History in Film

Happy Halloween! This gloomy tale is set at an off-shore lighthouse in New England near the end of the 19th century. The post A026b: The Lighthouse (2019) appeared first on .

We use The Prestige as an excuse to discuss Nikola Tesla and the early days of electricity in the United States. The post A026: The Prestige (2006) appeared first on .

This is a bit oversimplified and fictionalized, but still gives an okay look at the man behind the lightbulb. The post A025: Edison, the Man (1940) appeared first on .

This HBO original film focuses on the people involved in the political fight over the Black Hills in South Dakota that led to the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890. The post A024: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) appeared first on .

As the outlaw career of Jesse James was winding down, an eager young criminal named Robert Ford joined his gang. This film is a fairly accurate portrayal of the final [ … ] The post A023: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) appeared first on .

A group of strangers travel through Apache territory on their way from Arizona to New Mexico in June of 1880. The post A022: Stagecoach (1939) appeared first on .

Richard Harris and Sean Connery star in this story of a detective infiltrating a coal union in 1876 Pennsylvania. Based on actual events. The post A021: The Molly Maguires (1970) appeared first on .

This Coen Brothers anthology is just a fun look at various Old West tropes while all being centered around death. The post A020b: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) appeared first on .

A fictionalized family drama about the O’Leary family whose cow is credited with starting the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The post A020: In Old Chicago (1938) appeared first on .

Dustin Hoffman stars as Jack Crab, a man claiming to be the lone white survivor of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. His life story runs him through the gamut [ … ] The post A019: Little Big Man (1970) appeared first on .

Set in Texas from ~1868-1873, The Searchers follows two men on a quest to rescue a little girl from the Comanches who kidnapped her. The post A018b: The Searchers (1956) appeared first on .

Another stellar performance by Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln in this film about the President’s quest to pass the 13th Amendment. The post A018: Lincoln (2012) appeared first on .

This is a fictional story, but still gives us an opportunity to discuss Native Americans during the Civil War. We also wrap up the fighting of the Civil War itself [ … ] The post A017: Dances with Wolves (1990) appeared first on .

A solid movie and a fairly accurate look at the 54th Massachusetts regiment of African-American soldiers during the Civil War. The post A016: Glory (1989) appeared first on .

Fake beards and lack of blood aside, this may be the most accurate film we’ve ever discussed on the podcast. The post A015: Gettysburg (1993) appeared first on .

Buster Keaton’s silent classic is based an actual event called the Great Locomotive Chase from April 12, 1862. While it starts out fairly accurate, it soon goes… off the rails, [ … ] The post A014: The General (1926) appeared first on .

A fictionalized story, but set in the very real world of the Five Points slum of New York City. Some real-life figures also play important roles. The post A013: The Gangs of New York (2002) appeared first on .

Bleeding Kansas and the radical abolitionist John Brown seen through the eyes of J.E.B. Stuart and pals. The post A012: Santa Fe Trail (1940) appeared first on .

The harrowing true story of Solomon Northup, a free man who was captured in 1841 and sold into slavery. The post A011: 12 Years a Slave (2013) appeared first on .

Despite the absolute craziness that is RRR, two very real men were the inspiration for it. The post W059b: RRR (2022) appeared first on .

The harrowing story of Hugh Glass as told by Oscar-winning director Alejandro Iñárritu. Many details in the film are invented, but Glass did indeed survive a bear attack much to [ … ] The post A010: The Revenant (2015) appeared first on .

Zorro is fictional, but there’s plenty to talk about in the true story of California in the early 1800s. The post A009: The Mark of Zorro (1940) & The Mask of Zorro (1998) appeared first on .

A surprisingly thorough look at the life of Davy Crockett told in three vignettes. The post A008: Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier (1955) appeared first on .

Set in the early days of European settlement in the Oregon territory, First Cow offers an interesting perspective on the basics we take for granted. The post A007b: First Cow (2020) appeared first on .

The crazy story of Jean Lafitte, the pirate who helped the United States win the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. The post A007: The Buccaneer (1958) appeared first on .