6 Best Civil War Veteran Movies

By Vlad Zakh · May 10, 2026

The Civil War didn’t end for the soldiers who survived it, and these films follow what came afterwards. Cold Mountain has a wounded Confederate deserter making a perilous journey home, The Outlaw Josey Wales has a Missouri farmer turned outlaw dodging Union soldiers, and Ride with the Devil follows a young man fighting with Confederate guerrillas. The Beguiled appears twice, in 1971 and 2017, and Shenandoah completes the six.

The Beguiled (2017)

TMDB ★ 6.2

A wounded Union soldier sheltering at a girls' school stirs up dangerous jealousy among its residents.

Directed by Sofia Coppola · 1h 33m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Criterion Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Cold Mountain (2003)

TMDB ★ 7.2

A wounded Confederate deserter makes a perilous journey home to the woman he loves.

Directed by Anthony Minghella · 2h 34m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Ride with the Devil (1999)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A young man fighting with Confederate guerrillas in Missouri confronts the brutal realities of the Civil War.

Directed by Ang Lee · 2h 18m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

TMDB ★ 7.8

A Missouri farmer turned outlaw evades the Union soldiers who massacred his family during the Civil War.

Directed by Clint Eastwood · 2h 15m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Beguiled (1971)

TMDB ★ 6.6

A wounded Union soldier taking refuge at a girls' school stirs up dangerous jealousy among its residents.

Directed by Don Siegel · 1h 45m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Shenandoah (1965)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A Virginia farmer determined to keep his family out of the Civil War is forced into the conflict when his son is taken.

Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen · 1h 45m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Civil War Veteran Movies

The Beguiled (2017)

Cold Mountain (2003)

Ride with the Devil (1999)

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

The Beguiled (1971)

Shenandoah (1965)

You might also like

8 Best Movies of 1976

10 Best Clint Eastwood Movies

Elle Fanning – 10 Best Movies

50 Best Revenge Movies of All Time

Renée Zellweger – 10 Best Movies

11 Best Bulgarian Movies to Watch