World War II, mightily waged from 1939 to 1945, has been a favorite subject of filmmakers. World War II pictures number in the thousands and encompass many genres, including dramas, musicals, comedies and documentaries.
World War II movie posters comprise some of the top movie poster art ever produced. Here are 15 classic examples that reign supreme in the World War II film poster collecting field.
1. “The Bridge on the River Kwai” (1957). Set in Southeast Asia during World War II, director David Lean's cinematic masterpiece won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor (Alec Guinness). Many collectors favor the exquisite “The Bridge on the River Kwai” French grande movie poster (46 x 63 inches) rendered by artist Jean Mascii, which prominently features stars Alex Guinness, William Holden and Sessue Hayakawa. One restored example in fine condition on linen sold at auction for just over $300.
2. “Patton” (1970). George C. Scott won a Best Actor Oscar (which he refused) for his bravura performance as General George S. Patton Jr. (1885-1945), who famously commanded American troops in North Africa, Sicily and Europe during World War II. The Patton British quad poster (30 x 40 inches) always rates well with collectors. One example in folded very fine condition brought a top bid of $155 at auction.
3. “Stalag 17” (1953). Director Billy Wilder's classic World War II comedy-drama set at a German prisoner of war camp won William Holden a Best Actor Oscar for his superb performance as Sergeant J.J. Sefton, a despised American POW and alleged collaborator who later exposes a Nazi spy within their ranks. The big “Stalag 17” three-sheet poster (41 x 81 inches) is a great entry, with one example in fine+ condition bringing $74 at auction.
4. “The Longest Day” (1962). Producer Darryl F. Zanuck's ode to the historic D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944, features a star-studded cast headed by John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Richard Burton, Sean Connery, Eddie Albert, Rod Steiger and Robert Ryan. Some collectors favor “The Longest Day” insert poster (14 x 36 inches), which pictures 42 international stars. One example in rolled fine/very fine condition sold at auction for a reasonable $40.
5. “The Great Escape” (1963). Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, David McCallum, et al. lead a daring Allied prison break from a special, high-security German POW camp in this absorbing, top-notch World War II thriller. “The Great Escape” standard one-sheet poster (27 x 41 inches) is a perennial favorite in the field, with one example in fine+ condition and preserved on linen bringing $418 at auction.
6. “Saving Private Ryan” (1998). Tom Hanks and his fellow American Rangers hit bloody Omaha Beach on D-Day, later securing a vital mission to locate a paratrooper (Matt Damon) and bring him safely home. The “Saving Private Ryan” British quad poster (30 x 40 inches) is a handsome piece, with one example in rolled very fine/near mint condition selling for $25 at auction.
7. “Sands of Iwo Jima” (1949). Big, brawny John Wayne as hard-bitten Sergeant John M. Stryker leads his fellow Marines in the momentous Allied invasion of Iwo Jima in 1945. The “Sands of Iwo Jima” half-sheet style A poster (22 x 28 inches) is always a winner with collectors. One example in rolled fine/very fine condition sold at auction for $621.
8. “Twelve O'Clock High” (1949). Gregory Peck stars as General Frank Savage in this top-notch drama exploring the air war against Nazi Germany as experienced by an American bomber unit based in England. The “Twelve O'Clock High” insert poster (14 x 36 inches) is a collector favorite. One example in fine/very fine condition brought a top bid of $478 at auction.
9. “Run Silent, Run Deep” (1959). Edward L. Beach's war novel comes alive in this World War II naval thriller starring Clark Gable as an American submarine commander and Burt Lancaster as his executive officer. “Run Silent, Run Deep” movie posters are still affordable, with one huge six-sheet example (81 x 81 inches) in folded very good condition selling for $59 at auction.
10. “Mister Roberts” (1955). Henry Fonda, James Cagney and Jack Lemmon shine in this World War II comedy set aboard an American supply ship traversing the backwaters of the Pacific during World War II. Lemmon won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his energetic portrayal of Ensign Frank Thurlowe Pulver. The “Mister Roberts” three-sheet poster (41 x 81 inches) is a great item. One example in folded very fine+ condition sold at auction for just under $90.
11. “The Counterfeit Traitor” (1962). William Holden stars in this searing, fact-based movie as Swedish businessman Eric Erickson, who spied for the Allies in Nazi Germany during World War II. “The Counterfeit Traitor” Italian two-folio poster (39 x 55 inches) is an outstanding piece of movie art. One example in folded fine condition brought a bargain $13 at auction.
12. “The Americanization of Emily” (1964). James Garner and James Coburn star as a pair of U.S. Navy "dog-robbers" in this wild comedy-drama set in London during World War II. Garner counts this film as his personal career favorite. “The Americanization of Emily” posters are quite affordable, with a standard one sheet example (27 x 41 inches) in near mint condition bringing $25 at auction.
13. “Where Eagles Dare” (1968). Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton head the cast of this complicated World War II thriller based on the novel by Alistair MacLean. It's hard to beat the standard “Where Eagles Dare” one-sheet poster (27 x 41 inches) brilliantly executed by Frank McCarthy, whose classic blurb reads: "One weekend Major Smith, Lieutenant Schaffer, and a beautiful blonde name Mary decided to win World War II." One example in folded very fine condition hit a top bid of $263 at auction.
14. “The English Patient” (1996). Set in North Africa during World War II, “The English Patient” starring Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche and Willem Dafoe was a huge success at the Academy Awards, taking home nine Oscars including Best Picture. A standard “The English Patient” one-sheet poster (27 x 41 inches) in rolled very fine/near mint condition brought $21 at auction.
15. “The Dirty Dozen” (1967). Lee Marvin trains and leads a commando team comprised of a dozen U.S. Army convicts against an impenetrable castle in Nazi-occupied France housing high-ranking German officers in this World War II thriller. “The Dirty Dozen” three-sheet poster (41 x 81 inches) - blurb: "D-Day began when the dirty dozen were done!" - constitutes a manly piece of war movie artwork. One example in fine/very fine condition sold at auction for $263.
(Auction results and photos courtesy Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas.)