes during 1982.
Cockleshell Heroes, Sea of Sand, Above us the waves. Others mentioned here like Dads Army, Carry on Sergeant demonstrate in my view that in terms of British war films we have an abundance of riches
If we were allowed “Game of Thrones” then my favourite is the “halfman” war speech “those are brave men at our gates. Lets go & kill them”.
Thinking of the First World War – how about Aces High…..
Excellent list. I have asked elsewhere, on Small Wars Journal if there is an American equivalent. There is a 2010 Kings War Studies list that maybe of interest, Great Films on Small Wars: http://kingsofwar.org.uk/2010/02/films/
SWJ has a 2010 list on COIN related movie bits: http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=5076
WW1? I like Zeppelin.
A very nice list. I’ve seen most of the older ones, but there are a few that I haven’t seen (which I’m trying to remedy at the moment) – Zulu was compulsory viewing in our family (Dad being a former Major in the South Wales Borderers and all that) , as was Lawrence of Arabia (Grandad and Aqaba stuff).
Glad you put Master and Commander in there – the books are a great depiction of the period and based, largely, on the actions of Thomas Cochrane, one of the best frigate commanders of the period. They are also relatively accurate – the later books borrow from other sources and individuals, but try to stay accurate in the accounts of military and political maneuvering. As an aficionado ( I’ve read all 20 books, plus the unfinished 21st several times over), the movie was a disappointment in some ways (the plot was changed to make it a French frigate, when it was an American frigate in the books, but I guess I’m just carping a bit – the photography was brilliant, and well deserved its Oscar. You also missed a few of the best quotes “Lesser of two weevils” and ” Surprise is on our side “., etc, etc.
As another suggestion, how about “The Virgin Soldiers”? @Observer might be interested :)
Or, for a bit of fun, since it’s about the British military, but not a “war” film “Dog Soldiers”
@ACP
“how about “The Virgin Soldiers”? @Observer might be interested”
I’m not interested in mythology. :P
It’s also amazing how many of these I actually watched as well.
Sorry Observer – just realised that my comment could be somewhat misinterpreted! I blame it on England winning the Grand Slam and a bottle of rum that just happened to be lying around :) What I should have said is that you might be interested as it’s set in Singapore around 1950.
lol no worries ACP, I kind of figured that it was dodgy phrasing.
Still hilarious though.
All such lists are subjective and 25 requires a great deal of selection,
In the top 50 say, I would include in no particular order
Tunes of Glory with John Mills and
Dr Strangelove or How I grew to love the Bomb – There’s an RAf angle it was made in Britain and is very funny, currently on Netflix
Threads – available on Youtube a BBC film about the effect of nuclear war on Sheffield.
Oh What a Lovely War – also currently on Netflix. Loosely WW1 the musical.
Battle of the River Plate – All about British Pluck and a certain amount of deception.
The Way to the Stars ) Contemporary films about Bomber Command
One of our Aircraft is Missing )
Plus all those mentioned by mickp
I’ve heard ’71 is meant to be good, but it’s only had a handful of screenings on TV so far, and wasn’t shown in many cinemas so can understand its absence. Operation banner was a defining feature of British military history for over 3 decades, with more miltary personell killed in Northern Ireland than Iraq and Afghan put together. Suprised none of the 25 touch on the conflict.
I missed two
Privates on Parade – A farce set during the Malayan emergency – John Cleese’s overgrown schoolboy OC was very close to some TA officers of my aquaintance.
Private Potter – Tale of a National Serviceman during the Cyprus emergency who explains giving away an ambush by saying he had seen a religious apparition This has a profound effect on the CO and Chaplin.
John Cleese of Monty Python fame? Must be good then. :)
Re An Ungentlemnly Act.
Best quote is when the local territorial force commander (portrayed in the film as a platoon of amateurs. Rings the Governor. After the island is invaded
“There are Argentinian soldiers outside”
” well shoot them then”
“There are an awful lot if Argentinian soldiers outside”
“Well shoot some of them then”…..
And what…. no Battle if the River Plate!
@Observer Privates on Parade.
Yes very very funny. Set during the emergency in Malaya, an ordnance depot houses a “Concert Party”. The depot OC (John Cleese) who is a few bob short of a 10 shilling note, conceives the idea of resupplying forward units with with ammo in the Concert Party’s baggage. All does not go to plan. Michael Elphick as the (dodgy former Met Copper) RSM was brilliant as was Joe Melia as the instructor Sergeant tasked with bringing the concert party up to standard before the tour into bandit country.
Oh as Zulu is No 1 there has to be a place for the very very non pc Silk Cut Zulu Spoof Commercial probably no 101
https://youtu.be/BGETLgNytCw There’s also a PoW spoof.
As movies either comedy or entering into the real moral ambiguity of war makes them work for me – together with a brilliant score – so David Lean’s two classics and Where Eagle’s Dare probably take the top three for me, closely followed by Ice Cold in Alex, The Cruel Sea and the Dambusters. I loved the 633 Squadron tune, the madness of The Charge of the Light Brigade and more recently the quite brilliant and chilling Conspiracy (which is stuffed with British actors). There was a great TV movie about the Brits liberating Belsen, and would probably include The English Patient, with its accurate dipictions of desert exploration, epsionage and EOD. The Hill is a great movie too. Can’t fail to love Zulu, Carry on up the Khyber, and I haven’t seen Kajaki yet (its on Netflix), but heard good things from a filmaker friend. I’m not sure if cold war spy movies count – but the BBC versions of Tinker, Tailor and Smiley’s People are as good as it gets. Always had a soft spot for the Battle of the River Plate (featuring the Belgrano as the Graf Spee and presaging her fate) and I enjoyed Master and Commander, but could have been so much better.
Always considered “Threads” pretty gruesome which I think was the objective of the makers.
mission accomplished.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090163/?ref_=nv_sr_1
“Battle of Britain” and “A Bridge too far” were war movies of a quality and accuracy that’s likely not coming back any time soon (similar: U.S.-Japanese co-production “Tora tora”).
I would give a honourable mention to the TV series “Sharpe’s Rifles” and the extremely British “Blackadder goes forth”.
SO, there is a Pegasus Bridge film in the works (Jason Flemyng and others) that bills itself as an historical depiction in the same vein as films like A Bridge Too Far.
Probably the last great attempt at an historical war drama was the Band of Brothers tv series. That was based on Stephen E Ambrose’s book, who also wrote the book ‘Pegasus Bridge’. I don’t think the new film is an adaption of Ambrose’s book per se, but it is perhaps an opportunity to faithfully represent actual events that would surely draw on the historical work of Ambrose.
A Bridge Too Far was based on Cornelius Ryan’s historical book (as was The Longest Day (in which Pegasus Bridge also features)). It would be interesting to see an adaption of Ryan’s other excellent WWII book, The Last Battle (the battle for Berlin). It would be quite an epic undertaking though.
We’ll have to wait and see whether Pegasus Bridge makes it onto TD’s movie list in a couple of years time.
It has to be Kajaki. Just seen – its Kipling: the “Young British Soldier” . One of them quotes it early on. The essence of the British soldier – the ‘Tom’ (only the Paras still use that), created by the pay corps and immortalised by Kipling. Three George Crosses in one day.
Seen quite a few of those… I tend to agree with Zulu
Surely there should be a mention for Henry V…
I still get goosebumps with St Crispins eve speech – I suppose it had a good script writer ( :) )
https://youtu.be/A-yZNMWFqvM
Not holding my manhood cheep here…
Morning Departure?
Square Peg (Norman Wisdom)?
Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall?
I seem to remember A Bridge Too Far having a good scene with a rolling barrage.
I will only mention Dirk Bogarde and Michael Redgrave in The Sea Shall Not Have them because of Noel Coward’s quote “The sea shall not have them? Why not – everyone else has.”
Let’s not mention Escape to Victory: its not British, its rubbish and its got Ossie Ardeles in it..
JamesF, I was intrigued and amused by the comment about them using the Belgrano in the movie “Battle of the River Plate”, but sadly according to the great “wikipedia” it was a USS warship USS Salem. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Salem_%28CA-139%29
I would of have been ironic if they had used it,
Although I did not expect to see it on this list I recommend the very underrated How I Won The War by Richard Lester. It is a very dark and biting comedy about the utter inhumanity and uselessness of war.
Loved “Damn the Defiant”
It looks as if Kajaki has just been added on US Netflix if anyone is interested (not sure if it’s on the UK site, though)
I do wish the BBC or ITV would invest in making a good 5-10 part miniseries about British forces in either WW1 or WW2 or perhaps even Malaya or the Falklands which have never had any good films made about it. I don’t mean like that crappy ‘Our World War’ either.
Hanks & Spielberg’s HBO WWII miniseries ‘Band of Brothers’ (about a company in the 101st Airborne Division) and ‘The Pacific’ (about the experiences of 3 men in different units in the USMC) are some of the best war films I’ve seen.
No Life and Death of Colonel Blimp? One of the best films ever made, war or not.
Adding my vote for “First of the Few”. Nice list.
Anything on the Wellington (Waterloo)? Nelson (Battle of the Nile, Trafalgar)?
Surely “The Hill” needs to be in there. The mix of characters, from the hard line RSM with problems, to the compassionate Sean Connery, it has it all.
Christopher Nolan is filming a new “Dunkirk” movie, apparently with big budget:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5013056/
Expect lots of CGI Stukas.
Remember that the thought police have already done for this film by cutting out the allegedly “RAAAYCIST” part where cpl Scheiss comes to the rescue of chard with bayonet and crutch then cackles with glee. Its cut on DVD and the new censored version is now shown every time it comes on TV. It’s the best film ever made and they’ve hacked out the best part of it. Read 2030: Your Children’s Future in Islamic Britain by David Vincent for a brilliant explanation why ALL of hate speech law MUST BE REPEALED.
It is a shame this list of British War films has films made by the Americans that included Americans as the goddamn, mother loving toughest soldiers in the world, ever. Who, were put there merely to interest American audiences in the film. The Great Escape was a British and Commonwealth caper that Americans had very little to do with. There certainly wasn’t some ex circus boy on a German motorbike anywhere to be seen. God help us.
With Jock-istan heading for another Indyref…I am moved to make an English nationalist point…….the majority of the soldiers at Rorkes Drift were in fact English…so instead of Men of Harlech..they were more likely signing “Get them Down you Zulu Warriors…”
No ‘Theirs is the Glory’? Scandalous. A half fiction/half documentary about Arnhem and Market Garden filmed on location, and using multiple veterans of the battle only 18 months after the end of the War. Legend has it that between takes, blokes would disappear off and help locate the graves of their mates! No PTSD there, then. Extreme Stiff Upper Lip on show, but all the more accurate for it.
No Four Feathers (1939)
Great List! Five, I haven’t seen.
But you’ve forgotten one. I’d make this the “Top 26”
I would add “A Sailor for the King”
Granted the main character is Canadian. But the film was made in the UK.
Based on C.S. Forester’s book “Brown on Resolution”.
I’m going to chase down those 5 films I haven’t seen yet.
I would advise anyone reading this list. Read the comments. I found another seven films
I hadn’t seen. This is a great resource. Even with the sour grapes about Americans involved.
You’ve got to give writers and producers some leeway. They’ve got to make a movie that will
make a profit.
Shocked you didn’t mention the best and most authentic war movie of any nation ever made, “In Which We Serve”.
I would like to have seen ‘The Hill’ in there, although it is a technically a prison movie rather than a war movie. There is also a black and white film ‘Theirs is the Glory’ that was a reenactment of Arnhem, filmed in the city in 1946. The actors were all soldiers who had fought at Arnhem. I would also put the original Dunkirk movie in too. But a great list nonetheless
I thought The Hill might have made this list. Granted it takes place in a British Prison, but it is set during WWII and is very well acted.
A brilliant selection and I fully agree with Zulu at Number One , the best film ever made with the best score by John Barry. I was lucky enough to see it in the cinema, twice, and my memory is undimmed. Those who watch it now on the Criterion blue ray DVD will noy realise that it has been censored. The best part of the whole film is where the Swiss corporal Schiess saves Chard’s bacon by single handed ly killing a number of Zulu’s, after his final kill he laughs almost as the blood rush kicks in but all this I describe is from memory because that scene has been cut, censored. It is a cut of less than 30 seconds but it comes at the crescendo of the film and ruins it for me. Read about this in (“Britain’s Great Immigration Disaster” by G. Cooke) and why the past has become “raaaycist”
Another interesting film is They were not Divided
To be honest, I think that Master and Commander would have been more interesting had there been a couple of SLR’s included somewhere.
Why is Waterloo not featured on the list, or the 1968 classic The Charge of the Light Brigade?
The Hill (as previously commented), Tunes Of Glory – definitely.
Not a war film as such, a film of the affects of war.
I’d have to find a spot for In Which We Serve
Yangste Incident. Great film and true story about the escape of HMS Amethyst from entrapment in the River Yangste in 1949. I am biased – this was the first film I ever saw in a cinema as a young lad in 1958. It’s gritty tone is like The Cruel Sea.
What about The Desert Rats , The Longest Day ,633 Squadron etc
Two badly overlooked gems: “The Best of Enemies” – David Niven in a see-sawing battle of wills with a small Italian army force in the North African desert, and “Danger Within”, with Richard Todd, Richard Attenborough and Bernard Lee attempting escape from an Italian POW camp
Danger close
You missed THE HILL with Sean Connery
I remember a movie, WWII, RAF, bomber, night raids, pilot or bombardier drops personal notes to wife and son as they pass over their UK home upon return from sorties. 1940 -1960 production? Any suggestions??
The Small Back Room
A Powell Pressberger Classic from 1949 based on a book by Nigel Balchin about the machinations of a team of "Boffins", the Civil Service and Military within a story about a new German Anti-Personnel Bomb. IMO way ahead of its time, brilliant cast including Michael Gough who was actually a wartime CO and served in the Non Combatant Corps as a Bomb Disposal Officer. Terrific Film and worthy of inclusion.
It Ain't Half Hot Mum – Should have had a film made set in Tim Min in Burma. Hilarious.
Tunes of Glory.
Bofors Gun, my father-in-law's favourite.
He was a drop short, desperatley dislike the 5.5 inch
this has just appeared on my feed. not a bad selection tbf but having recently watched The Eagle Has Landed – it really should be in there!! the scene between Michael Caine and the American captain outside the church is legendary. keep up the good work. as a former logistician I really enjoy the pallet stuff!