40 Historical Movies You Need to Watch at Least Once in Your Life
Watch these informative and inspiring movies — from Saving Private Ryan to Reagan — on your favorite streaming sites.
We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.
The great thing about movies? There are so many different genres and stories to tell. While we love to have our minds twisted by psychological thrillers, crack up at classic rom-coms or tear up during a heartfelt romance drama, it's also hard to resist an educational historical movie. Some may associate historical movies with high-school social studies class, but the truth is there are so many engaging and insightful movies out there inspired by historical events and real-life accounts. That's why we found the best of the best — whichever you cue up from this list, you'll be engaged and learn something new.
Watch stories about the lives of Harriet Tubman, Margaret Thatcher, Princess Diana or Marie Antoinette as well as inspirational and harrowing accounts about major players during events like the Apollo 13 mission, the search for Osama bin Laden, the Battle of Dunkirk and the Holocaust. Some of these movies are more serious than light-hearted, so make sure to take that into account if you're watching with young teens or children. No matter which you choose, you'll walk away with a new perspective on some of the biggest events in our world's history.
Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Don Cheadle stars as Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager in Rwanda who helped house over a thousand Tutsi refugees from Hutu militias during the Rwanda Genocide in 1994. The emotional film shows the courage and bravery Paul and his wife Tatiana showed in the face of danger, corruption and civil war.
Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
The five-time Academy Award-nominated picture, although not 100% historically accurate, reflects on the decades-long hunt for terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, who, along with al-Qaeda, was the perpetrator behind the September 11 attacks. The movie follows fictional CIA analyst Maya (Jessica Chastain) and her experience over the years in the hunt which culminates with his death in May 2011.
The Killing Fields (1984)
Inspired by the experiences of two journalists, The Killing Fields gives viewers an insight into Cambodia during the civil war between the Cambodian National Army and the communist group Khmer Rouge, as well as the takeover by the latter group in 1975. The biographical drama was based on the experiences of Cambodian journalist and interpreter Dith Pran and American journalist Sydney Schanberg, who was a New York Times reporter covering the Cambodian Civil War, and how Sydney worked to get Dith out of Cambodia once he was able to escape before the Cambodian Genocide.
The Pianist (2002)
The Iron Lady (2011)
Meryl Streep plays Margaret Thatcher, the longest-serving Prime Minister in the United Kingdom and the first woman to hold the position, in this widely acclaimed 2011 film. The nickname "Iron Lady," which the real-life politician was actually quite fond of, refers to her toughness and leadership style.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Although the Tom Hanks movie is a work of fiction, it's inspired by the Niland brothers — Edward, Preston, Robert and Frederick from Tonawanda, New York — who all served in the military during World War II, with three of them involved in Normandy's "D-Day." It's also said the movie is influenced by the five Sullivan brothers who all enlisted in the Navy after Pearl Harbor but were killed during World War II.
Dunkirk (2017)
Dunkirk tells the true story of a group of World War II British soldiers who got stranded during a German ambush for six weeks alongside Belgian and French soldiers. In the film, Tommy (Fionn Whitehead), a British private, must work together with soldiers Alex (Harry Styles) and Gibson (Aneurin Barnard) to stay alive until British forces are able to rescue them. You can expect to see some additional familiar faces like Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Michael Caine and Jack Lowden.
Harriet (2019)
A deeply moving and inspiring biographical film that tells the story of Harriet Tubman, an enslaved activist who freed herself and then helped hundreds of others escape from the South in the 1850s. Cynthia Erivo stars as Harriet, with a supporting cast including Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn and Janelle Monáe.
Gladiator (2000)
When Roman General Maximus (Russell Crowe) is betrayed by the corrupt son of the emperor (Joaquin Phoenix), he becomes a gladiator and fights through the ranks to ultimately avenge the murders of his family. This action-packed film, inspired loosely by real events that occurred within the Roman Empire back in the 2nd century, is full of epic fights and themes of love, dedication, perseverance and family loyalty.
Apollo 13 (1995)
Apollo 13 tells the story of Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) and Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) — the three astronauts who commanded the Apollo 13 mission to land on the moon in 1970. When the spacecraft suffered an explosion during takeoff, the astronauts were forced to figure out a way to land safely in their return back to Earth. It's a knuckle-clenching film that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
The Sound of Music (1965)
In one of her most memorable roles, Julie Andrews stars as Maria, a not-so-typical nun in Austria. When Maria is sent to work as a nanny for a family of eight, led by retired naval officer and widower Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), what ensues is a musical adventure and romantic love story, all happening during the harrowing Nazi invasion in World War II.
RELATED: Rare Vintage Photos of Julie Andrews Through the Years
The Revenant (2015)
A fur trapper (Leonardo DiCaprio) is in the fight of his life after being mauled by a bear while on a hunting expedition. Although surviving the attack, he now must try to stay alive and find his way back to his traveling companions with only the help of Mother Nature's resources. Based on real-life frontiersman Hugh Glass, there's a reason Leonardo won his first Oscar in this role. The cast also includes Tom Hardy, Will Poulter and Domnhall Gleeson.
Spencer (2021)
You know all about Princess Diana ... but do you really? This riveting biopic which stars Kristen Stewart as Diana and Jack Farthing as Prince Charles starts off with the couple's marriage already strained and follows Diana during the public downfall of their marriage and later divorce.
On the Basis of Sex (2018)
Before she was a Supreme Court justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a first-year law student. Felicity Jones plays a young RBG in this movie where we see the sexism she faced and how hard she fought to change not only the preconceived notions of what certain genders could do but also change the laws to reflect that. Starring alongside Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Sam Waterston and Kathy Bates, this movie perfectly encapsulates the lasting legacy of RBG long after her death.
Schindler's List (1993)
Based on the 1982 non-fiction novel Schindler's Ark, this heartbreaking Oscar-winning film follows Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a German factory owner who saved over a thousand Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by hiring them as workers in his factory. The movie also stars Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Embeth Davidtz and even the real-life wife of Oskar, Emilie Schindler.
Hidden Figures (2015)
Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe play NASA mathematicians and engineers in this film based on the real lives of Katherine Goble Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, three women who helped NASA win the "Space Race" in a time when sexism and racism kept them segregated from the rest of the team.
Argo (2012)
U.S. CIA exfiltration specialist Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) is put in charge of rescuing six Americans who escaped being taken hostage during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979. This film tells the true story of how Tony posed as a movie producer and used a fictional film to get the six out of Iran. In addition to Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman and Tate Donovan star in the film.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)
Set during World War II, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas shares the stark experiences of two young boys living in Berlin: Bruno (Asa Butterfield), the son of a German SS officer (David Thewlis), and Shmuel (Jack Scanlon), a young Jewish boy sent to Auschwitz concentration camp. The film shares a heartbreaking story of friendship, love and loss, as both boys are ultimately forced to face the realities of living in Nazi Germany.
Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013)
The Butler is loosely based on the real life Eugene Allen (Forest Whitakers), a man who served as a White House butler for over 30 years and for eight different presidents. Starring Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, Alan Rickman, Robin Williams and many other big stars, this biographical story is an emotional and thought-provoking film like no other.
Annie O’Sullivan (she/her) covers holiday, gift guide, travel, and lifestyle content at Good Housekeeping. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and previously reported for Runner’s World, NBC New York/NY 4 and Woman’s Day. Annie also has experience writing entertainment news and celebrity-focused content.
36 Best Kids' Movies of 2025
How to Watch and Stream 'The Naked Gun'
Fun Easter Eggs in 'Fantastic Four: First Steps'
The Top 25 'Happy Gilmore 2' Celebrity Cameos
