Highest-Rated Movies about 'American Civil War'

Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo (1966), The General (1926), Gone with the Wind (1939), Dances with Wolves (1990), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), Glory (1989), 3:10 to Yuma (2007), The Last Samurai (2003) ... Let's take a look at the ranked list of the best American Civil War movies.

#1. Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo (1966)

Storyline: Blondie (The Good) (Clint Eastwood) is a professional gunslinger who is out trying to earn a few dollars. Angel Eyes (The Bad) (Lee Van Cleef) is a hitman who always commits to a task and sees it through, as long as he is paid to do so. And Tuco (The Ugly) (Eli Wallach) is a wanted outlaw trying to take care of his own hide. Tuco and Blondie share a partnership together making money off of Tuco's bounty, but when Blondie unties the partnership, Tuco tries to hunt down Blondie. When Blondie and Tuco come across a horse carriage loaded with dead bodies, they soon learn from the only survivor, Bill Carson (Antonio Casale), that he and a few other men have buried a stash of gold in a cemetery. Unfortunately, Carson dies and Tuco only finds out the name of the cemetery, while Blondie finds out the name on the grave. Now the two must keep each other alive in order to find the gold. Angel Eyes (who had been looking for Bill Carson) discovers that Tuco and Blondie met with Carson and knows ...

Plot Keywords: spaghetti western, explosion, dehydration, blood, man with no name, hitman, anti hero ...

Movie Details Click Here!

#2. The General (1926)

Storyline: Johnnie loves his train ("The General") and Annabelle Lee. When the Civil War begins he is turned down for service because he's more valuable as an engineer. Annabelle thinks it's because he's a coward. Union spies capture The General with Annabelle on board. Johnnie must rescue both his loves.

Plot Keywords: train, national film registry, shooting, covered wagon, chopping wood, jumping onto a train, rifle ...

Movie Details Click Here!

#3. Gone with the Wind (1939)

Storyline: Scarlett is a woman who can deal with a nation at war, Atlanta burning, the Union Army carrying off everything from her beloved Tara, the carpetbaggers who arrive after the war. Scarlett is beautiful. She has vitality. But Ashley, the man she has wanted for so long, is going to marry his placid cousin, Melanie. Mammy warns Scarlett to behave herself at the party at Twelve Oaks. There is a new man there that day, the day the Civil War begins. Rhett Butler. Scarlett does not know he is in the room when she pleads with Ashley to choose her instead of Melanie.

Plot Keywords: narcissistic personality disorder, american civil war, black stereotype, battle of the sexes, high society, cotton, old maid ...

Movie Details Click Here!

#4. Dances with Wolves (1990)

Storyline: Lt. John Dunbar is dubbed a hero after he accidentally leads Union troops to a victory during the Civil War. He requests a position on the western frontier, but finds it deserted. He soon finds out he is not alone, but meets a wolf he dubs "Two-socks" and a curious Indian tribe. Dunbar quickly makes friends with the tribe, and discovers a white woman who was raised by the Indians. He gradually earns the respect of these native people, and sheds his white-man's ways.

Plot Keywords: friendship, native american, 19th century, cult film, military officer, club, directorial debut ...

Movie Details Click Here!

#5. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

Storyline: Josey Wales (Clint Eastwood) makes his way west after the Civil War, determined to live a useful and helpful life. He joins up with a group of settlers who need the protection that a man as tough and experienced as he is can provide. Unfortunately, the past has a way of catching up with you, and Josey is a wanted man.

Plot Keywords: two gun holster, fast draw, comanche indian, reference to abraham lincoln, u.s. army, death by hanging, male female relationship ...

Movie Details Click Here!

#6. Glory (1989)

Storyline: Shaw was an officer in the Federal Army during the American Civil War who volunteered to lead the first company of black soldiers. Shaw was forced to deal with the prejudices of both the enemy (who had orders to kill commanding officers of blacks), and of his own fellow officers.

Plot Keywords: 19th century, american civil war, military uniform, war hero, slavery, whipping, whip ...

Movie Details Click Here!

#7. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)

Storyline: Rancher Dan Evans heads into Bisbee to clear up issues concerning the sale of his land when he witnesses the closing events of a stagecoach robbery led by famed outlaw Ben Wade. Shortly thereafter, Wade is captured by the law in Bisbee and Evans finds himself one of the escorts who will take Wade to the 3:10 to Yuma train in Contention for the reward of $200. Evans's effort to take Wade to the station is in part an effort to save his land but also part of an inner battle to determine whether he can be more than just a naive rancher in the eyes of his impetuous and gunslinging son William Evans. The transport to Contention is hazardous and filled with ambushes by Indians, pursuits by Wade's vengeful gang and Wade's own conniving and surreptitious demeanor that makes the ride all the more intense.

Plot Keywords: outlaw, based on short story, homoeroticism, time in title, stagecoach, rancher, arizona desert ...

Movie Details Click Here!

#8. The Last Samurai (2003)

Storyline: In the 1870s, Captain Nathan Algren, a cynical veteran of the American Civil war who will work for anyone, is hired by Americans who want lucrative contracts with the Emperor of Japan to train the peasant conscripts for the first standing imperial army in modern warfare using firearms. The imperial Omura cabinet's first priority is to repress a rebellion of traditionalist Samurai -hereditary warriors- who remain devoted to the sacred dynasty but reject the Westernizing policy and even refuse firearms. Yet when his ill-prepared superior force sets out too soon, their panic allows the sword-wielding samurai to crush them. Badly wounded Algren's courageous stand makes the samurai leader Katsumoto spare his life; once nursed to health he learns to know and respect the old Japanese way, and participates as advisor in Katsumoto's failed attempt to save the Bushido tradition, but Omura gets repressive laws enacted- he must now choose to honor his loyalty to one of the embittered sides when ...

Plot Keywords: white savior, japanese, spirituality, prostitute, seppuku, bowing, samurai ...

Movie Details Click Here!

#9. Gettysburg (1993)

Storyline: The four and 1/4 hour depiction of the historical and personal events surrounding and including the decisive American civil war battle features thousands of civil war re-enactors marching over the exact ground that the federal army and the army of North Virginia fought on. The defense of the Little Round Top and Pickett's Charge are highlighted in the actual three day battle which is surrounded by the speeches of the commanding officers and the personal reflections of the fighting men. Based upon the novel 'The Killer Angels'.

Plot Keywords: american civil war, cannon, shot in the arm, sword, combat, hand to hand combat, bayonet ...

Movie Details Click Here!

#10. 3:10 to Yuma (1957)

Storyline: After outlaw leader Ben Wade is captured in a small town, his gang continue to threaten. Small-time rancher Dan Evans is persuaded to take Wade in secret to the nearest town with a railway station to await the train to the court at Yuma. Once the two are holed up in the hotel to wait it becomes apparent the secret is out, and a battle of wills starts.—Jeremy Perkins {J-26}

Plot Keywords: arizona, western hero, justice, standoff, cowboys and outlaws, cowboy, drought ...

Movie Details Click Here!

#11. The Old Maid (1939)

Storyline: After a two-year absence, Clem Spender returns home on the very day that his former fiancée, Delia, is marrying another man. Clem enlists in the Union army and dies on the battlefield, but not before finding comfort in the arms of Delia's cousin, Charlotte Lovell. The years pass and Charlotte establishes an orphanage and eventually confesses to Delia that her dearest young charge, Tina, is an fact her own child by Clem. Jealousy and family secrets threaten to tear the cousins apart.—L. Hamre

Plot Keywords: necklace, 19th century, horse, f rated, blonde woman, brother brother relationship, child ...

Movie Details Click Here!

#12. Jezebel (1938)

Storyline: In one of her most renowned roles, Bette Davis portrays Julie Marsden, a spoiled Southern belle who risks losing her suitor with her impetuous behavior. Engaged to successful banker Preston Dillard, Julie pushes him away with her arrogant and contrary ways, leading to a scandalous scene at a major social event and his subsequent departure. When Preston eventually returns and Julie attempts to win him back, she discovers that it may be too late.

Plot Keywords: based on play, southern belle, american civil war, 19th century, selfishness, love, civil war ...

Movie Details Click Here!

#13. Gangs of New York (2002)

Storyline: In the god-forsaken district of early-1860's Lower Manhattan known as the Five Points, the vicious Nativist, Bill "The Butcher" Cutting, is the supreme overlord of an area riddled with crime, prostitution, theft and murder, as the American Civil War still rages on. Sixteen whole years after the brutal murder of his father from Bill's blood-stained hands, an orphaned Irish-American, Amsterdam Vallon, returns to this melting pot of corruption to avenge his untimely death; however, a lot has changed since then. Who can remember the once innocent boy and now a young man bent on revenge, who works his way up to the hierarchy of Five Points? Will Amsterdam ever taste the dangerous but sweet fruit of retribution?

Plot Keywords: gangster, prostitution, catholic church, bludgeoning, american civil war, pickpocket, 1840s ...

Movie Details Click Here!

#14. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

Storyline: Taking place in the American Northwest in the early 1880s, the film dramatizes the last seven months in the life of famed outlaw Jesse James, beginning with the Blue Cut train robbery of 1881 and culminating in his assassination at the hands of Robert Ford the following April. In the time between these two fateful events, the young and jealous Ford befriends the increasingly mistrustful outlaw, even as he plots his demise.

Plot Keywords: based on a novel, betrayal, 19th century, assassination, friendship, father daughter relationship, family relationships ...

Movie Details Click Here!