10 Best Movies About the American Civil War, Ranked According to IMDb

Fought from 1861 to 1865 as the nation became diametrically opposed on the issue of the expansion and preservation of slavery, or the abolition of it, the American Civil War remains one of the most significant chapters in U.S. history, as well as one of the bloodiest, with hundreds of thousands of lives being lost. The significance of the conflict has never been lost in the eyes of Americans, and it stands to reason that it has been the subject of many movies over the years which seek to showcase the horror of the battlefield, and the harrowing reasons why the war occurred.

Films about the Civil War range from Oscar-winning biographical dramas by some of the greatest filmmakers the world has ever seen to sweeping historical epics depicting the grueling manner in which the war was fought and won, and even to comedy classics from one of the silent era’s most iconic stars. Adjudged by their IMDb scores, these 10 Civil War movies are viewed as being among the very best ever produced.

10 ‘Cold Mountain’ (2003)

IMDb Score: 7.2/10

A sweeping romantic epic set against the backdrop of the final stages of the Civil War, Cold Mountain featured a star-studded cast and a stunning directorial vision from Anthony Minghella which was as horrific as it was vast. With Jude Law in the starring role, the story follows W. P. Inman, an injured Confederate soldier who abandons his post and embarks on a desperate trek back to his home in North Carolina to be with his young wife Ada (Nicole Kidman).

The film’s interests lie not so much in depicting the horror of battle but rather the toll of war, with Inman’s journey seeing him come across many people whose lives have been impacted by the conflict, while the film also explores the hardships faced by those who stayed home through Ada’s story. Beneath the romantic allure, there is a ferocious criticism of the needlessness of war and the way in which it brings out the worst in humanity.

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9 ‘Andersonville’ (1996)

IMDb Score: 7.3/10

Loosely based on the journal of Union soldier John Ransom, Andersonville was a 1996 made-for-television film released across two episodes that documented life in the infamous Confederate prisoner-of-war camp. It focuses on a new unit of Union soldiers who arrive at Andersonville and experience the brutality of the prison, where starvation, exposure, and disease plague the prisoners, forcing them to do horrible things in order to survive.

Under the command of Captain Henry Wirz(Jan Tříska) – a man who would be tried and executed for war crimes – the corrupt Confederate guards taunt the prisoners without consequence, with the film pulling no punches in its endeavor to present the camp as it would have been. While some narrative elements of the film were invented by the filmmakers, the conditions of the camp were an accurate representation of Ransom’s description.

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8 ‘Shenandoah’ (1965)

IMDb Score: 7.3/10

Featuring James Stewart in one of his most authoritative roles, Shenandoah follows Virginia farmer Charlie Anderson as he maintains a peaceful farm life for himself and his family while staying out of the war by supporting neither side. However, when his youngest son is taken captive by Union troops after being mistaken for a Confederate, Charlie and his other sons are forced to trek across northern lines on a crucial mission to bring him back home.

Shenandoah talks about how even civilians during this time were in some ways negatively affected by the Civil War’s outcomes, whether they agreed with the conflict or not. Though it features heartbreaking moments of loss and despair, the film also conveys a powerful message about the importance of family and perseverance as audiences follow Charlie and his brood throughout their desperate journey to ensure their family’s survival.

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7 ‘Lincoln’ (2012)

IMDb Score: 7.3/10

A historical epic running with Steven Spielberg‘s ever-magnificent direction and a truly exceptional lead performance from Daniel Day-Lewis – one which saw him win his third Academy Award – Lincoln is one of the greatest political biopics ever made. With the Civil War nearing a bloody conclusion, President Abraham Lincoln struggles to find a way to resolve the conflict peacefully while also engaging in political skirmishes as he strives for emancipation and the abolition of slavery.

While a slow-paced film, Lincoln is undeniably gripping, especially as momentum starts to build ahead of the vote on the 13th amendment in the House of Representatives. It is dignified, engaging, powerful, and informative, offering an engrossing story of an essential chapter in American history, and doing so in a way that is largely faithful to the real events Lincoln is focusing on.

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6 ‘Gettysburg’ (1993)

IMDb Score: 7.6/10

An epic of monumental proportions, Gettysburg boasts a runtime of over four hours as it focuses on the decisive battle of the Civil War. With a true ensemble cast featuring the likes of Martin Sheen, Jeff Daniels, Sam Elliott, Tom Berenger, and many more, it follows commanders on both sides of the conflict as the Union and Confederate forces converge on Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1863 to engage in one of the most important battles of the conflict.

The extensive runtime gave Gettysburg ample opportunity to cover plenty of characters on both sides of the war, delving into the philosophies and ideologies of soldiers on both sides of the battlefield. While some critics took issue with the film’s portrayal of Southern figures as being overly sympathetic, it was universally celebrated for the execution of its battle sequences and its commitment to historical accuracy.

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5 ‘The Outlaw Josey Wales’ (1976)

IMDb Score: 7.8/10

Using the Civil War as the backdrop of a pulsating revenge thriller, The Outlaw Josey Wales follows Clint Eastwood‘s titular hero, a Missouri farmer who joins a Confederate guerrilla unit to exact revenge on the Union soldiers who murdered his family. However, as the war comes to an end, he finds himself forced on the run as he is branded an outlaw and pursued by the very men he hunts.

Using the gritty allure of Western cinema, The Outlaw Josey Wales excels as it commits to the viewpoint of a broken, taciturn man haunted by the cost of a war in which he didn’t seek any part. It also comments on the manner in which war corrupts soldiers, with troops fighting for the noble cause of the Union being cast as the villains. In essence, it’s a thought-provoking anti-war film, dressed up as a grimy Western, which functions as one of Eastwood’s best films as an actor and director.

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4 ‘Glory’ (1989)

IMDb Score: 7.8/10

As a well-realized war drama with apparent overtones of race, self-respect, pride, and triumph, Glory is one of the best Civil War movies of all time and one of the nation’s greatest pictures of the 1980s. It centers on Union Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) as he is given command of the first volunteer African-American infantry regiment, known as the 54th Massachusetts. While the squad takes on menial work initially, the soldiers under Shaw strive to prove themselves in the heat of battle.

An emotionally arresting war film, Glory finds a terrific soul in its characters, with Denzel Washington winning an Academy Award for his portrayal of an escaped slave who enlists to fight for the Union. It also excelled in its mesmerizing battle sequences, which were as clear and comprehensible as they were dynamic and violent.

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3 ‘Dances with Wolves’ (1990)

IMDb Score: 8.0/10

With a whopping seven Academy Awards from 12 nominations, Dances with Wolves is one of the most decorated movies of all time and made for a stunning achievement for Kevin Costner in his directorial debut. The film follows a Civil War veteran who, after surviving a heroic suicide mission, is allowed to pick his next posting and opts to serve on the western frontier. While there, he forms a bond with the Lakota Indians and is taken in by the tribe only for their way of life to be jeopardized when Union soldiers arrive on the land.

As seven Oscars would indicate, there is very little that the film doesn’t execute to perfection, but one of Dances with Wolves‘ greatest aspects is how it explores the indirect impact the Civil War had on Native Americans. Granted, it’s not flawless in its engagement with such ideas, but its endeavor remains good-natured and effective. Dances with Wolves‘ depictions of Civil War violence also still stand as some of the best ever put to screen. – Ryan Heffernan

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2 ‘The General’ (1926)

IMDb Score: 8.1/10

A silent comedy, The General is widely regarded as being the greatest film of Buster Keaton‘s career. The silent star leads the movie as Johnnie Gray, a train engineer who is rejected from joining the Confederate Army on account of his unique and essential skills, which leads to him losing the love of his life. However, a year later, when his beloved locomotive is stolen by Union spies, Johnnie becomes his love’s last hope when she is accidentally abducted in the train robbery.

The blending of war and comedy works a treat in this hilarious adventure film, with Keaton at his comedic best with his unbelievable physicality warranting laughs aplenty from the unlikely, unassuming hero. In addition to the timeless comedic value which has aged gracefully over the course of a century, The General also features one of the biggest train stunts in cinematic history.

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1 ‘Gone with the Wind’ (1939)

IMDb Score: 8.2/10

A monumental epic that uses the Civil War as the platform for one of cinema’s greatest love stories, Gone With the Wind remains a quintessential classic for its scope and engagement with the conflict. This is despite modern criticism of Gone With the Wind continuing to grow. It follows Scarlet O’Hara (Vivien Leigh), a Southern belle who struggles to keep her family together throughout the tumultuous years of the Civil War, forming a romance with roguish playboy Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) as the society she knows crumbles around her.

Rich with character drama, sweeping shots of the South, and a searing central romance, Gone With the Wind is full of passion, tragedy, and the tumult of changing times. It also highlights the devastation the Civil War brought upon the nation and how poorly the South handled the “Reconstruction Era” in the years following.

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