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.

You can see which other great movies made the top 50 here 👇https://www.historyhit.com/culture/to...

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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)