Hollywood has produced a substantial number of war-themed films since its inception during the early 20th century. This “golden age” of American cinema includes some of the more acclaimed war stories ever told by Hollywood movie producers and directors.

These masterpieces of cinema include war epics such as Patton (1970), A Farewell to Arms (1932), and Gone with the Wind (1939). Movies like All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) and Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) deserve honorable mentions as additional iconic epics of the war genre.

Over time, Hollywood's portrayal of war underwent a myriad of changes as the movie-going public began to demand more “realistic”, stark war tales. Previously, war's shocking reality of life and death had remained in the background of classic films, off screen and blanketed.

But in the late 20th century, a technological revolution in film production techniques led to rise of Hollywood war movies which portray the frank, grisly reality of battle in high-definition, computer-generated clarity. So with that in mind, here is a quick review of five of the best war movies ever produced by Hollywood filmmakers.

Patton (1970)

More often than not, biographical films lean toward slow-paced, dramatic, personal sketches of historical figures. But Patton breaks the rule.

This war tale of the eccentric, yet brilliant World War II officer George S. Patton depicts the general as a maverick tank commander. General Patton demands strict discipline from his men, but in doing so, he earns their adoration too. General Patton and his men pit themselves opposite of the Nazi commander Erwin Rommel “the desert fox” throughout the wastelands of North Africa in the film.

Glory (1989)

Glory debuted as one of the few Civil War era films to achieve international critical acclaim since the 1930's classic romance Gone with the Wind, which takes place in the confederate south. But Glory takes the war genre in a new direction than Gone with the Wind.

Glory – based upon the true story of an African-American infantry regiment that fought for the Union during the Civil War – follows the career of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. The film shows an all-black volunteer regiment's struggle against prejudice from boot camp until the day of the regiment's final charge at the battle of Fort Wagner located in present-day South Carolina.

Gone with the Wind (1939)

Before Glory re-invented the Civil War drama, Gone with the Wind stood alone as the most recognizable Civil-War themed filmed ever produced by Hollywood filmmakers. Some film fanatics still champion Gone with the Wind as one of the best war movies ever produced in the history of American cinema.

The movie captured nine Academy Awards in the 1940's, an impressive number even to this day. The drama portrays the romantic tragedy between Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler in the aftermath of the sacking and burning of Atlanta, GA during the Union General Sherman's “march to the sea”.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Director Steven Spielberg's World War II drama about the true-life war campaign of the Sullivan brothers masterfully depicts the stark brutality of the “D-Day” invasion and subsequent battle for the liberation of France by America and its allies. Saving Private Ryan stands apart from other World War II films as one the truest depictions of the brotherhood shared among the men of the U.S. Army Rangers during this era in American history. The movie was so realistic that it was common to see World War II veterans leaving the theater in tears, something unheard of for such a stoic generation.

Platoon (1986)

Controversial film director Oliver Stone's tragedy Platoon pre-dates Saving Private Ryan by more than a decade, yet these two modern war movies share several of the same themes of sacrifice and brotherhood. Primarily, Platoon follows the painful initiation process of young American soldier Chris Taylor.

After landing in the bush and witnessing the horror of death, Taylor learns to survive the approach to madness and endure the jungle warfare of Vietnam. The film rings especially true since Oliver Stone himself served his country in the Vietnam War and afterward dedicated his movie to the men who perished in battle. The movie helped to define Charlie Sheen's career.