Dan Snow Rates the Best Historical Films of All Time

Historian Dan Snow reviews the top five historical movies of all time, as voted for by the public in a History Hit poll.

First up, he reviews famous scenes from the Ridley Scott masterpiece Gladiator (2000), starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. Is it the greatest Hollywood movie set in the ancient world? You certainly thought so.

Next, it's one of the greatest Hollywood movies about space exploration, Apollo 13 (1995). According to the astronauts who really took part in the ill-fated mission to the moon, this film is particularly faithful to the true story.

Third, Dan reviews scenes from one of his own favourite films, Last of the Mohicans (1992). This movie brilliantly depicts combat between Native Americans and European colonial soldiers during the 1750s, and features an incredible lead performance from Daniel Day Lewis.

In second place is one of the most moving films of the last century, Schindler's List (1993), in which Liam Neeson plays the leading role. Oskar Schindler really did save the lives of thousands of Jews during the Second World War, but Dan believes the movie is kind to the real historic figure.

And finally, its Steven Spielberg's World War Two epic, Saving Private Ryan (1998). The film follows a group of US soldiers who go behind enemy lines in Normandy to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action.

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00:00 Introduction
00:21 Gladiator (2000)
05:43 Apollo 13 (1995)
09:29 The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
15:35 Schindler's List (1993)
20:54 Saving Private Ryan (1998)

[gezzarandom]

Ralph Fiennes said that Goeth was a psychopath first, nazi second. He was relieved of his duties for excessive cruelty in a concentration camp, which shows how sick and sadistic he was.

[Canuckbeaverton]

I love how Dan can recognize great filmmaking and balance historical accuracy. A simple example with Gladiator's thumbs up/down was intentionally catered to our modern understanding. Is it wrongly used? Yes. Is it worth confusing a massive audience? No.

[jldisme]

When Swiger radioed that famous line to Houston, he was utterly calm and professional. So were all subsequent communications from the crew. There was no panic in their voices. Listening to the recordings, you would never guess that something serious had happened. They were such highly trained, seasoned professionals. But that wouldn't convey the seriousness in a movie.

[speedmph]

I feel like he missed a great story in not explaining the reference of the Sullivan brothers made at about 23:00. It’s a truly heart wrenching story of 5 brothers who enlisted in the US navy and served aboard the same ship. USS Juneau was sunk during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal and all 5 brothers died. Since then, the military generally tried to keep family members separated to avoid similar issues.

[ltkreg]

He's right about Oscar Schindler. In reality he was a lot worse than depicted in the movie. Which is why it's even more amazing that he did a complete 180 and did the good things that he did.

[samuelloification]

I like Dan's way of doing this as he isn't being dismissive of things that are in accurate. He's saying the truth but also giving his opinion of whether the scene is good. Much better than the normal 'it's not accurate so is rubbish' when it is a work of fiction

[gunnysgames]

The scene with the little girl in the red coat in Schindler’s List is so gut wrenching. The whole movie is gut wrenching but that scene just really hits different.

[unclepatrick]

I saw Apollo 13 with a friend and his father. The Father use to work for NASA . He was part of the group that figured out how to put the different shape Filters in the Lander and is listed as one of the people interviewed for the book Lost Moon. Toward the end of the movie, I saw the father gripping the seat .

[tessat]

The Mission Control Center in Apollo 13 was so accurate that astronaut Dave Scott, who acted as a technical consultant on the film, would turn in the wrong direction to find the men's room, because it was in a different place at the film studio. He kept subconsciously thinking that he was in Houston.

[Maazzzo]

My favourite genre of youtube video is experts complaining about film inaccuracies. Please bring Dan back for more.

[Polletross]

These are some of the most moving films of all times it’s so wild. Even with the inaccuracies. The 90’s were good to us through filmmaking.

[bridgetsturgis]

Last of the Mohicans is just absolutely an amazing film. It differs from the book somewhat but I feel the most important parts, the atmosphere of the colonial super power tensions and the indigenous culture were done wonderfully. I absolutely love it. The film score is legendary, the acting, all of it. One of my all-time favorites.

[jomc]

I still can't believe that Ralph Fiennes didn't win the Oscar for Schindler's List. When I saw the movie, I couldn't take my eyes off him. He was mesmorizing.

[MatSpeedle]

I remember watching Saving Private Ryan with my Grandfather many years ago. A veteran of the African and Italian campaigns. When I asked him was it really that bad? He just responded "much worse" never cried so much before or since thinking of my hero having to go through that hell. Since that day I've never forgotten what that generation did for the freedom of Europe and indeed the world. The real super heroes of the world.

[alexlewis]

To me, having Hanks' character in SPR as a middle aged teacher was genius. It was the father figure that all the young men/boys needed and given all he had gone through and survived, made the ending where he dies as more heartbreaking. Spielberg really is one of the greatest story tellers of our time.

[SPQSpartacus]

Master and Commander is still woefully unknown and underappreciated. People watching this video are more likely to know it. One of the truly great historical movies.

[thoughtful_criticiser]

I watched Schindler's List in Leicester University Students' Union after it was released. Most of the students watching it were Israeli, some were descendants of the Schindler Jews. When the movie finished nobody moved or spoke, the only sounds were sobbing. It is the most moving and unforgettable experience of my life.

[bryanmachin]

The thing I'll always remember about Saving Private Ryan is the older Ryan breaking down at the end, asking his wife "have I lived a good life"? Even though he's only a film character, the scene makes me want to cry, for all the young men who had to come back from that war and go on with life wondering why they got to survive, but their buddy didn't.

[jp]

Amon Göth in the movie was reportedly made tamer than the real one b/c the latter was so monstrous that he came off as almost unbelievable. The modern trend in writing villains is to make their motivations understandable. You'll hear lots of film enthusiasts preach that making a one-dimensional antagonist who's just evil for the sake of evil and only cares for money is the wrong way to go. It's almost as if the film is trying to give Amon a character arc regarding power & attraction, as well as attempting to provide answers on why he is the way he is. Only for him to reject that exploration and immediately go back to the pleasure of violence. A reminder that monsters do exist in real life no matter if they're human.

'93 was the most competitive year for supporting actor performances on the big screen. The 66th Oscar nominees for that category were Ralph Fiennes (Schindler's List), Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive), John Malkovich (In the Line of Fire), Leonardo DiCaprio (What's Eating Gilbert Grape), & Pete Postlethwaite (In the Name of the Father). The snubs include Ben Kingsley (Schindler's List), Val Kilmer (Tombstone), Sean Penn (Carlito's Way), certain actors in True Romance, etc...

[ryanackley]

My grandfather was in eastern france, and slipped and tripped in the rain and mud on his rain slicker. Just as he tripped he heard a shot from a panther tank and basically vaporized four of his squad mates. He never really got over it. Same as my dad in Vietnam. They tried to kinda sugar coat the experience, but i could tell.