List of Movies Concerning the History and Literature of the Colonial and Revolutionary Period (1600-1800AD)
This list attempt to compile the best movies that might supplement a study of 17th and 18th centuries. This is not a comprehensive list, but hopefully gives a well-rounded sampling.
To assist you in finding what you may be interested in (there will be some overlap), here is a table of contents:
The New World Colonial Period - 1
Literature of the 1600s - 11
Imperial Age (Europe 1600-1700) - 20
The arts - 44
Scientific Revolution - 54
Europe of 1700s - 59
Literature of the 1700s - 74
Pirates - 80
Americas Pre-Revolutionary War - 87
The US Revolutionary War - 101
The French Revolution - 117
US post-Revolution - 127
Far East -132
*Note that I have very, very little of non-European/American history in this list. See my previous list (Middle Ages through Elizabethan era) or the next list (The 19th Century) for a more extensive section with that focus.
My criteria for a movie/show to be included were that:
1) It had to fall within the historical time-frame given,
2) It had to receive at least a star rating of 6.0 from IMDb,
3) It had to be at least be theoretically possible to FIND the movie somewhere, such as on Netflix or Amazon.
As I am not an expert on history nor have I actually watched most of the movies listed here, I make no promises about the relevance or appropriateness of any movie listed.
*Parental Discretion Advised*
I would welcome any comments or suggestions.
To assist you in finding what you may be interested in (there will be some overlap), here is a table of contents:
The New World Colonial Period - 1
Literature of the 1600s - 11
Imperial Age (Europe 1600-1700) - 20
The arts - 44
Scientific Revolution - 54
Europe of 1700s - 59
Literature of the 1700s - 74
Pirates - 80
Americas Pre-Revolutionary War - 87
The US Revolutionary War - 101
The French Revolution - 117
US post-Revolution - 127
Far East -132
*Note that I have very, very little of non-European/American history in this list. See my previous list (Middle Ages through Elizabethan era) or the next list (The 19th Century) for a more extensive section with that focus.
My criteria for a movie/show to be included were that:
1) It had to fall within the historical time-frame given,
2) It had to receive at least a star rating of 6.0 from IMDb,
3) It had to be at least be theoretically possible to FIND the movie somewhere, such as on Netflix or Amazon.
As I am not an expert on history nor have I actually watched most of the movies listed here, I make no promises about the relevance or appropriateness of any movie listed.
*Parental Discretion Advised*
I would welcome any comments or suggestions.
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- DirectorTerrence MalickStarsColin FarrellQ'orianka KilcherChristopher PlummerThe story of the English exploration of Virginia, and of the changing world and loves of Pocahontas.I've been told that this is 'pretty' but slow.
- DirectorMike GabrielEric GoldbergStarsMel GibsonLinda HuntChristian BaleAn English soldier and the daughter of an Algonquin chief share a romance when English colonists invade seventeenth century Virginia.This Disney movie is light on facts, but would still be appropriate for an introductory film for a younger audience to this era. Or for an older audience to study revisionist history.
- StarsMaggie HuculakLorne CardinalNigel BennettA dramatized comprehensive survey of the history of Canada.This documentary series goes from the colonial times through the modern era, so could technically fit in several other places rather than just here on my lists.
- DirectorLisa Quijano WolfingerStarsNicholas AsburyChristopher HaasKeith BartlettAn in-depth dramatization of the story of the PilgrimsKnown on Netflix as: 'The Untold Story of the Mayflower'. or 'Desperate Crossing'.
- 1988–198924mUnrated6.6 (449)TV EpisodeDirectorEvert BrownStarsErin ChaseFrank WelkerBrandon StewartThe Peanuts gang tells the story of the 1620 Mayflower voyage from England to the new world detailing the hardships they faced, how the Natives helped them survive, and ending the following autumn in a feast of Thanksgiving.For the youngest students.
- DirectorMichael DurlingStarsLindsay GrandDavia GrantMartin HarcourtTake a look at how history is written and reevaluated as new methods of study are introduced. Using the example of Jamestown in 1607, explore the myths and misconceptions of that era: revisit the documents, artifacts, and other evidence through archeology. Learn how every generation sees the evidence in new ways, and how this affects our understanding of the past.An episode of 'America Unearthed'.
- DirectorXavier KollerStarsAdam BeachMandy PatinkinSheldon Peters WolfchildFictional chronicle of Squanto's life prior to and including the arrival of the "Mayflower" in 1620.
- StarsKathryn WalkerDon WoodBethany WyersA group of ordinary people arrive on a boat to 1628 and have to build a functioning colony, using only time appropriate resources. Their goal: survive for 4 months and pass the final evaluation.
- DirectorBruce BeresfordStarsLothaire BluteauAden YoungSandrine HoltIn the 17th century, a Jesuit missionary nicknamed Black Robe by the natives and his small party of companions try reaching the Huron tribe in Canada all while facing mistrust, Iroquois warring parties and harsh winter conditions.
- 1991–200530m7.7 (32)TV EpisodeDirectorRichard RichStarsU. Jonathan ToppoJames MarchJoe LynchIn 1620, John Carver, William Bradford, Captain Standish and 99 pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower toward America in search of religious freedom. As disease and storms hit they are almost forced to return. William Bradford convinces Captain Standish to press on. Before landing, Bradford suggests everyone sign the Mayflower Contract designed to enact their own laws and elect leaders for a free government. John Carver is elected to govern for one year. The land they choose to build on becomes known as "Plymouth". Immediately, the winter sets in and the pilgrims face the harsh effects of the weather, hunger and disease. By the first signs of spring, half of the pilgrims have died. Soon a lone Indian appears on the horizon. Against Captain Standish's wishes, John Carver and William Bradford befriend Samoset of the Wampanoag tribe. Samoset sends the English-speaking Squanto and Chief Massasoit to the pilgrims who make a peace pact. Chief Massasoit offers gifts to seal the deal. Squanto and Samoset live with the pilgrims and teach them how to live off the land. As John Carver falls ill, he makes Bradford Governor of Plymouth. After the first successful crop, Bradford proposes a "Feast of thanksgiving" to honor God and thank him for his many gifts.This animated short is part of 'Animated Hero Classics'.
- DirectorPeter YatesStarsJohn LithgowBob HoskinsIsabella RosselliniAdapted from the work of Miguel de Cervantes, this is the story of a hidalgo, fanatic for chivalry novels, who loses his sanity and believing to be a knight named Don Quixote de La Mancha, decides to go on imaginary adventures along with his friend, the simple farmer Sancho Panza, who becomes his squire. On their journeys, they rescue dames in distress in honorable acts and fight giants among other perils, with Don longing to be with the love of his life, lady Dulcinea, and Sancho waiting to be rewarded with an island where he's about to become a governor.This starts the Literature section.
- CreatorRick DuffieldStarsLarry BrantleyJordan WallChristie AbbottAn intelligent and witty dog imagines himself in the role of characters from classic books and gets involved in similar real-life adventures.The 2011 video has several episodes, including the one of 'Don Quixote'... I believe it's titled 'The impawssible Dream'.
- DirectorStephen HerekStarsCharlie SheenKiefer SutherlandChris O'DonnellFrance, 1625: Young d'Artagnan heads to Paris to join the Musketeers but the evil cardinal has disbanded them - save 3. He meets the 3, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, and joins them on their quest to save the king and country.
- DirectorRichard LesterStarsOliver ReedRaquel WelchRichard ChamberlainA young swordsman comes to Paris and faces villains, romance, adventure and intrigue with three Musketeer friends.There is also a sequel titled 'The four musketeers'
- DirectorDonovan CookStarsWayne AllwineTony AnselmoBill FarmerMickey, Donald and Goofy are the French three Musketeers.
- DirectorRandall WallaceStarsLeonardo DiCaprioJeremy IronsJohn MalkovichThe cruel King Louis XIV of France has a secret twin brother whom he keeps imprisoned. Can the twin be substituted for the real king?
- DirectorVictor SjöströmStarsLillian GishLars HansonHenry B. WalthallAfter having a child out of wedlock, a young Puritan woman is pressured to reveal the name of her lover.There are several versions of this available.
- DirectorNicholas HytnerStarsDaniel Day-LewisWinona RyderPaul ScofieldA Salem resident attempts to frame her ex-lover's wife for being a witch in the middle of the 1692 witchcraft trials.Although not written in the 1600s, this takes place there, so seems appropriate to include.
- DirectorKirk BrowningStephen PorterStarsHal HolbrookRuth LivingstonPatricia ElliottAlso known as 'Broadway Theater Archive: Tartuffe'.
- DirectorJames ClavellStarsMichael CaineOmar SharifFlorinda BolkanDuring the Thirty Years' War of 1600s, a band of Protestant mercenaries peacefully coexist with German Catholic villagers in a hidden idyllic mountain valley untouched by war.This begins the section of Europe of the 1600s (The Imperial Age)
- DirectorCarl Theodor DreyerStarsThorkild RooseLisbeth MovinSigrid NeiiendamThe young wife of an aging priest falls in love with his son amidst the horror of a merciless witch hunt in 17th-century Denmark.Although this takes place in the 1600s, it was created as an allegory of the Jewish persecution of the 1940s.
- DirectorRouben MamoulianStarsGreta GarboJohn GilbertIan KeithQueen Christina of Sweden is a popular monarch who is loyal to her country. However, when she falls in love with a Spanish envoy, she must choose between the throne and the man she loves.
- DirectorKen RussellStarsVanessa RedgraveOliver ReedDudley SuttonIn 17th-century France, Father Urbain Grandier's protection of the city of Loudun from the corrupt Cardinal Richelieu is undermined by a sexually repressed nun's accusation of witchcraft.
- DirectorPeter GreenawayStarsAnthony HigginsJanet SuzmanAnne-Louise LambertA young artist is commissioned by the wife of a wealthy landowner to make a series of drawings of the estate while her husband is away.A Mystery Movie
- DirectorKen HughesStarsRichard HarrisAlec GuinnessRobert MorleyPuritan statesman Oliver Cromwell leads England in a civil war against the absolutist and Catholic-sympathetic King Charles I.
- CreatorMartine BrantPeter FlanneryStarsAndrea RiseboroughDominic WestTom Goodman-HillDrama charts the progress of the English Civil War through the story of a young woman, the fictional Angelica Fanshawe, and her three husbands.
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsErrol FlynnOlivia de HavillandLionel AtwillAfter treating a Monmouth rebel against King James II in 1680s England, a young Irish doctor is exiled as a slave to Jamaica where he captures a Spanish galleon and becomes the most feared pirate of the Caribbean.
- DirectorMike BarkerStarsTim RothDougray ScottOlivia WilliamsA recounting of the relationship between General Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell, as they try to cope with the consequences of deposing King Charles I.
- DirectorRuth WoodStarsMichael LeightonPhil ReynoldsLinette CrawforthA look at the history of Charles I, whose religious beliefs sparked the English Civil War.The title on Netflix is: 'Great Kings of England: Charles I'
- DirectorJerzy HoffmanStarsIzabella ScorupcoMichal ZebrowskiAleksandr DomogarovAn epic story about the Ukrainian uprising against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth magnates in the 17th Century.
- DirectorMichael ReevesStarsVincent PriceIan OgilvyRupert DaviesA young soldier seeks to put an end to the evils caused by a vicious witch-hunter when the latter terrorizes his fiancée and kills her uncle.
- StarsRufus SewellRupert GravesCharlie Creed-MilesThe chronicle of Charles II's time on the throne, his ten-year exile from Oliver Cromwell's England, and his triumphant return.
- DirectorMichael HoffmanStarsRobert Downey Jr.Sam NeillDavid ThewlisThe exiled royal doctor to King Charles II devotes himself to helping Londoners suffering from the plague, and in the process falls in love with an equally poor woman.
- DirectorMike BarkerStarsNeil FinnighanJack BaverstockTrevor CooperAgainst a backdrop of political and religious upheaval, a farmer falls in love with the "queen" of the notorious Doone clan --a family that he has sworn vengeance on.
- DirectorJerzy HoffmanStarsDaniel OlbrychskiMalgorzata BraunekTadeusz LomnickiDuring the 1655 war between Protestant Sweden and Catholic Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth some Polish-Lithuanian nobles side with Swedish king Charles X Gustav while others side with the Polish king Jan Kazimierz.
- DirectorJerzy HoffmanStarsTadeusz LomnickiMagdalena ZawadzkaMieczyslaw PawlikowskiIn 1668 Polish colonel Michael Wolodyjowski, who recently retired to a monastery, is recalled to active duty and takes charge of Poland's eastern frontier defenses against invading Tatar hordes and Ottoman armies.
- DirectorRoberto RosselliniStarsJean-Marie PatteRaymond JourdanCésar SilvagniAfter the death of Cardinal Mazarin, young king Louis XIV decides to assert his power to control the aristocracy.
- DirectorRoland JofféStarsGérard DepardieuUma ThurmanTim RothVatel is the cook of Prince Condé. When the prince invites Louis XIV to hunt, he has to give lavish banquets in order to fall in his favor. But when Vatel falls in love with the king's mistress, love and duty come into conflict.
- DirectorBernard BorderieStarsMichèle MercierClaude GiraudJean RochefortIn the second of the Angélique series, the heroine joins a group of bandits, rescues her children, becomes a successful businesswoman, and once again becomes entangled in politics and matters of the heart.
- DirectorBetsan Morris EvansStarsDerek JacobiAlun ArmstrongStephen BillingtonSet in the Spain of 1680, a time of torture and interrogation by the Grand Inquisitor. A young man appears that is healing the sick and raising the dead. There are rumours that he might be the second coming of the Messiah. He is brought before the Grand Inquisitor. Though questioned and tortured, he chooses to remain silent.
- DirectorMarco BellocchioStarsAndrea Di StefanoBarbora BobulovaToni BertorelliThe Prince of Homburg, disobeys orders and leads a cavalry charge in battle against the Swedes, which leads to victory. He is court martialled however for disobeying orders and sentenced to death. His love who is now to be betrothed to the King of Sweden, following his execution appeals to the Elector, her uncle, on his behalf, as do his comrades in battle. He must also contend with his own desire to live and conflicting sense of honour.
- StarsEdward HerrmannMichelle MarykRonnie FarerThe history of the Russian Tsars.
- StarsPeter GravesCzar Peter the Great brings science, culture and tyranny to Russia.
- DirectorLaurent TirardStarsRomain DurisFabrice LuchiniLaura MoranteTo satisfy his creditors, a witty actor reinvents himself as a satirical playwright, with uproarious, yet bittersweet, results.This begins the section of 'The arts', wherein I lumped together everything that focused on historical artists (whether music, painting, theater, etc.)
- DirectorTony PalmerStarsSimon CallowMichael BallRebecca FrontIn 1960s, a British playwright attempts to reconstruct the life of real life 17th century English composer Henry Purcell even though little is known about him. Purcell's life is reenacted and his music performed.
- DirectorCharles MattonStarsKlaus Maria BrandauerRomane BohringerJean RochefortIconic artist Rembrandt van Rijn worked in the fields of painting, drafting, and printing, becoming the most iconic artist in all of Dutch history. This documentary profiles the story of a man whose varied works left an indelible mark on the world.
- DirectorRichard EyreStarsBilly CrudupClaire DanesRupert EverettA female theatre dresser creates a stir and sparks a revolution in seventeenth century London theatre by playing Desdemona in Othello. But what will become of the male actor she once worked for and eventually replaced?
- This movie had not been released at the time I created this list, so it may not end up with high enough ratings to stay here. We'll see.
- DirectorAgnès MerletStarsValentina CerviMichel SerraultPredrag 'Miki' ManojlovicArtemisia Gentileschi (1593-1653) was one of the first well-known female painters. The movie tells the story of her youth, when she was guided and protected by her father, the painter Orazio Gentileschi. Her professional curiosity about the male anatomy, forbidden for her eyes, led her to the knowledge of sexual pleasure. But she was also well known because in 1612 she had to appear in a courtroom because her teacher, Agostino Tassi, was suspected of raping her. She tried to protect him, but was put in the thumb screws...
- DirectorYannis SmaragdisStarsNick Clark WindoJuan Diego BottoLaia MarullThe story of the uncompromising artist and fighter for freedom, Domenicos Theotokopoulos, known to the world as "El Greco".
- DirectorMilos FormanStarsF. Murray AbrahamTom HulceElizabeth BerridgeThe life, success and troubles of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as told by Antonio Salieri, the contemporaneous composer who was deeply jealous of Mozart's talent and claimed to have murdered him.There are also several biographies of Mozart.
- DirectorRené FéretStarsMarie FéretMarc BarbéDelphine ChuillotA reimagined account of the early life of Maria Anna 'Nannerl' Mozart, five years older than Wolfgang, and a musical prodigy in her own right.
- DirectorPeter WebberStarsScarlett JohanssonColin FirthTom WilkinsonA young peasant maid working in the house of painter Johannes Vermeer becomes his talented assistant and the model for one of his most famous works.
- DirectorPeter DoyleBIOGRAPHY relates the story of Isaac Newton's life from his birth during a plague in an English village through his seminal work in mathematics, theology, alchemy and astronomy. Newton devoted his life to the study of the natural world, discovering the laws of gravity, analyzing light, and developing the three laws of motion to explain the movement of the planets and their satellites. The documentary provides in depth discussions of each of Newton's major discoveries, including calculus, gravity and the reflecting telescope. It traces his studies of ancient history and of the Bible, and details his struggle to gain public recognition for his scientific work.Sir Isaac Newton: The Gravity of Genius will be useful for students interested in mathematics, science, and European history.This begins the section on the Scientific Revolution
- DirectorDon McBreartyStarsKarl PrunerTyrone SavageKris LemcheAs Newton devotes himself to the difficult and solitary path of challenging the existing view of the universe, Humphrey wavers between pursuing science or following his heart.
- DirectorJoseph LoseyStarsTopolEdward FoxColin BlakelyThis biopic is about Galileo Galilei, the seventeenth century Italian who laid the foundations of modern science. Galileo made himself one of the world's first telescopes and discovered the moons of Jupiter. He supported Copernicus' theory that the Earth revolved around the Sun. This brought him in conflict with the Catholic Church. By threatening him with torture, the Church forced him to recant his views in front of a tribunal, and sentenced him to house arrest. However, Galileo's trials and theories inspired others like Sir Isaac Newton and Johannes Kepler to prove that the Earth was not the center of the universe. Some years ago, the Pope accepted that Earth does revolve around the Sun and issued a rare apology for what the Church had done to Galileo. The Catholic Church recanted.
- DirectorPeter JonesStarsSimon CallowJohn FraserCornelius GarrettGalileo's struggle to convince Roman Catholic Church authorities that Earth revolves around the sun. Why the headstrong Galileo (1564-1642) didn't succeed is explored in interviews with scientists.
- DirectorToni MyersStarsLeonardo DiCaprioScott D. AltmanMegan McArthurAn IMAX 3D camera chronicles the effort of 7 astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.I place this here as an additional idea for studying the scientific revolution, since the organization of the solar system and a new understanding of 'The Heavens' might be better appreciated by actually looking the amazing images we've been able to capture. Any film about space would be equally appropriate.
- DirectorMichael Caton-JonesStarsLiam NeesonJessica LangeJohn HurtIn 1713 Scotland, Rob Roy MacGregor is wronged by a nobleman and his nephew, becomes an outlaw in search of revenge while fleeing the Redcoats, and faces charges of being a Jacobite.This begins the section of Europe in the 1700s
- StarsTim ElliottRon HaddrickJane HardersIn the 18th century in Scotland Rob Roy decided to form a band of outlaws.
- DirectorWilliam KeighleyStarsErrol FlynnRoger LiveseyAnthony SteelTwo noble Scottish brothers deliberately take opposite sides when Bonnie Prince Charlie returns to claim the throne of Scotland in order to preserve the family fortune.
- DirectorPeter DuffellStarsRichard HarrisGlenda JacksonFrank FinlayIn 1727, an Arab colt is born with the signs of the wheat ear and the white spot on his heel, evil and good and thus begins the life of Sham.
- DirectorOleg RyaskovStarsDmitriy MillerAleksandr BukharovKseniya KnyazevaAt the beginning of the 18th century, king of France exiles two duelists from the state: one to Russia and another to Sweden, which are at war.
- DirectorJosef von SternbergStarsMarlene DietrichJohn LodgeSam JaffeA German noblewoman enters into a loveless marriage with the dim-witted, unstable heir to the Russian throne, then plots to oust him from power.
- DirectorMarvin J. ChomskyJohn GoldsmithStarsCatherine Zeta-JonesPaul McGannIan RichardsonTrapped in a loveless arranged marriage to the immature future Czar, a young German Princess proves a skillful political infighter and rises to become Catherine the Great.
- DirectorPaul CzinnerAlexander KordaStarsDouglas Fairbanks Jr.Elisabeth BergnerFlora RobsonStraightforward biography of the Russian Empress, up to her assumption of the throne.
- DirectorMichael AptedStarsIoan GruffuddAlbert FinneyMichael GambonThe idealist William Wilberforce maneuvers his way through Parliament, endeavoring to end the British transatlantic slave trade.
- StarsLeVar BurtonRobert ReedJohn AmosA dramatization of author Alex Haley's family line from ancestor Kunta Kinte's enslavement to his descendants' liberation.
- DirectorLasse HallströmStarsHeath LedgerSienna MillerJeremy IronsThe fabled romantic Giacomo Casanova, after failing to win the affection of the Venetian woman Francesca Bruni, strives to discover the real meaning of love.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsRyan O'NealMarisa BerensonPatrick MageeAn Irish rogue wins the heart of a rich widow and assumes her dead husband's aristocratic position in 18th-century England.
- DirectorChristophe GansStarsSamuel Le BihanMark DacascosJérémie RenierIn 18th-century France, the Chevalier de Fronsac and his Native American friend Mani are sent to the Gevaudan province at the king's behest to investigate the killings of hundreds by a mysterious beast.This might also be appropriate in the section on the French Revolution...
- DirectorSaul DibbStarsKeira KnightleyRalph FiennesDominic CooperA chronicle of the life of 18th-century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was revered for her extravagant political and personal life.
- DirectorNikolaj ArcelStarsAlicia VikanderMads MikkelsenMikkel Boe FølsgaardA young queen, who is married to an insane king, falls secretly in love with her physician - and together they start a revolution that changes a nation forever.
- DirectorLuis BuñuelStarsDan O'HerlihyJaime FernándezFelipe de AlbaThe classic story of Robinson Crusoe, a man who is dragged to a desert island after a shipwreck.This begins the section of literature of the 1700s
- CreatorStephen GallagherJustin BodleRichard MewisStarsSam NeillPhilip WinchesterTongayi ChirisaThe story follows the escapades of Crusoe, who embarks on a high-seas adventure and gets shipwrecked on a remote tropical island.
- StarsTed DansonMary SteenburgenJames FoxAn Englishman returns after nine years abroad and tells strange stories of the tiny people of Lilliput, the giants of Brobdingnag, the flying island Laputa and the Houyhnhnms, a race of intelligent horses.
- DirectorDave FleischerWillard BowskyOrestes CalpiniStarsJessica DragonetteLanny RossPinto ColvigA doctor washes ashore on an island inhabited by little people.
- DirectorTony RichardsonStarsAlbert FinneySusannah YorkGeorge DevineThe romantic and chivalrous adventures of adopted bastard Tom Jones in 18th-century England.
- DirectorHumphrey BurtonStarsLeonard BernsteinJerry HadleyJune AndersonAll's for the best in the best of all possible worlds. Isn't it?A search for 'Candide' would provide other options for Voltaire's work.
- DirectorVincente MinnelliStarsJudy GarlandGene KellyWalter SlezakA girl is engaged to the local rich man, but meanwhile she has dreams about the legendary pirate Macoco. A traveling singer falls in love with her and to impress her he poses as the pirate.I separated out a section on pirates because, historically, they seemed to be relevant during the 17th and 18th centuries - although most of these are fictional accounts anyway.
- DirectorRichard DaleTilman RemmeStarsJames PurefoyTyler ButterworthMark NobleIt's a movie about Blackbeard.
- DirectorRobert StevensonStarsPeter UstinovDean JonesSuzanne PleshetteAn unassuming track coach accidentally invokes the spirit of a notorious pirate long believed dead, and who must now team up to lay the pirate to rest, and save a local hotel from a mobster.This one...well, it's stretching the definition to put it in here...
- DirectorByron HaskinStarsBobby DriscollRobert NewtonBasil SydneyThe treasure seeking adventures of young Jim Hawkins and pirate captain Long John Silver.The story was written in the 1800s, but it takes place here, so I'm including it at this point.
- DirectorBrian HensonStarsTim CurryBilly ConnollyJennifer SaundersThe Muppets set sail in search of treasure, with Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver.
- DirectorRon ClementsJohn MuskerStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittEmma ThompsonMartin ShortJim Hawkins is a teenager who finds the map of a great treasure hidden by a space pirate. Together with some friends, he sets off in a large spaceship, shaped like a caravel, on his quest.This really doesn't belong here...but it is nice to have a variety of versions to choose from when possible.
- DirectorGore VerbinskiStarsJohnny DeppGeoffrey RushOrlando BloomBlacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate "Captain" Jack Sparrow to save his love, the governor's daughter, from Jack's former pirate allies, who are now undead.Plus sequels, if interested.
- DirectorLewis MilestoneCarol ReedGeorge SeatonStarsMarlon BrandoTrevor HowardRichard HarrisIn 1787, British ship Bounty leaves Portsmouth to bring a cargo of bread-fruit from Tahiti but the savage on-board conditions imposed by Captain Bligh trigger a mutiny led by officer Fletcher Christian.Not quite pirate movies and not quite Europe or American history (although applicable to both), I'll stick the movies about this event here between the pirates and the Pre-Revolutionary American history.
This begins the section on Pre-Revolutionary American History. - DirectorRoger DonaldsonStarsMel GibsonAnthony HopkinsLaurence OlivierFed up with their Captain's harsh discipline, a sailing ship's crew decides to take action.
- DirectorRoland JofféStarsRobert De NiroJeremy IronsRay McAnallyEighteenth-century Spanish Jesuits try to protect a remote South American tribe in danger of falling under the rule of pro-slavery Portugal.This is another one that doesn't fit my categories, but I felt it was too lonely to stick it all by itself.
- DirectorMichael MannStarsDaniel Day-LewisMadeleine StoweRussell MeansThree trappers protect the daughters of a British Colonel in the midst of the French and Indian War.French and Indian War
- DirectorRobert MatzenStarsBryan C. CunningDaniel P. BuchkoThe Ohio Country, 1755. General Edward Braddock's British army has been annihilated six miles from Fort Duquesne by a French-Native American guerrilla force. The "French & Indian War" has begun. Now the British colonies of Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland are undefended, and French-led raiding parties use terror to roll English settlements back toward the Atlantic coast. In this dark time Virginia turns to its most experienced young leader, George Washington. For three years Washington matches wits with "the most skillful of enemies." Finally the British government launches new campaigns against the French in America, and George Washington will face his greatest challenges of all.French and Indian War
- StarsLarry NehringCharles MisuliaMichael L. ColosimoThis was the war between the French and Indians, and the early colonists, 1754, before the Revolution.French and Indian War
- StarsKeith LarsenBuddy EbsenDon BurnettMajor Robert Rogers organized "Rogers Rangers" to search for the alleged waterway across the United States during the French and Indian War (1754-1759). Helping Rogers, an experienced explorer and Indian fighter, were Hunk Marriner, another experienced Indian fighter, and Langdon Towne, a Harvard graduate who was the map maker. The episodes told the story of their trials and tribulations searching for the Northwest Passage and their battles with both the French and Indians during this war.
- StarsFess ParkerPatricia BlairDarby HintonFrontier hero Daniel Boone conducts surveys and expeditions around Boonesborough, running into both friendly and hostile Indians, before, during, and even after the Revolutionary War.
- StarsJohn HartLon Chaney Jr.Bill WalshNat Cutler, known as Hawkeye, is a fur trader. With his faithful Indian companion Chingachgook, the last of the Mohican tribe, he fights to protect settlers against the raiding Huron Indians.This is representative of a whole TV series titled 'Hawkeye'
- DirectorNorman WalkerStarsLeonard SachsGerard LohanNeil HeayesWhen young John Wesley is saved from the flames burning his family's home, he believes God has chosen him for a higher mission. He grows up to become a minister in the Church of England but disapproves of concern within the church over the social position of the clergy. He concerns himself more with the common people and with individual religious experiences. He tries to accomplish his purposes by remaining within the church but the methodical way in which he and his followers go about their duties soon sets them apart as a special group jeeringly called Methodists. (Produced by the Radio and Film Commission of the Methodist Church in cooperation with J. Arthur Rank.)This man had a huge impact in both Europe and America, but I'm placing him here.
- DirectorNicholas HytnerStarsNigel HawthorneHelen MirrenRupert GravesWhen King George III goes mad, his Lieutenants try to adjust the rules to run the country without his participation.Again, this could perhaps be more appropriately placed in the section of European history, but since it ended up hugely impacting the American colonies, I'm putting it here.
- DirectorHamilton LuskeClyde GeronimiWilfred JacksonStarsSterling HollowayHans ConriedStan FrebergA mouse tells the story of how he guided Benjamin Franklin to success and prominence.
- StarsRichard EastonDylan BakerColm FeoreThe story of the renowned American polymath.
- StarsGwyneth PaltrowSam WaterstonMichael PottsA biographical film about The United States' influential and profoundly enigmatic Founding Father.This could be placed in the 'America Pre-Revolutionary War', 'US Revolutionary War' or 'Post-Revolutionary America', but I needed to make a choice, so here it is, straddling the divide.