List of Movies Concerning the History and Literature of the 19th Century
by Sherrill777 | created - 28 Feb 2013 | updated - 03 Aug 2013 | PublicThis list is designed to supplement the study of the 19th Century (1800-1900AD). It is by no means a comprehensive list, but I did try to find the 'best of' in every category.
To help find what you might be interested in here is a table of contents with topic (note that there is sometimes overlap):
Napoleon & Regency Era (1800-1830) - 1
Europe in the Victorian Era (1830-1900) - 20
"Wild West" Folk-tales - 38
Early US History - 49
US Civil War - 70
1800s Literature -107
Far East (China/India/Japan) - 133
Australia - 144
Africa - 147
I tried to find as many documentaries/dramas/docu-dramas as I could find of this time period for both history and Literature, but some areas are simply very sparsely covered (like non-US/European history). I would very much welcome additions, if you can find something that fits.
My criteria for a movie/show to be included were that:
1) It had to fall within the historical time-frame given,
2) It had to receive at least a star rating of 6.0 from IMDb,
3) It had to be at least be theoretically possible to FIND the movie somewhere, such as on Netflix or Amazon.
I tried to find multiple age ratings for each category, but wasn't always successful. I have NOT watched most of the movies listed here, so cannot guarantee their quality or appropriateness.
*Parental Discretion Advised when selecting from this list*
Please see my other lists for other Historical periods or for simply a list of 'movies everyone should see'.
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. Napoléon (2002)
380 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
A masterful soldier, tactician, and statesmen, Napoleon Bonaparte, with courage and love for his country, rises from an unpaid general consumed with ambition to the most powerful man in Europe. But his life ends with a fall and exile.
Stars: Christian Clavier, Isabella Rossellini, Gérard Depardieu, John Malkovich
Votes: 5,025
2. N (Io e Napoleone) (2006)
110 min | Comedy, History, War
When Napoleon arrives to Elba Island in exile, Martino, an idealist teacher and writer, plots to kill him.
Director: Paolo Virzì | Stars: Daniel Auteuil, Elio Germano, Monica Bellucci, Sabrina Impacciatore
Votes: 1,447
Also known as 'Napoleon and Me'.
3. Napoleon (2000– )
240 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Documentary about the rise and fall of one of the greatest military geniuses of modern times from his Corsican childhood to final exile in St. Helena.
Star: David McCullough
Votes: 406
4-hour PBS mini-series. Also known as 'Empires: Napoleon'.
4. Napoleon and Love (1974)
469 min | Biography, Drama, History
A dramatized account of Napoleon's love life and his many women. From first love, marriage, and betrayal with Josephine, liaisons with actresses, his love for the beautiful patriotic Marie ... See full summary »
Stars: Ian Holm, Billie Whitelaw, Peter Bowles, Peter Jeffrey
Votes: 87
5. Vanity Fair (2004)
PG-13 | 141 min | Drama
Growing up poor in London, Becky Sharp defies her poverty-stricken background and ascends the social ladder alongside her best friend, Amelia Sedley.
Director: Mira Nair | Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Romola Garai, James Purefoy, Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Votes: 23,508 | Gross: $16.14M
6. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
PG-13 | 138 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
During the Napoleonic Wars, a brash British captain pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable French war vessel around South America.
Director: Peter Weir | Stars: Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, Billy Boyd, James D'Arcy
Votes: 238,056 | Gross: $93.93M
7. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
PG | 126 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
An account of Baron Munchausen's supposed travels and fantastical experiences across late 18th-century Europe with his band of misfits.
Director: Terry Gilliam | Stars: John Neville, Eric Idle, Sarah Polley, Oliver Reed
Votes: 56,891 | Gross: $8.08M
8. Hornblower: Mutiny (2001 TV Movie)
98 min | Adventure, Drama, History
Hornblower and his comrades come under the command of a revered but obviously mentally unstable captain and eventually must mutiny.
Director: Andrew Grieve | Stars: Ioan Gruffudd, Robert Lindsay, David Warner, Nicholas Jones
Votes: 4,475
There are a lot more Horatio Hornblower TV movies, but I only list this one.
9.
Sharpe (1993–2008)
Episode:
Sharpe's Rifles
(1993)
TV-MA | 102 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
In the Peninsular War, a British sergeant is field promoted to a lieutenant in charge of a disrespectful rifle company.
Director: Tom Clegg | Stars: Sean Bean, Assumpta Serna, Brian Cox, Daragh O'Malley
Votes: 4,446
There are a whole bunch more TV movies with 'Sharpe', but I only list this one.
10. War and Peace (1956)
PG | 208 min | Drama, Romance, War
Napoleon's tumultuous relations with Russia, including his disastrous 1812 invasion, serve as the backdrop for the tangled personal lives of two aristocratic families.
Director: King Vidor | Stars: Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Mel Ferrer, Vittorio Gassman
Votes: 10,867 | Gross: $12.50M
This could also be part of the Literature section, but I placed it here instead.
11. The Emperor's New Clothes (2001)
PG | 107 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
During Napoleon's exile on St. Helena, some loyalists hire a look-alike to swap places with the deposed Emperor. While the impostor lives in luxury on the island, the real Napoleon returns to Paris in order to retake the throne.
Director: Alan Taylor | Stars: Ian Holm, Iben Hjejle, Tim McInnerny, Tom Watson
Votes: 2,757 | Gross: $0.57M
12. Waterloo (I) (1970)
G | 123 min | Action, Biography, Drama
Facing the decline of everything he has worked to obtain, conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte and his army confront the British at the Battle of Waterloo.
Director: Sergey Bondarchuk | Stars: Rod Steiger, Christopher Plummer, Orson Welles, Jack Hawkins
Votes: 12,639 | Gross: $3.05M
13. The Duellists (1977)
PG | 100 min | Drama, War
France, 1801. Due to a minor perceived slight, mild-mannered Lieutenant d'Hubert is forced into a duel with hot-headed irrational Lieutenant Feraud. The disagreement ultimately results in scores of duels spanning several years.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Keith Carradine, Harvey Keitel, Albert Finney, Edward Fox
Votes: 26,735 | Gross: $0.20M
14. St. Ives (1998)
R | 90 min | Drama, Romance
In 1813, Capitaine Jacques St. Ives, a Hussar in the Napoleonic wars, is captured and sent to a Scottish prison camp. He's a swashbuckler, so the prison's commander, Major Farquar ... See full summary »
Director: Harry Hook | Stars: Jean-Marc Barr, Miranda Richardson, Richard E. Grant, Anna Friel
Votes: 827
15. Les Misérables (1998)
PG-13 | 134 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
Valjean, a former criminal, has atoned for his past and now finds himself in the midst of the French Revolution, avoiding a law-obsessed policeman hell-bent on capturing him.
Director: Bille August | Stars: Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush, Uma Thurman, Christopher Adamson
Votes: 43,199 | Gross: $14.10M
16. Les Misérables (2012)
PG-13 | 158 min | Drama, Musical, Romance
In 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker's daughter. The decision changes their lives forever.
Director: Tom Hooper | Stars: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried
Votes: 346,144 | Gross: $148.81M
I highly recommend seeing the Broadway production of this, if possible.
17. The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
PG-13 | 131 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A young man, falsely imprisoned by his jealous "friend", escapes and uses a hidden treasure to exact his revenge.
Director: Kevin Reynolds | Stars: Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Christopher Adamson, JB Blanc
Votes: 148,539 | Gross: $54.23M
This could also be placed in the Literature section.
18. The Count of Monte Cristo (1998)
400 min | Adventure, History, Romance
Edmond Dantes is unjustly sent to prison for 18 years. He escapes to reclaim his fiancée Mercedes and revenge against his nemesis, Mondego.
Stars: Gérard Depardieu, Ornella Muti, Jean Rochefort, Pierre Arditi
Votes: 6,972
This version is much more faithful to the novel than the above movie, but this mini-series only has English subtitles.
19. The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974)
Not Rated | 110 min | Biography, Drama, History
A young man named Kaspar Hauser suddenly appears in Nuremberg in 1828, barely able to talk or walk, and bearing a strange note.
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Bruno S., Walter Ladengast, Brigitte Mira, Willy Semmelrogge
Votes: 18,916
20. The Young Victoria (2009)
PG | 105 min | Biography, Drama, History
A dramatization of the turbulent first years of Queen Victoria's rule, and her enduring romance with Prince Albert.
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée | Stars: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson
Votes: 66,419 | Gross: $11.00M
This begins the section of the Victorian Era for Europe.
21. The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968)
PG-13 | 139 min | Drama, History, War
In 1854, during the Crimean War, poor planning leads to the British Light Brigade openly charging a Russian artillery position with tragic consequences.
Director: Tony Richardson | Stars: Trevor Howard, Vanessa Redgrave, John Gielgud, Harry Andrews
Votes: 3,881
22. The Impressionists (2006–2007)
Drama
"Three hour mini-series tells the intimate history of a most illustrious brotherhood of Impressionist artists - Monet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne and Manet. Entirely based on documentary ... See full summary »
Stars: Richard Armitage, Julian Glover, Will Keen, Aden Gillett
Votes: 1,134
Any biographies of the various artists would work too!
23. Sissi (1955)
102 min | Comedy, Drama, History
In the first of a trilogy of movies about Elisabeth "Sissi" of Austria, the vibrant young princess catches the eye of her sister's fiancé, Emperor Franz Josef.
Director: Ernst Marischka | Stars: Romy Schneider, Karlheinz Böhm, Magda Schneider, Uta Franz
Votes: 9,983
The first of several films of this royal's life.
24. Mountains of the Moon (1990)
R | 136 min | Adventure, Drama, History
The legendary true-story of Capt. Richard Francis Burton and Lt. John Hanning Speke's tumultuous expedition to find the source of the Nile river.
Director: Bob Rafelson | Stars: Patrick Bergin, Iain Glen, Richard E. Grant, Fiona Shaw
Votes: 4,256 | Gross: $4.01M
25. Mrs. Brown (1997)
PG | 101 min | Biography, Drama, History
When Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert dies, she finds solace in her trusted servant, Mr. John Brown, but their relationship also brings scandal and turmoil.
Director: John Madden | Stars: Judi Dench, Billy Connolly, Geoffrey Palmer, Antony Sher
Votes: 15,597 | Gross: $9.22M
26. Victoria & Albert (2001)
200 min | Biography, Drama, History
The marriage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, a longtime royal love story.
Stars: Victoria Hamilton, Jonathan Firth, James Callis, Diana Rigg
Votes: 1,040
27. Guiana 1838 (2004)
Unrated | 120 min | Drama
The abolition of slavery in the British Caribbean in 1834 prompts Gillanders, Arbuthnot & Company in Calcutta, a part of the East India Company, to recruit Coolies from India to fill the ... See full summary »
Director: Rohit Jagessar | Stars: Kumar Gaurav, Aasheekaa Bathija, Henry Rodney, Neville Williams
Votes: 81 | Gross: $0.23M
28. The Brontës of Haworth (1973– )
60 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
Dramatized biography of the Brontë sisters Charlotte, Anne and Emily.
Stars: Alfred Burke, Vickery Turner, Ann Penfold, Barbara Leigh-Hunt
Votes: 122
29. Cranford (2007–2009)
TV-PG | 469 min | Drama
In the 1840s, Cranford is ruled by the ladies. They adore good gossip, and romance and change is in the air, as the unwelcome grasp of the Industrial Revolution rapidly approaches their beloved rural market-town.
Stars: Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Julia McKenzie, Deborah Findlay
Votes: 10,636
30. Anna Karenina (I) (2012)
R | 129 min | Drama, Romance
In late-19th-century Russian high society, St. Petersburg aristocrat Anna Karenina enters into a life-changing affair with the dashing Count Alexei Vronsky.
Director: Joe Wright | Stars: Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Matthew Macfadyen
Votes: 106,586 | Gross: $12.82M
31. From Hell (2001)
R | 122 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
After five ritualistic murders are committed in 1888 London, Inspector Abberline's assignment is to investigate the "Jack the Ripper" murders. Along with a string of mutilated prostitutes, he uncovers a conspiracy involving the government.
Directors: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes | Stars: Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Ian Holm, Robbie Coltrane
Votes: 164,265 | Gross: $31.60M
32. Jack the Ripper (1988)
TV-PG | 91 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A Scotland Yard police inspector, battling the booze, investigates the Jack the Ripper murders and discovers a conspiracy that leads all the way up to the Queen.
Stars: Michael Caine, Armand Assante, Ray McAnally, Lewis Collins
Votes: 5,678
33. The Leopard (1963)
PG | 186 min | Drama, History
The Prince of Salina, a noble aristocrat of impeccable integrity, tries to preserve his family and class amid the tumultuous social upheavals of 1860s Sicily.
Director: Luchino Visconti | Stars: Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon, Claudia Cardinale, Paolo Stoppa
Votes: 28,847
34. Immortal Beloved (1994)
R | 121 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The life and death of the legendary Ludwig van Beethoven. Besides all the work he is known for, the composer once wrote a famous love letter to a nameless beloved, and the movie tries to ... See full summary »
Director: Bernard Rose | Stars: Gary Oldman, Jeroen Krabbé, Isabella Rossellini, Johanna ter Steege
Votes: 26,222 | Gross: $9.91M
35. The Four Feathers (2002)
PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A young British officer resigns his commission just before his regiment is sent to battle and soon receives four white feathers from his friends and fiancee as symbols of what they view as his cowardice.
Director: Shekhar Kapur | Stars: Heath Ledger, Wes Bentley, Kate Hudson, Mohamed Bouich
Votes: 35,503 | Gross: $18.31M
36. The Irish Empire (1999– )
250 min
An exploration of the history of Irish migration.
Star: Fiona Shaw
Votes: 15
37. Khartoum (1966)
Approved | 128 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
In the Sudan, in 1884 to 1885, Egyptian forces led by British General Charles "Chinese" Gordon (Charlton Heston) defend Khartoum against an invading Muslim Army led by a religious fanatic, Mohammed Ahmed el Mahdi (Sir Laurence Olivier).
Directors: Basil Dearden, Eliot Elisofon | Stars: Charlton Heston, Laurence Olivier, Richard Johnson, Ralph Richardson
Votes: 8,276 | Gross: $6.54M
This doesn't technically take place in Europe, but I'm leaving it in this location on the list anyway since it doesn't seem to fit anywhere very well.
38. Tall Tales & Legends (1985–1988)
Comedy, Drama, Family
An anthology series that showcases various mythical characters and incidents throughout history.
Stars: Shelley Duvall, David McCharen, Stewart Duvall, Michael McKean
Votes: 229
This begins the section on "The Wild West Folk Tales".
39. Bunyan and Babe (2017)
PG | 84 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Travis and Whitney visit their grandparents and stumble upon the evil plan of a greedy land developer. Travis falls through a magical portal which transports him to the world of American hero, Paul Bunyan and his pet ox, Babe.
Director: Louis Ross | Stars: John Goodman, Jeff Foxworthy, Kelsey Grammer, Johnny Orlando
Votes: 444
40. Song of the South (1946)
G | 94 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
The kindly story-teller Uncle Remus tells a young boy stories about trickster Br'er Rabbit, who outwits Br'er Fox and slow-witted Br'er Bear.
Directors: Harve Foster, Wilfred Jackson | Stars: Ruth Warrick, Bobby Driscoll, James Baskett, Luana Patten
Votes: 15,239 | Gross: $63.72M
This one may be impossible to find as a DVD, but you can catch parts (or all of it) on YouTube.
41. American Legends (2001 Video)
Not Rated | 57 min | Animation, Family, Fantasy
Consists of new narration by James Earl Jones, which is interspersed with the Disney shorts John Henry (2000), Johnny Appleseed (1948), Paul Bunyan (1958), and The Brave Engineer (1950).
Directors: Lara Shapiro, Mark Henn, Wilfred Jackson, Jack Kinney | Stars: James Earl Jones, Alfre Woodard, Geoffrey Jones, Tim Hodge
Votes: 431
A collection of shorts. Searching for them by individual title on Netflix may be useful.
42. Lonesome Dove (1989)
TV-14 | 96 min | Adventure, Drama, Western
Two former Texas Rangers renew their spirit of adventure as they and several other residents of a small Texas town join a cattle drive to the Montana Territory.
Stars: Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Danny Glover, Diane Lane
Votes: 25,934
This is my token "Western" movie. Since there are hundreds of Westerns, I don't bother listing them all out, but if you like the genre, here during the pre- (and a bit of post-) Civil War era is the best time to watch them.
I suggest: 'Shane', 'Stagecoach' and 'High Noon' as the best choices.
43. The Mask of Zorro (1998)
PG-13 | 136 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A young thief seeking revenge for his brother's death is trained by the once-great, aging Zorro, who is pursuing his own vengeance.
Director: Martin Campbell | Stars: Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, José María de Tavira
Votes: 197,885 | Gross: $94.10M
A superhero of the old West! - There was, of course, a TV series (and a movie sequel) if you prefer.
44. Maverick (1994)
PG | 127 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Bret Maverick, needing money for a poker tournament, faces various comic mishaps and challenges, including a charming woman thief.
Director: Richard Donner | Stars: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, James Garner, Graham Greene
Votes: 119,109 | Gross: $101.63M
Another one that's based off of a TV series.
45. The Lone Ranger (2013)
PG-13 | 150 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Native American warrior Tonto recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid, a man of the law, into a legend of justice.
Director: Gore Verbinski | Stars: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, William Fichtner, Tom Wilkinson
Votes: 244,560 | Gross: $89.30M
And another with a TV series...
46. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)
G | 83 min | Animation, Adventure, Drama
A captured mustang remains determined to return to his herd no matter what.
Directors: Kelly Asbury, Lorna Cook | Stars: Matt Damon, James Cromwell, Daniel Studi, Chopper Bernet
Votes: 85,435 | Gross: $73.28M
This isn't a classic folk-tale or legend, but it is a nice movie to introduce the 'Wild West' to a young child.
47. Time Machine: Boone and Crockett - The Hunter Heroes (2001 TV Movie)
90 min | Documentary
Dual biographies of the legendary American frontiersmen Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett.
Director: Gary Foreman | Stars: Mark A. Baker, Morgan Raque, John Timms
48. Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier (1955)
Approved | 93 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
American frontiersman Davy Crockett fights in the Creek Indian War, is elected to the U.S. Congress and fights for Texas at the Alamo.
Director: Norman Foster | Stars: Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, Basil Ruysdael, Hans Conried
Votes: 4,890
There are several Davy Crockett movies. Since he was a real person, this may fit more with history than folk tales, but considering how historically inaccurate he is in these movies, I felt it was better to place him here.
49. Tombstone (1993)
R | 130 min | Biography, Drama, History
A successful lawman's plans to retire anonymously in Tombstone, Arizona are disrupted by the kind of outlaws he was famous for eliminating.
Directors: George P. Cosmatos, Kevin Jarre | Stars: Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton
Votes: 166,424 | Gross: $56.51M
The line between folklore and history is a bit blurred here, but I'll place this as the start of the Early US history (despite the numerous bits of this film that are probably more legend than fact).
50. Wyatt Earp (1994)
PG-13 | 191 min | Action, Adventure, Biography
From Wichita to Dodge City, to the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, a man becomes a myth in this thrilling journey of romance, adventure, and desperate heroic action.
Director: Lawrence Kasdan | Stars: Kevin Costner, Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman, David Andrews
Votes: 54,970 | Gross: $25.05M
51. Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973)
R | 122 min | Biography, Drama, Western
Pat Garrett is hired as a lawman on behalf of a group of wealthy New Mexico cattle barons to bring down his old friend Billy the Kid.
Director: Sam Peckinpah | Stars: James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, Richard Jaeckel, Katy Jurado
Votes: 21,097 | Gross: $0.95M
52. Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (1997 TV Movie)
TV-G | 240 min | Documentary, Adventure, Biography
The story of the most important American exploration expedition in American history and the participants in it.
Director: Ken Burns | Stars: Hal Holbrook, Adam Arkin, John Logan Allen, Stephen Ambrose
Votes: 1,418
53. The Journey of Sacagawea (2004 TV Movie)
Documentary
Director: Alan Austin | Star: Rita Coolidge
Votes: 17
54. How the West Was Won (1962)
G | 164 min | Adventure, War, Western
A family saga covering several decades of Westward expansion in the 19th century, including the Gold Rush, the Civil War, and the building of the railroads.
Directors: John Ford, Henry Hathaway, George Marshall, Richard Thorpe | Stars: James Stewart, John Wayne, Gregory Peck, Henry Fonda
Votes: 23,344 | Gross: $46.50M
55. The War of 1812 (2011)
TV-PG | 120 min | Drama, War
For two and a half years, Americans fought Against the British, Canadian colonists, and native nations. In the years to come, the War of 1812 would be celebrated in some places and ... See full summary »
Directors: Diane Garey, Lawrence R. Hott | Stars: Christopher Kozak, Joe Mantegna, Craig Williams
Votes: 178
56. First Invasion: The War of 1812 (2004 TV Movie)
Documentary, History, War
Elaborate reenactments are juxtaposed with comments by historians in this glossy review of America's "Second War of Independence" against Britain (1812-15). Included: the causes of the ... See full summary »
Director: Gary Foreman | Stars: Mark D. Hutter, Sally E. Bennett, Dave Fagerberg, H. David Wright
Votes: 156
57. The Buccaneer (1958)
Approved | 119 min | Adventure, Drama, History
During the War of 1812, Louisiana buccaneer Jean Lafitte assists the Americans in defending New Orleans against the attacking British war fleet.
Director: Anthony Quinn | Stars: Yul Brynner, Claire Bloom, Charles Boyer, Inger Stevens
Votes: 2,761
58. The Louisiana Purchase (2003 TV Movie)
50 min | History
The History Channel looks at the background of the Louisiana Purchase and how Thomas Jefferson's emissaries managed to double the size of the United States with the stroke of a pen.
Director: Jonathan Grupper | Stars: Edward Herrmann, David A. Bell, Carrie Collins, Daniel P. Jordan
Votes: 32
59. The Emigrants (1971)
PG | 151 min | Drama, History
Småland, Sweden, mid-19th century. A farming family struggle with their rocky, unyielding land, and decide to embark on the arduous journey to new hope in America.
Director: Jan Troell | Stars: Max von Sydow, Liv Ullmann, Eddie Axberg, Sven-Olof Bern
Votes: 7,470 | Gross: $1.16M
60. Amistad (1997)
R | 155 min | Biography, Drama, History
In 1839, the revolt of Mende captives aboard a Spanish owned ship causes a major controversy in the United States when the ship is captured off the coast of Long Island. The courts must decide whether the Mende are slaves or legally free.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Djimon Hounsou, Matthew McConaughey, Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman
Votes: 82,826 | Gross: $44.18M
61. The Alamo (1960)
Passed | 162 min | Adventure, Drama, History
In 1836, a small band of soldiers sacrifice their lives in hopeless combat against a massive army in order to prevent a tyrant from smashing the new Republic of Texas.
Director: John Wayne | Stars: John Wayne, Richard Widmark, Laurence Harvey, Frankie Avalon
Votes: 17,735 | Gross: $17.26M
62. Deadwood (2004–2006)
TV-MA | 60 min | Crime, Drama, History
A show set in the late 1800s, revolving around the characters of Deadwood, South Dakota; a town of deep corruption and crime.
Stars: Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker, Brad Dourif
Votes: 117,733
63. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
R | 160 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Robert Ford, who has idolized Jesse James since childhood, tries hard to join the resurgent gang of the Missouri outlaw, but gradually becomes resentful of the bandit leader.
Director: Andrew Dominik | Stars: Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard, Mary-Louise Parker
Votes: 192,876 | Gross: $3.90M
64. The Miracle Worker (1962)
Approved | 106 min | Biography, Drama
The story of Anne Sullivan's struggle to teach the blind and deaf Helen Keller how to communicate.
Director: Arthur Penn | Stars: Anne Bancroft, Patty Duke, Victor Jory, Inga Swenson
Votes: 20,516 | Gross: $5.45M
65. Geronimo: An American Legend (1993)
PG-13 | 115 min | Drama, History, Western
The story of the Apache chief and his armed resistance to the U.S. Government's subjugation of his people.
Director: Walter Hill | Stars: Jason Patric, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Wes Studi
Votes: 13,496 | Gross: $18.64M
66. Centennial (1978–1979)
TV-PG | 105 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
The economic and cultural growth of Colorado spanning two centuries from the mid 1700s to the late 1970s.
Stars: Raymond Burr, Barbara Carrera, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Conrad
Votes: 3,671
This mini-series covers a lengthy period of time (beyond the 1800s).
67. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 133 min | Drama, History, Western
A historic chronicle based on the book by Dee Brown explains how Native Americans were displaced as the United States expanded west.
Director: Yves Simoneau | Stars: Aidan Quinn, Adam Beach, August Schellenberg, Anna Paquin
Votes: 7,444
68. American Experience (1987– )
TV-PG | 120 min | Documentary, Biography, History
A series showcasing documentaries on American history.
Stars: David McCullough, David Ogden Stiers, Michael Murphy, Oliver Platt
Votes: 2,205
Episodes cover many different aspects of American History. Relevenant here might be 'Dolley Madison' or 'Walt Whitman', but I would suggest browsing through the options.
69. Rough Riders (1997)
16+ | 240 min | Action, Drama, History
Undersecretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt resigns to form a volunteer militia unit called "The Rough Riders" to fight in the Spanish-American War.
Stars: Tom Berenger, Sam Elliott, Gary Busey, Brad Johnson
Votes: 2,285
70. The Civil War (1990)
TV-14 | 76 min | Documentary, History, War
A comprehensive survey of the American Civil War.
Stars: David McCullough, Sam Waterston, Julie Harris, Jason Robards
Votes: 18,568
This begins the section on the US Civil War
71. Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (1961)
Not Rated | 28 min | Short, Adventure, Drama
In 1862, during the American Civil War, a Southern civilian is about to be hanged for attempting to sabotage a railway bridge. When the execution takes place from the bridge, the rope breaks and he begins his escape toward home.
Director: Robert Enrico | Stars: Roger Jacquet, Anne Cornaly, Anker-Spang Larsen, Stéphane Fey
Votes: 4,261
72. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
PG | 135 min | Drama, Western
Missouri farmer Josey Wales joins a Confederate guerrilla unit and winds up on the run from the Union soldiers who murdered his family.
Director: Clint Eastwood | Stars: Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Chief Dan George, Bill McKinney
Votes: 79,885 | Gross: $31.80M
73. Friendly Persuasion (1956)
Passed | 137 min | Drama, Family, Romance
The pacifist attitude of a Quaker family is tested as a result of the American Civil War.
Director: William Wyler | Stars: Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, Anthony Perkins, Richard Eyer
Votes: 7,746
74. Drums in the Deep South (1951)
Passed | 87 min | Western
Two old friends find themselves on opposite sides during the Civil War in a desperate battle atop an impregnable mountain.
Director: William Cameron Menzies | Stars: James Craig, Barbara Payton, Guy Madison, Barton MacLane
Votes: 431
75. Aftershock: Beyond the Civil War (2006 TV Movie)
Documentary, War
A inside look about life during the harsh period of Reconstruction after the American Civil War in rural southern states.
Director: David Padrusch | Stars: Lydia Alvita, Jennifer Antkowiak, Orion Barnes, Dan Bolton
Votes: 105
76. Alvarez Kelly (1966)
Approved | 116 min | Western
During the Civil War, Mexican cattleman Alvarez Kelly supplies the Union with cattle until Confederate Colonel Tom Rossiter's hungry men force Kelly to change his customers.
Director: Edward Dmytryk | Stars: William Holden, Richard Widmark, Janice Rule, Patrick O'Neal
Votes: 2,738
77. Andersonville (1996)
167 min | Drama, History, War
The story of the most notorious Confederate prisoner of war camp in the American Civil War.
Stars: Paul Andre Gibbons, Jarrod Emick, Frederic Forrest, Ted Marcoux
Votes: 2,097
Also the 'Andersonville Trial' is a movie on this topic.
78. Band of Angels (1957)
Passed | 125 min | Drama
Amantha Starr grows up as a privileged Southern belle in the ante-bellum South, but after her father dies broke, her world is destroyed when she discovers that her mother was Black.
Director: Raoul Walsh | Stars: Clark Gable, Yvonne De Carlo, Sidney Poitier, Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
Votes: 2,628
79. Dances with Wolves (1990)
PG-13 | 181 min | Adventure, Drama, Western
Lieutenant John Dunbar, assigned to a remote western Civil War outpost, finds himself engaging with a neighbouring Sioux settlement, causing him to question his own purpose.
Director: Kevin Costner | Stars: Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene, Rodney A. Grant
Votes: 290,837 | Gross: $184.21M
80. Gettysburg (1993)
PG | 271 min | Drama, History, War
In 1863, the Northern and Southern forces fight at Gettysburg in the decisive battle of the American Civil War.
Director: Ron Maxwell | Stars: Tom Berenger, Martin Sheen, Stephen Lang, Richard Jordan
Votes: 31,319 | Gross: $10.77M
81. Cold Mountain (2003)
R | 154 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance
In the waning days of the American Civil War, a wounded soldier embarks on a perilous journey back home to Cold Mountain, North Carolina to reunite with his sweetheart.
Director: Anthony Minghella | Stars: Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renée Zellweger, Eileen Atkins
Votes: 156,136 | Gross: $95.64M
82. Gone with the Wind (1939)
Passed | 238 min | Drama, Romance, War
A sheltered and manipulative Southern belle and a roguish profiteer face off in a turbulent romance as the society around them crumbles with the end of slavery and is rebuilt during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods.
Directors: Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Sam Wood | Stars: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Thomas Mitchell, Barbara O'Neil
Votes: 334,463 | Gross: $198.68M
83. The Colt (2005 TV Movie)
TV-PG | 80 min | Action, Drama, History
During the heat of battle in the midst of the Civil War, a beguilingly innocent colt is born to Union Jim Rabb's beloved mare. Refusing the orders to shoot it, lest it prove a hindrance, ... See full summary »
Director: Yelena Lanskaya | Stars: Ryan Merriman, Steve Bacic, William MacDonald, Darcy Belsher
Votes: 567
May be appropriate for a younger audience than most of these listed for the Civil War.
84. The Littlest Rebel (1935)
Approved | 73 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
Shirley Temple's father, a rebel officer, sneaks back to his rundown plantation to see his family and is arrested. A Yankee takes pity and sets up an escape. Everyone is captured and the ... See full summary »
Director: David Butler | Stars: Shirley Temple, John Boles, Jack Holt, Karen Morley
Votes: 1,678
This would be appropriate for a young audience.
85. The Hunley (1999 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 94 min | Action, Drama, History
During the siege of Charleston of 1864, Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley becomes the first submersible to sink an enemy warship in wartime.
Director: John Gray | Stars: Armand Assante, Donald Sutherland, Alex Jennings, Chris Bauer
Votes: 1,308
86. Major Dundee (1965)
PG-13 | 123 min | Adventure, Drama, War
In 1864, due to frequent Apache raids from Mexico into the U.S., a Union officer decides to illegally cross the border and destroy the Apache, using a mixed army of Union troops, Confederate POWs, civilian mercenaries, and scouts.
Director: Sam Peckinpah | Stars: Charlton Heston, Richard Harris, Jim Hutton, James Coburn
Votes: 8,828 | Gross: $0.01M
87. Hatfields & McCoys (2012)
TV-14 | 97 min | Drama, History, Romance
Dramatization of the bitter blood feud between the two families on the West Virginia/Kentucky border in the years after the Civil War.
Stars: Kevin Costner, Bill Paxton, Matt Barr, Tom Berenger
Votes: 29,345
88. The Great Locomotive Chase (1956)
Approved | 85 min | Action, Adventure, Family
During the Civil War Union spy Andrews and his men volunteer to steal a Confederate train and drive it to Union territory while destroying the Confederate railway system along the way.
Director: Francis D. Lyon | Stars: Fess Parker, Jeffrey Hunter, Jeff York, John Lupton
Votes: 1,374
89. Gods and Generals (2003)
PG-13 | 219 min | Biography, Drama, History
The rise and fall of confederate general Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, as he meets with military success against the Union from 1861 to 1863, when he is accidentally killed by his own soldiers.
Director: Ron Maxwell | Stars: Stephen Lang, Robert Duvall, Jeff Daniels, Donzaleigh Abernathy
Votes: 17,214 | Gross: $12.87M
90. Glory (1989)
R | 122 min | Biography, Drama, History
Robert Gould Shaw leads the U.S. Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices from both his own Union Army, and the Confederates.
Director: Edward Zwick | Stars: Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman
Votes: 144,523 | Gross: $26.83M
91. Pharaoh's Army (1995)
PG-13 | 90 min | Western
During the American Civil War, a Union Army captain leads his rag-tag cavalry troop up a misty creek to a remote farm to appropriate enemy (Confederate) livestock. The farm is worked by ... See full summary »
Director: Robby Henson | Stars: Chris Cooper, Patricia Clarkson, Kris Kristofferson, Robert Joy
Votes: 714 | Gross: $0.05M
92. The Underground Railroad (1999 TV Movie)
95 min | Documentary, History, War
The history of the Underground Railroad.
Director: Jeff Lengyel | Star: Alfre Woodard
Votes: 39
93. Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad (1994 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 91 min | Drama, History
A number of slaves risk their lives to escape their masters with their only help coming from the famous secret slave escape network.
Director: Don McBrearty | Stars: Falconer Abraham, Dwight Bacquie, Janet Bailey, Nigel Bennett
Votes: 191
94. Raiders of Ghost City (1944)
Passed | 225 min | Western
During the latter stages of the Civil War, a gang of supposed Confederates, headed by Alex Morel (Lionel Atwill), raid all gold shipments destined for Washington from Oro Grande, California... See full summary »
Directors: Lewis D. Collins, Ray Taylor | Stars: Dennis Moore, Wanda McKay, Lionel Atwill, Joe Sawyer
Votes: 86
95. The Red Badge of Courage (1951)
Passed | 69 min | Drama, War
Truncated adaptation of Stephen Crane's novel about a Civil War Union soldier who stuggles to find the courage to fight in the heat of battle.
Director: John Huston | Stars: Audie Murphy, Bill Mauldin, Douglas Dick, Royal Dano
Votes: 4,840
96. North and South, Book I (1985)
TV-PG | 94 min | Drama, History, Romance
Two friends, one northern and one southern, struggle to maintain their friendship as events build towards the American Civil War.
Stars: Kirstie Alley, Georg Stanford Brown, David Carradine, Philip Casnoff
Votes: 11,903
97. The Blue and the Gray (1982)
TV-PG | 381 min | Drama, History, War
America just before and during the Civil War, as seen through the eyes of an artist correspondent.
Stars: Stacy Keach, John Hammond, Julia Duffy, Robin Gammell
Votes: 1,867
98. Little Big Man (1970)
PG-13 | 139 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Jack Crabb, looking back from extreme old age, tells of his life being raised by Native Americans and fighting with General Custer.
Director: Arthur Penn | Stars: Dustin Hoffman, Faye Dunaway, Chief Dan George, Martin Balsam
Votes: 37,913 | Gross: $31.56M
99. Shenandoah (1965)
Approved | 105 min | Drama, War, Western
A Virginia farmer who has vowed to remain neutral during the Civil War is spurred into action when his youngest son is taken by Union soldiers.
Director: Andrew V. McLaglen | Stars: James Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, Patrick Wayne
Votes: 9,630
100. Sherman's March (2007 TV Movie)
Documentary, History, War
This documentary chronicles General William Tecumseh Sherman's fabled "March to the Sea" through Georgia and the Carolinas, utilizing state of the art production techniques including CGI, special effects and historical re-creations.
Director: Rick King | Stars: Bill Oberst Jr., Christopher Clawson, Jared Morrison, Mike Brown
Votes: 156
Tell Your Friends