Sam's Army (1999): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1999, Sam's Army is a documentary and war film directed by Alan Erlich, running about 90 minutes.

What it’s about. Canada was led to war by a bigoted, ignorant, self-obsessed Minister of Militia, who may well have been clinically insane, but the importance of Canada's contribution in that war owes a great deal to him. The man of course, was Colonel - later made Lieutenant General by his own hand - Sam Hughes. Sam's Army is a compelling portrait of a complex man and the formidable military he built. Sam Hughes was not your standard-issue military leader. Canada's World War I Minister of Militia and Defence concentrated power in his own hands, insisted that the Canadian military use the ill-conceived Ross rifle and liberally promoted his cronies. But there was no denying Hughes was a visionary. He assembled the world's largest-ever volunteer army and bucked superiors to keep his ferocious fighting force together in one Canadian Corps.

Who’s in it. Sam's Army stars Paul Gross as Narrator, Bradford Jackson, Brad Austin and John Bayliss, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 9.0/10, Sam's Army sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Sam's Army page.

If you liked it. Fans of Sam's Army tend to enjoy One Direction: This Is Us, Burn the Stage: The Movie, BTS World Tour: Love Yourself - Japan Edition and Senna.