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.

331. Risen

Risen
Action Adventure Drama History Mystery
6.3
20161h 47minUnited States
Director: Kevin Reynolds

Overview

Clavius, a powerful Roman military tribune, and his aide, Lucius, are tasked with solving the mystery of what happened to Jesus in the weeks following the crucifixion, in order to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem.

Themes

Political manipulation, Deception and rumor, Belief under pressure, Authority vs doubt, Loyalty under fear, Transformation through doubt

Available on

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

332. The Last King

The Last King
Action Adventure Drama History Epic Action
6.1
20161h 39minDenmark, Hungary
Director: Nils Gaup

Overview

Norway, 1204. A civil war between the birkebeiners —the king's men— and the baglers —supporters of the Norwegian aristocracy and the Church— ravages the country. Two men must protect a baby, the illegitimate son of King Håkon, who will be the future king and peacemaker, from those who want to kill him.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Protecting royal heir, Political religious division, Fragile succession, Hope for peace, War torn kingdom

Available on

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

333. The Innocents

The Innocents
Drama History Historical Drama Social History
7.3
20161h 55minBelgium, France
Director: Anne Fontaine

Overview

Poland, 1945. Mathilde, a young French Red Cross doctor, is on a mission to help the war survivors. When a nun seeks for her help, she is brought to a convent where several pregnant sisters are hiding, unable to reconcile their faith with their pregnancy. Mathilde becomes their only hope.

Themes

Faith under pressure, Wartime medical ethics, Trauma from wartime violence, Survivors and care networks, Secrecy within religious orders, Female agency in crisis

Available on

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

334. Hail, Caesar!

Hail, Caesar!
Comedy Crime Drama Mystery History
6.3
20161h 46minUnited Kingdom, United States
Director: Joel Coen

Overview

When a Hollywood star mysteriously disappears in the middle of filming, the studio sends their fixer to get him back.

Themes

Deception as leverage, Public image management, Media manipulation and control, Studio power dynamics, Political pressure and conformity, Art versus commerce, Celebrity as commodity

Available on

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

335. The Finest Hours

The Finest Hours
Action Drama History Thriller Epic Action
6.7
20161h 57minUnited States
Director: Craig Gillespie

Overview

The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.

Themes

Teamwork under crisis, Leadership under fire, Loyalty under danger, Resilience under pressure, Duty under peril, Communal support

Available on

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

336. Miles Ahead

Miles Ahead
Drama Music History Historical Drama Music Biopic
6.4
20161h 40minUnited States
Director: Don Cheadle

Overview

An exploration of the life and music of Miles Davis.

Themes

Isolation and artistry, Memory and decline, Relationship betrayal, Muse and creation, Intrusion and privacy, Pain and performance

Available on

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

337. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
War Action History Drama Thriller
7.3
20162h 24minUnited States
Director: Michael Bay

Overview

An American Ambassador is killed during an attack at a U.S. compound in Libya as a security team struggles to make sense out of the chaos.

Themes

Contractor-led security, Outsourcing ethics, Interagency coordination tension, Diplomatic risk in crisis, Local militia influence, Civilian protection under threat

Available on

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

338. Palm Trees in the Snow

Palm Trees in the Snow
Drama History Romance Historical Drama Passionate Romance
7.3
20152h 44minFrance, Spain
Director: Fernando González Molina

Overview

Spain, 2003. An accidental discovery leads Clarence to travel from the snowy mountains of Huesca to Equatorial Guinea, to visit the land where her father Jacobo and her uncle Kilian spent most of their youth, the island of Fernando Poo.

Themes

Family secrets, Forbidden love, Sibling bonds, Land ownership, Colonial legacy, Postcolonial displacement

Available on

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

339. The Tiger

The Tiger
Action History Adventure Drama Historical Event
7.2
20152h 19minSouth Korea
Director: Park Hoon-jung

Overview

In 1925 Korea, Japanese rulers demand the last remaining tiger be killed. The tiger easily defeats his pursuers until a legendary hunter takes him on.

Themes

Survival under occupation, Power through bounty, Generational responsibility, Family costs of loyalty, Duty vs restraint, Human-animal conflict

Available on

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

340. Land of Mine

Land of Mine
War Drama History World War II Historical Drama
7.8
20151h 40minGermany, Denmark
Director: Martin Zandvliet

Overview

In the days following the surrender of Germany in May 1945, a group of young German prisoners of war is handed over to the Danish authorities and subsequently sent to the West Coast, where they are ordered to remove the more than two million mines that the Germans had placed in the sand along the coast. With their bare hands, crawling around in the sand, the boys are forced to perform the dangerous work under the leadership of a Danish sergeant.

Themes

Trauma and resilience, Abuse of power, Group solidarity under duress, Survival under scarcity, Military discipline vs mercy, Dehumanization under command

Available on

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