The 30 Best Historical Dramas to Help You Win at Trivia
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In a book or on a screen, how do you take your history? Cinephiles and casual streamers alike can agree, there is no shortage of historical drama films on the market, and if we’re honest, many of them are bad. Fear not, we’ve curated a list of the very best historical dramas ever made. From war stories to famous crimes, here are 30 of the best historical dramas to stream right now.
All Quiet on the Western Front
A huge winner at last year’s Academy Awards, All Quiet on the Western Front took home little gold man for Best International Feature, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design. This anti-war film is set during World War I, following a bright-eyed young soldier who, upon being deployed in Germany, learns the realities of war. It’s a truly gruesome and devastating watch, but a more honest portrayal of war than many of the strangely saccharine stories from decades past.
The Imitation Game
As we patiently await the release of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming war epic, Oppenheimer, consider a rewatch of this iconic historic thriller, which also focuses on an inventor whose work changed war forever. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the famous Alan Turing, the inventor of the first computer, whose invention was used to decrypt German war messages during World War II. This film is historically accurate and emotional devastating, exploring Turing’s final years, which were marked by hormonal torture forced upon him as a punishment for homosexuality, which was illegal in the UK at the time.
Little Women
Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of the classic Louisa May Alcott novel, Little Women follows four sisters as they come of age during the American Civil War. The little women in question are, of course, fictional, but the story is historic in its own right and its depiction of 1800s America is illuminating.
Titanic
The greatest historical romance film of our time, Titanic stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as young lovers who meet on the fated ocean liner, Titanic. The ship famously wrecked in 1912 after colliding with an iceberg, and though no real proof of Jack and Rose’s existence exists, their love story has become the face of this very real historic disaster.
Schindler’s List
One of many epic World War II dramas, Schindler’s List comes from Steven Spielberg and follows a German industrialist who saved more than 1,000 Holocaust victims, employing them in his factories. This film is considered one of the most realistic depictions of the Holocaust, and the story of Oskar Schindler is widely considered to be completely true.
Sophie’s Choice
Unlike Schindler, Sophie never actually existed. That said, Sophie’s Choice represents the stories of thousands of women who suffered through the Holocaust, and a reminder of the absolute devastation and evil that took the lives of six million Jewish people across the world. The film stars Meryl Streep as a woman reckoning with the impossible decision she was forced to make while navigating survival in concentration camps.
12 Years a Slave
Another epic story, 12 Years a Slave is an adaptation of an 1853 slave memoir from Solomon Northup, a man who was kidnapped by conmen in 1841, sold into slavery, and trafficked through plantations across the south.
Les Misérables
Les Misérables is historic on two fronts, a famous retelling of the 1832 June Rebellion in Paris, and a bit of American musical theater history. The 2012 film adaptation of the famous musical stars Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried and more as the iconic Les Mis ensemble. The story follows a French prisoner, enslaved for stealing a loaf of bread, who escapes and spends the next ten years building a new identity, evading the law and trying to live an honest life.
Dunkirk
This 2017 war film is yet another retelling of World War II, because truly we can’t have enough, and that is said with zero sarcasm. What is different about Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, is that it shows the war experience from the perspectives of soldiers on the land, sea, and air. This film is light on the dialogue, heavy on the violence, and loud on the explosions. Many critics and fans have called Dunkirk Nolan’s best work, which includes (in case you forgot) Memento, The Dark Knight, Inception, Interstellar, and more.
Apollo 13
Starring Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Bacon, this historical drama recounts the story of the Apollo 13, what was intended to be the third human landing on the Moon, but was ultimately aborted mid-flight. While in the air, the spacecraft lost oxygen supply, forcing NASA to find a way to save the lives of the astronauts on board.
Malcolm X
This 1993 drama is an epic portrayal of the late great Malcom X, played by Denzel Washington. The film, directed by Spike Lee, follows the life of the influential figure, from his criminal career and incarceration, to his conversion to Islam, his civil rights activism, and his assassination in 1965.
The Big Short
If you’re Succession-brained, we think you’ll like this one. The Big Short follows the lead up to the 2008 financial crisis and stars Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt as an ensemble of finance dudes who independently cause, predict, and attempt to prevent the crisis.
The Theory of Everything
This 2014 drama stars Eddie Redmayne as genius Stephen Hawking, and Felicity Jones as his wife, Jane. The heartbreaking film follows Hawking’s early years, studies at Cambridge, and his eventual ALS diagnosis.
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The Danish Girl
This biographical drama is loosely inspired by the lives of two Danish painters, Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Eddie Redmayne plays Elbe, one of the first documented recipients of gender affirming surgery. Is it a perfect movie? No. Are there fair critiques of Redmayne’s casting in this role? Absolutely. Still, it's a departure from the stereotypical historical drama, and it's visually beautiful.
Jackie
Pablo Larraín’s 2016 drama follows none other than Jackie Kennedy in the early days of her husband’s presidency, and the final moments of his life. The titular Jackie is played by Natalie Portman, who received an Oscar nomination for her performance.
Spencer
The latest from Larraín and somewhat of a sister film to Jackie, Spencer stars Kristen Stewart as the People’s Princess, Princess Diana. The film, which brought Stewart her first Oscar nomination, dramatizes a pivotal moment in Diana’s life, Christmas of 1991 as she met her breaking point and began to consider divorcing her husband, Prince Charles. Dramatizing is the chosen word, as this movie is legitimately terrifying in moments, and is overall a heartbreaking portrayal of the world’s most famous woman in crisis.
The King’s Speech
This historical drama stars Colin Firth as a young King George VI who, struggling with a stutter, visits a speech pathologist who plays a pivotal role in the King’s rise to power. The King’s Speech was the Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards in its year, and continues to be praised for its performances, direction, screenplay, and score.
Gladiator
Let’s talk about Roman history. Ridley Scott’s Gladiator stars Russell Crowe as Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius who is betrayed by the Roman Emperor's son, who murders his father to seize the throne. Like Les Mis, Maximus is forced into slavery, serving as a gladiator and rising to avenge his family. It’s a good time to revisit this one, as a sequel is on the way, set to star Paul Mescal as the nephew of the first film’s murderous king.
Marie Antoinette
A bit of Sofia Coppola greatness, Marie Antoinette is a 2006 drama starring Kirsten Dunst as the infamous royal figure. Antoinette was the last queen of France before the French Revolution, and is remembered for her riches, luxurious fashion, and gambling. In her defense, she was married off at the age of 14 as part of a diplomatic alliance.
I, Tonya
Come on Barbie, let’s go skating. I, Tonya stars Margot Robbie as figure skater Tonya Harding, whose stunning athletic career was marred by her involvement in the 1994 assault on rival skater, Nancy Kerrigan. The film also stars Sebastian Stan as Harding’s horribly abusive ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, and Allison Janney as her mother.
American Sniper
This 2014 drama stars Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history from four tours in the Iraq War. The film follows Kyle’s military service, and the weight of his experience as he struggled to adjust to life back home.
Anna Karenina
Based on the Leo Tolstoy novel of the same name, Anna Karenina stars Keira Knightly as the titular aristocrat and socialite who begins an affair with a cavalry officer that changes both of their lives. The story is considered to be one of the greatest works of literature ever written and, beyond this iconic film, exists in stage adaptations, ballets, figure skating performances, operas, and more.
The Other Boleyn Girl
Disclaimer, this film is not a verified historical account, but it's a highly familiar story about King Henry VIII, his mistress Mary Boleyn, and her sister Anne who would become the King’s second wife. Starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, and Eric Bana, the film is an adaptation of the 2001 Philippa Gregory novel. King Henry VIII is, of course, infamously remembered for his many wives, many of which he had killed when he was finished with them.
Boys Don't Cry
This 1999 drama tells the story of Brandon Teena, a transgender man in Nebraska who became the victim of a deadly hate crime in 1993. Teena is played by Hilary Swank, who won an Oscar for her performance. Much of the film comes directly from a 1998 documentary titled The Brandon Teena Story, with most of the film’s characters being based on real people.
Atonement
Not exactly a true story, but a historical drama that feels very real, Atonement could not be left off of this list. Starring Keira Knightly (clearly the historical drama darling) and James McAvoy, Atonement is a love story, one that spans six decades in 1900s England. The film takes viewers through the Second World War, the Battle of France, the evacuation at Dunkirk, and the Blitz in 1940.
The Help
Based on the 2009 novel of the same name, The Help tells the story of a number of Black women in 1960s America, working as maids for white families. Boasting a stellar cast, The Help stars Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain, Allison Janey, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Sissy Spacek. This film has drawn criticism in recent years because it puts the white women at the center of this story, but if you can keep that in mind while watching, it's helpful.
Carol
More of a period drama than a true historical account, Carol stars Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara as women embroiled in a forbidden love affair in 1950s New York City. The film is a reflection of a bit of queer history and tells the story of millions of women forced to suppress their identities in a time when straight was the only accepted form of love.
The Pianist
The Pianist, a World War II drama, gave us Adrien Brody’s most heartbreaking performance yet. Based on a holocaust memoir, the film follows a Polish-Jewish pianist who evades Nazi capture and witnesses the 1943 Warsaw Uprising and lives to tell his story, as well as the stories of his family, friends, and ancestors.
Argo
This drama stars, and was directed by, Ben Affleck as a CIA operative who led the rescue of six diplomats held hostage in Tehran from 1979 to 1981 by posing as a filmmaker working on a science fiction film in Iran. In its year, it took home Oscars for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
Gangs of New York
Martin Scorsese’s 2002 drama Gangs of New York stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Cameron Diaz and is set in 1863 New York. The story, a bit too epic to condense here, follows gang violence between Irish immigrants and anti-immigrant gangs in New York’s Five Points neighborhood.
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