Introduction
WASHINGTON — Fourth of July weekend is the perfect time to watch a patriotic movie. The silver screen has offered plenty of red, white and blue portraits of Americana.
Click through the gallery for the Top 25 Most Patriotic Movies.
NOTE: These films aren’t ranked solely on filmmaking quality, but rather on their level of patriotic fervor, which is just what you need to get into the spirit for the Fourth of July.
Happy Independence Day!
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25. ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ (2014)
Chris Evans became a true blue American hero as Steve Rogers in “Captain America: The First Avenger” (2009), but directors Joe and Anthony Russo elevated the sequel by casting Robert Redford in a political thriller plot with relevant NSA spying themes.
The film rose above superficial superhero fare by asking viewers: “How much freedom are you willing to give up for security?”
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24. ‘Miracle’ (2004)
Disney’s take on the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team will always pale in comparison to the real event, but the “miracle” victory over the “invincible” Russians still gives goosebumps.
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23. ‘An American Tail’ (1986)
A young Russian mouse named Fievel Mousekewitz emigrates to the United States where fellow mice celebrate “No Cats in America.”
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22. ‘Team America: World Police’ (2004)
Before their Tony-winning Broadway smash, “The Book of Mormon,” Trey Parker and Matt Stone stepped out of their “South Park” wheelhouse with a shocking puppet piece about slaying terrorists to the motto: “America, F— Yeah!” I dare you not to imitate Matt Damon after this one.
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21. ‘The Patriot’ (2000)
Five years after winning best picture for “Braveheart” (1995), Mel Gibson shined as a pacifist farmer who becomes a leader in the Revolutionary War.
The film got mixed reviews upon its release, but “The Patriot” may gain in stature over time, due to the untimely death of Heath Ledger and the increased popularity of Jason Isaacs as a Harry Potter villain.
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20. ‘1776’ (1972)
The film adaptation of the Broadway musical covers the events surrounding the Revolutionary War, mining musical comedy from Founding Fathers such as George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.
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19. ‘The Longest Day’ (1962)
John Wayne’s greatest pictures were easily his westerns, from “Stagecoach” (1939) to “Red River” (1948), “The Searchers” (1956) to “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (1962).
But when it comes to his patriotic military flicks, “The Longest Day” might just be the best.
Wayne leads a star-studded cast of Sean Connery, Robert Mitchum, Rod Steiger, Richard Burton and Henry Fonda in this account of D-Day, told on a grand scale from the Allied and German points of view.
Until “Saving Private Ryan” (1998), this was the definitive D-Day film.
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18. ‘Born on the Fourth of July’ (1989)
Vietnam veteran Oliver Stone followed his masterpiece “Platoon” (1986) with “Born on the Fourth of July,” taking its title from the lyrics of “Yankee Doodle Dandy.”
Tom Cruise comes home from Vietnam in a wheelchair, giving an alternate take on what it means to be patriotic: standing up for what you believe in.
Cruise’s protest speech at Nixon’s convention offers plenty of relevant commentary, as today’s Republicans will relate to his claims of a corrupt government, while today’s Democrats will find WMD parallels to his claims of being deceived into an unjust war.
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17. ‘Top Gun’ (1986)
Of all the films on this list, “Top Gun” may be your best pick to watch while throwing hot dogs on the grill. There’s plenty of patriotism on the highway to the “Danger Zone,” and the fighter pilot action will “Take Your Breath Away.”
Seriously, is there anything more patriotic than Tom Cruise’s Maverick dueling Val Kilmer’s Iceman at America’s elite flying school?
You may be left crying Goose tears, but you’ll most certainly feel “the need for speed.”
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16. ‘Lincoln’ (2012)
Every great actor has his magnum opus, and for Daniel Day-Lewis it was his performance as Abraham Lincoln, becoming the first ever to win the Best Actor Oscar three times.
While “Argo” was the safer pick for the award, Spielberg’s biopic “Lincoln” may fulfill its own prophecy:
“If you could look into the seeds of time, which will grow the largest?”
Lincoln will sprout forever, despite its melodramatic opening and overwrought ending, with plenty of Euclid lessons left to teach from the greatest actor of this generation.
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15. ‘United 93’ (2006)
Few in American history were as brave as the passengers and crew aboard United Flight 93 on that dark September day. Director Paul Greengrass (“Captain Phillips,” “The Bourne Ultimatum”) captured their courage with grace and respect.
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14. ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ (2012)
In a 21st century filled with political divides, the one event that united everyone was the elimination of Osama Bin Laden.
Director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal followed their “Hurt Locker” Best Picture winner by creating an instant classic.
The film builds toward a night-vision climax with SEAL Team 6, but the star of the film is Jessica Chastain’s obsessed CIA agent, who tells Leon Panetta (James Gandolfini) that she’s the mother you-know-what that found Bin Laden.
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13. ‘Argo’ (2012)
Ben Affleck’s Best Picture winner was a rare celebration of both the height of Washington intelligence and the peak of Hollywood imagination.
Affleck’s creative CIA agent hatches a gutsy scheme with colleague Bryan Cranston to rescue six Americans during the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979.
They ask Hollywood filmmakers Alan Arkin and John Goodman to help them make a fake movie named “Argo,” to be shot in Tehran, during which time they’ll sneak out the American hostages.
Rarely do movies contain this much comedy and intensity all at once.
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12. ‘The Best Years of Our Lives’ (1946)
William Wyler’s masterpiece beat “It’s a Wonderful Life” for Best Picture by following three WWII veterans who return home to small-town America, only to discover their lives have been irreparably changed.
While “The Deer Hunter” (1978) ends on a cynical note, Hollywood’s Golden Age insisted that
“Best Years” leave us optimistic.
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11. ‘Glory’ (1989)
So often, we chant “stars and stripes forever,” yet forget there was a time when that flag was threatened by “stars and bars.” Too many times, Civil Rights movies are relegated to their own category, brought out for a March on Washington anniversary or an African American History Month. How dare we forget that these tales are truly American tales, and none was more patriotic than “Glory.”
The film tells the true story of Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick), who led the Civil War’s first all-black volunteer company. Is there anything more patriotic than fighting for your own freedom, while trying to hold the country together? Is there anything more American than different races coming together to fight for a common cause? And is there any bigger treat than watching Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman sear the screen with their acting brilliance?
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10. ‘Yankee Doodle Dandy’ (1942)
“Yankee Doodle Dandy” bleeds patriotism from every frame, thanks to James Cagney’s dazzling portrayal of American playwright, songwriter and performer George M. Cohan.
The film’s title song is legendary, as is its recurring line, “My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I thank you.”
Still, my favorite scene comes just toward the end. I dare you not to smile as Cagney tap-dances his way down a flight of stairs. This Hollywood gangster had serious range.
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9. ‘All the President’s Men’ (1976)
Not all presidents are as heroic as Bill Pullman. Sometimes, they conduct shady dealings and break the trust of the American people. When this happens, it’s just as patriotic for average Americans to expose the lie.
As Nixon is sworn in on a newsroom television, Watergate reporters Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) hammer away on their typewriters in the background, reporting on a story that would become America’s most legendary piece of journalism.
As editor Bed Bradlee says to Woodstein, “Nothing’s riding on this except the First Amendment of the Constitution, freedom of the press and maybe the future of this country.”
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8. ‘Independence Day’ (1996)
Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum carried this summer blockbuster by defending Earth against an alien invasion, but Bill Pullman’s presidential speech stole the show as he rallied the world to embrace July 4 as not just an American holiday, but a global celebration of mankind united. Ahh, if only.
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7. ‘The Right Stuff’ (1983)
Twelve years before “Apollo 13” (1996) and 15 years before “Armageddon” (1998), Philip Kaufman mastered the “gallant astronaut walk” in his Best Picture nominee “The Right Stuff.”
The film charts American progress and innovation, from Chuck Yeager’s barrier-breaking flight to John Glenn’s part in the original U.S. Mercury 7 space mission.
While the film won four Oscars upon its release, including Best Original Score by Bill Conti (“Rocky”), this gem never gets enough credit. Fine filmmaking.
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6. ‘Apollo 13’ (1995)
Sandwiched between his roles in “The Right Stuff” and “Gravity,” Ed Harris delivered his most memorable space role in Ron Howard’s “Apollo 13.”
Few things are as American as the NASA space program, but the American spirit was tested with the disaster of the Apollo 13 mission, captured in Tom Hanks’ uneasy radio transmission:
“Houston, we have a problem.”
The dire situation prompted NASA’s director to say, “This could be the worst disaster NASA’s ever faced,” while Harris responded:
“With all due respect, sir, I believe this is gonna be our finest hour.”
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5. ‘Patton’ (1970)
George C. Scott’s portrayal of General George Patton will forever stand as one of the great pieces of acting in movie history.
His “blood and guts” opening speech in front of a giant American flag still inspires thanks to the sparkling script by Francis Ford Coppola, who wrote this two years before he directed “The Godfather” (1972).
The film beat out Robert Altman’s “M*A*S*H” (1970) for best picture and wins the prize for “most likely to find on cable while flipping through channels.”
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4. ‘Saving Private Ryan’ (1998)
Steven Spielberg won Best Director for this WWII tribute that opens and closes with a fluttering American flag.
Between the bookends is a “Greatest Generation” tale of a group of men, led by Tom Hanks, risking their lives to save just one (Matt Damon).
The cinema-verite opening on D-Day remains one of the most powerful action sequences in movie history, juxtaposed with brilliant quiet scenes such as George Marshall reciting Abraham Lincoln’s letter to a grieving Civil War mother.
“Private Ryan” was Spielberg’s answer to his own “Schindler’s List,” the latter showing “why we fight” and the former showing the sacrifice.
“Band of Brothers” wouldn’t exist without this masterpiece.
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3. ‘Rocky’ (1976)
While “Rocky IV” oozes Cold War patriotism with each punch to the Russian’s jaw, the original “Rocky” used its 1976 release date to capitalize on its bicentennial premise.
Donning American flag boxing trunks, heavyweight champ Apollo Creed gives underdog Rocky Balboa a title shot, saying, “This is the land of opportunity, right? … There’s nothing they’d like better than to see Apollo Creed give a local Philadelphia boy a shot at the greatest title in the world on this country’s biggest birthday.”
Creed’s promoter loves the idea, saying, “I like it! It’s very American!”
Indeed, “Rocky” remains film’s definitive take on the American Dream.
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2. ‘Forrest Gump’ (1994)
“Forrest Gump” is so much more than its famous quotes, groundbreaking effects and memorable performances. It’s a metaphor for the political turmoil of the second half of the American 20th century.
Forrest and Jenny explore both conservative and liberal sides of American life, crossing paths, seeking answers, charting history and, often times, creating it. As Forrest dons his Vietnam fatigues and Medal of Honor on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, a man in an American flag shirt asks a crowd of protesters to salute him, allowing hippie Jenny to call out to her childhood friend. “Forrest!” “Jenny!”
Their embrace in the Reflecting Pool is pure patriotic magic.
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1. ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’ (1939)
No director captured Americana like Frank Capra, and his best work came alongside the ultimate everyman, Jimmy Stewart.
While their “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946) has become a Christmas classic, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” should be required viewing every Independence Day.
Stewart’s idealist freshman senator Jefferson Smith goes into a corrupt Congress and teaches the entrenched politicians a lesson in what it truly means to serve the American people.
The populism of Stewart’s filibuster rings just as true today, 75 years after its release. Imagine how controversial it was upon its release.
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WASHINGTON — Fourth of July weekend is the perfect time to watch patriotic movies. Click through the gallery above for the Top 25 Most Patriotic Movies.
