World War 2 Movies

There are many World War 2 movies that are essential for any classic movie collection. Hollywood has a broad range of movies about the topic, and each movie explores a different aspect of the war experience. Two movies that are well known in this genre are They Were Expendable and The Great Escape.

When it comes to a collection of World War 2 movies, They Were Expendable must be included. This war-time adventure was released in 1945 and is included in a long list of John Wayne movies. The movie is based on William L. White's book of the same title and was directed by John Ford. The Ford and Wayne partnership was well known throughout Hollywood, and they were successful working together on a number of films. They Were Expendable focuses on the experience of Lieutenant J.G. Ryan, played by Wayne. Ryan is stationed in Manila Bay with Lieutenant John Brickley, played by Robert Montgomery, when the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor arrives. From that moment on, Ryan and Brickley prove themselves through various combat missions. This classic World War 2 movie received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Recording.

The Great Escape is one of the most popular World War 2 movies. This film was released in 1963 by United Artists Studio. The Great Escape was adapted from a book bearing the same title written by Paul Brickhill. Brickhill served in the Australian Air Force and became a German prisoner of war in 1943. His non-fiction book documents a large scale escape of prisoners from the camp and became the basis for this war film. The Great Escape was directed by John Sturges and stars Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Richard Attenborough.

They Were Expendable and The Great Escape are just two examples of countless World War 2 movies. Each focuses on a different aspect of the war experience. These movies investigated the humanity that still exists in war time, as well as the sheer horror. To find others who are interested in World War 2 movies, register for the ClassicMoviesAndRadio community today.