Best Movies Based On Historical Events or People

created by heather

Names may have been changes, events may have been fictionalized, but the movies are good, and historically grounded. Don't agree with the list? Place your vote or if you are a logged in, add a new item for others to vote on.

Vote for Braveheart 1) Braveheart

“William Wallace was a real person, once upon a time, and now his story will live forever.”

heather

“it had to be number 1”

whatsitsname

“It is about "Scotland the Brave".
I love this country very much and
would return any day if I just could.”

Blackthorne

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Vote for Titanic 2) Titanic

“I think this pretty much explains itself, but I must make comment about how wonderful I think this movie is. I think it was an instant classic.”

heather

“Best movie of all time. I have seen it heaps and it never gets old.”

dragon13304

“Ok Dear maker of this list,
Titanic was the highest grossing movie worlwide and still is, no movie comes close, granted Braveheart is awesome, just look at the statistics.”

Ezekial5016

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Vote for Troy 3) Troy

“It is proven that Illium (Troy) really existed, and this story has been in circulation for thousands of years. Then, they turned around and made a truly epic movie about it. They took and age-old story, and brought it to life with TROY.”

heather

Vote for Saving Private Ryan 4) Saving Private Ryan

“best movie on this list I’ll tell you that”

Razor79

“this is the best movie in the world.”

schwanie

“the best movie eva!!!”

Vote for Schindler’s List 5) Schindler’s List

“A movie every adult should watch someday.”

“One of the Greatest movies I’ve ever seen.”

HotRod

“a very real, moving movie.”

JESSIEMEN

read more comments on Schindler’s List

Vote for 300 6) 300

“best historic film ever made”

Shynash21

“All the important characters in this movie were real. I’m not sure it’s the best on this list but it deserves a load of credit.”

Cantonez

“I love this film it is gripping and the acting from gerard butler is amazing”

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Vote for The Sound of Music 7) The Sound of Music

“soo truee, soo peaceful, succh a good movie”

Vote for Gladiator 8) Gladiator

“Although this movie is excellent, it is only three on the list due to the only thing that is historical is the games, and some of the names. Gladiators existed, Marcus Aurelius existed, Commodus existed, and that is all that is really known. But, thats enought to put in on our list!”

heather

“This is my favorite movie of all time! Not only does it have a bunch of sweet fight scenes but it has a good plot also!”

“I love this movie it is great!”

listen to Gladiator on iTunes
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Vote for Bordertown 9) Bordertown

Vote for Savior Savior 10) Savior

“saddest movie ever”

Irina2932

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Choices Not In The Top Ten

Vote for The Patriot 11) The Patriot

“Some of the names have been changed in this movie, but most of the people actually existed, including Mel Gibson’s main charecter, and the bad guy too! The point is, its historical, and its a great movie.”

heather

“best movie on the reolutionary war”

jimmiejohnsonfanforlife

Vote for Glory 12) Glory

“This could also be classified as a war movie, but I think the historical significance of this movie makes in a movie that needs to be on the list.”

heather

Vote for Spartacus 13) Spartacus

“Old movie, but still great, and historical too!”

heather

Vote for Gone With The Wind 14) Gone With The Wind

“I couldn’t believe this wasn’t on the top ten...this is based on the most important historical history in the US...come on now and it’s the best historical book or movie ever made and it’s still watched and talked about...so let’s get this movie to where it is supposed to be guys...”

Vote for The Great Escape 15) The Great Escape

“This is an AMAZING movie. I first saw it when I was about 9. Every since then, I’ve loved it!!”

Vote for Lawrence of Arabia 16) Lawrence of Arabia

“Not one of my personal favorites, I can appreciate this movie for its historical quality, and that it was very well liked by many people when it came out. This movies classic status puts it on this list in the top of the historical movie list.”

heather

“Peter O’Toole’s masterpiece.”

Vote for Ben-Hur 17) Ben-Hur

“Wow, this was a cool movie back then, and its a cool movie now. A lot like Gladiator, mostly historical is the races themselves.”

heather

Vote for Gandhi 18) Gandhi

“It is incredible how he managed to fight out the independence of India”

MatrixGuy

“Need I say more”

Vote for Once Upon a Time In China 19) Once Upon a Time In China

Vote for Cinderella Man 20) Cinderella Man

“This is so better then the Titanic.
”

Baltimore1993

“Crowe does a great job of playing James Braddock the legendary boxer during the depression”

Vote for Cleopatra 21) Cleopatra

Vote for The Last Samurai 22) The Last Samurai

“Pictures perfectly the atmosphere and circumstances of the end of the Samurai at the begining of the Meiji Restoration time.”

alexa

Vote for Life Is Beautiful 23) Life Is Beautiful

“This deserves a spot in the top ten.”

tarot_contralto

“This is a really funny yet sad movie about a Jewish Italian family sent to a concentration camp during the Holocaust. The father, played by the movie’s director Roberto Benigni (a big name in the Italian film industry), drives the story with his remarkable sense of humor that persists to guide his family through this time of hopelessness.”

Vote for Tombstone 24) Tombstone

“Much more recent history than most of these others, but still a very good historical movie about many of America’s historical people.”

heather

Vote for Miracle 25) Miracle

Vote for Selena 26) Selena

“LOVE this movie! Jennifer Lopez did a great job!”

Vote for Pearl Harbor 27) Pearl Harbor

Vote for The Passion of the Christ 28) The Passion of the Christ

“its good that they made a movie about him”

moose4life19

Vote for Alexander 29) Alexander

Vote for October Sky 30) October Sky

“I think October Sky is the best movie it was based in Coalwood,WV. The movie was about Homer Hickam and the rocketboys. That created a rocket that changed history especially for there town. Those who haven’t watched it should. If you do email me and tell me what you think jennifermaynard22@yahoo.com”

Vote for The Great Raid 31) The Great Raid

Vote for Ray 32) Ray

“THE BEST MOVIE EVER”

Vote for Gettysburg 33) Gettysburg

“Can’t believe this isn’t higher”

Vote for A Beautiful Mind 34) A Beautiful Mind

“Great movie! Russel Crowe is one of the best actors in the present time!”

Vote for Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World 35) Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World

Vote for Remember the Titans 36) Remember the Titans

Vote for Texas Chainsaw Massacre 37) Texas Chainsaw Massacre

“worst killing family in united states history”

“this didn’t actually happen, love (at least not in any way resembling how it was portrayed). but it was still a truly entertaining story. ^_^”

Vote for The Aviator 38) The Aviator

“Howard Hughes had a crazy life.”

travis13

Vote for The Last King of Scotland 39) The Last King of Scotland

“Forest Whitaker in probably one of the most powerful roles based off a real person. Such an amazing and yet disturbing movie. Incredibly moving.”

Vote for American Gangster 40) American Gangster

Vote for Chapter 27 41) Chapter 27

Vote for A Very Long Engagement 42) A Very Long Engagement

“A great depiction of post world war 1 france. Every scene is a masterpiece”

Vote for Tora! Tora! Tora! 43) Tora! Tora! Tora!

“Way better than Pearl Harbor. They used the war footage on Tora, Tora, Tora on several shows and movies for years.”

FearlessFreep

Vote for American Outlaws 44) American Outlaws

“Il ove this film and it tells you in good detail the story of Jesse James.”

Vote for Bobby 45) Bobby

“Great movie with many cameos. But portrays a lost vision for America!”

williamlhall

Vote for Downfall 46) Downfall

“The last days in Hitler’s bunker. Powerful movie!!!!”

Vote for Enemy at the Gates 47) Enemy at the Gates

“A great war movie.”

Vote for Flags of Our Fathers 48) Flags of Our Fathers

Vote for Letters From Iwo Jima 49) Letters From Iwo Jima

Vote for Gangs of New York 50) Gangs of New York

“Daniel Day Lewis is one of the greatest actors ever.”

Vote for United 93 51) United 93

Vote for The Amityville Horror 52) The Amityville Horror

“Terrifying, can’t believe its not on there yet.”

Vote for A League of Their Own 53) A League of Their Own

Vote for An American Haunting 54) An American Haunting

“Freaky”

Vote for We Are Marshall 55) We Are Marshall

“love this movie”

Vote for Mississippi Burning 56) Mississippi Burning

“Search for the killers of the three Civil Rights workers.”

Vote for The Hunt for Red October 57) The Hunt for Red October

“My dad knows some people from when it really happened.”

Vote for Radio 58) Radio

Vote for Hotel Rwanda 59) Hotel Rwanda

Vote for Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no Haka) 60) Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no Haka)

“I almost cried when I saw this movie.. and I am really insensitive!”

Vote for Stalin 61) Stalin

“such an incredible film focusing on the life of one of the most intriguing an evil men of all time incredible acting espicially from robert duvall and amzing score taken from alexander nevsky make tis one of the most incredible films ever but it’s not asx good as some of the others here namely Hotaru no Haka wich is the sadest film of all time.”