If you are interested in films about World War II, you can choose from a variety of options for your next movie night.
“Schindler’s List” (1993): One of the most famous films about the Second World War
Steven Spielberg's drama is based on the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist who saved over 1,100 Jews from the Holocaust.
- The focus is on Schindler's (Liam Neeson) development from an opportunistic businessman and member of the Nazi Party to a savior who employs Jewish workers in his factory in Krakow, puts them on his list as “indispensable” and thus saves them from deportation.
- The film, which was shot mostly in black and white, offers a detailed depiction of the events with a running time of 195 minutes, with director Spielberg relying primarily on an affective reception control in which the audience is emotionally involved.
- While many critics praised the film for its courage and visual design, others criticized the partly passive portrayal of the Jewish characters and the stylization of Schindler as a hero.
- “Schindler’s List” won seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
- In addition to Neeson, Ben Kingsley also stars as the Jewish accountant Itzhak Stern and Ralph Fiennes as the sadistic SS officer Amon Göth.
- Even today, the film remains an important work of Holocaust education and is shown in schools to raise awareness of the events surrounding World War II.
“Saving Private Ryan” (1998)
The war film, also directed by Steven Spielberg, is dedicated to the brutal reality of the Allied invasion of Normandy and begins on June 6, 1944, the so-called D-Day.
- It tells the story of Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) and his unit, who are tasked with finding and rescuing the missing paratrooper James Ryan (Matt Damon) after his three brothers were killed in the war. The mission takes them through German-occupied France.
- “Saving Private Ryan” is known for its ruthless and detailed portrayal of the cruelty of war, with John Williams’ soundtrack also contributing significantly to the intense atmosphere.
- Through themes such as sacrifice and camaraderie, the question of the value of an individual life in the context of war is explored.
- Spielberg's work won five Oscars (including Best Director) and two Golden Globes and was particularly praised for its authenticity and emotional depth.
- Despite some historical inaccuracies, the film set new standards for war films and had a lasting influence on the genre.
„Inglorious Basterds“ (2009)
Set in Nazi-occupied France, Quentin Tarantino's counterfactual war film tells the story of a group of Jewish-American soldiers who carry out reprisals against the Nazis during the war.
- The plot about the group known as the “Basterds” and led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) is linked to the plans of the young Jewish woman Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent), who wants to take revenge for the murder of her family and murder the Nazi elite during a film premiere in her cinema in Paris.
- The film is divided into five chapters and combines elements of the traditional war film with Tarantino's typical style of dialogue and tension building.
- Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger and Daniel Brühl also appear alongside Pitt. The film was shot in Görlitz, among other places.
- “Inglorious Basterds,” which also contains numerous references to cinema and film history, was a commercial success. The mix of different genres was particularly praised.
- The acting performances also received widespread recognition, especially that of Christoph Waltz, who received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of SS Colonel Hans Landa.