The 1960s was an incredible decade for film with movies likeCleopatra,Fistful of Dollars, andDr. No, andwarfilms were no exception. With the 1960s being only a couple of decades after World War II and a decade after the travesty of the Korean War, there was enough hindsight and cinematic advancements to make more realistic and thoughtful films about war.
At the same time, Hollywood still had an idealism and patriotism that would be crushed later in the decade by the failures, atrocities, and division of the Vietnam War. Thus, the 1960s is a unique era for the war film, and these are some of the best from the decade.
13Sink the Bismarck! (1960)
Sink the Bismarck!recounts the events surrounding the World War II operation by the Royal Navy to destroy the titular German battleship. Directed by Lewis Gilbert, who went on to makeAlfie, Educating Rita,andShirley Valentine, Sink the Bismarck!is a war film that puts the focus on strategy and planning over bombastic battle sequences.
Drawing from C.S. Forester’s book,The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck,the film has been praised for its historical accuracy and re-creation of real-life events since it was first released in cinemas in 1960. To this day,Sink the Bismarck!remains the only cinematic dramatization of the sinking of the Bismarck, proving how definitive it is.
12The Sand Pebbles (1966)
Adapted from the novel of the same name by Richard McKenna,The Sand Pebblestells the remarkable, yet totally fictional tale of a young U.S. Naval engineer in 1926 war-torn China, who is assigned a mission onboard the river gunboat, USS San Pablo.
The film starsSteve McQueenin the leading role, alongside Richard Attenborough (who would direct the great war filmA Bridge Too Far) and Richard Crenna, and was nominated for and impressive eight Academy Awards at the 39th annual ceremony, with Attenborough winning for Best Supporting Actor.The Sand Pebblesis a classic war film that’s epic in both scale and story, and that’s still highly regarded today.
11Battle of Britain (1969)
Frequent James Bond director Guy Hamilton took on a massive project when he signed to direct a film about the most famous air battle in British history. Detailing the events of the titular military campaign, the film follows Royal Airforce Pilots as they defend the British Isles from the Luftwaffe, and ultimately ensure that Adolf Hitler’s plot to invade Britain is called off.
At the time,Battle of Britainhad a budget of $14 million, a massive amount for the time. Most of the money went to filming highly technical flying sequences that had never been done before. The cost was worth it though, as the sequences still hold up well today.
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10Where Eagles Dare (1968)
Both the screenplay for 1968’sWhere Eagles Dareand the novel it was based on were written by adventure writer, Alistair Maclean, who served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. The film, like the book, follows a specialist mission by allied paratroopers to raid a castle in the German Alps and rescue an American brigadier the Nazis are holding prisoner.
With an impressive cast led by Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood, as well as one or two twists along the way,Where Eagles Dareis a thrilling watch that has gained a reputation as one of the best in the genre.
9Zulu (1964)
StarringMichael Cainein his first major film appearance, alongside Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, and James Booth,Zuludepicts the Battle of Rorke’s Drift which saw 150 British soldiers take on over 3000 Zulu warriors. The film was highly successful when it was first released in 1964, gaining positive reviews from critics who praised its brutal and bloody portrayal of real-life events, as well as the scale of the battle scenes. At the time, it was also one of the biggest box office hits in British cinema history. Additionally,Lord of the Ringsdirector, Peter Jackson, citedZuluas an influencewhen it came to filming the Battle of Helm’s Deep sequence inThe Two Towers.
8Hell is for Heroes (1962)
Hell is for Heroesis about a unit of American soldiers who must hold off an entire Nazi company for 48 hours until reinforcements can get to them. The film is directed by Don Siegel and stars Steve McQueen as Private John Reese. The film is a great black-and-white war film that has you on the edge of your seat.
7King Rat (1965)
King Ratis about Corporal King (George Segal) an American prisoner in a Japanese POW camp during World War II. The film was adapted from James Clavell’s novel which was partially based on his own experiences as a prisoner at Changi Prison in Malaya during the war.King Ratwas written and directed by Bryan Forbes and is a real insight into the struggles of the Allied soldiers that were captured during this time.
Related:Best War Movies of the 1940s, Ranked
6Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Lawrence of Arabiais one of the longest Hollywood films ever made, clocking in at 227 minutes, and is considered one of the best films ever made. The film, directed by David Lean, is a stunning example of a moving picture. Although the film is long, it is hard to take your eyes off Freddie A. Young’s gorgeous cinematography.Lawrence of Arabiais a greatmovie about a meditative journeythat stars Peter O’Toole and Alec Guinness. The film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won seven of them including Best Picture and Best Director.
5The Longest Day (1962)
The Longest Dayis an epic war film based on the 1959 non-fiction novel by Cornelius Ryan about the invasion of Normandy on D-Day. The film had one of the largest international casts of the time that included John Wayne, Sean Connery, and Henry Fonda. It was directed by three separate directors: Ken Annakins for the British and French material, Andrew Marton for all the American material, and Bernhard Wicki for the German shots.The Longest Dayemployed several military consultants who were there on August 08, 2025, which truly shows in the film’s accurate depictions.The Longest Daywas nominated for five Academy Awards and won two.
4Spartacus (1960)
Spartacusis based on the 1951 novel by Howard Fast, which was inspired by the leader of a Roman slave revolt, Spartacus. The classic was directed by Stanley Kubrick and is one of the longest Hollywood films ever made. The film stars Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, and Jean Simmons and won four Academy Awards. Spartacus is considered one of thebest revolution depictions on filmand was adapted into a three-season series by Starz.
