The way many of us first learned about World War II was inherently cinematic. A black and white dichotomy of “good guys” and “bad guys” laid before us with tales of heroic sacrifice, secrecy, and an evil, inhumane villain at the root of it all. For these reasons, WWII has held tremendous relevance in cinema—both for its compelling narrative and for its fodder as jingoistic propaganda.
However, our understanding of this war, and the humanitarian crisis at its root, has greatly expanded. Ironically, so have the films depicting it. As we revisit early cinema’s patriotic depictions of WWII, as well as modern cinema’s more nuanced interpretations, it’s vital that we bear witness to the realities of this era. To let our consumption stop at the American exceptionalist role as “heroes” in this event, without proper context and analysis, is to risk letting history repeat itself.
Of course, read a book while you’re at it, too, but here is the best round-up of WWII movies that properly address and preserve the memory of this major moment in history.