Comedy The Best Military Comedies Of All Time  

dee123

2.3k votes 480 voters 43.7k views 46 items

List Rules Any film from any genre which could be classified as a military comedy.

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Tim Stroud added Forrest Gump Tom Hanks, Sally Field, Robin Wright Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic romantic-comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis and stars Tom Hanks, Robin ...more

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Major Payne Damon Wayans, Michael Ironside, William Hickey Major Payne is a 1995 comedy film, starring Damon Wayans. The film is a loose remake of the 1955 film The Private War of Major Benson, starring Charlton Heston.

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Down Periscope Kelsey Grammer, William H. Macy, Lauren Holly Down Periscope is a 1996 20th Century Fox comedy film produced by Robert Lawrence and directed by David S. Ward, starring Kelsey Grammer, Lauren Holly and Rob Schneider and co-starring Bruce ...more

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Good Morning, Vietnam Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker, J. T. Walsh Good Morning, Vietnam is a 1987 American war-comedy film written by Mitch Markowitz and directed by Barry Levinson. Set in Saigon in 1965, during the Vietnam War, the film stars Robin Williams ...more

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Stripes Bill Murray, John Candy, Dennis Quaid Stripes is a 1981 American war-comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman, starring Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Warren Oates, P. J. Soles, and John Candy. It also featured several actors in their first ...more

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Kelly's Heroes Clint Eastwood, Donald Sutherland, Don Rickles Kelly's Heroes is a 1970 war comedy film directed by Brian G. Hutton, about a group of World War II soldiers who go AWOL to rob a bank behind enemy lines. The film stars Clint Eastwood, Telly ...more

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Hot Shots! Charlie Sheen, Kristy Swanson, Cary Elwes Hot Shots! is a 1991 comedy spoof film starring Charlie Sheen, Cary Elwes, Valeria Golino, Lloyd Bridges, Kevin Dunn, Jon Cryer and Ryan Stiles. It was directed by Jim Abrahams, and was written ...more

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Tim Stroud added Tropic Thunder Tom Cruise, Robert Downey Jr., Matthew McConaughey Tropic Thunder is a 2008 American action satire comedy film written, produced and directed by Ben Stiller.

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MASH Robert Duvall, Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould MASH is a 1970 American satirical black comedy film directed by Robert Altman and written by Ring Lardner, Jr., based on Richard Hooker's novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors. The ...more

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Operation Petticoat Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Marion Ross Operation Petticoat is a 1959 comedy film directed by Blake Edwards, and starring Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. It was the basis for a television series in 1977 starring John Astin in Grant's ...more

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Sgt. Bilko Steve Martin, Dan Aykroyd, Phil Hartman Sgt. Bilko is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn and written by Andy Breckman. It is an adaptation of the iconic 1950s television series The Phil Silvers Show, often ...more

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Renaissance Man Danny DeVito, Ed Begley, Jr. Renaissance Man is a 1994 American comedy film directed by Penny Marshall, and stars Danny DeVito, Gregory Hines, James Remar, Cliff Robertson and Mark Wahlberg in his film debut. In Australia, ...more

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Father Goose Cary Grant, Leslie Caron, Trevor Howard Father Goose is a 1964 romantic comedy film set in World War II, starring Cary Grant, Leslie Caron and Trevor Howard. The title derives from "Mother Goose", the codename assigned to ...more

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Mister Roberts Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon, James Cagney Mister Roberts is a 1955 American CinemaScope comedy-drama film directed by John Ford and Mervyn LeRoy, and starring Henry Fonda as Mister Roberts, James Cagney as Captain Morton, William Powell ...more

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In the Army Now Brendan Fraser, Andy Dick, Pauly Shore In the Army Now is a 1994 American war comedy film directed by Daniel Petrie, Jr. and starring Pauly Shore, Andy Dick, David Alan Grier, Esai Morales, and Lori Petty. The film earned $28,881,266 ...more

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Private Benjamin Goldie Hawn, Albert Brooks, Craig T. Nelson Private Benjamin is a 1980 American comedy film starring Goldie Hawn. The film was one of the biggest box office hits of 1980, and also spawned a short-lived television series. The film is ...more

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Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Keenan Wynn Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, more commonly known as Dr. Strangelove, is a 1964 political satire black comedy film that satirizes the cold war fears of a ...more

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Three Kings George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube Three Kings is a 1999 satirical war-comedy film written and directed by David O. Russell from a story by John Ridley about a gold heist that takes place during the 1991 Iraqi uprising against ...more

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Operation Dumbo Drop Ray Liotta, Danny Glover, Denis Leary Operation Dumbo Drop is a 1995 American war comedy film directed by Simon Wincer that explores war, politics, and animal welfare. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Gene ...more

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Hot Shots! Part Deux Charlie Sheen, Lloyd Bridges, Miguel Ferrer Hot Shots! Part Deux is a 1993 comedy/parody film, and a sequel to the 1991 comedy Hot Shots!. The sequel primarily spoofs the 1988 action film Rambo III. Directed again by Jim Abrahams, the ...more

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1941 Mickey Rourke, Christopher Lee, Dan Aykroyd 1941 is a 1979 period comedy film directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, and featuring an ensemble cast including Dan Aykroyd, Ned Beatty, John Belushi, John ...more

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Buck Privates Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Jane Frazee Buck Privates is the 1941 comedy/World War II film that turned Bud Abbott and Lou Costello into bona fide movie stars. It was the first service comedy based on the peacetime draft of 1940. The ...more

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Catch-22 Martin Sheen, Orson Welles, Jon Voight Catch-22 is a 1970 film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Joseph Heller. In creating a black comedy revolving around the "lunatic characters" of Heller's satirical anti-war ...more

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Biloxi Blues Matthew Broderick, David Schwimmer, Penelope Ann Miller Biloxi Blues is a 1988 American comedy film directed by Mike Nichols, written by Neil Simon, and starring Matthew Broderick and Christopher Walken. Simon adapted his semi-autobiographical 1985 ...more

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Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion Lou Costello, Bud Abbott, Walter Slezake Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion is a 1950 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello.

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The Last Detail Jack Nicholson, Randy Quaid, Gilda Radner The Last Detail is a 1973 American comedy-drama film directed by Hal Ashby and starring Jack Nicholson, with a screenplay adapted by Robert Towne from a 1970 novel of the same name by Darryl ...more

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The Great Dictator Charlie Chaplin, Paulette Goddard, Billy Gilbert The Great Dictator is a 1940 American satirical political comedy-drama film starring, written, produced, scored, and directed by Charlie Chaplin, following the tradition of many of his other ...more

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Buffalo Soldiers Joaquin Phoenix, Ed Harris, Elizabeth McGovern Buffalo Soldiers is a 2001 satire film, based on the 1993 novel by Robert O'Connor, which follows the rogue activities of a group of US soldiers based in West Germany during 1989 when the fall ...more

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Shoulder Arms Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Sydney Chaplin Charlie is in boot camp in the "awkward squad." Once in France he gets no letters from home. He finally gets a package containing limburger cheese which requires a gas mask and which ...more

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RafaelMoreno added McHale's Navy Tim Curry, Debra Messing, Ernest Borgnine McHale's Navy is a 1997 military comedy film starring Tom Arnold. The movie is based on the 1962-1966 television series of the same name. Ernest Borgnine was the only member of the original ...more

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Soldier in the Rain Steve McQueen, Tuesday Weld, Jackie Gleason Soldier in the Rain is a 1963 American comedy-drama film starring Jackie Gleason and Steve McQueen. Produced and co-written by Blake Edwards, the screenplay is based on a 1960 novel by William ...more

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RafaelMoreno added Delta Farce Larry the Cable Guy, Danny Trejo, Lisa Lampanelli Delta Farce is a 2007 spoof/comedy released by Lions Gate Entertainment on May 11, 2007. It is directed by C. B. Harding and stars Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy, DJ Qualls and Danny Trejo. ...more

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Matt-169 added Cadence Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen, Laurence Fishburne Cadence is a 1990 film directed by Martin Sheen, in which Charlie Sheen plays an inmate in a United States Army military prison in West Germany during the 1960s. Sheen plays alongside his father ...more

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Matt-169 added What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? James Coburn, Carroll O'Connor, Harry Morgan What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? is a 1966 comedy film written by William Peter Blatty and directed by Blake Edwards for the Mirisch Company. It stars James Coburn and Dick Shawn.

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Chasers Tom Berenger, Erika Eleniak, Crispin Glover Chasers is a 1994 comedy film directed by Dennis Hopper, his last directorial effort before his death in 2010. It is about a pair of United States Navy shore patrollers who must escort a ...more

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Tank James Garner, James Cromwell, Shirley Jones Tank is a 1984 comedy, drama, and action movie starring James Garner, Jenilee Harrison, and C. Thomas Howell. The film was written by Dan Gordon and directed by Marvin J. Chomsky. It was ...more

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I Was a Male War Bride Cary Grant, Ann Sheridan, Marion Marshall I Was a Male War Bride is a 1949 comedy film directed by Howard Hawks and starring Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan. This film was based on I Was an Alien Spouse of Female Military Personnel Enroute ...more

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Carry On Sergeant Kenneth Williams, William Hartnell, Bob Monkhouse Carry On Sergeant is a 1958 comedy film starring William Hartnell, Bob Monkhouse and Eric Barker; it is the first in the series of Carry On films, with 31 entries. The film was based on a play ...more

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Deal of the Century Chevy Chase, Sigourney Weaver, Wallace Shawn Deal of the Century is a 1983 American comedy film directed by William Friedkin and starring Chevy Chase, Gregory Hines, and Sigourney Weaver. The film follows the adventures of several arms ...more

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Great Guns Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Alan Ladd Great Guns is a 1941 film directed by Monty Banks, and produced by Sol M. Wurtzel for 20th Century Fox starring Laurel and Hardy. It is also known as Forward March.

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Best Defense Eddie Murphy, Dudley Moore, Kate Capshaw Best Defense is a comedy film starring Dudley Moore and Eddie Murphy. The original music score was composed by Patrick Williams. It was released in 1984 by Paramount Pictures.

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The Men Who Stare at Goats George Clooney, Kevin Spacey, Ewan McGregor The Men Who Stare at Goats is a 2009 American war parody comedy film directed by Grant Heslov and based on Jon Ronson's book of the same name, an account of the investigation by Ronson and John ...more

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The Secret War of Harry Frigg Paul Newman, Sylva Koscina The Secret War of Harry Frigg is a 1968 comedy film set in World War II. It was directed by Jack Smight and starred Paul Newman.

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Block-Heads Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Billy Gilbert Block-Heads is a 1938 comedy film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, produced by Hal Roach Studios for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film, a reworking of elements from the Laurel and Hardy shorts ...more

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How I Won the War John Lennon, Michael Crawford, Roy Kinnear How I Won the War is a black comedy film directed and produced by Richard Lester, released in 1967, based on a novel of the same name by Patrick Ryan. The film stars Michael Crawford as bungling ...more

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Up the Academy Robert Downey Jr., Barbara Bach, Ralph Macchio Up the Academy is an American teen comedy film released in 1980, with a plot about the outrageous antics of a group of misfits at a military school.