Summary

• Period piece movies like 'Gone with the Wind' and 'Titanic' capture timeless stories of love and tragedy with historical accuracy and impactful performances.
• Emphasizing themes of societal norms and personal struggle, films like 'A Room With a View' and 'Pride & Prejudice' depict powerful tales of love and identity.
• Addressing important historical events like the Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement, movies such as 'Schindler's List' and 'One Night in Miami' offer poignant narratives of heroism and activism.

Warning: This article mentions the topics of racism and slavery.

Period piece movies travel back in time to recount stories of the past, but some titles are more prominent than others, standing the test of time to become truly incomparable classics. Some of the best movies of all time came from the period genre and reignited timeless narratives in eras that many weren’t able to relate to. However, the dramatization of cultural standings, societal expectations, and historical events from long in the past was often the reason why these movies were so successful.

As period piece movies, or period dramas, continued to grow in popularity, the smaller screen followed suit. Over time, titles like Bridgerton and The Great swiftly became some of the best historical TV shows ever. With decades of films to consider, plenty of period piece movies proved themselves to be stand-outs in the genre because of their groundbreaking cast performances, set design, historical accuracy, and overall success.

20 Made In Dagenham (2010)

Made in Dagenham was based on a true story and recounted the historical event of the Ford sewing machinists and their strike in 1968, fighting back against sexual discrimination and pushing for equal pay for women. The film received significant praise for its striking balance of humor and drama while still maintaining a strong and investable storyline.

Made in Dagenham’s story about a group of ordinary women standing up to large corporations and societal norms was hopeful and heartwarming but didn’t shy away from tackling the topics of gender inequality, workers’ rights, and overall justice.

19 One Night In Miami (2020)

One Night in Miami was based on a true story, but it was told in a fictional that followed Malcolm X, Jim Brown, Sam Cooke, and Cassius Clay, more commonly known as Muhammad Ali. Although their meeting in 1963 was historically inaccurate, the film highlighted a powerful message about racial identity and activism through their presence.

One Night in Miami was the directorial debut of Regina King, who brilliantly translated the original stage play by Kemp Powers to the silver screen. The critically acclaimed film received multiple award nominations, including the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

18 A Room With A View (1985)

One of Helena Bonham Carter’s best movies, A Room With a View, focused on Lucy Honechurch’s struggle between her vacation romance and her fiance back in England. Carter's chemistry with co-star Julian Sands was particularly memorable, which was an impressive skill, considering the actress was only 19 years old in A Room With a View.

Themes of conflict, social expectations, and self-awareness were prominent throughout the movie, and Lucy and George’s emotional arc was particularly notable. The film still maintained its classic status because of its beautiful cinematography and stellar costume design, but especially because of Carter’s profound performance.

17 The Lion In Winter (1968)

In one of the best medieval movies ever, The Lion in Winter, Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn portrayed King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Set in Christmas 1183, The Lion in Winter focused on Henry’s desperate attempts to cling to power and his estranged wife’s battle for freedom and justice for their three sons.

The themes of sibling rivalry and the quest for control were the driving forces of The Lion in Winter, and Henry’s descent into madness was stellar. Hepburn’s performance was especially strong in this film, which resulted in her third Academy Award win for Best Actress.

16 Hidden Figures (2016)

Hidden Figures was another film based on a true story, but amazingly recreated an early 1960s setting to tell the tale of three black women who worked at NASA – Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson. Hidden Figures highlighted the importance of these women in the early days of the U.S. space program and the pivotal roles they played in getting humanity into space.

Hidden Figures’ inspirational story about facing adversity and breaking down societal barriers was made even better by Taraji P. Henson’s performance as Katherine, in an emotional and moving portrayal that encapsulated the film’s important message.

15 Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Moulin Rouge! amazingly redefined the musical movie genre through a fascinating story about a poet who falls in love with a local cabaret star. Set in Paris at the start of the 20th century, Moulin Rouge! received a huge amount of praise for scoring its tense romantic plot with extravagant modern popular songs, which was a refreshing change of pace and a unique trait that several other movies and TV shows, such as The Great Gatsby and Bridgerton, took inspiration from.

Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman both offered brilliant performances and were celebrated for how they portrayed their character’s arcs.

14 The African Queen (1951)

The African Queen’s compelling story was led by the classic Hollywood actors Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, as Charlie Allnut and Rose Sayer, respectively. Bogart’s stellar performance earned him his only Academy Award for Best Actor. The film’s classic tale focused on missionary Rose and mechanic Charlie at the outbreak of World War I.

Together, the two worked to navigate a treacherous African river on a journey filled with danger and anticipation. The cinematography was astonishing and provided an immersive experience because it was shot in an African landscape, one of the first major films to do so.

13 The Last Of The Mohicans (1992)

12 The Favourite (2018)

Olivia Colman’s Oscar-winning performance as Queen Anne in The Favourite was the cherry on top of a brilliant movie. Set during Queen Anne’s reign in the year 1705, her battle with ill health was turned upside down by her budding friendships with Emma Stone’s Abigail and Rachel Weisz’ Sarah.

The Favourite’s story highlighted themes of sexuality and the hierarchy within the monarchy, which were even more impactful through Yorgos Lanthimos' unique directorial style. The black comedy movie was also praised for its incredible but dry humor and sexually charged scenes, which emphasized the cutthroat dynamics of its characters.

11 My Fair Lady (1964)

The critically acclaimed film My Fair Lady won a mind-blowing eight Academy Awards after its release, which wasn’t a surprise, considering the beautiful performances by Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle and Rex Harrison as Professor Henry Higgins. My Fair Lady was based on the highly successful stage musical of the same name, and the film adaptation became an instant classic upon its release. The story of Eliza's high-society transformation under the teachings of Higgins was an interesting storyline and tackled themes of class and identity; all wrapped up in a timeless narrative.

However, its most enjoyable moments were made even better by the accompaniment of Alan Jay Lerner’s joyful soundtrack. The elegance of Edwardian London was especially noticeable in the film’s set design, which greatly added to the atmosphere of the musical numbers and resulted in My Fair Lady’s Best Art Director Academy Award win. My Fair Lady’s spectacular musicality, engaging storyline, and lavish production design made it one of the best musical movies of all time.