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.

Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush

1. Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush

Drama History
6.8
20221h 59min

Overview

Desperate to help her son, Rabiye Kurnaz, a housewife and loving mother from Bremen, goes to the police, notifies authorities and almost despairs at their impotence and in the end, against all the odds, something truly remarkable happens.


Operation Mincemeat

2. Operation Mincemeat

War History Drama World War II Historical Event
6.6
20222h 8min

Overview

In 1943, two British intelligence officers concoct Operation Mincemeat, wherein their plan to drop a corpse with false papers off the coast of Spain would fool Nazi spies into believing the Allied forces were planning to attack by way of Greece rather than Sicily.

Themes

Deception rooted in true story, Spy deception in world war ii, Remake driven misdirection, Secrecy and risk management, Spy craft and loyalty testing, Planning under uncertainty

Available on

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

Against the Ice

3. Against the Ice

Drama Adventure History Survival Adventure
6.5
20221h 41min

Overview

A seasoned captain and a young engineer set out to collect a lost expedition’s records, but when the ship sails away and the ice closes in, they must cross a killing ground of frostbite, starvation, and prowling polar bears with nothing left to lose.

Themes

Leadership under crisis, Survival under isolation, Duty versus loyalty, Resource scarcity and sacrifice, Mental strain and endurance, Duty in arctic exploration

Available on

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

Munich – The Edge of War

4. Munich – The Edge of War

Drama History Historical Event Historical Drama
6.8
20212h 10min

Overview

At the tense 1938 Munich Conference, former friends who now work for opposing governments become reluctant spies racing to expose a Nazi secret.

Themes

Loyalties under strain, Espionage under pressure, Secrecy vs transparency, Diplomatic brinkmanship, Moral ambiguity in decision, War-preparation under uncertainty

Available on

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

Benediction

5. Benediction

Drama History War
6.6
20212h 17min

Overview

Poet Siegfried Sassoon survived the horrors of fighting in the First World War and was decorated for his bravery, but became a vocal critic of the government's continuation of the war when he returned from service. Adored by members of the aristocracy as well as stars of London's literary and stage world, he embarked on affairs with several men as he attempted to come to terms with his homosexuality.


Being the Ricardos

6. Being the Ricardos

Drama History Historical Drama Biographical History
6.5
20212h 12min

Overview

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz face a crisis that could end their careers and another that could end their marriage.

Themes

Show business pressure, Interracial marriage stigma, Television star persona, 1950s industry norms, Hollywood era tensions, Career versus marriage tensions

Available on

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

Where Is Anne Frank

7. Where Is Anne Frank

Animation Drama Family History
6.4
20211h 39min

Overview

The film follows the journey of Kitty, the imaginary friend to whom Anne Frank dedicated her diary. A fiery teenager, Kitty wakes up in the near future in Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam and embarks on a journey to find Anne, who she believes is still alive, in today's Europe. While the young girl is shocked by the modern world, she also comes across Anne's legacy.


House of Gucci

8. House of Gucci

Drama Crime History Biographical History Organized Crime
6.6
20212h 38min

Overview

When Patrizia Reggiani, an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge, and ultimately… murder.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Social climbing, Wealth and status, Family betrayal, Inheritance and control, Decadence and revenge

Available on

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

King Richard

9. King Richard

Drama History Biographical History Sports Biography
7.5
20212h 24min

Overview

The story of how Richard Williams served as a coach to his daughters Venus and Serena, who will soon become two of the most legendary tennis players in history.

Themes

Class inequality pressure, Family ambition discipline, Elite circles exclusion, Media scrutiny expectations, Coaching authority tensions, Humility vs ambition

Available on

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

JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass

10. JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass

Documentary History
7.5
20211h 59min

Overview

Thirty years after the release of his film JFK (1991), filmmaker Oliver Stone reviews recently declassified evidence related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which took place in Dallas on November 22, 1963.