Weird History The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made  

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List Rules Movies must take place during the US Civil War.

A list of the best films about the US Civil War. The Civil War remains the bloodiest war in American history, resulting in the loss of 620,000 soldiers and many many more civilian casualties. Naturally, the conflict - which still echoes in contemporary US culture and politics - has provided source material for a rich variety of different films, including the iconic Gone With the Wind and numerous other award-winning, undisputed "classics," such as Glory and Dances with Wolves.

Many of these films also have books and classic literature as their source material, including The Red Badge of Courage and Gods and Generals, based on the non-fiction book The Killer Angels.

If you're looking for some good Civil War movies to watch with your friends, or want to learn a little something about American history by watching famous films based on that historical period, this list of the best movies about the Civil War is a great place to start. This list is open, so if your favorite Civil War film has been left off, please add it at the bottom of the page. And don't forget to vote for your favorite Civil War films, so they get to the top of the list.
list ordered by

1
541 300
Gone with the Wind is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American epic historical romance film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning 1936 novel. It was produced by David O. Selznick of Selznick International ...more

2
651 215
Gods and Generals is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Robert Duvall, Mira Sorvino, Jeff Daniels Gods and Generals is a 2003 American film based on the novel Gods and Generals by Jeffrey Shaara. It depicts events that take place prior to those shown in the 1993 film Gettysburg, which was ...more

3
463 172
North and South is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
North and South is the title of three American television miniseries broadcast on the ABC network in 1985, 1986, and 1994. Set before, during, and immediately after the American Civil War, they ...more

4
582 176
Lincoln is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
VisualSubterfuge added Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field Lincoln is a 2012 American epic historical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Daniel Day-Lewis as United States President Abraham Lincoln and Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln. The ...more

5
350 135
Shenandoah is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
James Stewart, Katharine Ross, George Kennedy Shenandoah is a 1965 American Civil War film starring James Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, Patrick Wayne, and, in her film debut, Katharine Ross. The picture was directed by Andrew V. ...more

6
465 269
Dances with Wolves is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Charles Rocket Dances with Wolves is a 1990 American epic western film directed, produced by, and starring Kevin Costner. It is a film adaptation of the 1988 book of the same name by Michael Blake and tells ...more

7
336 122
The Red Badge of Courage is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Audie Murphy, James Whitmore, Andy Devine The Red Badge of Courage is a 1951 war film made by MGM. Directed by John Huston, it was produced by Gottfried Reinhardt with Dore Schary as executive producer. The screenplay is by John Huston, ...more

8
387 214
Cold Mountain is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Natalie Portman, Nicole Kidman, Jude Law Cold Mountain is a 2003 epic war drama film written and directed by Anthony Minghella. The film is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Charles Frazier. It stars Jude Law, Nicole ...more

9
292 107
The Horse Soldiers is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
John Wayne, William Holden, Althea Gibson The Horse Soldiers is a 1959 film set during the American Civil War. It was directed by John Ford and starred John Wayne, William Holden and Constance Towers. John Lee Mahin and Martin Rackin ...more

10
325 180
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Clint Eastwood, Viggo Mortensen, Mark Strong The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is a 1966 Italian epic Spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach in the title roles respectively. ...more

11
206 131
Ride with the Devil is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Mark Ruffalo, Tobey Maguire, Jewel Ride with the Devil is a 1999 American Civil War film directed by Ang Lee. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by James Schamus, based on a book entitled Woe to Live On, by ...more

12
184 146
The Undefeated is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
John Wayne, Merlin Olsen, Rock Hudson The Undefeated is a 1969 American Western film directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and John Wayne and starring John Wayne and Rock Hudson. The film portrays events surrounding the French Intervention ...more

13
118 107
Major Dundee is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Charlton Heston, Richard Harris, James Coburn Major Dundee is a 1965 Western film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Charlton Heston, Richard Harris, Jim Hutton, and James Coburn. Written by Harry Julian Fink, the film is about a Union ...more

14
129 124
Rio Lobo is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
John Wayne, Jennifer O'Neill, Jack Elam Rio Lobo is a 1970 American Western film starring John Wayne. The film was the last film directed by Howard Hawks, from a script by Leigh Brackett. The film was shot in Technicolor with a ...more

15
102 34
Field of Lost Shoes is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Jim_In_Texas added Werner Daehn Field of Lost Shoes is a 2014 American war drama film directed by Sean McNamara and written by Dave Kennedy and Thomas Farrell. The film stars Luke Benward, Lauren Holly, Jason Isaacs, Tom ...more

16
121 114
They Died with Their Boots On is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Olivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn, Anthony Quinn They Died with Their Boots On is a 1941 American western film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. Written by Æneas MacKenzie and Wally Kline, the film ...more

17
123 53
The Hunley is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Kaka Kiki added Armand Assante The Hunley is a 1999 television movie directed by John Gray and starring Armand Assante, Donald Sutherland, Alex Jennings, Michael Dolan and Christopher Bauer. The film is based on the true ...more

18
89 131
The Beguiled is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Clint Eastwood, Geraldine Page, Pamelyn Ferdin The Beguiled is a 1971 American drama film directed by Don Siegel, starring Clint Eastwood and Geraldine Page. The script was written by Albert Maltz and is based on the 1966 Southern Gothic ...more

19
104 110
The Great Locomotive Chase is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Fess Parker, Slim Pickens, Harry Carey The Great Locomotive Chase is a 1956 Walt Disney Productions CinemaScope adventure film based on the real Great Locomotive Chase that occurred in 1862 during the American Civil War. The film ...more

20
83 104
The Andersonville Trial is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
William Shatner, Martin Sheen, Alan Hale The Andersonville Trial is a 1970 drama TV movie directed by George C. Scott and written by Saul Levitt.

21
98 115
The General is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Boris Karloff, Mike Donlin, Glen Cavender The General is a 1926 American silent comedy film released by United Artists. Inspired by the Great Locomotive Chase, which happened in 1862, the film stars Buster Keaton who co-directed it with ...more

22
94 46
Ironclads is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Kaka Kiki added Ironclads Virginia Madsen, Reed Diamond, E. G. Marshall Ironclads is a 1991 made-for-television movie produced by Ted Turner's TNT company about the events behind the creation of the CSS Virginia from the remains of the USS Merrimack and the battle ...more

23
39 17
The Blue and the Gray is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Randal Greenwood added The Blue and the Gray

24
47 27
Free State of Jones is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Randal Greenwood added Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali Free State of Jones is a 2016 American film inspired by the life of Newton Knight and his armed revolt against the Confederacy in Jones County, Mississippi, throughout the American Civil War. ...more

25
49 100
Alvarez Kelly is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
William Holden, Richard Widmark, Scatman Crothers Alvarez Kelly is a 1966 war film set in the American Civil War starring William Holden and Richard Widmark. The film was based on the historic Beefsteak Raid of September 1864 led by Confederate ...more

26
26 19
Wicked Spring / Virginia 1864 ... is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
billthekid added Wicked Spring / Virginia 1864 Bruderkrieg - 2002

27
20 16
Civil War - Ein Krieg kennt ke... is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
billthekid added Civil War - Ein Krieg kennt keine Helden

28
20 16
The Last Confederate: The Stor... is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
billthekid added Mickey Rooney, Tippi Hedren, Lee Majors The Last Confederate: The Story of Robert Adams is a 2007 film starring Julian Adams, Amy Redford, Gwendolyn Edwards, Eric Holloway, Joshua Lindsey, and Mickey Rooney, Tippi Hedren about the ...more

29
18 14
The Gray Ghost - John Singleto... is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
billthekid added The Gray Ghost - John Singleton Mosby

30
18 15
Johnny Shiloh is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Randal Greenwood added Brian Keith, Regis Toomey, Edward Platt Johnny Shiloh is a 1963 television film that originally aired as two episodes of The Wonderful World of Disney based on the life of John Clem, who was called "Johnny Shiloh"

31
21 19
Copperhead is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Randal Greenwood added Copperhead Peter Fonda, Billy Campbell, Angus Macfadyen Copperhead is an independent Canadian/American film directed by Ron Maxwell. It stars Billy Campbell. Shot at Kings Landing Historical Settlement in New Brunswick, Canada and set in upstate New ...more

32
18 16
Mosbys Marauders - Kurt Russel... is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
billthekid added Mosbys Marauders - Kurt Russell ganz jung 1967

33
16 17
Friendly Persuasion 1956 is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Randal Greenwood added Friendly Persuasion 1956

34
12 12
Abe Lincoln in Illinois is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Valdave added Ruth Gordon, Raymond Massey, Gene Lockhart Abe Lincoln in Illinois is a 1940 biographical film which tells the story of the life of Abraham Lincoln from his departure from Kentucky until his election as President of the United States. ...more

35
17 19
The Colt is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Bluemx added Steve Martin, Ryan Merriman, Steve Bacic The Colt is a 2005 television movie made for Hallmark Channel. The film is set during the American Civil War, and is based on the short story by Nobel Prize winner Mikhail Sholokhov.

36
13 14
Santa Fe Trail is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Valdave added Ronald Reagan, Olivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn Santa Fe Trail is a 1940 American western film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Raymond Massey and Ronald Reagan. Written by Robert Buckner, the film is ...more

37
2 0
Gettysburg: Three Days of Dest... is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
rocky 35 added Gettysburg: Three Days of Destiny Michael Riley, Andy Redmond, James Choate Gettysburg: Three Days of Destiny is a 2004 drama film written and directed by Robert Child.

38
15 18
The Littlest Rebel is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
billthekid added Shirley Temple, John Boles, Jack Holt The Littlest Rebel is a 1935 American dramatic film directed by David Butler. The screenplay by Edwin J. Burke was adapted from a play of the same name by Edward Peple and focuses on the ...more

39
12 14
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bri... is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Valdave added Pierre Danny, Stéphane Fey, Roger Jacquet As a Confederate spy is about to be hanged, the rope breaks and he falls to the water below. He dodges bullets and heads off for home. He finally reaches it, but as his wife hugs him he ...more

40
17 21
The Conspirator is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
George Bielby added Evan Rachel Wood, Alexis Bledel, Kevin Kline The Conspirator is a 2010 historical drama film directed by Robert Redford based on an original screenplay by James D. Solomon. It is the debut film of the American Film Company. The film tells ...more

41
9 11
The Day Lincoln Was Shot is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Valdave added Wil Wheaton, Lance Henriksen, Donna Murphy The Day Lincoln Was Shot is an 1998 American television film based on the book by Jim Bishop. It is a re-creation of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, co-written and directed by John Gray, ...more

42
16 21
Journey to Shiloh 1968 is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Randal Greenwood added Journey to Shiloh 1968

43
11 15
Lincoln - Im Schatten des Tode... is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
billthekid added Lincoln - Im Schatten des Todes

44
10 14
Raintree County is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Valdave added Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, Lee Marvin Raintree County is a 1957 American Technicolor melodramatic film set during the American Civil War, directed by Edward Dmytryk. It stars Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, Eva Marie Saint, and ...more

45
12 17
The Birth of a Nation is listed (or ranked) 45 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Valdave added Lillian Gish, John Ford, Raoul Walsh The Birth of a Nation is a 1915 American silent epic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and based on the novel and play The Clansman, both by Thomas Dixon, Jr. Griffith co-wrote the ...more

46
9 14
Dark Comand is listed (or ranked) 46 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Randal Greenwood added Dark Comand

47
53 75
Drums in the Deep South (1951) is listed (or ranked) 47 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
VanRoberts added Drums in the Deep South (1951)

48
10 16
Land der Verfluchten - Errol F... is listed (or ranked) 48 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
billthekid added Land der Verfluchten - Errol Flynn & Ronald Reagan

49
8 14
War Flowers is listed (or ranked) 49 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
billthekid added Christina Ricci, Tom Berenger, Jason Gedrick War Flowers is a 2012 American war film written and directed by Serge Rodnunsky. It is the first feature film having been produced by Unity Studios.

50
5 10
In the Electric Mist is listed (or ranked) 50 on the list The Best US Civil War Movies Ever Made
Valdave added John Goodman, Tommy Lee Jones, Mary Steenburgen In the Electric Mist is a 2009 Franco-American drama/mystical film based on the novel In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead by James Lee Burke. It is directed by Bertrand Tavernier, written ...more