War films suitable for a 9 year old

[Student58]

My 9 year old is currently obsessed with tanks, ships, aeroplanes, submarines etc from WW2. I don't like him just searching on Youtube so we are looking for documentaries or films that are good and free and a 12 rating or less. He has seen Memphis Belle and Battle of Britain. He's watched some Time Team where they dig up crashed planes and the Channel 4 documentaries about a man rebuilding a tank. He is really interested in the technology without really grasping the awfulness of it and I'd like him to stay that way for the moment.

Anyone got any suggestions for anything else suitable?

Read Conrad's War by Andrew Davies aloud with him. It addresses precisely this issue between a boy and his parents, in a very engaging and sometimes humorous way. Read it recently with my 8 year old son. We both enjoyed it.

g.co/kgs/8FDDMH

Dunkirk

Mesmeri that looks perfect, thanks.

Oh sorry - just re-read your original post. Maybe not so suitable if you don't want to introduce him to the awfulness of it.

The book is about Conrad gradually realising that war is scary and horrible. But it is suitable for children.

Mesmeri I'm more concerned about age appropriateness than anything, I don't like him searching on youtube even with restrictions on, some things are a bit too graphic and some are cartoony things that I feel are a bit flippant and dismissive of loss of life.

Maybe not Dunkirk then

War is ultimately about violence though so maybe just documentaries about the planes etc until he's a bit older

Has he seen goodnight mr Tom? Not so much about planes but it’s a lovely film about an evacuated boy of about 12.

You know your child best, but maybe the more American ones Pearl harbour or u571, if you can make it very clear we found the enigma machine not the americans. Personally my favourite is bedknobs and broomsticks.

War horse, Hope and Glory,

The book thief?

I saw War Horse was available as an audiobook on BBC iplayer a couple of weeks ago (don't know if it's still there though). Goodnight Mr Tom is a lovely film but there are some desperately sad/horrible non-war related bits - I would watch it through first.

There was a programme on years ago. called 'Doing Da Vinci' where people used DaVinci's plans to make his inventions. There was catapults and chariots, it was really interesting.

i was just about to say the same thing about mr tom.
the london scenes are horrific, esp for a young child.
what about something from/ by the imperial war museum.
and older films, like that one about barnes wallis inventing the bouncing bomb. is it the dambusters, or am i mixing up two different ones.
anyway, on talking pictures on freeview there are often war films from the 40s, 50s, 60s, which are more suitable for all the family. good luck.

what about, reach for the sky, the story of douglas bader. a great film.
i loved that when i was young, and i read the book, by paul brickhill, see i still remember his name after all these years !
a real life adventure story.

No suggestions but a great question, would love to see some ideas too.

Valiant! Its a war film but centers around a carrier pigeon. Not a documentary though.

Ice cold in Alex
The Great Escape
The Sound of Music!

The Great Dictator
My kids loved it at that age, and they still do.

Have you got Netflix? The documentary ww2 in colour is on and that’s good.

The Dam Busters

Maybe some of the Dad's Army episodes would interest him? I certainly remember watching them with my parents as a child and enjoying them.

Also, if you can find it, there is a black and white TV series based on the Biggles books, mostly about his time as a WW2 pilot.

What about Sergeant Stubby - animated feature based on a true story about a dog in the First World War battlefield. I’ve watched it teice and it’s quite good. Age appropriate and doesn’t shy from showing war.

Life is beautiful might be appropriate too about a father protecting his son in a concentration camp.

I’d make a shout For “Grave of the fireflies” - an animated film but probably the saddest film I’ve seen. It’s well worth watching for maybe when he is about 12 though.

All Quiet on the western front is a classic (Original), really good film.

The Great Escape

Thank you for this thread! Lots of good ideas for my son as well.