Gene Hackmanhad one of the most impressive careers ever seen in Hollywood and boasts a filmography full of incredible war movies. While Hackman achieved his breakout role in the crime storyBonnie and Clyde, across his more than four decades of acting, he starred in several astounding war movies. As a real contender for thegreatest actor of the 20th century, Hackman’s body of work was characterized by its sheer variety as he excelled at playing empathetic heroes, sinister villains, and morally gray antiheroes.
Some of thebest Hackman movieswere in the war genre, as the two-time Academy Award winner knew how to capture both the humanity and horror at the heart of conflict. ConsideringHackman’s passing at 95 in 2025, now is the perfect time to look back on his incredible career and pay homage to his amazing war movies. From action-packed works with directors like Tony Scott to a spectacular epic with Richard Attenborough,Hackman truly was one of the greats.
The same year Gene Hackman achieved his breakout role with his iconic performance inBonnie and Clyde, he starred in this little-known World War II movie. Named after the practice of sending United States Marines in first during attacks,First to Fightwas loosely based on the story of United States Marine Gunnery Sergeant John “Manila” Basilone, who received the Medal of Honor for his bravery in battles against the Japanese. Hackman had a supporting role as Sgt. Tweed in this underrated portrayal of soldiers on the front lines.
With an impressive lead performance from Chad Everett as Basilone,First to Fightfeatured some impressive action scenes and was a realistic depiction of conflict. Despite his limited screen time, Hackman stood out in his small role, and there were already glimmers of his future status as a two-time Oscar winner. WhileFirst to Fightdoesn’t live up to Hackman’s best work in the war genre, it was still a powerful look at those who showed great heroism in the face of terrifying odds.
March or Diewas a British drama about the 1920s French Foreign Legion and the harrowing memories of the recently concluded Great War. Gene Hackman starred as Major William Sherman Foster, a war-weary American who struggled to make peace with leading an 8,000-man strong army that he watched whittle down to just 200. Later, in Erfoud in Morocco, Major Foster tries to shake his demons after he’s assigned an archeology dig site in danger from Bedouin revolutionaries led by El-Krim (Ian Holm.)
WhileMarch or Diefailed at the box office, looking back on it today, the film was an impressive catalog of the Légion Étrangère. However, much of the legacy ofMarch or Diewas overshadowed by its troubled production, which saw Hackman sustain injuries after being thrown off a horse while filming (viaNew York Times.) This caused filming to be temporarily suspended and contributed toMarch or Diegoing well over budget.
WhileBehind Enemy Linesreceived negative reviews at the time of its release, looking back, it’s hard not to be won over by itscompelling lead performances from Gene Hackman and Owen Wilson. Telling the story of a navy flight officer (Wilson) whose plane was shot down, Lieutenant Chris Burnett soon found himself amid genocide during the Bosnian War. At the same time, the rear admiral commanding officer (Hackman) must fight against bureaucracy to get the approval needed for a search and rescue mission.
With plenty of intense action,Behind Enemy Linesmay not have won any points for being high art, but as fast-paced entertainment, it more than succeeded. With Wilson consistently evading life-or-death situations and Hackman excelling in a protective role,Behind Enemy Lineswas truly one of the most underrated action movies of the early 2000s.
The seldom-depicted Apache Wars between the United States army and Native American tribal confederations served as the basis forGeronimo: An American Legend. Exploring how First Lieutenant Charles B. Gatewood (Jason Patric) convinced Apache leader Geronimo (Wes Studi) to surrender in 1886,Geronimowas a rare Hollywood production that was praised by Native American groups for its honest and sympathetic presentation (via LA Times.)
Hackman had an essential supporting role as General George Crook, the commanding U.S. officer in the 1886 campaign who received the nickname Crook Nantan Lupan, which means ‘Chief Wolf,’ from Apache tribe members. As a nuanced and fascinating account of the military leader Geronimo and his encounters with United States army officials,Geronimoprovided a unique glimpse into the early history of modern America.
While so many great war movies focus on the soldiers involved in active conflict, there’s another side of active battle zones that is equally important: journalism. This unique focus on those reporting on war was what made Under Fire so compelling, as it delved into journalists in the midst of the last days of the corrupt Somoza regime in Nicaragua before it fell in the 1979 revolution. WithHackman as a journalist preparing to give up reporting on foreign conflict for a lucrative news anchor job in New York,Under Firesaw him drawn back into war reporting.
With a strong premise, incredible performances, and political relevance,Under Firewas one of the most intelligent thrillers of the 1980s. While thought-provoking politics were the driving force behindUnder Fire, like so many great war movies such asCasablanca, intertwined romances also added intrigue to this heart-racing narrative.Under Firewas an old-fashioned thriller, the kind of which they don’t really make anymore, and is well worth seeking for Hackman fans who haven’t seen it.
Uncommon Valorfeatured an incredible performance from Gene Hackman as a former U.S. Marine colonel obsessed over the fate of his son, who has been officially missing for ten years. With an overwhelming belief that his son was being held in Laos since the conclusion of the Vietnam War, Colonel Jason Rhodes puts together a ragtag team to go on a deadly rescue mission. With action, heroism, and an emotionally resonant story,Uncommon Valorhighlighted the extraordinary power of a parent’s love and the importance of hope in the face of potential tragedy.
As a former marine who was frustrated with the government’s lack of action surrounding his missing family member,Hackman’s performance captured the dire circumstances of a man who will do anything it takes to save his son. While some critics at the time criticizedUncommon Valorfor being full of action and war movie tropes, there was heart at the center of this story that meant you became totally invested in Rhodes’ mission.
It’s hard to think of a cast stacked with more icons of the 1970s than Richard Attenborough’s epic war filmA Bridge Too Far. Based on the failed Allied operation in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands during World War II, Operation Market Garden, Gene Hackman played the supporting role of the Polish Brigade Commander, Major General Stanisław Sosabowski. With characters on the American, British, German, and more sides of the conflict, Hackman was joined by fellow acting legends including Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins, and Laurence Olivier, just to name a few.
A Bridge Too Farwas an ambitious epic that kept the action coming for all of its incredible near-three-hour runtime. With impeccable historical accuracy, Attenborough managed to deliver not only one of the most impressive ensemble casts ever assembled but also made a truly engrossing war movie. WhileA Bridge Too Farwas shunned by many awards ceremoniesupon release for its willingness to expose the inadequacies of the Allied campaign (viaBBC), this uncompromising vision was part of what made it such a spectacular movie in hindsight.
Few environments are better suited for fostering claustrophobic and heart-racing viewing than the inside of a submarine, as proven by the undeniable power of Tony Scott’sCrimson Tide. This epic story ofa conflict between two US marines in a nuclear submarine during a nuclear standoff with Russiamade for nail-biting viewers. With Gene Hackman as Captain Frank Ramsey, his character’s hard-nosed adherence to military protocol saw him butting heads with Denzel Washington’s Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter.
Through a tense power struggle and unimaginably high stakes,Crimson Tideperfectly encapsulated Scott’s ability to produce intense war-based thrillers that had audiences on the edge of their seats. With a strong script by Michael Schiffer, which reportedly also featured uncredited contributions from Quentin Tarantino (viaCollider),Gene Hackmangave one of his greatest performances as this formidable but flawed captain. Featuring mutiny and standoffs,Crimson Tidefeatured everything you could want from an intense, action-packed war movie.
