Famous movies set in World War II

With a huge and rich source of materials from the war, filmmakers have created many resounding works.

World War II was the largest and most catastrophic war in human history. Although it ended decades ago, it remains an endless source of inspiration for cinema. Through this material, filmmakers have created many works that truly reflect the war as well as human life under the influence of war.

Dunkirk (2017)

Dunkirkis the latest film by famous director Christopher Nolan. Upon its release, the film received critical acclaim and was a box office hit.The film tells the story of the evacuation of 400,000 Allied troops from Dunkirk (France) surrounded by German troops.With its impressive script and acting, the work is placed by some critics on par with classic World War films such asSaving Private RyangoodLetters from Iwo Jima.

Nolan tells the story from three perspectives: on land, at sea and in the air. The director focuses mainly on images, minimizing dialogue. The plot is non-linear but still tight, engaging and creates an emotional ending. Through that, Dunkirk shows a new perspective: The greatest war is not the fierce bombs on the battlefield but the struggle to survive and return to the motherland.

Son of Saul (2015)

The Hungarian film directed by László Nemes is set in a concentration camp with thousands of Jews from many countries such as Hungary, Austria, Poland... A prisoner named Saul tries to find a way to bury his son in a proper ceremony, despite the harsh laws of the fascists. Meanwhile, the prisoners in the concentration camp plan an uprising. The climax of the film was praised for its good portrayal of the brutality of war from a very narrow angle, following the main character. Son of Saul won the Oscar for "Best Foreign Language Film".

Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)

The film directed by Clint Eastwood is told from the perspective of a Japanese soldier who was forced to join the army and fight on the island of Iwo Jima (Japan). Here, he often writes letters to his family, telling about the war objectively, even arguing that Japan should hand over the island to the US. In the battle in 1944, the US army won and the Japanese soldiers on Iwo Jima were forced to commit suicide.The film won the Oscar for "Best Sound Editing" and was nominated in the categories of "Best Picture", "Best Director", and "Best Original Screenplay".

The Pianist (2002)

The film directed by Roman Polanski tells the story ofWladyslaw Szpiman -A Jewish pianist is captured by the Nazis and sent to a concentration camp. He tries to escape several times but then realizes that he cannot find a place to live because of the relentless pursuit of the Nazis. The film speaks of the faith and determination of people in the most difficult times. The film won three Oscars: "Best Director", "Best Adapted Screenplay" and "Best Actor" (Adrien Brody).

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Saving Private Ryan directed by Steven Spielberg is one of the best war movies. The movie begins with the American invasion of the Germans on the Normandy coast. Private Ryan goes missing. He is the last of four children, all of whom were killed in action, so the commander-in-chief orders a troop to find and save Ryan.

The film shows the horrors of war both on land and in the air, especially in the landing scenes.The film won five Oscars, including "Best Director" and "Best Cinematography".

Life Is Beautiful (1997)

The film, directed by Roberto Benigni, who also plays the male lead, tells the story of a Jewish father and his son who are arrested and sent to a concentration camp. The mother, although not arrested, volunteers to go to the camp to reunite with the father and son. In harsh circumstances, the father uses his imagination and sense of humor to protect his son's innocent and pure soul. The film won three Oscars in the categories of "Best Foreign Language Film", "Best Actor" and "Best Original Score".

Schindler's List (1993)

Schindler's List-based on the novel Schindler's Ark by Thomas Keneally -is another great movie set in World War II directed by Steven Spielberg. The main character in the movie is Oskar Schindler - a German businessman who saved thousands of Jews from the Nazi massacre.

Schindler used his Nazi Party membership and connections with high-ranking officials to recruit Jews to work in his factories, saving many lives. The saved lives were collectively known as Schindlerjuden (Schindler's children).The film won seven Oscars, including two important categories: "Best Picture" and "Best Director".

Ivan's Childhood (1962)

Russian cinema legend Andrei Tarkovsky's debut film tells the story of a 12-year-old spy during World War II, who single-handedly overcomes countless dangers while gathering information about the German army. The film brings a different perspective on the war with Tarkovsky's unique filmmaking philosophy.TarkovskyThe film won the Golden Lion at the 1962 Venice Film Festival, andinfluenced the filmmaking style of many European filmmakers, includingSwedish directorIngmar Bergman.

The Cranes Are Flying (1957)

Director Mikhail Kalatozov's film opened the door to many excellent works of Russian cinema about World War II. The film tells the story of a girl named Veronika who, after sending her lover off to war, has to face the harsh life in the rear. In the face of temptations and misunderstandings, she still maintains her pure and noble qualities. The role of star Tatiana Samoilova is considered a symbol of pure women, with a Russian soul. The film won the Golden Palm at the 1958 Cannes Film Festival.

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

The film revolves around Allied prisoners of war forced by the Japanese to build a bridge across the River Kwai (Thailand) to connect the Thailand - Myanmar railway. The colonel in charge of the group of prisoners of war decides to build a sturdy bridge, while the Allies plan to destroy the bridge.

The film was directed by David Lean and is based on the novel of the same name by French writer Pierre Boulle. This is considered an excellent work in David Lean's career when it won seven Oscars, including the categories "Best Picture" and "Best Director". The success of the film paved the way for many big-budget British works after that such as Lawrence of Arabia (1962) or A Passage to India (1984).

According to VNE