# Your favorite/best War Movies From the 1940s (B) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 1, 2015, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390 "2015-06-01T22:11:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/1 "2015-06-01T22:11:11Z")
============================================================== For background check these threads: > **[Best All-Time Military Movies -- Pre-Poll Data Gathering](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=757774)** > > I have no major quarrel with the movies listed at http://screenrant.com/best-war-military-movies-list/ which are: -Black Hawk Down -Apocalypse Now -Platoon -Full Metal Jacket -Saving Private Ryan …but before building a poll to test SDMB’s... Best All-Time Military Movies – Pre-Poll Data Gathering 05-25-2015, 07:38 PM > **[Your favorite/best War Movies Prior to 1940](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=757956)** > > Pick your Top Five (or fewer) from this list: For King and Country For King and Country (1913) - IMDb (1913) The Battleship Potemkin Battleship Potemkin (1925) - IMDb (1925) The Big Parade The Big Parade (1925) - IMDb (1925) The General The... Your favorite/best War Movies Prior to 1940 05-27-2015, 10:18 PM > **[Your favorite/best War Movies Prior to 1940 -- Part 2](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758055)** > > Because I started Your favorite/best War Movies Prior to 1940 too soon, and since another batch of suggested titles have come in at Best All-Time Military Movies – Pre-Poll Data Gathering, I feel it’s only fair to give those interested another... Your favorite/best War Movies Prior to 1940 – Part 2 05-29-2015, 07:31 AM [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758138](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758138) Your favorite/best War Movies From the 1990s 05-30-2015, 04:17 AM > **[Your favorite/best War Movies From the 1970s](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758190)** > > For background check these threads: Best All-Time Military Movies – Pre-Poll Data Gathering 05-25-2015, 07:38 PM Your favorite/best War Movies Prior to 1940 05-27-2015, 10:18 PM Your favorite/best War Movies Prior to 1940 – Part 2 ... Your favorite/best War Movies From the 1970s 05-30-2015, 09:08 PM [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758243](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758243) Your favorite/best War Movies From the 1980s 05-31-2015, 04:11 PM [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758335](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758335) Your favorite/best War Movies From the 1940s (A) 06-01-2015, 02:55 PM **Vote for UP TO SEVEN of these:** # ==================================================== The Fighting Seabees [The Fighting Seabees (1944) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036824/) (1944) Henry V (Laurence Olivier) [Henry V (1944) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036910/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2) (1944) The Purple Heart [The Purple Heart (1944) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037197/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1944) The Seventh Cross [The Seventh Cross (1944) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037263/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1944) Thirty Seconds over Tokyo [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037366/?ref\_=fn\_al\_tt\_1](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037366/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1944) Objective: Burma [Objective, Burma! (1945) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037954/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1945) Rome, Open City “Roma città aperta” (original title) [Rome, Open City (1945) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038890/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1945) They Were Expendable [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038160/?ref\_=fn\_al\_tt\_1](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038160/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1945) A Walk in the Sun [A Walk in the Sun (1945) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038235/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1945) The Best Years of Our Lives [The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036868/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1946) Stairway to Heaven [A Matter of Life and Death (1946) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038733/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1946) 13 Rue Madeleine [13 Rue Madeleine (1947) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038279/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1947) Command Decision [Command Decision (1948) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040242/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1948) Fort Apache [Fort Apache (1948) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040369/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1948) The Search [The Search (1948) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040765/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2) (1948) Battleground [Battleground (1949) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041163/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1949) I Was a Male War Bride [I Was a Male War Bride (1949) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041498/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1949) Sands of Iwo Jima [Sands of Iwo Jima (1949) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041841/) (1949) The Third Man [The Third Man (1949) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041959/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1949) Tokyo Joe [Tokyo Joe (1949) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041967/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1949) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/2 "2015-06-01T22:49:27Z")
Is \*The Third Man \*really a military movie? From what I recall, the characters are criminals, policemen and civilians. The setting is post-war not wartime. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/3 "2015-06-01T23:05:21Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Is \*The Third Man \*really a military movie? From what I recall, the characters are criminals, policemen and civilians. The setting is post-war not wartime. I guess since I voted for it I ought to have some excuse, but I really don’t. What say, **RealityChuck**? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2015, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/4 "2015-06-02T01:31:30Z")
Two significant war movies from the 40s missing from both polls are PAISAN (Rossellini) and TWELVE O’CLOCK HIGH (King). ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2015, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/5 "2015-06-02T01:37:44Z")
Two more important ones missing: IN WHICH WE SERVE (Lean/Coward), GERMANY, YEAR ZERO (Rossellini) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2015, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/6 "2015-06-02T01:45:29Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > Two significant war movies from the 40s missing from both polls are PAISAN (Rossellini) and TWELVE O’CLOCK HIGH (King). > [@MovieMogul](#): > > Two more important ones missing: IN WHICH WE SERVE (Lean/Coward), GERMANY, YEAR ZERO (Rossellini) Thanks. _Twelve O’clock High_ was actually on the list, but didn’t get included due to a boo-boo on my part. I’ll add it and the others to the “overflow file” for later voting. I should also have include an OTHER option. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/7 "2015-06-02T01:54:47Z")
York tops my list for that set. The acting was so good and terrible at the same time; especially “Pusher”. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2015, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/8 "2015-06-02T02:02:59Z")
Would’ve voted for 12 O’clock High if it was on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2015, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/9 "2015-06-02T02:08:12Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Would’ve voted for 12 O’clock High if it was on the list. Me, too! I’ll be sure it’s on the follow-up “overflow” thread that will be for picked up stragglers and late mentions. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2015, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/10 "2015-06-02T08:19:56Z")
NM ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2015, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/11 "2015-06-02T08:23:36Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Me, too! I’ll be sure it’s on the follow-up “overflow” thread that will be for picked up stragglers and late mentions. It’s on the original chronological list under “Twelve,” rather than “12.” ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/12 "2015-06-04T03:48:30Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > It’s on the original chronological list under “Twelve,” rather than “12.” That’s quite true. But due to a _clerical error_ I failed to transfer it from the posted list to the actual thread/poll. To be sure it has a shot at some decent voting, it’ll have to be on a make-up list later. It won’t be by itself either! We have at least 40 such titles due to late mentions and such. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/13 "2015-06-04T07:43:59Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Is \*The Third Man \*really a military movie? From what I recall, the characters are criminals, policemen and civilians. The setting is post-war not wartime. IIRC, the action takes place in Vienna’s British Sector of occupation, under military control. Trevor Howard and Bernard Lee are MPs. The penicillin is stolen from military hospitals. There’s all sorts of intrigue with Anna’s threatened deportation to the Soviet sector. The peacetime aftermath of WWII. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/14 "2015-06-17T18:49:17Z")
NM. This ‘two sets per decade’ stuff is very confusing. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/15 "2015-06-17T20:23:45Z")
> [@bup](#): > > NM. > > This ‘two sets per decade’ stuff is very confusing. No argument. It was either that or have one huge poll per. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/16 "2015-06-18T12:41:25Z")
“So Proudly We Hail,” 1943. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/17 "2015-06-18T12:45:13Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > “So Proudly We Hail,” 1943. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/18 "2015-06-18T14:02:17Z")
_The Third Man_, far and away the best on this list. Great cast, great story, great cinematography, great atmosphere, great music. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2015, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/19 "2015-06-18T15:49:46Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Is \*The Third Man \*really a military movie? From what I recall, the characters are criminals, policemen and civilians. The setting is post-war not wartime. > [@Zeldar](#): > > I guess since I voted for it I ought to have some excuse, but I really don’t. > > What say, **RealityChuck**? 🙂 > [@terentii](#): > > IIRC, the action takes place in Vienna’s British Sector of occupation, under military control. Trevor Howard and Bernard Lee are MPs. The penicillin is stolen from military hospitals. There’s all sorts of intrigue with Anna’s threatened deportation to the Soviet sector. > > The peacetime aftermath of WWII. > [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > _The Third Man_, far and away the best on this list. Great cast, great story, great cinematography, great atmosphere, great music. Beholders’ eyes seem to relate to _The Third Man_ in differing ways. The notion of “War Movie” is a broad concept, I guess. I mostly related to Orson and the zither! 😉 For more insight, possibly, see The Third Man [The Third Man (1949) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041959/?ref_=nv_sr_1) (1949) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-best-war-movies-from-the-1940s-b/721390/20 "2015-06-19T17:29:06Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Beholders’ eyes seem to relate to _The Third Man_ in differing ways. The notion of “War Movie” is a broad concept, I guess. War/_military_. 😉