The United States of America is one of the most influential countries in the world, sporting a massive economy and a huge spot on the global stage. It is considered an economic and military superpower, one of only three countries to be considered so (the others being Russia and China). But it was not always such a force to be reckoned with. Indeed, the US of A has a long and detailed history spanning over two centuries.
Many movies have been made about the evolution of the United States, from its birth to the present day. So many things have happened throughout the country’s history, that cinema will likely never run out of material, so there’s certainly not a shortage of movies. If you’re a fan of American history, this list is for you, because these are the best movies about the most important parts of American history.
10
‘The Patriot’ (2000)
The Patriot might not be the best movie about American history, but it does showcase what is arguably the most important part of it. This movie is set during the American Revolutionary War, the conflict in which the US proclaimed and fought for independence from the British Empire in the late 18th Century. Though this action film isn’t super historically accurate, it does show the tensions between British forces and American rebels at the time.
The story stars Mel Gibson as a beleaguered father whose son is killed by the British. Enraged, he begins a bloody quest for revenge against the British. It’s entirely fictitious and completely ridiculous, but it does inspire a bit of American patriotism, one cannot deny that. It’s not the best film if you’re looking for historical accuracy, but if you’re looking for an exciting film full of that classic American spirit, this is the film for you.
9
‘Tora! Tora! Tora!’ (1970)
Tora! Tora! Tora! is set on December 7, 1941, the day when the Japanese Empire launched an umprompted attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. At this point, the Second World War had been raging for over two years, but the United States had proclaimed neutrality, refusing to get involved. However, the Japanese feared the Americans would send reinforcements to the Pacific Theatre, so launched a preemptive strike on Hawaii. This proved to be counter-productive, because this became the catalyst that would cause the US to voluntarily join the war effort.
The infamous Attack on Pearl Harbor is widely regarded as a massive tragedy, and a testament to how the wide the war’s reach was. The movie details everything from the military bureaucracy leading up to the attack, to the actual event itself, depicting the destruction of American life, as well as equipment like naval vessels and fighter planes. While critics weren’t very nice to this movie, audiences liked it a lot more. It’s easily the best movie about Pearl Harbor, and it accurately shows the magnitude and the importance of the event.
8
‘Cinderella Man’ (2005)
Cinderella Man is a biopic about American boxer James J. Braddock, who is played by Russell Crowe. The film is set in the 1930s, during an enormous economic recession known as the Great Depression. The Depression was caused by many factors, but the primary cause was the stock market crashing in 1929, causing high rates of poverty and unemployment. Though it affected the entire world, it is still an important piece of American history.
James J. Braddock’s story is truly inspirational, as during the Depression, he was seen as washed up and retired, only to come back and win the heavyweight world championship. This movie is an incredibly accurate portrayal of life during the Depression, with Braddock struggling to find work and feed his family prior to his return to the ring. On top of that, it’s a story about refinding the American dream in trying times, and about the spirit of never giving up, no matter what.
7
‘Gettysburg’ (1993)
The American Civil War is one of the ugliest, yet most pivotal parts of American history. Occuring in the 1860s, the war began when then-president Abraham Lincoln planned to abolish slavery throughout the United States. Many of the Southern states weren’t happy about this and seceded, forming the Confederacy and beginning the American Civil War. For a while, the Confederacy was winning the war, until the Battle of Gettysburg, which is obviously what Gettysburg is about.
This movie is over four hours long, but serves as a pretty accurate recreation of the most important battle of the war. The Battle of Gettysburg was not only the war that saw the Union begin to turn the tide and win the war, but it was also the bloodiest battle to take place on American soil, with over 50,000 casualties. Regardless of its length, this movie is patriotic, historically accurate, and features real figures of the war. It’s a recreation of a crucial piece of American history that demands to be seen.
6
‘JFK’ (1991)
JFK is set during the Cold War, a time of extreme tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, both of which were economic and nuclear superpowers. As the two nations built up their nuclear arsenals from the late 1940s to the early 90s, the world held its breath as it prepared for a nuclear exchange between the two nations. Fortunately, this never happened. One of the most famed American presidents of the era was John F. Kennedy, who, despite the name of the film, does not actually appear in the movie.
The movie takes place after Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, which became one of the most talked-about events of the century. Investigating the assassination was one Jim Garrison, played by Kevin Costner. While investigating the assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald (Gary Oldman), Garrison discovers a massive conspiracy regarding the assassination. This movie expertly portrays the tensions of the Cold War, and the overall vibe of US politics in the 1960s surrounding one of the most decade-defining events.
5
‘Malcolm X’ (1992)
The Civil Rights Movement occurred throughout the 1950s and 60s, and became a popular movement all across the United States. However, it was more prevalent in the South, as many Southern states implemented what they called “Jim Crow Laws.” These laws basically made racial segregation legally binding. Government institutions, public transport, and even private businesses would separate their facilites by race, with racial minorities often receiving the short end of the stick. This rampant inequality prompted a wave of resistance across the country.
Malcolm X is a film about the civil rights leader of the same name, who became one of the most influential and well-known faces of the Civil Rights Movement. In this movie, Malcolm is played by Denzel Washington, who perfectly embodied his life story. From his background of poverty to his time as a leader, right up until his assassination in 1965, this biopic is a masterpiece from beginning to end. Malcolm X is a movie that illustrates one of the biggest events in American history, one that emphasizes the importance of fighting for equality.
4
‘Lincoln’ (2012)
Lincoln is another film that is set during the American Civil War, this time following the life of president Abraham Lincoln, who was in power at the time. Lincoln’s decision to (rightfully) abolish slavery was a controversial decision at the time, but today, he is widely regarded as an American hero, and one of the greatest presidents who ever lived. He was also the first to be assassinated while in office, being killed by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate, as Lincoln attended a play.
In this movie, Lincoln is played by Daniel Day-Lewis, who perfectly embodies Lincoln’s signature personality, and really showed what made him such a great historical figure. This Oscar-winning film was a smash-hit with critics and audiences in equal measure, who not only appreciated seeing Lincoln’s story finally come to life on a big screen, especially in such a respectful and realistic way.
3
‘United 93’ (2006)
Arguably the most influential event in modern American history was the September 11th terrorist attacks in 2001. After all, this was the event that claimed thousands of lives and prompted the Global War on Terror. That morning, terrorists from the religious militant group Al-Qaeda hijacked four planes. Two of them flew straight into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, causing the buildings to collapse. Another flew straight into the Pentagon in Arlington, but the fourth never reached its destination. United 93 is based on that fourth flight, United Airlines Flight 93.
Hearing word of the other attacks, the passengers of the plane attempted to break into the cockpit to overpower the hijackers. However, the plane then crashed into a field in Pennsylvania, killing everyone on board. While this is a tragedy, it ultimately led to fewer deaths than if the plane had hit its intended target. This movie is a testament to the heroism of those on board, and is one of the better movies made about 9/11.
2
‘Oppenheimer’ (2023)
Christopher Nolan‘s recently-released biopic Oppenheimer became a huge cultural phenomenon, and an instant classic film. This is another movie set during the Second World War, only this time, it’s set at the end rather than the beginning. The film follows the scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, played by Cillian Murphy. Oppenheimer gained fame as the leader of the Manhattan Project, a top-secret military operation to develop a weapon so devastating that it would force the Japanese Empire to surrender.
What resulted was the atomic bomb, two of which were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which both ended the Second World War and began the global arms race known as the Cold War. Oppenheimer doesn’t just show the process of building the first atomic bomb, but also the moral and ethical implications of using such a devastating weapon. It effectively depicts the immense guilt that Oppenheimer felt, and lets the audience feel the full weight of the event, which became a massive part of American history.
1
’12 Years a Slave’ (2013)
12 Years a Slave is set prior to the American Civil War, during a time when slavery was still a prevalent practice, especially in the South. The movie is a biopic about Solomon Northup, who is played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Northup, a Black man, was born in New York, where the practice of slavery had already been abolished. This meant that he was, by law, a free man. However, in 1832, Northup was kidnapped by two men, who later sold him into slavery. Northup spent 12 years working on a slave plantation in horrid conditions, while his family was forced to grieve and move on without him, not knowing what ever became of him.
12 Years a Slave forces audiences to confront the ugly truth about slavery, especially in America. It may not be a part of American history that is easy to confront, but it’s an important one, nonetheless. This movie is super depressing, letting the audience experience the abuse, gruelling labour, and harsh conditions of slavery, and why it falls to everyone to ensure it never happens again. While Northup was eventually tracked down and freed by the authorities, not every slave had such a happy ending. This movie deserved every Oscar it won, and it’s undoubtedly the best movie about American history ever.