Top 10 American Civil War Films

Check out our other TOP 10 WAR FILMS videos:

Welcome to Smashing UK Productions's Top 10!
2020 Episode 13: Top 10 American Civil War Films

Continuing on with our Top 10 War Film series, we’re moving on to the 1860s to look at the ten best films depicting the American Civil War. Bear in mind we are solely focussing on theatrical movies for this list, so television shows and films like 'Andersonville' and 'North and South' won't be featured.

Have your own opinions? Post them in the comments below!

Smashing UK Productions

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[py]

10, Red Badge of Courage
9, Shenandoah
8, The Outlaw Oswley Jones
7, Lincoln
6, The General
5, Dances with Wolves
4, Gettysburg
3, Gone with the Wind
2, The Good the Bad and the Ugly
1, Glory

Honorable mentions:
The Beguiled, How the West was won, the Horse Soldiers

[TheWinterShadow]

Glory is #1. That music and that scene at the end is the most effective battle scene cinematic history.

[theRappinSpree]

I love Gettysburg, I just wish the horror of what happened was conveyed a lot better though. I’d love to see it done like Saving Private Ryan i.e. don’t hold back on the gore/violence

[FranciscoSmirsley]

For a moment I thought you wouldn't mention "Glory", but in the end you elected it number 1. Well sir, I couldn't agree more. It still breaks my heart every time I watch it and I'm never able to stop a stubborn tear from shedding. Congratulations sir.

[ironhide]

For me is Gettysburg the Best Movie about the American Civil War

[Martin_L]

Glory deserved to be the #1 spot. Awesome movie hands down. Great cast and great storyline and it was one of the most accurate historical depiction of the 54th Massachusetts regiment in any war movie ever made.

[eifelitorn]

That speech by Freeman in Glory is legendary. Great movie!

[mazza]

Brilliant. Buster Keaton. The General "You can lose this war without me".

[eddiegilbey]

What about Gods and Generals? Which is about Stonewall Jackson.

[gheilers]

A spot should have been reserved for "Ride with the Devil."

[remisanders]

what about the movie "'Gods and generals'' its the first part of "'Gettyburg" and the serie North and South with Patrick Zwayze?

[sanchoproudfoot]

The list and honorable mentions missed “Friendly Persuasion” starring Gary Cooper as a converted Quaker drawn into the conflict during Morgan’s Raid into Indiana and Ohio. Excellent movie

[l.salisbury]

2:04 - those guy signed their own death warrants the moment they drew on Clint! They obviously never saw "Fist Full of Dollars" or "Dirty Harry"!

[kenfox]

The Outlaw Josey Wales was great 👍. So was Dancing with Wolves

[Garrett]

I’m surprised to not see ‘Gods and Generals’ on this list. It was good...but it was longer than the Civil War itself.

[remisanders]

and Field of lost shoes? Its about a group of teenage cadets the Virginia Military who are send in to war too participated in the Battle of New Market

[spoons]

I found out that the whole Gettysburg movie was filmed by u.s. civil war reenactors. And there's like over 10, 000. Oh they weren't paid they were volunteers because I'm part of the first Pennsylvania rifle/bucktails Brigade. It's just because they loved this event so much and just to show the history and some people even brought their own cannons.

[snakeySnakeybakey]

4:45 that scene Sean there was improvised and was one of the greatest improvised movie scenes in my opinion. Martin Sheen was riding from one location to another and the reenactors crowded him.

[culmo]

I'd also include "Ride with the Devil" on this list. Great portrayal of the war in Missouri.

They likely won't ever make another film on the scope of Gettysburg, unfortunately.

[sambeach]

The scene in Gettysburg where Lee is cheered by his troops(extras) was not scripted. The re enactors were waiting for the next scene when Martin Sheen rode by. They started cheering on their own and it was filmed and left in the movie. I don’t think it really happened at the battle. Martin Sheen said this in an interview.