Summary

• War films during World War II provided a unique insight into contemporary views on the conflict, often serving as political tools.
• Movies like "The Great Dictator" and "Man Hunt" challenged fascism and highlighted the importance of resistance against the Nazis.
• Through powerful storytelling, movies like "Mrs. Miniver" and "Bataan" shed light on the human experiences and sacrifices during wartime.

Over the past 80 years, many incredible war movies have been based around World War II, but plenty of films were made about the conflict while wartime was ongoing. The harrowing effects of war did not stop the movie industry and, during this era, a large audience of filmgoers wanted to see movies based on the war they were living through. Looking back with hindsight, it's interesting to see how the war was portrayed as it was going on and how Hollywood and other countries depicted recent battles, current conflicts, and political adversaries such as Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party.

The best World War II movies have stood the test of time and have been ed as among the greatest films ever produced. From acclaimed directors like Fritz Lang to iconic filmmakers such as Charlie Chaplin, there was no shortage of war films released during the conflict from 1939 to 1945. While many of these films had an overtly political message and could be seen, for better or worse, as wartime propaganda, the best World War II movies from that time still have a lot to say about contemporary issues and current conflicts.

10 The Great Dictator (1940)

An anti-war political satire directed by Charlie Chaplin

For several reasons, The Great Dictator was one of the greatest comedies ever made and was a highly significant movie. As director, writer, and star Charlie Chaplin’s first true sound movie, it represented the silent film icon’s acceptance of ‘talkies’ as he embraced a new type of filmmaking with incredible success and became one of the few stars to make the transition successfully. However, The Great Dictator was also important for its highly political content, as it satirized Nazi , Adolf Hitler, and World War II just one year after Hitler had invaded Poland.

While Chaplin and Hitler had their toothbrush mustaches in common, this was where the comparison ended, as the filmmaker was highly critical of the Nazi regime and sought to undermine fascism and antisemitism with The Great Dictator. Chaplin’s powerful climatic monologue was one of the most poignant speeches in all of cinema and showcased that when this silent film star finally opened his mouth and spoke, he had something urgent to say. As a film made while the United States was still neutral in WWII, The Great Dictator represented American and European society's growing concern about the threat of fascism.

Charlie Chaplin stated in his autobiography that if he knew the true horrors of the Holocaust, he would never have made The Great Dictator, saying, “I could never have made fun of the homicidal insanity of the Nazis” (via Chaplin.)

9 The Long Voyage Home (1940)

A merchant crew tries to survive loneliness and war in this drama directed by John Ford

The legendary director John Ford was mostly known for Western movies but was also responsible for the excellent World War II film The Long Voyage Home. While the story was adapted from a play by Eugune O’Neill about his time in the First World War, the setting was switched to the present day during the early years of the Second World War. As just one of many collaborations between Ford and John Wayne, The Long Voyage Home told the story of a merchant crew's struggles with loneliness as the threat of the oncoming war loomed large.

As one of Ford’s lesser-known movies, The Long Voyage Home could stand against his very best work for the way it expertly depicted life at sea and the challenges faced by those during wartime. With an impressive 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, The Long Voyage Home was one of the greatest adaptations of O’Neill’s work, who was the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning tragedy Long Day's Journey into Night. With beautiful cinematography, strong performances, and a healthy dose of philosophy, The Long Voyage Home was a contemplative WWII movie that deserved to reach a larger audience than it did.

8 Man Hunt (1941)

An anti-Nazi political thriller directed by Fritz Lang

Once the Nazi Party came to power, the legendary director of German expression, Fritz Lang, decided to flee and later made a name for himself as a Hollywood director. While Lang was best known for iconic movies like Metropolis and M. he also produced four anti-Nazi films, the first of which was Man Hunt from 1941. Released right amid WWII, Man Hunt told the story of a man’s assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler and the harrowing fallout that led to him being relentlessly pursued by German agents.

With an opening sequence as powerful today as it was in 1941, Man Hunt was just one of many films released during the war that helped influence a pro-British viewpoint in America. Far more than an average chase film, Man Hunt had deep political relevance and captured the growing anxiety that many felt about the acts of the Nazis and the increasing horrors of World War II. Lang’s film about a man’s attempt to assassinate Hitler had a lot in common with Quentin Tarantino’s later WWII movie Inglourious Basterds, which also featured a similar attempt on the life of Hitler.

7 Sundown (1941)

A mysterious woman helps the British fight the Germans in this drama directed by Henry Hathaway

The black-and-white adventure story Sundown was set in Kenya as Englishmen fought Nazis in British East Africa. With a mysterious Somaliland woman at the heart of its story, Sundown blended its WWII setting with romance and intrigue to tell a story that combined desert terrain with jungle adventures, mixed with a healthy dose of espionage-based thrills. With major stars of the 1940s involved, like Gene Tierney as the mysterious Zia and Bruce Cabot as the solider Bill Crawford, Sundown was one of its era's best wartime adventure movies.

With a story that involved the British trying to stop the Nazis from arming Africans for a burgeoning rebellion, Sundown addressed important themes of allyship that were highly relevant in 1941. While the moral-boosting goals of many war movies set during this time have lost their effect, the beauty of Sundown's cinematography and impeccable star power meant it stood the test of time. Although Sundown can feel like a relic from a bygone era of filmmaking, it was a solid B-movie that forever immortalized the ethereal beauty of its starlet, Tierney.

6 Mrs. 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 viewpoint of gender roles, Mrs. Miniver effectively examined an astounding mother’s experiences of the Second World War. Greer Garson gave a powerful performance as Kay Miniver, a mother and wife doing what’s best for her family throughout the ongoing conflict, highlighting women's important contributions during wartime. Mrs. Miniver was a fictional story, but it used real events, such as the Dunkirk evacuation, to dramatize for audiences the struggle of the British people during WWII.

Mrs. Miniver so effectively presented the domestic fortitude and endurance of families throughout WWII that Nazi propaganda leader Joseph Goebbels even made a statement about its impact, saying that although it did not outright criticize the Nazi regime, “the anti-German” message was obvious (via BBC.) More so than anything, Mrs. Miniver highlighted the importance of domestic roles during difficult times and acted as an important document of the war as it was experienced by everyday people. A sequel was even produced in 1950, although The Miniver Story failed to make much of an impact without the backdrop of the real war.

5 Bataan (1943)

A gritty war drama about soldiers in Bataan directed by Tay Garnett

Bataan portrayed a ragtag American unit’s attempt to blow up a bridge in the Philippines in a bid to slow down the Japanese during World War II. Released in the midst of the Allied offensive in the Pacific, Robert Taylor gave a gritty performance as Sergeant Bill Dane, the military leader trying to pull off a complex mission. As one of the few war movies of its time to present racially integrated fighting forces, Bataan was an important movie for representing white soldiers and African Americans working together in unity.

With powerful hand-to-hand combat scenes and a strong cast of ing soldiers, each with a distinctive personality, Bataan was far better than the average pro-war movie produced during the early 1940s. Bataan was a good action-war film that took place in one singular location for the majority, and it used this limited setting to great effect. A follow-up film titled Back to Batann was released in 1945 and starred John Wayne, depicting similar events surrounding the Battle of Bataan.

4 Casablanca (1943)

An iconic romance that used the backdrop of WWII, directed by Michael Curtiz

The Best Picture winner Casablanca has been ed as one of the greatest movies of all time, and several iconic Casablanca quotes have become iconic in popular culture. With a powerful love story between Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), Casablanca was set against the backdrop of World War II, as Rick was forced to decide between the love of his life and continuing his fight against German Nazi forces. With an incredible director, exceptional performances, and a timeless script, Casablanca deserved its place among the most famous movies ever produced.

With sentiment, humor, and pathos, Casablanca captured something about the beauty of moviemaking that’s not often seen in cinema and was the perfect representation of the best movies of the 1940s. With enduring popularity and eternal appeal, Casablanca has maintained its power for over 80 years since its first release. A highly influential movie; in 2006, the Writers Guild of America voted Casablanca the greatest screenplay of all time.

3 The North Star (1943)

A pro-resistance war movie directed by Lewis Milestone

The North Star was a Hollywood production that, unusually for its time, focused on Ukrainian villagers and their resistance against German forces during World War II. While The North Star was criticized at its release for its perceived pro-Soviet Union content (via TCM), it presented aspects of the conflict rarely seen or heard about by American audiences. As the Ukrainian villagers used guerrilla tactics to overcome their Nazi invaders, The North Star acted as a contrast to the negative depiction of the Soviets so often seen in American movies during this time.

While the movie's original version has since been restored, the pro-Soviet accusations targeted at The North Star led to a heavily edited version released in 1956. This version removed much of the film’s content and added references to the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, which was more in line with American political leanings during the fraught era of the Cold War. Despite these controversies, The North Star received six Academy Award nominations and has remained an important document of wartime cinema.

2 Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)

A wartime drama made in the wake of Pearl Harbor, directed by Mervyn LeRoy

The attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 was instrumental in the United States ing World War II and their conflict against the Japanese and the Axis powers. This historical event and the role of bomber pilots were major influences on the 1944 war movie Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, which followed a young lieutenant on a secret bombing mission in Japan. With a pregnant wife being left behind, the true story of Captain Ted W. Lawson, seen in Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, puts a human face on the war and the experiences of those who fought in it.

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo dramatized the real Doolittle Raid, America's first retaliatory air strike against Japan, and it was unusual to use real footage of the actual bombers. This highly authentic story was written by acclaimed screenwriter Dalton Trumbo based on Lawson’s memoir and was a highly patriotic film that boosted morale among the American people during wartime. A true classic of not just war movies but also aviation cinema, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo has remained a highly acclaimed movie.

1 The Fighting Sullivans (1944)

A biographical war film directed by Lloyd Bacon

The Fighting Sullivans was the story of the close-knit Sullivan family growing up during the Great Depression and the five brothers who served in World War II. Based on the real experiences of the Sullivans, who were all killed in action after the light cruiser USS Juneau sank in 1942, The Fighting Sullivans acted as a touching tribute to the men who gave their lives in the Second World War. With an engrossing story of family, loyalty, and the tragedy of sacrifice, the powerful relationship between the brothers made this movie stand out as a truly poignant and heartbreaking WWII film.

Vignettes of the Sullivan boys growing up at different ages, as seen through the eyes of their loving mother, make The Fighting Sullivans tug on the heartstrings of even the most stoic of audience. The lost potential of the boys, mixed with the incredible bravery of the Sullivans, makes this story so effective. As much a celebration of their lives as it was a harrowing of their deaths, The Fighting Sullivans has not lost any of its power in the 80 years since its release.

Sources: Chaplin, BBC, Writers Guild of America, TCM,