War Film - Genre

Genre

John Belton identified four narrative elements of the war film within the context of Hollywood production: a) the suspension of civilian morality during times of war, b) primacy of collective goals over individual motivations, c) rivalry between men in predominantly male groups as well as marginalization and objectification of women, and d) depiction of the reintegration of veterans. Film scholar Kathryn Kane has pointed out similarities between the war film genre and the Western. Both genres use opposing concepts like war and peace, civilization and savagery. War films usually frame World War II as a conflict between good and evil as represented by the Allied forces and Nazi Germany whereas the Western portrays the conflict between "civilized" settlers and the "savage" indigenous peoples. Film historian Jeanine Basinger argues that a sub-genre, the World War II combat film, emerged in 1943. This sub-genre depicts military action whereas the war film genre need not portray armed combat.