Top 10 Most Historically Accurate World War 2 Movies

#10: “Come and See” (1985)

A subversive response to a long history of Soviet war propaganda films, “Come and See” was written by director Elem Klimov with the help of an ex-partisan who fought against the Nazis, along with numerous eyewitness accounts. The production of this objective and the realistic portrayal of the German occupation of Byelorussia was almost as brutal as the subject matter. Aleksei Kravchenko, playing the lead role, was a non-professional actor who endured fatigue and hunger during filming, all the while dodging live ammunition used instead of blanks for the filming. Meanwhile, wartime documentary-style footage made the film a stunning testament to the suffering endured by ordinary people fighting for their lives on the Russian front.

#9: “A Bridge Too Far” (1977)

Based Cornelius Ryan’s 1974 book of the same name, “A Bridge Too Far” recounts the story of Operation Market Garden. This was one of the largest airborne operations of World War II. Its aim was to secure various bridges in the Netherlands, thereby granting Allied access into Germany. The period was faithfully recreated by using real military hardware and authentic Dutch locations. The complex battle logistics were also fairly accurate. This is because Roy Urquhart and Brian Horrocks, respectively played by Sean Connery and Edward Fox in the film, served as military advisors. With a solid foundation in Ryan’s book and firsthand accounts of the operation, “A Bridge Too Far” is a great exercise in historical authenticity.

#8: “Stalingrad” (1993)

Directed by Joseph Vilsmaier, it follows a number of German soldiers in the fateful Battle of Stalingrad, the most decisive skirmish in World War II and perhaps the bloodiest battle in human history. The Germans lost, and “Stalingrad” is a terrific depiction of what a typical unit might have encountered in the city. This includes the nightmarishly dour ending which sees everyone dying, often with great agony. And with a good eye for historic weapons, costumes, and props, “Stalingrad” proves an uncomfortably authentic glimpse into one of history’s most important battles.

#7: “The Longest Day” (1962)

Military historian Cornelius Ryan wrote “The Longest Day,” a very popular book about the D-Day invasion of 1944. It was published in 1959 and turned into a movie just three years later. Nearly three hours in length, the film serves as an epic examination of the Normandy landings. Many cast members actually served in World War II, and their military experience is central in the film’s accuracy. Richard Todd, who plays Major John Howard, actually took part in D-Day and even helped recreate his own personal experience for the movie. The film was also shot at many real locations, including Pointe du Hoc, and D-Day veterans worked as historical consultants. It all ensured a war epic that brims with genuine - and frightening - history.

#6: “The Imitation Game” (2014)

A highly successful movie, “The Imitation Game” chronicles the life of Alan Turing and his time decoding secret German messages in World War II. This fascinating story is based on the biography “Alan Turing: The Enigma,” written by esteemed mathematician Andrew Hodges. Unfortunately, the real story is so complex that a movie adaptation would never do it justice. But “The Imitation Game” does a solid job of conveying the basics. Some of the more dramatic and unsettling aspects of the story are lifted straight from history. These include Turing being put on trial for gross indecency and his subsequent chemical castration. The film even earned praise from Turing’s descendants, many of whom complimented the performance of Benedict Cumberbatch.

#5: “Das Boot” (1981)

This claustrophobic depiction of wartime life aboard a German U-boat submarine was based on a novel by Lothar-Gunther Buchheim, who served as a naval war correspondent on the U-96 during WWII’s Battle of the Atlantic. With the commander of the U-96 as technical advisor, an obsessively accurate replica of the vessel interior was built, which could be hydraulically rocked, shaken and tilted up to 45 degrees. Realism was also enhanced by location shooting at the wartime boat pen at La Rochelle. “Das Boot” is a stunning depiction of the confinement, tedium and terror of ordinary men caught in the war beneath the waves.

#4: “Tora! Tora! Tora!” (1970)

This documentary-like account of the attack on Pearl Harbor showed both sides of the battle, emphasizing the historical context and detailed planning of the attack. Producers and directors from Japan and the United States filmed their perspectives separately, which were then combined into a single film. Technical advisors from both sides were spared no expense to make the sets and scenes as true-to-life as possible. Full-scale replicas of naval vessels were built, and American training planes were made to resemble wartime Japanese planes, which added to the realism of what was being shown on screen.

#3: “The Pianist” (2002)

This film was closely based on an autobiographical book by the pianist and Holocaust survivor Wladyslaw Szpilman. However, director Roman Polanski had additional motivation to respect the history on which “The Pianist” draws, as he himself survived the Holocaust in Krakow. This story of one talented man’s struggle to survive in the Warsaw ghetto is heartbreaking and poignant, and a testament to the effort to recreate the setting in every detail, from the oppression of the ghetto streets to specific songs Szpilman played. “The Pianist” is a haunting vision of suffering, made more disturbing by the beauty of the music.

#2: “Schindler’s List” (1993)

Steven Spielberg’s award-winning movie is considered by many to be the greatest film about horrors of the Holocaust ever made. This tale of German industrialist Oskar Schindler’s strategy to save Jewish people from mechanized extermination is a showcase of the highs and lows of the human condition. Holocaust survivor Leopold “Poldek” Pfefferberg spent years working to have this story - of one man’s struggle to save those caught in the maw of a destructive hate machine - made, and Spielberg's grim and realistic portrayal helps ensure it will never be forgotten.

#1: “Downfall” (2004)

The paranoia and surreal madness of Adolf Hitler’s last ten days holed up in his bunker were masterfully recreated in “Downfall,” a war flick known in Germany as “Der Untergang.” Based on extensive historical research, the film features fearsomely factual depictions of some of modern history's most vile figures. In fact, many of Hitler's lines were derived from actual quotations taken from his writing. Bruno Ganz gave a terrifying performance as Hitler, both at his most monstrous and his most human. This film shows how, at the end of the day, even the most despicable man in history is still just a man.

What are some other historically accurate films we missed? Let us know in the comments below!