The 20 greatest World War I movies

From Skyfall director Sam Mandes, 1917 is the Oscar-winning movie that takes its viewers quite literally into the trenches of World War I. It follows two soldiers who race against time to deliver a message that will stop thousands of their men from walking into a trap and being massacred. The film is edited together to appear as if it was filmed in one single take, fully immersing the audience into the dark reality of the situation. It’s a brilliant example of technical filmmaking and spectacle. 

It goes without saying that Wonder Woman was not actually around during World War I, but nevertheless, her origin story film is a World War I film. When pilot Steve Trevor crashlands onto the island of Themyscira, Amazonian princess Diana learns about the conflict raging on in the human world. She sets out to stop Ares, the God of War, from destroying mankind. The backdrop of the war makes for a perfect setting to complement the character and her values.

One of the most seminal war films of all time is the original All Quiet on the Western Front, which was released in 1930. It follows a young and naive soldier who eagerly enters World War I, but his sense of adventure fades when he experiences firsthand the true horrors of war. It’s a bold anti-war statement, and won the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director at the third annual ceremony. The battle scenes are astonishing for the time, making this a historic milestone in cinema.

All Quiet on the Western Front received the remake treatment from Netflix and director Edward Berger in 2022. It follows the same story as the original, but uses modern-day filmmaking to make the viewing experience even more immersive and harrowing. The atmosphere is relentless and visceral thanks to a jarring score, authentic makeup, artful cinematography and realistic soundscape. The film won several technical awards at the Oscars, as well as Best International Feature Film.

Directed by Peter Weir, Gallipoli is based on the real-life Gallipoli campaign in Turkey during World War I. The film follows two Australian sprinters (played by Mel Gibson and Mark Lee) who discover the brutality of war when they are sent to fight in it, and become messengers due to their speed. It is a film filled with hope and tragedy, and it is one of the few films to portray the First World War from the perspective of the ANZACs during this particular battle. 

Based on the memoir by Vera Brittain, Testament of Youth is a story that focuses on the war from a woman's perspective. Vera’s life drastically changes when World War I begins, and her fiancé and brother are sent to fight. The film focuses on Vera’s life at home and recognizes the war's effect on people like her, not just soldiers. It’s a heartbreaking tale of lost love and learning to find light in darkness. Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington and Taron Egerton star.

The Water Diviner is another World War I film that focuses on the Battle of Gallipoli. Russell Crowe plays Joshua Connor, whose three sons are presumed dead in the battle. After his wife takes her own life, he travels to Turkey to retrieve their bodies and have them buried with their mother. He takes a long and harrowing journey across war-torn land with the help of a Turkish Officer. This heart-wrenching film contains strong performances from Crowe and Olga Kurylenko.

One of Steven Spielberg’s most underrated films is one from later in his career titled War Horse. It is based on the novel and the stage production of the same name. The story follows Albert, a young farm boy who has an inseparable relationship with his horse, Joey. After Joey is sold off to the British cavalry, Albert enlists in the war to reunite with him. The film was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, and is complemented by a sublime John Williams score.

Journey’s End is another World War I film that takes viewers into the trenches with the soldiers fighting. In 1918, a group of British soldiers are being led by an alcoholic officer whose mental health is deteriorating. Together, they must await their fate in an Aisne dugout as the war comes to an end. It is another example of how film can highlight the pain and destruction of war, and features a stellar cast made up of Sam Claflin, Asa Butterfield, Paul Bettany, and Stephen Graham. 

J. R. R. Tolkein is the iconic author behind The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit , and this biopic explores his formative years and the impact they had on his stories. As a student at Oxford, he meets other like-minded creatives, and falls in love with a woman named Edith. However, his personal and professional life is threatened by World War I, which he fights in as a soldier. This film is a must for fans of Tolkien, and stars Nicholas Hoult in the titular role, alongside Lily Collins.

Beneath Hill 60 is another World War I movie told from the perspective of Australians but has nothing to do with Gallipoli. This story follows the first Australian tunneling company, led by Oliver Woodard, who must leave his girlfriend behind. He leads his unit underground beneath German fortifications and bunkers in order to detonate deadly explosives. It works as a tense thriller that tells an important side of history using realism and impressive filmmaking techniques. 

Arguably the greatest anti-war film ever made, Paths of Glory was one of Stanley Kubrick’s first major successes. Starring Kirk Douglas, the film sees a group of French soldiers abandon a suicıde attack. As a result, Colonel Dax defends them in court. Full of iconic imagery and effective battle scenes, the movie was truly the first of its kind, thanks to Kubrick’s artistic direction and vision. It laid the foundations for many other technically ambitious war movies to follow.

One of the most epic films of Hollywood's golden age of cinema is Lawrence of Arabia, starring Peter O’Toole. It is based on a true story, and O’Toole plays the titular British army lieutenant. He is sent to Arabia to find Prince Faisal and serve as a liaison between the Arabs and the British against the Turks. Despite some outdated elements, such as Alec Guinness donning brownface, the film is still a remarkable achievement and earns its nearly four hour runtime. 

They Shall Not Grow Old is an essential World War I documentary directed by Peter Jackson. It features never-before-seen archival footage, now restored, to tell the story of the soldiers who experienced the war. Black-and-white footage is presented in high definition color, giving viewers unprecedented insight and immersiveness. Jackson used the same technology to make his six-hour The Beatles documentary Get Back, and like that, this film is a groundbreaking achievement. 

Based on real events, The War Below is a little-seen World War I film that is definitely worth seeking out. It follows a group of British miners who are sent to tunnel underneath No Man’s Land and set bombs below the German front for the Battle of Messines in 1917. The War Below makes great use of its small budget to tell an important story about men who risked their lives for their country. It would make for a great double-feature with the previously mentioned Beneath Hill 60. 

Wings is a monumental piece of cinema, being the first ever film to win Best Picture at the very first Oscars in 1929. It follows two best friends, Jack and David, who both fall in love with a woman named Sylvia. Despite their friendship being jeopardized, they fight together against the enemy as pilots in World War I. It features trailblazing aerial cinematography that was marvellously impressive for its time, also winning a second Oscar for Best Engineering Effects.

The Grand Illusion (also known as La grande illusion) is a French World War I film from 1937. It follows two French soldiers who are captured and imprisoned in a German camp. They make many attempts to escape, but are then sent to an even more impenetrable fortress. It’s an emotional story about the experience of being a prisoner of war, as well as how class plays into this. The Grand Illusion was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 1939.

The Big Parade is another World War I film made in the 1920s that focuses on the firsthand experience of the horrors of war. It follows a young American soldier from a wealthy family who experiences the harsh horrors and reality of the French war front. For a silent film, it is quite compelling for its ambitious two-and-a-half hour runtime. There’s an important element of romance, and the film is another in the long list of foundational war films that broke new ground.

Private Peaceful is a war drama that stars young actors who have now found acclaim such as Jack O’Connell, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and George MacKay (who is also in 1917). Based on the novel of the same name, it is set in the fields of Devon and battlefields of Flanders, and follows brothers Tommo and Charlie over ten years. They both enlist in the war, leaving behind the same girl they love. The film also features Harry Potter actors Richard Griffiths and Frances de la Tour.

Merry Christmas, also known as Joyeux Noel , is one of the rare World War I films set around Christmas time. On Christmas Eve in 1914, a Christmas truce is put into place on the Western Front. German, French, and Scottish soldiers from opposing sides get to know each other without violence surrounding them. This moving and heartwarming film is based on a true story, and received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Diane Kruger and Daniel Brühl star.