History backdrop

History movies

Period pieces that transport you back in time, recreating the events and figures that shaped our past.

Subgenres include: Historical Event, Biographical History, Political History.

The King

351. The King

Drama History War Historical Drama Historical Event
7.3

20192h 20min

Australia, United States

Director: David Michôd

England, 15th century. Hal, a capricious prince who lives among the populace far from court, is forced by circumstances to reluctantly accept the throne and become Henry V.

Themes

Father son relationship, Medieval france, Mentor protégé relationship, Medieval england, 15th century, British monarchy

Available on

Netflix
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The story of Rudy Ray Moore, who created the iconic big screen pimp character Dolemite in the 1970s.

Themes

Creative collaboration under constraints, Ambition in film business, Independent production risk, Gatekeeping by distributors, Blaxploitation cinema dynamics, Financing pressure and debt

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Mr. Jones

353. Mr. Jones

Thriller Drama History Political Thriller Historical Drama
6.9

20191h 59min

Poland, Ukraine

Director: Agnieszka Holland

In 1933, Welsh journalist Gareth Jones travels to Ukraine, where he experiences the horrors of a famine. Everywhere he goes he meets henchmen of the Soviet secret service who are determined to prevent news about the catastrophe from getting out. Stalin’s forced collectivisation of agriculture has resulted in misery and ruin—the policy is tantamount to mass murder.

Themes

Ethics under pressure, State censorship, Political manipulation of media, Propaganda vs reporting, Famine as political instrument, Risk to whistleblowers

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

An Officer and a Spy

354. An Officer and a Spy

History Drama Thriller Historical Event Historical Drama
7.2

20192h 12min

France, Italy

Director: Roman Polanski

In 1894, French Captain Alfred Dreyfus is wrongfully convicted of treason and sentenced to life imprisonment at the Devil’s Island penal colony.

Themes

Institutional corruption and reform, Media influence on justice, Military justice vs political interference, Scapegoating and antisemitism, Loyalty vs public duty, Public advocacy and rehabilitation

Available on

Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Rakuten TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

While at War

355. While at War

Drama History War Historical Event Historical Drama
6.9

20191h 48min

Argentina, Spain

Director: Alejandro Amenábar

Salamanca, Spain, 1936. In the early days of the military rebellion that began the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), writer Miguel de Unamuno supports the uprising in the hope that the prevailing political chaos will end. But when the confrontation becomes bloody, Unamuno must question his initial position.

Themes

Political repression, Leadership legitimacy under pressure, Moral dilemma, Spanish civil war, Academic autonomy vs control, Ideological polarization

Available on

Apple TV
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Judy

356. Judy

Drama History Music Historical Drama Biographical History
6.8

20191h 58min

United Kingdom

Director: Rupert Goold

Thirty years after starring in "The Wizard of Oz," beloved actress and singer Judy Garland arrives in London to perform sold-out shows at the Talk of the Town nightclub. While there, she reminisces with friends and fans and begins a whirlwind romance with musician Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband.

Themes

Addiction under pressure, Fame-induced isolation, Public scrutiny of life, Romantic entanglements and career, Voice fatigue and rest, Aging in the spotlight

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

On an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman.

Themes

Arranged marriage pressure, Class constraints, Artistic autonomy conflict, Gaze and desire, Reproductive choices, Female agency under constraint, Intimate alliance vs duty

Available on

Apple TV
HBO Max
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Downton Abbey

358. Downton Abbey

Drama Romance History Historical Drama Passionate Romance
7.4

20192h 2min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Michael Engler

The Crawley family is living its usual life at Downton when a sudden announcement shakes the household: the King and Queen will soon visit the estate. Everyone scrambles to prepare for the reception, but as the pressure rises, old grudges resurface and new intrigues emerge—threatening not only the royal visit, but the lives of those at Downton.

Themes

Class and service boundaries, Public image vs private duty, Ritual disruption of tradition, Estate inheritance and lineage, Loyalty under external intrusion

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Bad Education

359. Bad Education

Drama Crime History Historical Drama Organized Crime
7.1

20191h 48min

United States

Director: Cory Finley

A superintendent of a school district works for the betterment of the student’s education when an embezzlement scheme is discovered, threatening to destroy everything.

Themes

Public trust under scrutiny, Embezzlement and accountability, New york education, 2000s embezzlement pattern, Long island politics

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
HBO Max
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Waiting for the Barbarians

360. Waiting for the Barbarians

Drama History Historical Drama Historical Event
5.9

20191h 54min

Italy, United States

Director: Ciro Guerra

At an isolated frontier outpost, a colonial magistrate suffers a crisis of conscience when an army colonel arrives looking to interrogate the locals about an impending uprising, using cruel tactics that horrify the magistrate.

Themes

"movie: waiting for the barbarians. genres: drama, History, Drama, History main themes: colony, Torture, Desert, Colony, Torture, Desert full keywords list: colony, Torture, Desert, Colonization, East asia. concept analysis: the film explores the moral complexities of colonialism and the impact of imperial violence on both oppressors and the oppressed. it serves as a poignant reflection on the nature of power, Compassion, And the consequences of inhumanity."

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.