100 Best War Films

Channel Four's 100 Best War films

1. Saving Private Ryan, 1998

2. Apocalypse Now, 1979

3. The Great Escape, 1963

4. Schindler's List, 1993

5. Full Metal Jacket, 1987

6. Platoon, 1986

7. A Bridge Too Far, 1977

8. Zulu, 1964

9. Black Hawk Down , 2001

10. The Bridge On The River Kwai, 1957

11. The Dam Busters, 1954

12. The Deer Hunter, 1978

13. Braveheart, 1995

14. The Guns Of Navarone, 1961

15. The Killing Fields, 1984

.16. The Thin Red Line, 1998

17. Das Boot, 1981

18. Dr Strangelove, 1964

19. Born On The Fourth Of July, 1989

20. The Longest Day, 1962

21. Where Eagles Dare, 1968

22. M*A*S*H, 1974

23. Paths Of Glory, 1957

24. Gladiator, 2000

25. Spartacus, 1960

26. Ice Cold In Alex, 1958

27. The Dirty Dozen, 1967

28. Enemy At The Gates, 2001

29. Battle Of Britain, 1969

30. Casablanca, 1942

31. Good Morning, Vietnam, 1987

32. The Pianist, 2002

33. All Quiet On The Western Front, 1930

34. Kelly's Heroes, 1970

35. The Last Of The Mohicans, 1992

36. Henry V, 1944

37. Cross Of Iron, 1977

38. Salvador, 1986

39. Tora! Tora! Tora!, 1970

40. Lawrence Of Arabia, 1962

41. The Cruel Sea, 1953

42. Catch 22, 1970

43. Empire Of The Sun, 1987

44. Patton, 1970

45. 633 Squadron, 1964

46. Master And Commander, 2003

47. A Matter Of Life And Death, 1962

48. Gallipoli, 1981

49. Carve Her Name With Pride, 1958

50. Three Kings, 1999

51. A Town Like Alice, 1956

52. Hope And Glory, 1987

53. Troy, 2004

54. From Here To Eternity, 1953

55. Casualties Of War, 1989

56. Life Is Beautiful, 1997

57. In Which We Serve, 1942

58. Stalingrad, 1993

59. Reach For The Sky, 1956

60. The English Patient, 1996

61. La Grande Illusion, 1937

62. Ran, 1985

63. When The Wind Blows, 1986

64. The Battle Of Algiers, 1965

65. The General, 1927

.66. Enigma, 2001

67. Napoleon, 1927

68. Glory, 1989

69. Went The Day Well?, 1942

70. Oh! What A Lovely War, 1969

71. Come And See, 1986

72. The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp, 1943

73. Ride With The Devil, 1999

74. Alexander Nevsky, 1938

75. Gone With The Wind, 1939

76. Sands Of Iwo Jima, 1949

77. The Charge Of The Light Brigade, 1936

78. Breaker Morant, 1980

79. Mrs Miniver, 1942

80. Land And Freedom, 1995

81. Love And Death, 1975

82. No Man's Land, 2001

83. Cromwell, 1970

84. The Caine Mutiny, 1954

85. To Be Or Not To Be, 1942

86. El Cid, 1961

87. Rome, Open City, 1945

88. Memphis Belle, 1990

89. Von Ryan's Express, 1965

90. Regeneration, 1997

91. Hell In The Pacific, 1968

92. The Birth Of A Nation, 1915

93. Europa, Europa, 1990

94. The Colditz Story, 1955

95. Welcome To Sarajevo, 1997

96. Cold Mountain, 2003

97. Lacombe Lucien, 1974

98. Big Red One, 1980

99. The Eagle Has Landed, 1977

100. Rambo: First Blood, Part II, 1985

A handful I have not see nor even heard of. Some I would not regard as a war film such as Casablanca which is a great film but not really a war film as such. It is a good starting point for a study of war films.

It is a bit weighted towards more recent films and particularly Hollywood blockbusters. People can of course only vote for what they know. They are more likely to know Saving Private Ryan than Birth of a Nation. The former is a lot more accessible. I also suspect this is more of British list and the US would have a completely different list as they will not have seen such great films as Went to Day Well? which is almost the blue print of The Eagle Has Landed

Both of which are great films. I will attempt to work my way through all of them and enjoy my by revisiting the greats and maybe finding some masterpieces. No doubt as I do that new ones will join them.Clint Eastwood has produced two about Iwo Jima which I will include. I will also revisit any I come across in my researches.