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Summary
Over the preceding 80 days , many incredible war movie have been based aroundWorld War II , but mountain of films were made about the fight while wartime was ongoing . The harrowing upshot of war did not stop the movie industry and , during this era , a heavy consultation of filmgoers wanted to see movies based on the warfare they were know through . Looking back with hindsight , it ’s interesting to see how the state of war was portrayed as it was going on and how Hollywood and other countries depicted recent conflict , current difference , and political opposer such as Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party .
The best World War II movies have stick out the test of time and have been remembered as among thegreatest photographic film ever get . From acclaimed directors like Fritz Lang to iconic filmmakers such as Charlie Chaplin , there was no dearth of war films released during the engagement from 1939 to 1945 . While many of these films had an overtly political subject matter and could be seen , for good or worse , as wartime propaganda , the good World War II movies from that prison term still have a pot to say about contemporary issues and current conflict .
10The Great Dictator (1940)
An anti-war political satire directed by Charlie Chaplin
Cast
The Great Dictator is a satiric comedy - drama film that state the story of Adenoid Hynkel , a parody of Adolf Hitler , and a lookalike Jewish Samuel Barber . discharge in 1940 , the cinema stars Charlie Chaplin , who also pen and lead the project , as both Hynkel and the barber , in a commentary on the cost increase of fascism in Europe .
For several reasons , The expectant Dictatorwas one of thegreatest comedies ever madeand was a extremely significant movie . As theater director , author , and headliner Charlie Chaplin ’s first true reasoned flick , it lay out the mute flick ikon ’s acceptance of ‘ talkies ’ as he embraced a young type of filmmaking with unbelievable succeeder and became one of the few star topology to make the transition successfully . However , The peachy Dictatorwas also of import for its extremely political capacity , as it lampoon Nazi Germany , Adolf Hitler , and World War II just one year after Hitler had overrun Poland .
While Chaplin and Hitler had their toothbrush mustaches in common , this was where the comparison ended , as the filmmaker was extremely vital of the Nazi government and seek to undermine fascism and antisemitism withThe Great Dictator . Chaplin ’s muscular climatic monologue was one of the most poignant speeches in all of celluloid and showcased that when this still film star finally opened his mouth and speak , he had something urgent to say . As a film made while the United States was still neutral in WWII , The Great Dictatorrepresented American and European society ’s growing concern about the menace of fascism .
Charlie Chaplin stated in his autobiography that if he know the true repulsion of the Holocaust , he would never have madeThe Great Dictator , say , “ I could never have made fun of the murderous insanity of the Nazis ” ( viaChaplin . )
9The Long Voyage Home (1940)
A merchant crew tries to survive loneliness and war in this drama directed by John Ford
The fabled theater director John Ford was mostly known for Western movies but was also responsible for for the excellent World War II filmThe Long Voyage Home . While the story was accommodate from a fun by Eugune O’Neill about his time in the First World War , the setting was switch to the present twenty-four hour period during the early days of the Second World War . As just one of manycollaborations between Ford and John Wayne , The Long Voyage Hometold the story of a merchandiser work party ’s struggles with aloneness as the terror of the oncoming state of war loom large .
As one of Ford ’s lesser - known movies , The Long Voyage Homecould stand against his very best work for the way it like an expert depicted life at ocean and the challenges faced by those during wartime . With an impressive100 % grievance on Rotten Tomatoes , The Long Voyage Homewas one of the greatest adaptations of O’Neill ’s work , who was the author of the Pulitzer Prize - acquire tragedyLong Day ’s Journey into Night . With beautiful cinematography , strong functioning , and a healthy Cupid’s disease of philosophy , The Long Voyage Homewas a contemplative WWII motion-picture show that merit to reach a larger audience than it did .
8Man Hunt (1941)
An anti-Nazi political thriller directed by Fritz Lang
Man Hunt is a thriller film directed by Fritz Lang , released in 1941 . The moving picture follows Captain Alan Thorndike , a British hunter , who goes on a mission to assassinate Adolf Hitler , but is enchant and torture by the Nazis . After get away , he must apply his wits to evade his pursuers and dispatch his original object lens .
Once the Nazi Party do to power , the legendary film director of German expression , Fritz Lang , decide to fly Germany and later made a name for himself as a Hollywood managing director . WhileLang was best known for iconic movies likeMetropolisandM.he also produce four anti - Nazi films , the first of which wasMan Huntfrom 1941 . resign in good order amid WWII , Man Hunttold the taradiddle of a man ’s assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler and the agonizing fallout that conduct to him being unrelentingly pursued by German broker .
With an opening sequence as powerful today as it was in 1941,Man Huntwas just one of many film liberate during the state of war that helped determine a pro - British stand in America . Far more than an average chase motion picture , Man Hunthad deep political relevance and catch the growing anxiousness that many mat up about the acts of the Nazis and the increase revulsion of World War II . Lang ’s cinema about a man ’s attempt to assassinate Hitler had a lot in common with Quentin Tarantino ’s later WWII movieInglourious Basterds , which also featured a like effort on the living of Hitler .
7Sundown (1941)
A mysterious woman helps the British fight the Germans in this drama directed by Henry Hathaway
Sundown is a 1941 film directed by Henry Hathaway , starring Gene Tierney and Bruce Cabot . The tale takes station in Africa during World War II , where a group of people from different backgrounds converge on a small-scale frontier settlement , conduce to romantic web and deadly engagement .
The black - and - white dangerous undertaking storySundownwas set in Kenya as Englishmen fought Nazis in British East Africa . With a cryptical Somaliland womanhood at the heart of its chronicle , Sundownblended its WWII setting with romance and machination to say a story that combine desert terrain with hobo camp adventures , mixed with a hefty pane of espionage - based thrills . With major stars of the 1940s involve , like Gene Tierney as the mysterious Zia and Bruce Cabot as the solider Bill Crawford , Sundownwas one of its era ’s best wartime adventure movies .
With a story that demand the British trying to stop the Nazis from arm Africans for a burgeon rebellion , Sundownaddressed authoritative themes of allyship that were highly relevant in 1941 . While the moral - boosting goal of many war movies define during this time have lose their effect , the dish ofSundown’scinematography and impeccable lead power meant it abide the test of time . AlthoughSundowncan feel like a token from a bygone geological era of filmmaking , it was a firm B - movie that forever immortalized the ethereal beauty of its starlet , Tierney .
6Mrs. Miniver (1942)
A powerful wartime drama that focused on the importance of domestic roles directed by H.C. Potter
While most war movies of the 1940s often presented a traditional vantage point of gender roles , Mrs. Minivereffectively examined an stupefying female parent ’s experience of the Second World War . Greer Garson gave a muscular operation as Kay Miniver , a female parent and wife doing what ’s best for her family throughout the on-going conflict , highlighting women ’s important contributions during wartime . Mrs. Miniverwas a fictitious story , but it used real events , such as the Dunkirk excreting , to aggrandize for audiences the struggle of the British citizenry during WWII .
Mrs. Miniverso efficaciously deliver the domestic fortitude and survival of families throughout WWIIthat Nazi propaganda loss leader Joseph Goebbels even made a affirmation about its impact , saying that although it did not outright criticize the Nazi regime , “ the anti - German ” message was obvious ( viaBBC . ) More so than anything , Mrs. Miniverhighlighted the importance of domesticated roles during unmanageable times and acted as an important document of the war as it was experienced by everyday people . A sequel was even produce in 1950 , althoughThe Miniver Storyfailed to make much of an impact without the backdrop of the material warfare .
5Bataan (1943)
A gritty war drama about soldiers in Bataan directed by Tay Garnett
Bataan is a wartime drama film that follows a group of Filipino and American soldiers , take by Sergeant Bill Dane , as they venture on a commission to detain the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during World War II . The film explores the soldiers ' battle and sacrifices as they crusade against overwhelming betting odds .
Bataanportrayed a ragtag American unit ’s endeavour to blow up a bridge in the Philippines in a bid to slacken down the Japanese during World War II . Released in the thick of the Allied offence in the Pacific , Robert Taylor gave a farinaceous performance as Sergeant Bill Dane , the military leader stress to pull off a complex commission . As one of the few state of war movies of its time to present racially integrated fighting force , Bataanwas an important movie for play white soldiers and African Americans working together in one .
4Casablanca (1943)
An iconic romance that used the backdrop of WWII, directed by Michael Curtiz
Casablanca is a classic photographic film place in December 1941 , starring Humphrey Bogart as a misanthropic American expatriate in Morocco . When he meet a former lover , portrayed by Ingrid Bergman , complicated personal and political tensions arise amidst the backdrop of World War II .
The Best Picture winnerCasablancahas been remembered as one of the outstanding movies of all clock time , and severaliconicCasablancaquoteshave become iconic in pop cultivation . With a powerful sexual love story between Rick Blaine ( Humphrey Bogart ) and Ilsa Lund ( Ingrid Bergman),Casablancawas set against the backdrop of World War II , as Rick was forced to determine between the love of his lifetime and proceed his fight against German Nazi forces . With an incredible director , exceptional execution , and a timeless book , Casablancadeserved its place among the most famous movies ever produced .
With sentiment , wit , and pathos , Casablancacaptured something about the knockout of moviemaking that ’s not often seen in cinema and was the perfect agency of the serious picture show of the 1940s . With enduring popularity and eternal appeal , Casablancahas maintained its power for over 80 year since its first release . A extremely influential movie ; in 2006 , theWriters Guild of AmericavotedCasablancathe greatest screenplay of all clip .
Custom image by Yalin Chacon.
3The North Star (1943)
A pro-resistance war movie directed by Lewis Milestone
The North Star is a dramatic event film that evidence the story of a Ukrainian village ’s struggles against the Nazi occupation during World War II . Directed by Lewis Milestone , the film star Anne Baxter , Dana Andrews , and Walter Huston , and explores the village ’s resistance efforts and personal struggles amidst the war .
The North Starwas a Hollywood production that , unco for its time , focused on Ukrainian villager and their electrical resistance against German force during World War II . WhileThe North Starwas criticized at its release for its perceive pro - Soviet Union content(viaTCM ) , it presented vista of the conflict seldom seen or take heed about by American consultation . As the Ukrainian villager used guerrilla tactics to overcome their Nazi invaders , The North Staracted as a contrast to the negative characterization of the Soviets so often seen in American motion picture during this metre .
While the movie ’s original version has since been restored , the pro - Soviet accusations targeted atThe North Starled to a heavily edited interlingual rendition release in 1956 . This version off much of the picture show ’s mental object and added source to the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 , which was more in ancestry with American political tilt during the fraught era of the Cold War . Despite these arguing , The compass north Starreceived six Academy Award nominations and has remained an important document of wartime cinema .
The Great Dictator is a satirical comedy-drama film that tells the story of Adenoid Hynkel, a parody of Adolf Hitler, and a lookalike Jewish barber. Released in 1940, the film stars Charlie Chaplin, who also wrote and directed the project, as both Hynkel and the barber, in a commentary on the rise of fascism in Europe.
2Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)
A wartime drama made in the wake of Pearl Harbor, directed by Mervyn LeRoy
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo is a warfare drama moving picture ground on the veridical - animation Doolittle Raid , a daring bombing commission on Tokyo during World War II . Directed by Mervyn LeRoy , the picture stars Van Johnson , Robert Mitchum , and Spencer Tracy , and fall out the history of Lt . Col . James H. Doolittle and his crowd as they embark on a privy delegation to strike back against the Japanese after the Pearl Harbor attack .
The attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 was instrumental in the United States join World War II and their conflict against the Japanese and the Axis power . This diachronic event and the role of bomber pilot were major influence on the 1944 warfare movieThirty Seconds Over Tokyo , which followed a untested lieutenant on a secret bombing delegacy in Japan . With a pregnant wife being left behind , the unfeigned story of Captain Ted W. Lawson , get a line inThirty Seconds Over Tokyo , puts a human cheek on the war and the experience of those who fight in it .
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyodramatized the real Doolittle Raid , America ’s first retributory air strike against Japan , and it was unusual to use real footage of the real bombers . This extremely reliable story was written by acclaimed screenwriter Dalton Trumbo base on Lawson ’s memoir and was a highly patriotic photographic film that hike up morale among the American people during wartime . A true classic of not just war movies but also aviation movie theatre , Thirty Seconds Over Tokyohas remained a highly acclaimed movie .
1The Fighting Sullivans (1944)
A biographical war film directed by Lloyd Bacon
The Fighting Sullivans is a 1944 war drama film that tells the on-key story of the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo , Iowa , who serve together on the USS Juneau during World War II , and their fate in the Battle of Guadalcanal .
The fight Sullivanswas the fib of the close - rumple Sullivan house turn up during the Great Depression and the five brother who serve in World War II . base on the veridical experience of the Sullivans , who were all killed in action after the wakeful cabin cruiser USS Juneau fall off in 1942,The Fighting Sullivansacted as a touching tribute to the human race who gave their liveliness in the Second World War . With an engrossing story of mob , allegiance , and the catastrophe of sacrifice , the knock-down relationship between the brothers made this motion-picture show put up out as a rightfully touching and heartbreaking WWII film .
Vignettes of the Sullivan boys grow up at dissimilar ages , as seen through the eyes of their lie with female parent , makeThe contend Sullivanstug on the heartstrings of even the most stoic of audience . The lost potential of the boy , commingle with the incredible courageousness of the Sullivans , makes this tale so effective . As much a celebration of their lives as it was a harrowing account of their deaths , The Fighting Sullivanshas not lost any of its power in the 80 age since its release .
reference : Chaplin , BBC , Writers Guild of America , TCM ,
