The Greatest Period Piece Movies

By Brian Salisbury

This week, Anna Karenina arrives in theaters starring Keira Knightley as an aristocrat who falls in love with a count in 19th century Russia. We may have learned about various eras in textbooks, but unsurprisingly, it was movies like the following that brought them to life.

Ben-Hur (1959)

Probably the easiest choice to top the list is William Wyler’s Ben-Hur; classic and epic in every regard. That iconic gladiatorial chariot race, with its many imitated and parodied moments, pushes Ben-Hur into entirely new territories of epic filmmaking. One need only watch Ridley’s Scott’s Gladiator to understand the influence of this film.

Gangs of New York (2002)

Scorsese’s Gangs of New York may seem too contemporary a film to qualify as a worthwhile epic for consideration here, but its scope is incredibly impressive. Beyond the enormous battles and overwhelming Shakespearian themes, the movie ends with a time-elapsed 140-year evolution of New York City. That’s a period setting and a half!

Ten Commandments (1956)

Sometimes period films are so epic, they go beyond that label to the point of being biblical, and not just literally. Charlton Heston crops up again, this time as Moses in what would be Cecile B. DeMille’s final directorial effort. The depictions of ancient Egypt, a sandstorm created by airplane engines, and an orgy that took three weeks to film all pale in comparison to that dazzling moment in which the Red Sea is parted. To this day, still amazing.

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

If there were any go-to director for period filmmaking, it’s David Lean. With Doctor Zhivago, Lean turned his well-honed, extravagant sensibilities to a love story set during Russia’s Bolshevik Revolution. Not only did we see hundreds of soldiers and revolutionaries battling in the forests and in the streets, but also we got a glimpse into the garish world of early 20th century Russian aristocracy.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

A few years prior to Doctor Zhivago, Lean helmed a film of such breath-taking scale that it’s not only one of the most grand of all time, but one of the greatest movies period. It is the complex story of a British military officer during WWI whose sense of nationalism was often at odds with his moral compass. The enormity and beauty of the film’s cinematography are matched only by the film’s near four-hour runtime.

The Godfather I & II (1972, 74)

The inclusion of these two films on this list as one entity may seem a cheat. But the first two movies in Coppola’s Godfather trilogy actually tell one sweeping tale of a family struggling to balance honor and power; loyalty and business.

The Godfather I & II (1972, 74)

No mafia film has ever been able to rival this iconic saga. Not only does it chart a young boy’s arrival in America all the way to his son’s adult years, but also major historical events like the fall of Batista in Cuba.

Spartacus (1960)

Of all the eras in history, few offer as apt a setting for phenomenal period films as ancient Rome. Ben-Hur may occupy the top spot in this category, but Kubrick’s Spartacus' is a violent contender, starring Kirk Douglas as the former gladiator/slave who leads a bloody insurrection. The sets, costuming and revolutionary themes give classical Roman history a fundamentally cinematic hue.

The Searchers (1956)

The American West, though not as historic as ancient Rome or Egypt, is no less ripe for epic storytelling. John Ford, a man who truly understood the overwhelming power of the expansive Old West, gives us the story of a man searching for his niece who was abducted by Indians. The opening shot of the film, mirrored by the last, perfectly establishes the search that takes many years across some of the most gorgeous terrain ever caught on film.

Patton (1970)

The life of one of America’s most brilliant and controversial generals is the subject of 1970’s Patton. What gives the film its true period epic feel is how many of World War II’s most crucial battles and strategic maneuvers are staged; from campaigns in northern Africa, to D-Day, to the fall of Germany. George C. Scott’s performance cannot be overlooked, and many people have come to find Scott and the real Patton inextricable.

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Speaking of war epics, Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now deserves special distinction. Not only did this contemporary take on Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness provide a nightmarish glimpse into the horrors of the Vietnam War, but the pitfalls of the production itself were worthy of their own separate movie, which it actually got.

Gone with the Wind (1939)

Gone With the Wind is miles and miles of classic film. Set during the Civil War, and the subsequent Reconstruction, it features one of cinema’s most volatile romances set against the backdrop of some of America’s most turbulent years. The film is a parade of stunning cinematography that, at one point, will have you feeling the heat as the warehouse district burns to the ground. It may be a bit dated, but frankly, we don’t give a damn.

Caligula (1979)

A bit of a dark horse selection given its salacious content, but Tinto Brass’ Caligula is an ambitious recount of the life of the troubled Roman leader. The copious amounts of sex and violence, coupled with its being produced by Penthouse, will label it as exploitation in the annals of film history. However it features a cast that includes Peter O’Toole, Helen Mirren, and Malcolm McDowell. It also boasted a ship that was, at the time, the largest, prop ever built.