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.

In the Heart of the Sea

341. In the Heart of the Sea

Thriller Drama Adventure Action History
6.9

20152h 2min

Spain, United States

Director: Ron Howard

A New England whaling ship sets sail in 1820 chasing oil and glory, but a colossal white whale slams into their world and sends them into the open sea in shattered boats, where hunger, madness, and the vast ocean close in.

Themes

Leadership under strain, Survival under duress, Moral compromise under pressure, Nature versus man, Cooperation vs conflict, Isolation and crew cohesion

Available on

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

Ronaldo

342. Ronaldo

Documentary History Biographical Documentary
6.3

20151h 32min

Spain, United Kingdom

Director: Anthony Wonke

Filmed over 14 months with unprecedented access into the inner circle of the man and the sport, this is the first official and fully authorised film of one of the most celebrated figures in football. For the first time ever, the world gets vividly candid and un-paralleled, behind-closed-doors access to the footballer, father, family-man and friend in this moving & fascinating documentary. Through in-depth conversations, state of the art football footage and never before seen archival footage, the film gives an astonishing insight into the sporting and personal life of triple Ballon D'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo at the peak of his career. From the makers of ‘Senna’ and ‘Amy’, Ronaldo takes audiences on an intimate and revealing journey of what it’s like to live as an iconic athlete in the eye of the storm.

Themes

Family influence on career, Pressures of public life, Training discipline and dedication, Private life in the spotlight, Mindset under scrutiny, Mentorship and support networks

Available on

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

Spotlight

343. Spotlight

Drama History Historical Drama Historical Event
8.1

20152h 9min

United States

Director: Tom McCarthy

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.

Themes

Investigative journalism ethics, Institutional cover-up, Survivor advocacy, Newsroom pressure, Systemic abuse patterns, Accountability through reporting

Available on

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

Brooklyn

344. Brooklyn

Romance Drama History Bittersweet Romance Historical Drama
7.5

20151h 51min

Canada, Ireland

Director: John Crowley

In 1950s Ireland and New York, young Eilis Lacey has to choose between two men and two countries.

Themes

Family obligation vs autonomy, Homesickness and adaptation, Working class aspiration, Identity through life choices, Marriage and independence, Dual-country belonging

Available on

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

Suffragette

345. Suffragette

Drama History Historical Drama Political History
6.9

20151h 46min

France, United Kingdom

Director: Sarah Gavron

Based on true events about the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State.

Themes

Class and gender constraints, Women's rights movement, Hunger and endurance, Radicalization under oppression, State repression of dissent, Public spectacle and banners

Available on

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

Experimenter

346. Experimenter

Drama History Historical Drama Biographical History
6.6

20151h 37min

United States

Director: Michael Almereyda

Yale University, 1961. Stanley Milgram designs a psychology experiment that still resonates to this day, in which people think they’re delivering painful electric shocks to an affable stranger strapped into a chair in another room. Despite his pleads for mercy, the majority of subjects don’t stop the experiment, administering what they think is a near-fatal electric shock, simply because they’ve been told to do so. With Nazi Adolf Eichmann’s trial airing in living rooms across America, Milgram strikes a nerve in popular culture and the scientific community with his exploration into people’s tendency to comply with authority. Celebrated in some circles, he is also accused of being a deceptive, manipulative monster, but his wife Sasha stands by him through it all.

Themes

Obedience to authority, Public scrutiny of science, Ethics in research, Career implications of controversy, Social pressure dynamics, Balancing curiosity and caution

Available on

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

Steve Jobs

347. Steve Jobs

Drama History Historical Drama Biographical History
7.2

20152h 2min

United States, United Kingdom

Director: Danny Boyle

Set backstage at three iconic product launches and ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac, Steve Jobs takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution to paint an intimate portrait of the brilliant man at its epicenter.

Themes

Leadership under pressure, Family versus career, Paternity dispute, Innovation under siege, Credit and recognition, Corporate politics and turnover

Available on

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

The Walk

348. The Walk

History Drama Adventure Historical Event Historical Drama
7.3

20152h 3min

United States

Director: Robert Zemeckis

The story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit's attempt to cross the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974.

Themes

Artistry amid danger, Obsessive pursuit of risk, Collaborative planning under pressure, Personal sacrifice and ambition, Public spectacle vs restraint, Confrontation with authority

Available on

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

Black Mass

349. Black Mass

Drama Crime History Organized Crime Biographical History
6.8

20152h 3min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Scott Cooper

The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf.

Themes

Power dynamics, Loyalty under pressure, Institutional corruption, Violence as control, Informant leverage, Surveillance and infiltration

Available on

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

The Throne

350. The Throne

Drama History
7.1

20152h 6min

Director: Lee Joon-ik

Ancient Korea, July 4, 1762. The Crown Prince Hyojang, posthumously named Sado, son of King Yeongjo of Joseon, is accused of treason. Thus, the king asks him to commit suicide, but his closest vassals prevent it, so the king orders the prince to get inside a wooden rice chest, where he suffers deprivation of food and water.