Best movies like Lion of the Desert
Last updated March 2024
Looking for movies like Lion of the Desert? Offer your expertise to direct others to tv series and movies you've already seen that might likewise engross them. Assist in widening the community of people alluding videos amongst one another. We value your input!
Plot Summary:
This movie tells the story of Omar Mukhtar, an Arab Muslim rebel who fought against the Italian conquest of Libya in WWII. It gives western viewers a glimpse into this little-known region and chapter of history, and exposes the savage means by which the conquering army attempted to subdue the natives.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA, Libya
Duration: 173 min
Plot tags: epic, islamic, exciting, inspirational, feel good, political, suspense, sad, dramatic, controversial
Best tv shows and movies like Lion of the Desert (1980):
Similar in 76%
The Message (1976)
Plot Summary:
The story of prophet "Muhammad" and the delivery of the message of God "Allah".
IMDB Rating: 8.9
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Biography, Drama, History, Thriller, War
Country: Libya, Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia
Duration: 207 min
Plot tags: islamic, cult classic, epic, crying, independent film, cult film
Similar in 78%
The Battle of El Alamein (1969)
Plot Summary:
This movie's opening prologue states: "June 1942. As Rommel swept toward the Nile, the fall of Egypt and the capture of the Suez Canal seemed inevitable. Italian and German advance units raced toward Alexandria. Mussolini had given explicit orders: The Italians must arrive first!".
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 683
Genere: Action, Drama, History, War
Country: Italy, France
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: macaroni combat, exciting, rough, serious, captivating, realistic, suspenseful, disturbing
Similar in 86%
The Battle on the River Neretva (1969)
Plot Summary:
In January 1943 the German army, afraid of an Allied invasion of the Balkans, launched a great offensive against Yugoslav Partisans in Western Bosnia. The only way out for the Partisan forces and thousands of refugees was the bridge on the river Neretva.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: Yugoslavia, Italy, West Germany, USA, France
Duration: 175 min
Plot tags: epic, exciting, rough, bleak, serious, captivating, realistic, crying, vintage
Similar in 81%
The Lighthorsemen (1987)
Plot Summary:
Palestine, 1917. The British advance has been stopped by the Turkish line running from Gaza to Beersheba. The latest attack on Gaza has failed. The attacking forces included a regiment of Australian mounted infantry, the Light Horse... Lighthorseman Frank is wounded in a skirmish with Bedouin. He is replaced by a young soldier, Dave, who proves to be a crack shot, but reluctant to fire at the enemy. Dave proves himself during a German biplane attack. Recuperating in hospital, he meets a sympathetic nurse, Anne... The regiment is called upon for a bold flanking attack on Beersheba. But how do you convince the Turks the main attack will come at Gaza? And how do you attack across a desert without water?.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: Australia
Duration: 131 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, disturbing, tense, anamorphic, epic, crying, independent film
Similar in 79%
Fort Saganne (1984)
Plot Summary:
In 1911, a willful and determined man from peasant stock named Charles Saganne enlists in the military and is assigned to the Sahara Desert under the aristocratic Colonel Dubreuilh.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: France
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: epic, exciting, serious, realistic
Similar in 76%
The Biggest Battle (1978)
Plot Summary:
A story of how World War II affected the lives of a German family and an American family, both of whom had sons and fathers fighting in the war.
IMDB Rating: 4.7
IMDB Votes: 570
Genere: War, Drama
Country: Italy, West Germany, Yugoslavia
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: macaroni combat, exciting, rough, bleak, serious, realistic
Similar in 84%
Zulu Dawn (1979)
Plot Summary:
In 1879, the British suffer a great loss at the Battle of Isandlwana due to incompetent leadership. Cy Endfield co-wrote the epic prequel Zulu Dawn 15 years after his enormously popular Zulu. Set in 1879, this film depicts the catastrophic Battle of Isandhlwana, which remains the worst defeat of the British army by natives, with the British contingent outnumbered 16-to-1 by the Zulu tribesmen. The film's opinion of events is made immediately clear in its title sequence: ebullient African village life presided over by King Cetshwayo is contrasted with aristocratic artifice under the arrogant eye of General Lord Chelmsford (Peter O'Toole). Chelmsford is at the heart of all that goes wrong, initiating the catastrophic battle with an ultimatum made seemingly for the sake of giving his troops something to do. His detached manner leads to one mistake after another.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Adventure, Drama, History, War
Country: Netherlands, USA
Duration: 117 min
Plot tags: cult classic, action adventure, historical drama, exciting, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful, independent film
Similar in 89%
The Crossing (2000)
Plot Summary:
A made-for-TV dramatization of George Washington's perilous gamble of crossing the Delaware River and attacking the British forces at Trenton.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: tense, exciting, realistic, serious, political, christian film, historical drama, historically accurate, gloomy, period drama
Similar in 85%
Everyman's War (2009)
Plot Summary:
No one in high command believed that German forces would attack in the sub zero temperatures and near blizzard conditions. As the pre-dawn attack comes, with communications down Sgt. Smith is left with no choice but to make his way through enemy fire, unarmed and wounded, into town and warn of the coming attack. Based on actual accounts "Everyman's War" explores the heroic events of this decorated veterans courage and the struggle between duty and desire. Between the prospect of the life and love, Dorine that waits at home and the harsh realities of war which marks the pivotal epoch in his life as he discovers that the loss of hope can be worse than the loss of life. One man's courage... One man's hope...Everyman's War.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Biography, Drama, War
Country: USA
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, uplifting
Similar in 81%
Tobruk (1967)
Plot Summary:
In September 1942, the German Afrika Korps under Rommel have successfully pushed the Allies back into Egypt. A counter-attack is planned, for which the fuel dumps at Tobruk are a critical impediment. In order to aid the attack, a group of British commandos and German Jews make their way undercover through 800 miles of desert, to destroy the fuel dumps starving the Germans of fuel.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama, War
Country: USA, Spain
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: spectacular, exciting, tense, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 89%
Ike: Countdown to D-Day (2004)
Plot Summary:
This is the story of the senior-level preparations for the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944 from the time of Dwight D. Eisenhower's appointment as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, to the establishment of the beachhead in Normandy. The film recounts many of the trials and tribulation Ike had to face, not the least of which were the many prima donnas surrounding him (Patton, Montgomery and especially de Gaulle) and the need for tact and diplomacy to bring all sides together for what would be the largest amphibious assault ever attempted.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: tense, rough, serious, captivating, realistic, suspenseful, political
Similar in 78%
Hannibal: Rome's Worst Nightmare (2006)
Plot Summary:
It is 200 years before the birth of Christ and Rome is the new superpower of the ancient world. She believes she is invincible - but one man is destined to change that. He is a man bound by oath to avenge the wrongs inflicted on his home and, in pursuit of revenge, he will stop at nothing. Hannibal explores the man behind the myth, revealing what drove the 26-year-old to mastermind one of the most audacious military moves in history. With 40,000 soldiers and 37 elephants, he marched 1,500 miles to challenge his enemies on their own soil. It was an act so daring that few people believed it possible.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: UK
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, captivating, realistic, inspirational, historical drama, epic
Similar in 80%
The Message (1976)
Plot Summary:
Handsomely-mounted historical epic concerns the birth of the Islamic faith and the story of the prophet Mohammed.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 50000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: Lebanon, Libya, Kuwait, Morocco, UK, Egypt
Duration: 177 min
Plot tags: epic, controversial, islamic, breathtaking, spiritual, dramatic, thinking, esoteric, historically accurate, profound
Similar in 75%
Von Richthofen and Brown (1971)
Plot Summary:
The story of Manfred von Richtofen, the german air ace during the World War I and his struggle with the enemy aces and some jealous german officers.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: serious, captivating, suspenseful, realistic, psychotronic, independent film, cult film
Similar in 87%
Midway (1976)
Plot Summary:
This war drama depicts the U.S. and Japanese forces in the naval Battle of Midway, which became a turning point for Americans during World War II.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 21000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 132 min
Plot tags: realistic, tense, factual, suspense, intense, exciting, suspenseful, serious, historical drama, spectacular
Similar in 81%
Max Manus: Man of War (2008)
Plot Summary:
Max Manus is a Norwegian 2008 biographic war film based on the real events of the life of resistance fighter Max Manus (1914–96), after his contribution in the Winter War against the Soviet Union. The story follows Manus through the outbreak of World War II in Norway until peacetime in 1945.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 29000
Genere: Action, Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Thriller, War
Country: Norway, Denmark, Germany
Duration: 118 min
Plot tags: tense, intense, brutal, factual, romantic, melancholic, serious, atmospheric, political, emotional
Similar in 81%
The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005)
Plot Summary:
The film begins in 1857, when India was ruled by the British East India Company. Mangal Pandey is a sepoy, a soldier of Indian origin, in the army of the East India Company. Pandey is fighting in the Anglo-Afghan Wars and saves the life of his British commanding officer, William Gordon. Gordon is indebted to Pandey and a strong friendship develops between them, transcending both rank and race.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: India, UK, USA
Duration: 150 min
Plot tags: epic, serious, captivating, emotional, patriotic, realistic, educational
Similar in 89%
Anzio (1968)
Plot Summary:
Allied forces land at Anzio unopposed but instead of moving straight inland their commanding officer decides to dig in. A battle-hardened war correspondent borrows a jeep and drives to Rome and back without meeting any German forces, but his report on this absence of the enemy is discounted. By the time it is finally decided to make a move the Germans have arrived in strength and a prolonged.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: Italy, USA
Duration: 117 min
Plot tags: retro, macaroni combat, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 88%
MacArthur (1977)
Plot Summary:
The film portrays MacArthur's (Gregory Peck) life from 1942, before the Battle of Bataan, to 1952, the time after he had been removed from his Korean War command by President Truman (Ed Flanders) for insubordination, and is recounted in flashback as he visits West Point.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 130 min
Plot tags: melancholic, epic, intense, realistic, serious, political, exciting, tense, sincere, rough
Similar in 81%
Gettysburg (1993)
Plot Summary:
Summer 1863. The Confederacy pushes north into Pennsylvania. Union divisions converge to face them. The two great armies clash at Gettysburg, site of a theology school. For three days, through such legendary actions as Little Round Top and Pickett's Charge, the fate of "one nation, indivisible" hangs in the balance.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 31000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 271 min
Plot tags: epic, factual, realistic, serious, captivating, exciting, breathtaking, intense, period piece, patriotic
Similar in 85%
Glory (1989)
Plot Summary:
Robert Gould Shaw leads the US Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices of both his own Union army and the Confederates.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 142000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 122 min
Plot tags: epic, inspirational, suspense, realistic, rough, factual, period piece, emotional, talky, serious
Similar in 80%
Battle of the Bulge (1965)
Plot Summary:
In the winter of 1944, the Allied Armies stand ready to invade Germany at the coming of a New Year. To prevent this occurrence, Hitler orders an all out offensive to re-take French territory and capture the major port city of Antwerp. "The Battle of the Bulge" shows this conflict from the perspective of an American intelligence officer as well as from a German Panzer Commander.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 18000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 167 min
Plot tags: epic, factual, tense, exciting, serious, realistic, suspenseful, suspense, retro, rough
Similar in 77%
Admiral (2008)
Plot Summary:
This is a story of a great love facing the greatest drama of the history of Russia. Admiral Kolchak is a true war hero and beloved husband and father. One day he meets Anna, the love of his life and the wife of his best friend. The revolution in his heart faces the revolution in his own country His destiny is to become the Supreme Rules of Russia.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: Russia
Duration: 124 min
Plot tags: realistic, serious, dramatic, touching, tragic ending, suspense, romantic, costume drama
Similar in 86%
Che: Part One (2008)
Plot Summary:
The Argentine, begins as Che and a band of Cuban exiles (led by Fidel Castro) reach the Cuban shore from Mexico in 1956. Within two years, they mobilized popular support and an army and toppled the U.S.-friendly regime of dictator Fulgencio Batista.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 48000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: France, Spain, USA
Duration: 134 min
Plot tags: political, talky, intense, sincere, captivating, thought provoking, serious, heroic, realistic, cerebral
Similar in 77%
A Bridge Too Far (1977)
Plot Summary:
A Bridge Too Far tells the story of Operation Market Garden, the failed attempt by the allies to end the war quickly by securing three bridges in Holland and allowing access over the Rhine into Germany. A combination of poor allied intelligence and the presence of two crack German Panzer divisions meant that the final part of this operation (the bridge in Arnhem over the Rhine, the titular 'bridge too far') was doomed to failure.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 61000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 175 min
Plot tags: epic, realistic, suspense, intense, rough, serious, suspenseful, breathtaking, cult classic, spectacular
Similar in 88%
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Plot Summary:
The story of British officer T.E. Lawrence's mission to aid the Arab tribes in their revolt against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. Lawrence becomes a flamboyant, messianic figure in the cause of Arab unity but his psychological instability threatens to undermine his achievements.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 309000
Genere: Adventure, Biography, Drama, War
Country: UK
Duration: 218 min
Plot tags: epic, captivating, breathtaking, visually appealing, visually stunning, scenic, factual, exciting, realistic, stylized
Similar in 85%
Che: Part Two (2008)
Plot Summary:
After the Cuban Revolution, Che is at the height of his fame and power. Then he disappears, re-emerging incognito in Bolivia, where he organizes a small group of Cuban comrades and Bolivian recruits to start the great Latin American Revolution. Through this story, we come to understand how Che remains a symbol of idealism and heroism that lives in the hearts of people around the world.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 35000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: Spain, France, USA, Germany
Duration: 135 min
Plot tags: political, inspirational, suspense, talky, factual, atmospheric, sincere, serious, captivating, realistic
Similar in 76%
The Patriot (2000)
Plot Summary:
After proving himself on the field of battle in the French and Indian War, Benjamin Martin wants nothing more to do with such things, preferring the simple life of a farmer. But when his son Gabriel enlists in the army to defend their new nation, America, against the British, Benjamin reluctantly returns to his old life to protect his son.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 289000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, War
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 165 min
Plot tags: period piece, dramatic, rough, uplifting, factual, inspirational, sincere, realistic, historical drama, sentimental
Similar in 90%
Schindler's List (1993)
Plot Summary:
The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.
IMDB Rating: 9.0
IMDB Votes: 14000000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 195 min
Plot tags: touching, emotional, heartbreaking, realistic, thought provoking, poignant, black and white, dramatic, serious, sad
Similar in 76%
Braveheart (1995)
Plot Summary:
Enraged at the slaughter of Murron, his new bride and childhood love, Scottish warrior William Wallace slays a platoon of the local English lord's soldiers. This leads the village to revolt and, eventually, the entire country to rise up against English rule.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 11000000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 178 min
Plot tags: epic, emotional, factual, breathtaking, scenic, inspirational, exciting, rough, period piece, entertaining