Biographical History backdrop

Biographical History movies

History told through a real person’s life, focused on turning points, impact, and private tradeoffs.

Victoria & Abdul

1. Victoria & Abdul

Drama History Historical Drama Biographical History
6.8
20171h 52min

Overview

Queen Victoria strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young Indian clerk named Abdul Karim.

Themes

Loyalty under scrutiny, Duty vs companionship, Power and status preservation, Cultural exchange pressures, Class bound loyalty, Court intrigue and manipulation

Available on

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

All Eyez on Me

2. All Eyez on Me

History Drama Music Biographical History Music Biopic
5.9
20172h 19min

Overview

All Eyez on Me chronicles the life and legacy of Tupac Shakur, including his rise to superstardom as a hip-hop artist, actor, poet and activist, as well as his imprisonment and prolific, controversial time at Death Row Records. Against insurmountable odds, Tupac rose to become a cultural icon whose career and persona both continue to grow long after his passing.

Themes

Trial and public perception, Activist identity pressure, Imprisonment and control, Independence versus exploitation, Rise to superstardom, Police brutality risk

Available on

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

The Wizard of Lies

3. The Wizard of Lies

Crime Drama History Thriller TV Movie
6.8
20172h 13min

Overview

A look behind the scenes at Bernie Madoff's massive Ponzi scheme, how it was perpetrated on the public and the trail of destruction it left in its wake, both for the victims and Madoff's family.

Themes

Family strain under crime, Fraud and accountability, Financial deception and collapse, Public trust under deception, Regulatory scrutiny and consequences, Losses and restitution dynamics

Available on

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

The Lost City of Z

4. The Lost City of Z

Adventure Drama History Exploration Adventure Historical Drama
6.6
20172h 21min

Overview

A true-life drama in the 1920s, centering on British explorer Col. Percy Fawcett, who discovered evidence of a previously unknown, advanced civilization in the Amazon and disappeared whilst searching for it.

Themes

Loyalty under strain, Expedition pressure, Amazon rainforest myth, Frontier isolation and resilience, Myth versus science, Legacy through exploration

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Young Karl Marx

5. The Young Karl Marx

History Drama Biographical History Historical Drama
6.6
20171h 58min

Overview

26 year-old Karl Marx embarks with his wife, Jenny, on the road to exile. In 1844 in Paris, he meets Friedrich Engels, an industrialist’s son, who has been investigating the sordid birth of the British working class. Engels, the dandy, provides the last piece of the puzzle to the young Karl Marx’s new vision of the world. Together, between censorship and the police’s repression, riots and political upheavals, they will lead the labor movement during its development into a modern era.

Themes

Class inequality, Exile and censorship, Labor movement formation, Industrial capitalism critique, Revolutionary strategy, Accessible political theory

Available on

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

Hidden Figures

6. Hidden Figures

Drama History Historical Drama Biographical History
7.8
20162h 7min

Overview

The untold story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson – brilliant African-American women working at NASA and serving as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history – the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big.

Themes

Merit versus bias in evaluation, Racial and gender segregation, Access to education and training, Credit and authorship disputes, Barriers to advancement, Perseverance under systemic pressure

Available on

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

A United Kingdom

7. A United Kingdom

Drama History Historical Drama Biographical History
6.9
20161h 51min

Overview

The inspiring true story of Seretse Khama, the King of Bechuanaland (modern Botswana), and Ruth Williams, the London office worker he married in 1948 in the face of fierce opposition from their families and the British and South African governments. Seretse and Ruth defied family, Apartheid and empire - their love triumphed over every obstacle flung in their path and in so doing they transformed their nation and inspired the world.

Themes

Colonial pressure dynamics, Interracial marriage politics, Local resource ownership, Racial policy instability, Independence negotiation tension, Royal legitimacy conflict

Available on

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

The Founder

8. The Founder

Drama History Historical Drama Biographical History
7.2
20161h 55min

Overview

The true story of how Ray Kroc, a salesman from Illinois, met Mac and Dick McDonald, who were running a burger operation in 1950s Southern California. Kroc was impressed by the brothers’ speedy system of making the food and saw franchise potential. He maneuvered himself into a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a billion-dollar empire.

Themes

Ambition through expansion, Power via real estate, Outsider takeover via acquisition, Debt-driven growth through leverage, Franchising vs ownership, Trust erosion through negotiation

Available on

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

Snowden

9. Snowden

Drama History Crime Thriller Political Drama
7.3
20162h 15min

Overview

CIA employee Edward Snowden leaks thousands of classified documents to the press.

Themes

Investigative journalism pressure, Mass surveillance ethics, Surveillance state critique, National security agency politics, Whistleblower consequences, Idealism under pressure

Available on

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

Overview

New York in the 1920s. Max Perkins, a literary editor is the first to sign such subsequent literary greats as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. When a sprawling, chaotic 1,000-page manuscript by an unknown writer falls into his hands, Perkins is convinced he has discovered a literary genius.

Themes

Romantic entanglements, Publication pressure, Mentorship and ambition, Editorial influence, Creative rivalry, Solitude and independence

Available on

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