Historians have revealed the 10 best recent historical movies. History Extra asked experts to nominate the top 100 of all time, with the final list including 1962’s Lawrence of Arabia, 1975’s Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and 1993’s Schindler’s List. Among their favourites of the recently released are a very popular war film, an Oscar-winning dark comedy, and a cult favourite horror. Below, the Express looks at historians’ top picks among recently released historic films.
Suffragette
The 2015 British historical drama, directed by Sarah Gavron, stars Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne-Marie Duff, and Meryl Streep.
Mark Glancy, professor of film history at Queen Mary University of London, called it “a compelling drama of the ordinary women who risked everything” in the fight for women’s suffrage.
The Witch
Robert Egger’s 2015 directorial debut is a folk horror set in 1630s New England and stars Anya Taylor-Joy in her feature film debut, alongside Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie.
Maddy Pelling, historian, writer and podcast host, called it a “masterpiece” and said it “captures a deep-seated unease in both the landscape and minds of a devout colonial family” through its exploration of sexuality, faith and sin.
Hidden Figures
The 2016 biographical drama follows the story of the Space Race as told from the point of view of its unsung heroes – the African-American women who did much of the maths. It stars Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe.
Marc Morris, medieval historian and author, said that it “packs real emotional punch” and “captures something of the reality of racial and sexual politics of America in the 1960s”.
Darkest Hour
Joe Wright’s 2017 biographical war drama stars Gary Oldman in his Oscar-winning performance of Winston Churchill in his early days as Prime Minister during World War 2 and the May 1940 war cabinet crisis.
Estelle Paranque, author and historian in queenship, royal and diplomatic studies, called Gary Oldman’s performance “majestic” and called it “one of the best” portrayals of Churchill in film history.
Dunkirk
This 2017 historical war thriller was directed by Christoper Nolan and depicts the Dunkirk evacuation of World War II from the perspectives of the land, sea, and air through its ensemble cast, which includes Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, and more.
Emily Brand, historian and author, said the film “goes to unusual lengths to recreate a realistic atmosphere” with poignant real-life-inspired moments like the ‘little ship’ rescues, aircraft crash landing on the beach and soldiers walking into the sea.
The Favourite
Yorgos Lanthimos’s 2018 satirical, absurdist dark comedy examines the relationship between cousins, the Duchess of Marlborough and Baroness Masham, as they vie to be Queen Anne’s court favourite. It stars Olivia Colman in an Oscar-winning performance as well as Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz, both of whom were Oscar-nominated.
Sarah Gristwood, best-selling biographer, historian, and broadcaster, said The Favourite “rewrote the rules” for historical movies, “daring to rely solely on female stars”.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
The 2019 historical romantic drama was directed by Céline Sciamma, telling the story of a brief affair between two young women: an aristocrat and a painter commissioned to paint her portrait. It stars Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel.
Maddy Pelling, historian, writer and podcast host, said the “tale of doomed love” is a “masterful exploration of art and desire” that evokes historical texts to “explore the politics of looking, then and now”.
The Northman
Robert Eggers’ third film was this 2022 epic action drama based on the legend of Amleth, an exiled Viking prince who seeks to avenge his father. It stars Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe.
Eleanor Barraclough, historian, writer and broadcaster, said the “brutal and bloody tale” is “like an old Norse saga come to life”. She added that it has “extraordinary” attention to historical detail, from depictions of textile production to architecture and artwork.
Firebrand
This 2023 historical drama, directed by Karim Aïnouz, stars Jude Law and Alicia Vikander as King Henry VIII and his sixth and final wife, Catherine Parr.
Tracy Borman, bestselling author, historian and broadcaster, said the film makes “terrifyingly clear” that Catherine surviving her husband was not guaranteed. She said Law gave a “most chilling depiction of this tyrannical king” opposite Vikander’s portrayal of “a woman of fierce intellect and burning religious zeal who refused to conform”.
Napoleon
Ridley Scott’s 2023 epic biographical war film is based on the life of Napoleon, primarily depicting his rise to power and his relationship with his wife, Joséphine. It stars Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby.
Hannah Skoda, associate professor of medieval history at St John’s College, Oxford, said the film “gives a suitably complex picture of a man of overweening ambition, strategic genius, and weird insecurities”. She says Joaquin Phoenix is “terrifyingly single-minded and defiant”, while also “strangely piteous at times”.