The Best World War I Movies, According to Service Members and Veterans

Perhaps it's the trench warfare -- mud, boredom and little forward motion. A murky understanding of the geopolitical climate of the time. That Americans only entered in the waning year of the conflict. Few decisive victories. Hard-to-pronounce French and Belgian names. Whatever the reason, World War I and its movies have long struggled to find their place within American pop culture.

The Great War's recent centennial renewed interest in the conflict. Perhaps that's why some WWI flicks were top of mind when we asked Military.com readers to share their favorite war movies of all time. Here are some of the best World War I movies that made the cut:

"1917" (2019)

Inspired by Operation Alberich and stories that the grandfather of producer and director Sam Mendes ("Jarhead") told about his WWI service, "1917" tells the fictional story, inspired by real events, of two British messengers (George MacKay, "Ophelia," and Dean-Charles Chapman, "Before I Go to Sleep") who must convince superior officers to call off a doomed attack and save the lives of their countrymen. The movie features a star-studded supporting cast including Benedict Cumberbatch ("The Imitation Game"), Colin Firth ("The King's Speech") and Andrew Scott ("Catherine Called Birdy").

"1917" is perhaps best known for "The Schofield Run," an iconic scene shot in one take where MacKay runs 300 yards through a British advance across No Man's Land. This scene, along with innovative camera techniques, helped the movie win Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Mixing at that year's Oscars. "'1917' is a powerful movie due to its immersive storytelling technique, which unfolds in real-time, creating a sense of urgency and tension," said one reader.

"Lawrence of Arabia" (1962)

Based on the autobiographical “Seven Pillars of Wisdom” by T.E. Lawrence, "Lawrence of Arabia" is widely regarded as one of the best movies ever made. Peter O'Toole ("Goodbye, Mr. Chips") plays the titular British officer who is sent to keep tabs on Prince Faisal I bin al-Hussein bin Ali al-Hashemi Alec Guinness ("Star Wars: A New Hope"), the leader of the Great Arab Revolt during World War I.

The story follows Lawrence as he fights and meddles his way through the colonial Arab world. O'Toole is supported by a large cast of well-known actors, including Claude Rains ("Mr. Smith Goes to Washington") and Omar Sharif ("Doctor Zhivago").

"Lawrence of Arabia" was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won seven, including Best Picture. It continues to top lists and gather accolades six decades after its first release. A reader nominated the movie with one emphatic word: "Epic."

Related: The Best World War II Movies, According to Service Members and Veterans

"Sergeant York" (1941)

Chosen by a Military.com reader for its "amazing true story, great acting and the duality of war and peace," "Sergeant York" is a retelling of Alvin C. York's exploits as one of the most decorated American soldiers in World War I, using his own diary -- “Sergeant York: His Own Life Story and War Diary” -- as its source material. Gary Cooper ("The Pride of the Yankees") stars as York, a religious Tennessee farmer who is denied conscientious objector status when he is drafted into the Army. An excellent marksman, York is sent to the massive Meuse-Argonne offensive, where his exploits become the stuff of legend.

"Sergeant York" was the highest-earning movie in 1941, perhaps owing to patriotic fervor as the movie was still in theaters when the U.S. declared war on Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that year. It was a force at the Academy Awards with 11 nominations and two wins, and it continues to be recognized as one of the greatest American films of all time.

"Wooden Crosses" (1932)

A French pacifist film, "Wooden Crosses" is often described as France's response to "All Quiet on the Western Front." The movie is based on Roland Dorgelès' novel by the same name. Student Gilbert Demachy (Pierre Blanchar, "Crime and Punishment") enlists in the French Army in a fit of patriotism and is sent to the front lines in Champagne, where he witnesses unspeakable horrors.

Hailed at the time of its release as a critical success, "Wooden Crosses" was crafted with painstaking detail. The director required that every actor be a veteran of WWI, which included Blanchar who was gassed at Verdun. With the advent of new sound technology, accurate recordings of explosions were used in the film. Most of the movie was filmed on French battlefields, where disturbed mines sometimes detonated, uncovering war dead.

"Raymond Bernard's 1932 war film is obscure by today's standards," wrote one reader, "but its depiction of war is eerily intimate, accurate, and as gritty and real as any modern war film. It was probably the first modern war film."

Related: The Best Korean War Movies, According to Service Members and Veterans

"Beneath Hill 60" (2010)

This Australian war film tells the surprising and little-known story of the 1st Australian Tunneling Company in Ypres. The movie is an adaptation of "Beneath Hill 60: The Extraordinary True Story of the Secret War Being Waged Beneath the Trenches of the Western Front" by Will Davies. Brendan Cowell ("Avatar: The Way of Water") plays Oliver Woodward, a copper miner who is guilted into enlisting by his sweetheart's father. Woodward and the rest of the 1st Australian are sent to Europe, where they tunnel under entrenchments and place explosives in a bid to damage German lines and end the Western Front's stalemate.

Don't see your favorite war movie listed here? You can help expand this list through our reader survey on the best war movies of all time.

Related: The Best Vietnam War Movies, According to Service Members and Veterans

Keep Up With the Best in Military Entertainment

Whether you're looking for news and entertainment, thinking of joining the military or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to the Military.com newsletter to have military news, updates and resources delivered straight to your inbox.