davidh's - Top 10 - WWII Films List

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"Come and See" is one of the greatest war films ever made and one of the finest achievements of Soviet cinema.

A devastating account of the Nazi occupation of Belarussia during World War II, it tells the story of a young boy's abrupt loss of innocence when he joins the Soviet resistance and is thrust headlong into the brutal horrors of combat. Featuring terrifyingly authentic battle scenes and poetic, almost surreal imagery, director Elem Klimov has fashioned a vivid and unforgettably powerful portrait of the terrible atrocities committed by men in the name of war.

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Wolfgang Peterson's "Das Boot" is regarded as one of the most outstanding and accurate representations of Germany's elite U-Boat crewmen during World War II.

Told from the German perspective the crew aboard U-96 are portrayed in a hopeless life-and-death struggle coping with the endless hours of loneliness and desperation, giving way to terror when confronted by the enemy.

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In the spring of 1942 German troops advance deep into the Soviet Union, en route to Stalingrad. Hitler, seriously misjudging the 1 tenacity of the Red Army, is convinced that the city can be conquered before winter.

Inadequately clothed and without sufficient food, the Nazi troops literally freeze and starve to death, largely abandoned by their leaders. For the soldiers Fritz, Hans, Rollo and GeGe the struggle for life has just begun. Gunfire and bombs are only one part of this hell; most of the soldiers will lose the battle against hunger and cold. The film presents this turning point in World War II as a vast tableau of horror in which the average German soldier was as much a victim of Nazi evil as were the Soviet people.

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Based on the bestseller by Stephen E. Ambrose, this critically acclaimed, award-winning mini-series follows the epic adventures of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army.

Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers' journals and letters, Band Of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear. They were an elite rifle company parachuting into France early on D-Day morning, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and capturing Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgarten. Recreated with stunning special effects and the second collaboration between Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, the series is both a profound and captivating look at the reality of war.

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James Mason and James Coburn star in this gripping account of a doomed German platoon facing annihilation at Russian hands during 1943, who discover that their instinct for war is greater then their instinct for survival.

While the enemy attacks, two officers fuel the conflict with their hell-bent lust for personal vindictiveness and glory- all part of the greater absurdity called war.

A powerful front line cast, including Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, Woody Harrelson, and George Clooney, explodes into action in this hauntingly realistic view of military and moral chaos in the Pacific during World War II.

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When British P.O.W.'s build a vital railway bridge in enemy-occupied Burma, Allied commandos are assigned to destroy it in David Lean's epic World War II adventure 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'.

Spectacularly produced, 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' captured the imagination of the public and won seven 1957 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Alec Guinness), and Best Director. Even it's the theme song, an old WWI whistling tune, the 'Colonel Bogey March', became a massive worldwide hit. 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' continues today as one of the most memorable cinematic experiences of all time.

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The story unfolds on land, sea and air, as hundreds of thousands of British and Allied troops are trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk with enemy troops closing in. RAF Spitfires engage the enemy in the skies above the Channel, trying to protect the defenseless men below.

Meanwhile, hundreds of small boats manned by both military and civilians are mounting a desperate rescue effort, risking their lives in a race against time to save even a fraction of their army.

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'1917' meets 'Hacksaw Ridge', 'The Final Stand' is a gripping and hard hitting WWII thriller based on the unbelievable true story of the heroic military stand outside Moscow in 1941.

This historical action epic follows a group of Russian soldiers who were deployed to the front line, to fight alongside units from the Soviet Army in a bid to defend Moscow against the onslaught of the Nazi advance. Hopelessly outnumbered, thousands of young men bravely put their lives on the line in a battle that lasted almost two long weeks. With almost 3,500 deployed to hold up the last line of defence as the onslaught of Nazi soldier moved in, most never returned. This is the story of their honour, bravery, courage and true camaraderie.

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Seen through the eyes of a squad of American soldiers, the story begins with World War II's historic D-Day invasion, then moves beyond the beach as the men embark on a dangerous special mission.

Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) must take his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Faced with impossible odds, the men question their orders. Why are eight men risking their lives to save just one? Surrounded by the brutal realities of war, each man searches for his own answer - and the strength to triumph over an uncertain future with honour, decency and courage.