Great Romance Movies Set During World War II

Ranker Film
Updated November 12, 2020 5.3k votes 2.4k voters 132.1k views
List Rules
Vote up your favorite love stories that take place during WWII.

World War II was a violent and turbulent time, but many of the best films set in the era feature timeless stories of love. The top cinematic World War II romances feature characters falling for each other amid the horrors of war. This is a list of the greatest soldier love story movies including everything from Pearl Harbor to From Here to Eternity to Australia.

What romantic films will you find on this list of great war love stories? Forbidden love is at the heart of The English Patient. The movie took home several Academy Awards in 1997, including the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. Casablanca is another timeless love story set during the Second World War. Other good films featured on this list include Black Book, The End of the Affair, and Shining Through.

Do you have a favorite WW2 romance film? Give the best movies a thumbs up to move them to the top of the list, and please add any great movies that are missing.

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  • Suite Française
    1

    Suite Française

    Michelle Williams, Margot Robbie, Kristin Scott Thomas
    1,104 votes
    • Released: 2014
    • Directed by: Saul Dibb
    Suite Française is a 2015 romantic World War II drama film directed by Saul Dibb and co-written with Matt Charman. It is based on Irène Némirovsky's 2004 novel of the same name. The film stars ...more
  • The Exception
    2

    The Exception

    Lily James, Jai Courtney, Christopher Plummer
    519 votes
    • Released: 2016
    • Directed by: David Leveaux

    This has everything hopeful that a love story in WWII needs. The ending is a happy one, and the story is closed off very well. Jai Courtney's portrayal of the German Officer in the spotlight is swoon-worthy. Just the thing for a rainy Saturday afternoon.    

  • Casablanca
    3

    Casablanca

    Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid
    285 votes
    • Released: 1942
    • Directed by: Michael Curtiz
    Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), who owns a nightclub in Casablanca, discovers his old flame Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) is in town with her husband, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). Laszlo is a famed rebel, ...more

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  • Pearl Harbor
    4

    Pearl Harbor

    Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale
    514 votes
    • Released: 2001
    • Directed by: Michael Bay
    This sweeping drama, based on real historical events, follows American boyhood friends Rafe McCawley (Ben Affleck) and Danny Walker (Josh Hartnett) as they enter World War II as pilots. Rafe is so ...more

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  • The Aftermath
    5

    The Aftermath

    Keira Knightley, Alexander Skarsgård, Jason Clarke
    189 votes
    • Released: 2019
    • Directed by: James Kent
    In 1946 Rachael Morgan arrives in the ruins of Hamburg to be reunited with her husband, Lewis, who is a British colonel charged with rebuilding the shattered city. As they set off for their new home, ...more
  • Black Book
    6

    Black Book

    Carice van Houten, Michiel Huisman, Derek de Lint
    212 votes
    • Released: 2006
    • Directed by: Paul Verhoeven
    Black Book is a 2006 Dutch WWII thriller film co-written and directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman, and Halina Reijn. The film, credited as based on ...more