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.

Pearl Harbor

551. Pearl Harbor

War Romance History Action World War II
6.3

20013h 3min

United States

Director: Michael Bay

The lifelong friendship between Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker is put to the ultimate test when the two ace fighter pilots become entangled in a love triangle with beautiful Naval nurse Evelyn Johnson. But the rivalry between the friends-turned-foes is immediately put on hold when they find themselves at the center of Japan's devastating attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Friendship tested by love, Duty and love conflict, Memory and mourning, Military camaraderie, Resilience under attack

Available on

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

Conspiracy

552. Conspiracy

History Drama War TV Movie Historical Event
7.6

20011h 36min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Frank Pierson

At the Wannsee Conference on January 20, 1942, senior Nazi officials meet to determine the manner in which the so-called "Final Solution to the Jewish Question" can be best implemented.

Themes

Bureaucratic complicity, Euphemistic violence, State-sponsored extermination, Dehumanization under duty, Historical accountability, Mass coercion and control

Available on

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

No Man's Land

553. No Man's Land

Action History War Military Action World War I
7.9

20011h 38min

France, Italy

Director: Danis Tanović

Two soldiers from opposite sides get stuck between the front lines in the same trench. The UN is asked to free them and both sides agree on a ceasefire, but will they stick to it?

Themes

Frontline ethics, Neutral aid dilemma, Mutual distrust under pressure, Ceasefire fragility, Deception in wartime, Human cost of siege

Available on

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

61*

554. 61*

TV Movie Drama History
7.7

20012h 9min

United States

Director: Billy Crystal

In 1961, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle played for the New York Yankees. One, Mantle, was universally loved, while the other, Maris, was universally hated. Both men started off with a bang, and both were nearing Babe Ruth's 60 home run record. Which man would reach it?


Enemy at the Gates

555. Enemy at the Gates

Drama War History Romance World War II
7.5

20012h 11min

United States, France

Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud

A Russian and a German sniper play a game of cat-and-mouse during the Battle of Stalingrad in WWII.

Themes

Duty versus desire, Deception and loyalty, Propaganda and morale, Information warfare and double agents, Romance amid warfare, Winter warfare hardship

Available on

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

Brotherhood of the Wolf

556. Brotherhood of the Wolf

Adventure Horror Action History Adventure Epic
7.0

20012h 31min

France

Director: Christophe Gans

In 18th century France, the Chevalier de Fronsac and his Native American friend Mani are sent by the King to the Gevaudan province to investigate the killings of hundreds by a mysterious beast.

Themes

Public confidence manipulation, Secret society influence, Undermining the crown, Mysterious beast catalyst, Silver bullet provenance, Investigation dynamics

Available on

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

Thirteen Days

557. Thirteen Days

History Thriller Political History Political Thriller
7.3

20002h 25min

United States

Director: Roger Donaldson

The story of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962—the nuclear standoff with the USSR sparked by the discovery by the Americans of missile bases established on the Soviet-allied island of Cuba.

Themes

Cold war brinkmanship, Cuban missile crisis tension, Atomic bomb deterrence, Usa president leverage, Diplomacy under pressure, Politics under threat

Available on

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

Finding Forrester

558. Finding Forrester

Drama History Coming-of-Age Drama
7.3

20002h 16min

United States

Director: Gus Van Sant

Gus Van Sant tells the story of a young African American man named Jamal who confronts his talents while living on the streets of the Bronx. He accidentally runs into an old writer named Forrester who discovers his passion for writing. With help from his new mentor Jamal receives a scholarship to a private school.

Themes

Trauma and memory, Plagiarism and integrity, Class and opportunity, Mentorship and growth, Friendship and isolation, Education and identity

Available on

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

The Dish

559. The Dish

Comedy Drama History Historical Drama Historical Event
7.2

20001h 41min

Australia

Director: Rob Sitch

A group of maverick scientists on a remote Australian sheep farm are the globe's only hope for obtaining the epic images of man's first steps on the moon.

Themes

Deception and accountability, Expertise vs bureaucracy, Local ingenuity under pressure, Local pride vs national expectations, Trust under collaboration, Risk management under crisis

Available on

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

Pollock

560. Pollock

Drama History Historical Drama Biographical History
7.0

20002h 12min

United States

Director: Ed Harris

In August of 1949, Life Magazine ran a banner headline that begged the question: "Jackson Pollock: Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?" The film is a look back into the life of an extraordinary man, a man who has fittingly been called "an artist dedicated to concealment, a celebrity who nobody knew." As he struggled with self-doubt, engaging in a lonely tug-of-war between needing to express himself and wanting to shut the world out, Pollock began a downward spiral.

Themes

Extramarital affair consequences, Art exhibition pressure, Alcoholism and creativity, Artist biography constraints, Patron-artist power dynamics, Authenticity vs commercialism

Available on

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