The Best Rarely Seen War Movies, According to Service Members and Veterans

Move over, "Saving Private Ryan": We're dusting off some nearly forgotten war movies for your viewing pleasure. From a little-known John Wayne Civil War flick to a short film about Maori soldiers in World War II, these titles are sure to pique your curiosity and set you up for your next movie night.

The best part? These cinematic masterpieces are all suggested by our readers. We asked you to share your must-watch war movies with us, and to our surprise, many of you offered choices that are certainly off the beaten path.

Here's what made the cut in terms of the best rarely seen war movies, according to service members and veterans.

'Away All Boats' (1956)

Based on the best-selling novel by Kenneth M. Dodson of the same name, "Away All Boats" tells the story of the amphibious attack transport USS Belinda in the South Pacific during WWII. The crew must overcome friction among leadership and inexperience as they sail toward a landing at Okinawa. Those familiar with the 1976 version of "Midway" might recognize that the movie reused the kamikaze scene from "Away All Boats." A reader nominated "Away All Boats" as the "best 'amphib' Navy movie, [al]though it's an oldie."

'The Unknown Soldier' (2017)

Perhaps the only Finnish movie you'll ever watch, "The Unknown Soldier" is based on a classic Finnish novel by the same name and is the third adaptation of the book. It tells the story of a Finnish machine-gun company -- and those they left at home -- during the little-known Continuation War fought by Finland and Nazi Germany against the USSR from 1941 to 1944 against the larger backdrop of WWII. The independent film broke Finnish records when it opened and collected nominations and wins at the country's premier film festival.

'Memphis Belle' (1990)

"Memphis Belle," an embellished and fictionalized version of the 1944 documentary "Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress," tells the story of the last bombing run of a B-17 and her crew during WWII. The ensemble cast includes Matthew Modine ("Streamers"), Billy Zane ("Titanic"), Sean Astin ("Rudy"), Harry Connick Jr. ("Hope Floats") and John Lithgow ("Conclave"). Set in England and in the skies above Germany, "Memphis Belle" was shot on location in England and used five original B-17s during filming.

'Tama Tū' (2005)

With only 17 minutes of play time, "Tama Tū" is by far the shortest film on this list -- and for that reason, chances are that you haven't seen it. Written and directed by famed New Zealander Taika Waititi ("Jojo Rabbit"), the film captures a single night during WWII. Allied Māori soldiers camp in the ruins of an Italian house and entertain each other with jokes and stories while they wait for the dawn. The short film received numerous awards and accolades, including an honorable mention at the Sundance Film Festival.

'The Odd Angry Shot' (1979)

Based on the book by William Nagle of the same name, "The Odd Angry Shot" follows a group of Australian Special Air Force members during the Vietnam War. A mix of biting humor, boredom and intense combat, the movie strives to share the experience of the Vietnam War rather than moralizing about the conflict. One Military.com reader shared that "The Odd Angry Shot" has "very realistic war scenes" and is "very funny and irreverent."

'The Fighting Seabees' (1944)

John Wayne ("The Quiet Man") and Susan Hayward ("I'll Cry Tomorrow") star in the heavily fictionalized account of the genesis of the Seabees. As "Wedge" Donovan, Wayne is a swaggering construction boss who is responsible for building landing strips in the South Pacific for the Navy during the war. Initially, the construction crew is not allowed to defend themselves against Japanese attacks. After a disastrous attack on the Americans, construction battalions are formed and epic battle scenes ensue.

Written, filmed and released during WWII, "The Fighting Seabees" was produced in collaboration with the Marine Corps and Navy and featured on-site filming at Camp Hueneme, Camp Pendleton, Camp Peary and Camp Endicott. "The Fighting Seabees" was nominated for one Oscar.

'Objective, Burma!' (1945)

Starring Errol Flynn ("The Charge of the Light Brigade"), "Objective, Burma!" tells the fictitious story of a group of U.S. WWII paratroopers who are dropped behind enemy lines in Burma to destroy critical Japanese infrastructure. Production for the movie began as fighting was underway in Burma, and the release of the film was delayed until 1945 to give space between the campaign's end and the premiere of "Objective, Burma!"

While the movie is nearly identical to "Northwest Passage," which was released five years earlier, it opened to general praise from U.S. critics. Some took umbrage to Flynn's starring role, as he did not serve in the war. In the United Kingdom, the public was outraged by the omission of the huge contribution of British, Indian and British Commonwealth soldiers in the Burma campaign, which led to audience walkouts.

'The Siege of Firebase Gloria' (1989)

R. Lee Ermey ("Full Metal Jacket") stars as a formidable Marine sergeant major in this Australian movie about the Vietnam War. (We know you're already hooked.) "The Siege of Firebase Gloria" follows two Marines during the Tet Offensive who must defend the neglected U.S. base against incessant waves of Viet Cong attacks.

Ermey is credited with scripting a significant portion of his dialogue by drawing on his experiences as a service member. If you're looking for an Ermey deep cut, this is it, as our readers primarily nominated "The Siege of Firebase Gloria" explicitly for Ermey's participation.

'The Horse Soldiers' (1959)

Based on a novel of the same name by Harold Sinclair, "The Horse Soldiers" stars John Wayne ("The Longest Day") and William Holden ("Bridge on the River Kwai") as Civil War Union cavalry officers. The movie portrays heavily fictionalized versions of Grierson's Raid, the Battle of Newton's Station and the Battle of New Market as a backdrop to Confederate spying, heated arguments between the two officers and -- of course -- an enemies-to-lovers storyline involving a Southern plantation mistress.

Wayne and Holden were paid astronomical salaries for their roles, and the movie had unrelenting budget difficulties. Despite a stellar opening weekend, "The Horse Soldiers" was ultimately a financial and cinematic failure. For viewers who love classic Hollywood and John Wayne, this movie is still a must-see. "Dramatized action of a U.S. Civil War Raid that was extremely successful. John Wayne at his best," a Military.com reader said.

'Cross of Iron' (1977)

With such a star-studded cast, it's hard to believe that "Cross of Iron" has faded into cinematic obscurity. James Coburn ("The Magnificent Seven"), Maximilian Schell ("Judgment at Nuremberg"), James Mason ("North By Northwest"), and David Warner ("The Omen") star in this anti-war movie about German and Russian soldiers trying to survive on WWII's Eastern Front. The movie is based on "The Willing Flesh" by Willi Heinrich, a fictionalized account of Nazi Germany's highly decorated Johann Schwerdfeger.

"Cross of Iron" had considerable hurdles to overcome, including the director's acute alcoholism, budgetary constraints and a release the same year as "Star Wars." While it was a flop in the United States, it did well across Europe, especially in West Germany. Our readers suggested "Cross of Iron" as a must-watch movie multiple times, although no one explained their reasoning. You'll have to watch to decide for yourself!

'The Siege of Jadotville' (2016)

One of the newer flicks on this list, "The Siege of Jadotville" is a Netflix original based on "The Siege at Jadotville: The Irish Army's Forgotten Battle" by Declan Power. Starring Jamie Dornan ("Fifty Shades of Grey"), Emmanuelle Seigner ("The Diving Bell and the Butterfly") and Mark Strong ("Stardust"), the movie is set in the 1960s Congo. Irish troops are sent to the area to participate in a United Nations peacekeeping mission as a civil war breaks out. One thing leads to another, and the group of men find themselves in a precarious position, out of supplies and facing unceasing waves of separatist fighters.

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.

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