Films are a great way to learn or reinforce material.
World War II inspired several cinematographic works that are a good way to understand more about the conflict.
Below, we have selected 12 films that narrate different visions of the war.
1. The pianist, by Roman Polanski (2002)
Based on the autobiography of Polish Jewish pianist Władysław Szpilman who lived in Warsaw when it was invaded by the Germans. The musician manages to hide in the Warsaw Ghetto, but decides to leave there to survive and is at the mercy of a German colonel.
Winner of several Oscars, the film shows the invasion of Poland by the Nazis, the daily life of the Warsaw Ghetto and even the Uprising that took place there in 1943.
2. Sons of War, by Agnieszka Holland (1990)
Based on the biography of Solomon Perel, the film tells the story of the young Polish Jew. Perel survived the Nazi and Soviet invasion of Poland, went to an orphanage in USSR and he even joined the Hitler Youth, always hiding his Jewishness.
The work serves to understand the logic of Nazi propaganda among the population and the persecution of Jews.
3. Life is Beautiful, by Roberto Benini (1997)
In 1930s Italy, a Jew tries to survive the fascist persecution by making use of his good humor.
When the deportations begin, he is taken to a concentration camp with his son. To ease the child's pain, the father does everything for him to believe that they are in a big game.
Despite being a tragic-comedy, the film portrays the escalation of fascism in Italy and daily life in a concentration camp.
4. The Ninth Day, by Volker Schlöndorff (2004)
Imprisoned in the concentration camp in Dachau, Germany, Father Henri Kramer is released for nine days and must return to the city of Luxembourg, where he was born.
There, the Nazi leaders give him nine days to reflect on whether he publicly agrees with Nazism and is still alive, or goes back to the concentration camp, where he will die.
Excellent work to understand the position of the Catholic Church against Nazism. Highlight for the philosophical discussions between the priest and the Nazi sub-officer.
5. the empire of the sun, by Steven Spielberg (1987)
Starring Christian Bale, the work tells the story of an English boy who lived in Shanghai, China, when it is invaded by Japanese.
Separated from his parents and taken to a concentration camp for British and Americans, the boy has to develop strategies to survive in this hostile environment.
Great movie to learn about the conditions of the Sino-Japanese war.
6. Pearl Habor, by Michael Bay (2001)
Two childhood friends, who became airmen, are reunited at Pearl Habor on the eve of the Japanese attack on the American base. The next day, both participate in the defense of the island.
With special effects from modern cinema, the film takes great care in the details of what was the reason for the United States to enter World War II.
7. Casablanca, by Michael Curtiz (1942)
In Casablanca, in German-occupied Morocco, refugees of various nationalities and social classes are waiting for a visa that would authorize them to leave the country.
One of them is American Rick Blaine who runs a casino while he thinks of his beloved in Nazi-occupied Paris.
In addition to being an obligatory film for the history of cinema, the work shows that a war is not fought only on the battlefield. Thousands of people are expelled from their countries and forced to look for another home to restart their lives.
8. Stalingrad - The Final Battle, by Joseph Vilsmaier (1993)
The story of German soldiers who went to fight Soviet troops during the cold and harsh winter of the city of Stalingrad.
This work is essential to understand the movements of the Red Army and the despair of German troops in Soviet territory. The battle is considered the beginning of the end of the Nazis and World War II.
9. Letters from Iwo Jima, by Clint Eastwood (2006)
One of the longest battles of World War II was fought on a small Pacific island, Iwo Jima. Told from the point of view of a Japanese official, Americans and Japanese are fighting fiercely for that piece of land.
A primordial work to discover the tenacity of the two nations that did not relinquish a single inch of territory.
10. The Longest of Days, by Ken Annakin (1962)
Cinema classic that simultaneously shows the preparation for the Normandy landings in England, Germany and France.
Good for understanding D-Day, the end of World War II and the role of the American and British Army.
11. The fall - The Last Hours of Hitler, by Oliver Hirschbiegel (2004)
Refugees in a bunker, with Berlin besieged by Soviet troops, Hitler and his allies make a last-ditch effort to stay in power. The film chronicles the last days of Adolf Hitler, through the eyes of his secretary.
The work allows us to know the site of Berlin, the fanaticism of Hitler's collaborators and also their alienation from the chaotic situation in Germany.
12. The Nuremberg Trial, by Yves Simoneau (2000)
After the end of World War II, the Allies decide to try the captured Nazi generals and leaders. The chosen city is Nuremberg, the same city where the Nazi party had been founded.
It is a television miniseries inspired by the 1961 classic. The film is important for getting to know post-war Europe and the preponderance that the United States would have on the continent.
Did you like it? we still have more:- 6 Films about Hitler, the Nazi dictator
- Movies about the First World War
- Anti-Semitism
- Questions about World War II
