Historical films can be many things—fiction or nonfiction, literary adaptations or original concepts. Perhaps the most rewarding type of historical film is the period piece, which not only takes place in the past but, through its plot, communicates the spirit of the era in which it takes place. While many of these pieces are long, sweeping epics, others are more personal, small-scale intimations that speak to their periods by delving into the inner worlds of their inhabitants.
As with all films, not all period pieces are built quite the same. Furthermore, just because a film takes place in the past, doesn’t mean that it truly gets to the heart of the society that it depicts. Ahead are ten period pieces that, wholly accurate or not, use art to humanize and flesh out the enigmatic past.
10
‘Gangs of New York’ (2002)
Within Martin Scorsese‘s vast filmography, Gangs of New York is often eclipsed by crime dramas like Goodfellas (1990) and Wolf of Wall Street (2013). Gangs of New York certainly steeps itself in similar themes, delving into crime, corruption, and gang activity. But above all, it’s a painstakingly rendered portrait of poverty, prejudice, and the immigrant experience in New York City during the 1860s.
The bulk of Gangs of New York is set in Lower Manhattan during the New York City draft riots of 1863, in which protests against conscription in the Civil War led to the lynching of at least 119 people (experts place the true death toll at closer to 1,200), most of whom were Black. Amid these riots, Scorsese tells the story of Amsterdam Vallon (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), a young Irish-American who seeks to avenge the murder of his father at the hands of Nativist (read: xenophobic, anti-Irish) crime boss William “Bill the Butcher” Cutting (played by Daniel Day-Lewis). In addition to depicting the tension between Irish immigrants and Anglo New Yorkers, Scorsese also dives into New York’s criminal underbelly, showing not just its brothels and drug dens but also its famously corrupt political figures like William “Boss” Tweed.
9
‘Brokeback Mountain’ (2005)
There’s no shortage of Westerns in American cinema, but none are built quite like Brokeback Mountain. Emotional and groundbreaking in LGBTQ+ cinema, the film explores the star-crossed love story between two Wyoming ranchers in the early 1960s. In addition to delving into the unique world of ranching in the middle of the tumultuous twentieth century, Brokeback Mountain also drives home the homophobia and limited gender expectations of the time. Ennis Del Mar (played by Heath Ledger), for instance, is in love with Jack Ellis (played by Jake Gyllenhaal), but is paralyzed by the times he witnessed violent homophobia. In particular, he recalls a childhood memory in which his father shows him the mangled corpse of a man tortured and killed for homosexuality.
Not only is the film a landmark moment in American cinema—particularly since it was released during a time when same-sex marriage was still illegal—but it’s also a masterpiece, marked by knockout performances, astounding cinematography, and a moving screenplay. Critics seemed to agree: Brokeback Mountain was nominated for seven Golden Globes, of which it won four. At the Academy Awards it was nominated nine times, winning four yet again, and it’s since been preserved by the Library of Congress as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
8
‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ (2019)
Like Brokeback Mountain, Celine Sciamma‘s Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a stunning, heart-rending depiction of a same-sex romance during a time when being gay could endanger one’s life. The quiet, subtle drama takes place in France during the late 18th century, diving into issues like gender inequality, class, and, of course, the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Indeed, the central issues of the film are both the romance between its main characters, Marianne (played by Noémie Merlant) and Héloïse (played by Adèle Haenel), and the latter’s reticence to be married off.
The tragedy of the film is not the fact that Marianne and Héloïse’s relationship doesn’t work out. Rather, it’s why it doesn’t work out. The root of the film is that, owing to their gender, neither character is able to truly create the life she wants for herself. Thus, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is haunting reminder of a time and place in which half the population was stripped of its agency and dignity, resulting in countless lives spent yearning for a happiness hopelessly out of reach.
7
‘Selma’ (2014)
The story of Martin Luther King Jr. is too often sanitized—a phenomenon that director Ava DuVernay bucked against while making her visceral 2014 Dr. King biopic, Selma. In 2015, she told NPR, “What we were trying to do the whole film is to just elevate it from a page in your history book and really just get it into your body—into your DNA.”
And elevate it, she does. DuVernay’s film humanizes Dr. King, depicting his personal relationships while contextualizing him within the broader history of the Civil Rights Movement. She is especially adept at driving home the human impact of the movement and the emotional trauma that Black people and activists faced at the time. For instance, when filming Selma‘s ‘Bloody Sunday’ scene, DuVernay said that she honed in on “the horror, the terror, the fear, the thought on someone’s face that, ‘This is it, this is how it will end for me.” A moving tribute to Dr. King and those who stood beside it, Selma should be required viewing for every American.
6
‘Doctor Zhivago’ (1965)
David Lean‘s 1965 historical epic Doctor Zhivago is based on the Nobel Prize-winning novel of the same name. The story, in both literary and cinematic form, is near-unmatched in its sweeping, multi-generational scope. It covers Russian history from the 1905 Bolshevik Revolution through World War I, the Russian Civil War, and, finally, World War II—all through the perspective of the titular protagonist, Doctor Yuri Zhivago, played by Omar Sharif in the film.
It’s hard to pull off a narrative as grandiose as this, but Doctor Zhivago excels in every way. In addition to its impressive performances, its cinematography is beyond compare, ranging from vast snowy landscapes to idyllic country meadows. Still popular sixty years after its release, it’s essential viewing for anyone interested in period pieces.
5
‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ (2022)
All Quiet on the Western Front is another literary masterpiece made into a film. In fact, Edward Berger‘s 2022 version is the novel’s third adaptation, though it’s certainly the most well-known. Told from the German perspective, it’s set during World War I and depicts a group of young men who eagerly enlist in the military, dreaming of adventure and valor, only to have their spirits crushed and bodies wrecked by the carnage of the trenches.
Like the novel, this film doesn’t shy away from the horrors of war. It also masterfully captures the contrast between the boys’ idyllic homes in the countryside and the nightmare of the Western front. A faithful tribute to the soldiers of the so-called Great War, All Quiet on the Western Front is a compelling masterpiece and an ode to Erich Marie Remarque‘s brave, enduring work of art.
4
‘Amadeus’ (1984)
Of all the period dramas on this list, Miloš Forman‘s Amadeus might just be the one with the most historical inaccuracies. The film’s plot is predicated on a feud between composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (played by Tom Hulce) and Antonio Salieri (played by F. Murray Abraham). However, there’s no evidence to indicate that such a feud existed in real life.
However, Amadeus remains worthy of admiration. It humanizes Mozart and contextualizes him within the complex royal patronage system that enabled him to make music. It also gave surprising insight into his faults (which were exaggerated) and his juvenile sense of humor, which stand in contrast to the moving, emotional pieces that made him so famous. Regardless of one’s level of enthusiasm for classical music, Amadeus is a treat.
3
‘Atonement’ (2007)
In a 2019 story for Condé Nast Traveler, 22 ambassadors from around the world were asked to choose one book that they recommended people read before visiting their respective countries. The ambassador for the United Kingdom chose Ian McEwan’s Atonement, the award-winning bestseller that takes readers from the English countryside to the London Blitz to the harrowing retreat from Dunkirk. Thorough and addictive, the story delves not only into British World War II history but also into the country’s deep-seated class issues. And in 2007, Joe Wright brought the story to life.
Atonement is rendered in impressive detail, faithful to both its source material and to the period it depicts. Furthermore, its imagery brings even greater gravity to the tragic fates of its characters—particularly the memorable shot of Cecilia Tallis’ (played by Keira Knightley) lifeless body floating in a flooded London tube station during the Blitz. It’s no wonder the U.K.’s ambassador is partial to this unforgettable story.
2
‘Roma’ (2018)
Alfonso Cuarón is one of the most talented, heartfelt directors of his generation, responsible for masterpieces like Y Tu Mamá También (2001) and Children of Men (2006). Inspired by the French New Wave, his films often tackle politics, complex relationships, and existentialism—themes he delved into once again in the 2018 film Roma. In the film, Cuarón revisits his native Mexico, telling the story of an indigenous Mixtec woman, Cleodegaria “Cleo” Gutiérrez (played by Yalitza Aparicio), who works as a live-in maid for a wealthy family amid the political turmoil that rocked Mexico City in the early 1970s.
From pop culture to fashion, every detail of Roma‘s time and place is recreated faithfully and lovingly. Thesociopolitical lessons at the heart of the film also remain painfully relevant today: In 2019, Cuarón told The Guardian, “This movie is set in 1971, and the social problems have actually got worse since then. That is really painful… What is so scary, though, is the amount of racist commentary about this on Twitter. And when Yalitza was on the cover of Vogue, you have no idea of the amount of racist comments about it. So, 1971 or 2018? The problems are even more acute today.”
1
‘Schindler’s List’ (1993)
It’s no surprise that Steven Spielberg‘s magnum opus, Schindler’s List, finds itself on a list of all-time best period pieces. The film is based on Thomas Keneally‘s novel, Schindler’s Ark, and centers around Oskar Schindler (played by Liam Neeson), who saved over a thousand Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. The recipient of seven BAFTA Awards, seven Academy Awards, and three Golden Globes, it’s often hailed as one of the best films ever made, famous for its incredible recreation of 1940s Germany, its moving script, and its deeply impactful symbolism.
Schindler’s List is one of the few movies to be endorsed by political leaders all over the world, with then-president Bill Clinton personally urging Americans to see it. The film has also been praised by filmmakers like Billy Wilder, Martin Scorsese, and Stanley Kubrick, the latter of whom abandoned his own Holocaust-centered film once he read the script for Schindler’s List. One of the most well-known Holocaust movies of all time, Schindler’s List demonstrates how impactful period pieces can truly be.
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