Historical (Movies/TV/documentaries)
by Jochem201 | created - 11 Jan 2019 | updated - 3 months ago | PublicHistorical movies, TV-shows and documentaries that are based on historical events or time periods.
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1. Band of Brothers (2001)
TV-MA | 59 min | Drama, History, War
The story of Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division and their mission in World War II Europe, from Operation Overlord to V-J Day.
Stars: Scott Grimes, Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Shane Taylor
Votes: 527,856
2. The Crown (2016–2023)
TV-MA | 60 min | Biography, Drama, History
Follows the political rivalries and romances of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped Britain for the second half of the 20th century.
Stars: Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, Imelda Staunton, Matt Smith
Votes: 256,934
3. The Pacific (2010)
TV-MA | 53 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The Pacific Theatre of World War II, as seen through the eyes of several young Marines.
Stars: James Badge Dale, Joseph Mazzello, Jon Seda, Ashton Holmes
Votes: 130,186
4. Braveheart (1995)
R | 178 min | Biography, Drama, War
Scottish warrior William Wallace leads his countrymen in a rebellion to free his homeland from the tyranny of King Edward I of England.
Director: Mel Gibson | Stars: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan, Angus Macfadyen
Votes: 1,091,886 | Gross: $75.60M
5. Gladiator (2000)
R | 155 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed
Votes: 1,621,407 | Gross: $187.71M
6. Schindler's List (1993)
R | 195 min | Biography, Drama, History
In German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Caroline Goodall
Votes: 1,451,796 | Gross: $96.90M
7. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
R | 169 min | Drama, War
Following the Normandy Landings, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns
Votes: 1,497,357 | Gross: $216.54M
8. Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
R | 139 min | Biography, Drama, History
World War II American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, serving during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people and becomes the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.
Director: Mel Gibson | Stars: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer
Votes: 594,784 | Gross: $67.21M
9. Vikings (2013–2020)
TV-MA | 45 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Vikings transports us to the brutal and mysterious world of Ragnar Lothbrok, a Viking warrior and farmer who yearns to explore--and raid--the distant shores across the ocean.
Stars: Katheryn Winnick, Gustaf Skarsgård, Alexander Ludwig, Georgia Hirst
Votes: 583,508
10. Darkest Hour (2017)
PG-13 | 125 min | Drama, War
In May 1940, the fate of World War II hangs on Winston Churchill, who must decide whether to negotiate with Adolf Hitler, or fight on knowing that it could mean the end of the British Empire.
Director: Joe Wright | Stars: Gary Oldman, Lily James, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn
Votes: 220,920 | Gross: $56.47M
11. Rome (2005–2007)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Drama, Romance
A down-to-earth account of the lives of both illustrious and ordinary Romans set in the last days of the Roman Republic.
Stars: Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, Polly Walker, Kerry Condon
Votes: 185,510
12. Black Sails (2014–2017)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Follows Captain Flint and his pirates twenty years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel "Treasure Island."
Stars: Jessica Parker Kennedy, Toby Stephens, Hannah New, Zach McGowan
Votes: 114,022
13. Medici (2016–2019)
TV-14 | 1,314 min | Biography, Drama, History
A political family drama set in Florence in the early fifteenth century. Cosimo de Medici finds himself at the helm of his banking dynasty when his father, Giovanni, dies suddenly.
Stars: Daniel Sharman, Alessandra Mastronardi, Synnove Karlsen, Sebastian De Souza
Votes: 22,327
14. World War II in Colour (2009)
TV-MA | 51 min | Documentary, History, War
Recounts the events of world War II in color.
Stars: Robert Powell, Swaylee Loughnane
Votes: 7,483
15. Narcos: Mexico (2018–2021)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama
The rise of the Guadalajara Cartel as an American DEA agent learns the danger of targeting narcos in Mexico.
Stars: Scoot McNairy, José María Yazpik, Alejandro Edda, Alfonso Dosal
Votes: 92,958
16. Narcos (2015–2017)
TV-MA | 50 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
A chronicled look at the criminal exploits of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, as well as the many other drug kingpins who plagued the country through the years.
Stars: Pedro Pascal, Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook, Alberto Ammann
Votes: 470,746
17. Knightfall (2017–2019)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A look at the final days of the Knights Templar during the 14th century.
Stars: Tom Cullen, Pádraic Delaney, Simon Merrells, Julian Ovenden
Votes: 22,127
18. The Americans (2013–2018)
TV-MA | 44 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
At the height of the Cold War, two Russian agents pose as the average American couple, complete with family.
Stars: Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Keidrich Sellati, Holly Taylor
Votes: 111,406
19. Manhattan (2014–2015)
TV-14 | 1,120 min | Drama, History, War
In 1943 Los Alamos, New Mexico, a team of government scientists is working on the top-secret Manhattan Project in a race to produce an atomic bomb before the Nazis. Meanwhile, their families adjust to life on the military base.
Stars: Rachel Brosnahan, Michael Chernus, Christopher Denham, Katja Herbers
Votes: 9,738
20. The Musketeers (2014–2016)
TV-14 | 55 min | Adventure, Drama
Set on the streets of 17th-century Paris, "The Musketeers" gives a contemporary take on the classic story about a group of highly trained soldiers and bodyguards assigned to protect King and country.
Stars: Luke Pasqualino, Tom Burke, Santiago Cabrera, Howard Charles
Votes: 23,864
21. Marco Polo (2014–2016)
TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
In a world replete with greed, betrayal, sexual intrigue and rivalry, "Marco Polo" is based on the famed explorer's adventures in Kublai Khan's court in 13th century Mongolia.
Stars: Lorenzo Richelmy, Benedict Wong, Joan Chen, Remy Hii
Votes: 78,731
22. 11.22.63 (2016)
TV-MA | 60 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
Jake Epping, a teacher, gets a chance to travel back in time to avert the death of John F. Kennedy. However, history's aversion to alteration and his love for the era and a woman endanger him.
Stars: James Franco, Sarah Gadon, George MacKay, Chris Cooper
Votes: 99,427
23. Roman Empire (2016–2019)
TV-MA | 48 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama
Chronicles some of the most famous leaders of the Roman Civilization.
Stars: Aaron Irvin, Corey Brennan, Jerry Toner, Steve West
Votes: 9,379
24. Dunkirk (2017)
PG-13 | 106 min | Action, Drama, History
Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Commonwealth and Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Fionn Whitehead, Barry Keoghan, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy
Votes: 740,638 | Gross: $188.37M
25. First Man (2018)
PG-13 | 141 min | Biography, Drama, History
A look at the life of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong, and the legendary space mission that led him to become the first man to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969.
Director: Damien Chazelle | Stars: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler
Votes: 202,359 | Gross: $44.94M
26. The Siege of Jadotville (2016)
TV-MA | 108 min | Action, Drama, History
Irish Commandant Pat Quinlan leads a stand off with troops against French and Belgian Mercenaries in the Congo during the early 1960s.
Director: Richie Smyth | Stars: Jamie Dornan, Emmanuelle Seigner, Mark Strong, Mikael Persbrandt
Votes: 44,386
27. Outlaw King (2018)
R | 121 min | Action, Biography, Drama
A true David vs. Goliath story of how the 14th century Scottish 'Outlaw King' Robert the Bruce used cunning and bravery to defeat the much larger and better equipped occupying English army.
Director: David Mackenzie | Stars: Chris Pine, Stephen Dillane, Rebecca Robin, Billy Howle
Votes: 81,018
28. They Shall Not Grow Old (II) (2018)
R | 99 min | Documentary, History, War
A documentary about World War I with never-before-seen footage to commemorate the centennial of the end of the war.
Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Thomas Adlam, William Argent, John Ashby, Attwood
Votes: 38,477 | Gross: $17.96M
29. The Theory of Everything (2014)
PG-13 | 123 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
Stephen Hawking gets unprecedented success in the field of physics despite being diagnosed with motor neuron disease at the age of 21. He defeats awful odds as his first wife Jane aids him loyally.
Director: James Marsh | Stars: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Tom Prior, Sophie Perry
Votes: 482,331 | Gross: $35.89M
30. The Lost City of Z (2016)
PG-13 | 141 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
A true-life drama, centering on British explorer Major Percival Fawcett, who disappeared whilst searching for a mysterious city in the Amazon in the 1920s.
Director: James Gray | Stars: Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, Tom Holland
Votes: 99,518 | Gross: $8.58M
31. Fury (2014)
R | 134 min | Action, Drama, War
A grizzled tank commander makes tough decisions as he and his crew fight their way across Germany in April, 1945.
Director: David Ayer | Stars: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Peña
Votes: 547,620 | Gross: $85.82M
32. The Imitation Game (2014)
PG-13 | 114 min | Biography, Drama, Thriller
During World War II, the English mathematical genius Alan Turing tries to crack the German Enigma code with help from fellow mathematicians while attempting to come to terms with his troubled private life.
Director: Morten Tyldum | Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Allen Leech
Votes: 825,475 | Gross: $91.13M
33. A Beautiful Mind (2001)
PG-13 | 135 min | Biography, Drama, Mystery
A mathematical genius, John Nash made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a harrowing journey of self-discovery.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Russell Crowe, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer
Votes: 987,545 | Gross: $170.74M
34. Spitfire (III) (2018)
TV-PG | 99 min | Documentary, History, War
The story of the fighter plane and pilots that helped win the Battle of Britain in World War II.
Directors: David Fairhead, Ant Palmer | Stars: John Ackroyd, Charles Dance, Mary Ellis, Paul Farnes
Votes: 1,272
35. Tokyo Trial (2016)
200 min | Drama, History
A historical drama that focuses on a decade-long investigation into events in the Pacific during and after WWII.
Stars: Tim Ahern, Paul Freeman, Serge Hazanavicius, Marcel Hensema
Votes: 1,975
36. The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015)
PG-13 | 108 min | Biography, Drama
The story of the life and academic career of the pioneer Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan, and his friendship with his mentor, Professor G.H. Hardy.
Director: Matt Brown | Stars: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, Malcolm Sinclair, Raghuvir Joshi
Votes: 62,183 | Gross: $3.87M
37. The King (I) (2019)
R | 140 min | Biography, Drama, History
Young Henry V encounters deceit, war and treachery after becoming King of England in the 15th century, in the aftermath of his brother's death.
Director: David Michôd | Stars: Tom Glynn-Carney, Gábor Czap, Tom Fisher, Edward Ashley
Votes: 153,034
38. Churchill (2017)
PG | 105 min | Biography, Drama, History
Ninety-six hours before the World War II invasion of Normandy, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill struggles with his severe reservations with Operation Overlord and his increasingly marginalized role in the war effort.
Director: Jonathan Teplitzky | Stars: Brian Cox, Miranda Richardson, John Slattery, Julian Wadham
Votes: 15,788 | Gross: $1.28M
39. Hostiles (2017)
R | 134 min | Drama, Western
In 1892, a legendary Army Captain reluctantly agrees to escort a Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous territory.
Director: Scott Cooper | Stars: Scott Shepherd, Rosamund Pike, Ava Cooper, Stella Cooper
Votes: 95,772 | Gross: $29.82M
40. Land of Mine (2015)
R | 100 min | Drama, History, War
In post-World War II Denmark, a group of young German POWs are forced to clear a beach of thousands of land mines under the watch of a Danish Sergeant who slowly learns to appreciate their plight.
Director: Martin Zandvliet | Stars: Roland Møller, Louis Hofmann, Joel Basman, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard
Votes: 45,802 | Gross: $0.44M
41. Frost/Nixon (2008)
R | 122 min | Biography, Drama, History
A dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate television interviews between British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell
Votes: 112,498 | Gross: $18.59M
42. Lincoln (2012)
PG-13 | 150 min | Biography, Drama, History
As the Civil War rages on, U.S President Abraham Lincoln struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on his decision to emancipate the slaves.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Votes: 272,743 | Gross: $182.21M
43. Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
R | 141 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The story of the battle of Iwo Jima between the United States and Imperial Japan during World War II, as told from the perspective of the Japanese who fought it.
Director: Clint Eastwood | Stars: Ken Watanabe, Kazunari Ninomiya, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Ryô Kase
Votes: 170,113 | Gross: $13.76M
44. Stockholm (2018)
R | 92 min | Biography, Comedy, Crime
Based on the absurd but true 1973 bank heist and hostage crisis in Stockholm that was documented in the New Yorker as the origins of the 'Stockholm Syndrome'.
Director: Robert Budreau | Stars: Ethan Hawke, Noomi Rapace, Mark Strong, Christopher Heyerdahl
Votes: 14,722 | Gross: $0.30M
45. 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)
PG-13 | 154 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
Christopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas and the effect this has on the indigenous people.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Gérard Depardieu, Armand Assante, Sigourney Weaver, Loren Dean
Votes: 32,823 | Gross: $7.19M
46. Downfall (2004)
R | 156 min | Biography, Drama, History
Traudl Junge, the final secretary for Adolf Hitler, tells of the Nazi dictator's final days in his Berlin bunker at the end of WWII.
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel | Stars: Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara, Ulrich Matthes, Juliane Köhler
Votes: 375,424 | Gross: $5.51M
47. Spotlight (I) (2015)
R | 129 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.
Director: Tom McCarthy | Stars: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber
Votes: 502,392 | Gross: $45.06M
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