According to one source, these are the 10 most accurate WWII battle movies (in order of release year):
‘The Dam Busters’ (1955)
‘The Longest Day’ (1962)
‘Tora! Tora! Tora!’ (1970)
‘Patton’ (1970)
‘Das Boot’ (1981)
‘Band of Brothers’ (2001)
‘Downfall’ (2004)
‘Letters From Iwo Jima’ (2006)
‘Unbroken’ (2014)
‘Dunkirk’ (2017)
A couple of these choices are a bit surprising in that they don't depict battles. Read about the three criteria used and see if you agree.
Honorable mentions:
The Story of G.I. Joe (1945); Battleground (1949); To Hell and Back (1955); The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957); The Great Escape (1963); PT-109 (1963); Midway (1976); Schindler’s List (1993); Saving Private Ryan (1998); Conspiracy (2001); and The Great Raid (2005).
The 10 Most Accurate WWII Battle Movies
Moderators: Order of Battle Moderators, The Artistocrats
Re: The 10 Most Accurate WWII Battle Movies
I have the biggest reservations about the "Patton", because the German tanks were "pretended" by the US M48(nomen omen Patton ) tanks and the other Wehrmacht vehicles were modified US Army vehicles too (M3A1 Half Track ).
This is the reason why most of the movies about World War II lose a lot, unfortunately there are very few German armored vehicles left after the war, but also most of the scenographers treated the historical reality quite carelessly (it probably had financial reasons as well)
"The longest day", however, I rate very highly, although the German tanks were not German there either, but quite well "adapted" to this role
The second one is "Dunkirk", there are many historical inaccuracies, especially in terms of the chronology and design of the battlefield (e.g. barricades in Dunkirk city - a few hundred meters from the beach - manned by French soldiers, which are shot at by German machine guns) but also the equipment used (e.g. Spitfires armed with 20mm cannons which entered as arming this aircraft in November 1940, almost six months later)
This is the reason why most of the movies about World War II lose a lot, unfortunately there are very few German armored vehicles left after the war, but also most of the scenographers treated the historical reality quite carelessly (it probably had financial reasons as well)
"The longest day", however, I rate very highly, although the German tanks were not German there either, but quite well "adapted" to this role
The second one is "Dunkirk", there are many historical inaccuracies, especially in terms of the chronology and design of the battlefield (e.g. barricades in Dunkirk city - a few hundred meters from the beach - manned by French soldiers, which are shot at by German machine guns) but also the equipment used (e.g. Spitfires armed with 20mm cannons which entered as arming this aircraft in November 1940, almost six months later)
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- Field Marshal - Elefant
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Re: The 10 Most Accurate WWII Battle Movies
I found "Dunkirk" boring...
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Re: The 10 Most Accurate WWII Battle Movies
I'd rank all versions (I think it's 4 made total) of the Finish "Unknown Soldier " as my favourite and I'm not even from Finland!
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4065552/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4065552/
"They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance."
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Re: The 10 Most Accurate WWII Battle Movies
German movie "Stalingrad" is pretty good.
Re: The 10 Most Accurate WWII Battle Movies
a list without my faviorite war movie in it, isn't a great list tbh
A Bridge Too Far should at least be in there imo
but saying that, the book is way better than the film and tbh is more accurate, as the film does a poor portrayal of General Browning and more than a few others, but films often do.
A Bridge Too Far should at least be in there imo
but saying that, the book is way better than the film and tbh is more accurate, as the film does a poor portrayal of General Browning and more than a few others, but films often do.
Re: The 10 Most Accurate WWII Battle Movies
I personally like Brest, Pacific, Zero, the Bridge too far, Pearl harbor and letters from Iwojima. Mostly talking about heroic defense i suppose.
My disappointments mostly came from fake german tanks, then it’s really really excited when the real Tiger appeared in “Saving private”
Dunkrik is not bad in term of dog fight and naval rescue, but the balance between “real life air fights” and “actions for war film” is hard to balance.
My disappointments mostly came from fake german tanks, then it’s really really excited when the real Tiger appeared in “Saving private”
Dunkrik is not bad in term of dog fight and naval rescue, but the balance between “real life air fights” and “actions for war film” is hard to balance.
Re: The 10 Most Accurate WWII Battle Movies
I remembered of "The Big Red One", a great movie where there is not a single German vehicle
Re: The 10 Most Accurate WWII Battle Movies
Totally agree. I like "Talvisota" and "Tali-Ihantala" too, and polish movies "Westerplatte", "Miasto 44". https://www.cda.pl/video/10897516c7 https://www.cda.pl/video/116961faHalvralf wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 7:48 am I'd rank all versions (I think it's 4 made total) of the Finish "Unknown Soldier " as my favourite and I'm not even from Finland!
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4065552/