The Best World War I Movies...That I've Seen

A 'Top 5,' yet incomplete list of movies about the 'War to End All Wars'

A soldier moves through a trench in Peter Jackson’s documentary They Shall Not Grow Old (Wingnut Films)

It was “the war to end all wars.” More than 10 million souls were violently — and prematurely — obliterated from the earth in the sordid, disease-ridden trenches on the Western Front; blistering heat and bone-chilling cold in Arabia and on the Eastern Front, respectively; to the steep cliffs of Gallipoli. The fight even reached Cape Cod’s shores.

Unlike the World War I quagmire, the lines between good and evil were more distinct in World War II. Naturally, more films have been made about the Second World War — there were clear heroes and clear villains. Between Nov. 11, 1918, and Sept. 1, 1939, the motion picture industry also matured as an art form, ripe for exploitation as a tool of propaganda, patriotism, and, more plainly, news from the front. During the war, the Allies even enlisted credible filmmakers like John Ford, Frank Capra, and William Wyler to shoot documentaries and/or pro-American movies.

Those directors went on to produce films like They Were Expendable, It’s a Wonderful Life, and The Best Years of Our Lives — all of which were influenced by World War II. But those don’t even scratch the surface: Casablanca, Mrs. Miniver, Bridge on the River Kwai, The Great Escape, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Sound of Music, The Dirty Dozen, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Downfall, even Star Wars — the list is endless.

But what about the doughboys of the lost generation? The war had a significant impact on culture and film, from Lord of the Rings to German Expressionism (which is the foundation of the horror movie genre). However, what movies were made about those who sacrificed their lives for mere inches in ‘No Man’s Land?’ Below are the top five World War I movies this author has seen — so movies like War Horse, The Trench, Le Grand Illusion or even the original All Quiet on the Western Front are not listed. (Feel free to send recommendations)

5. SERGEANT YORK

   Howard Hawks’ 1941 biographical movie follows Alvin York — a Tennessean ruffian turned Christian who turned into the most decorated U.S. soldier during World War I. While the film certainly stretches the truth of York’s personal life, his efforts during the war are worth noting, as we see a man wrestling with his newfound moral code captured by Hawks’ expert direction. Nominated for eleven Academy Awards, as well as being a significant box-office success (released months prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor), Gary Cooper’s turn as York is one of the best of his career.

4. 1917

   The film is a technical marvel — an expertly choreographed odyssey, all beautifully shot by cinematographer Roger Deakins. The plot is simple: two soldiers are tapped as couriers in order to deliver a message that could save more than 1,000 lives. But they must trek through enemy territory to do so. Worse still, their race is against time. Beneath the violence and mayhem, director Sam Mendes crafts a heartfelt tale to honor his grandfather, a World War I veteran. It’s a movie worth seeing on the largest screen possible, and it’s ‘one-shot’ editing is more than a gimmick — the style fully immerses the viewer into the soldiers’ harrowing mission.

   (Recommended viewing: a behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of 1917)

3. THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD

   The only documentary on this list, Peter Jackson’s They Shall Not Grow Old is one of the best movies released in the past several years. Told entirely from the perspective of World War I soldiers, Jackson utilizes the technical wizards at Wingnut Films to not only accurately colorize existing footage and provide contemporary sound effects, but also painstakingly align the film speeds that brings life into the horrors of war. In one circumstance, his team even discovered a speech presented to a particular company of soldiers after lip-reading footage. They Shall Not Grow Old is a tragically beautiful, raw, haunting tribute to the young men who fought on the Western Front.

   (Jackson’s featurette following the movie is worthy of watching too for any aspiring filmmaker and/or cinephile. Watch it here.)

2. PATHS OF GLORY

   Paths of Glory is, perhaps, the greatest anti-war movie ever conceived. It’s also Stanley Kubrick’s best film. Kirk Douglas gives a powerful performance as a French colonel tasked with defending men — ‘randomly’ plucked from his unit — who are being tried for cowardice after failing to capture an enemy position. Soaked in an air of futility, the movie succinctly, yet richly displays the ridiculousness that was the First World War. (Douglas’ heartless superior officer — played by George Macready — is also one of the most evil characters in moviedom)

1. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

   David Lean’s epic tale about British officer T.E. Lawrence is one of the greatest movies ever made, let alone one of the best films about World War I. In his first major movie performance, Peter O’Toole shoulders the weight of the massive tale effortlessly. Lawrence of Arabia is a story of greatness, destiny, and immortality, while — at a technical level — incorporating set pieces and scale that have unfortunately disappeared from modern filmmaking. It’s a must-see, and one of this author’s favorite movies ever.

Appendix

Movies that just missed the cut: All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), Gallipoli (1981), Wings (1927)

Other WWI movies I’ve seen: Testament of Youth (2014), Flyboys (2006), Wonder Woman (2017), The African Queen (1951), A Little Princess (1995)

*There are definitely more, but I can’t honestly remember — and I didn’t count Doctor Zhivago (1965) because it’s more about the Russian Revolution/Civil War than World War I.