10 Modern History Movies for High Schoolers
Historical movies are one of my favorite high school tools. Students aren’t merely entertained by them; they also learn facts about history that would otherwise get lost in a dry lecture. Below are ten of my favorite history movies that complement The Mystery of History Volume IV.
Please note, a couple of these movies are rated R. I personally have reviewed them and found them to be acceptable for my family. When dealing with topics of war, it’s impossible to sugar-coat the atrocities levied against individuals. An example is World War 2. An accurate depiction of Hitler’s demoralization of the Jews typically cannot be portrayed in movie with a PG rating.
The Patriot
Set in South Carolina, The Patriot depicts the struggle of a colonial farmer played by Mel Gibson who supports the crown but eventually fights for freedom. This movie is rated R for war violence.
Chariots of Fire
The story is of missionary Eric Liddell and his 1924 Olympic win as well as his struggle as a missionary. It won four Oscars in 1982 and is rated PG.
Gandhi
Sir Ben Kingsley plays the lead role in this inspiring film of a simple Hindu lawyer, Mohandas Gandhi, who brought freedom to India. It won six Oscars in 1983 and is rated PG.
Unbroken
Louis Zamperini was a participant in 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Several years later, he finds himself in a Japanese POW camp. This movie shows his determination to survive no matter the adversity. Angelina Jolie directed this PG13 rated movie.
The Pianist
This is one of my favorite movies. It tells the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, an accomplished composer and pianist and a Polish Jew. The only reason he survived World War 2 was because of the kindness of an officer in the German army. Directed by Roman Polanski, with Adrian Brody portraying Szpilman, this movie won three Oscars in 2003. This movie is rated R for subject matter and war violence.
Redtails
This action-packed World War 2 film centers around the Tuskegee Airmen and the discrimination they faced until they proved their abilities. There is alcohol consumption and some language. Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Terrance Howard star in this PG13 rated movie.
Flyboys
Flyboys is fighter pilot movie set in World War 1. Before America entered The Great War, American men volunteered with France to pilot a new war instrument—airplanes. Flyboys tells the story of one group of young men taking on this extremely perilous role as pilots. This movie is rated PG13. There is alcohol consumption.
End of the Spear
This movie is the continuation of Through Gates of Splendor. In 1956, Steve Saint’s father, along with four other missionaries were murdered by a native tribe in Ecuador. As an adult, Steve is able to reconnect with the tribe. This movie is rated PG.
Black Hawk Down
Black Hawk Dawn recounts the true story of the 1993 crash of an American black hawk helicopter in Somalia. The pilot was taken captive and then rescued. This movie is very accurate and rated R. There is a lot of bad language.
Night Crossing
This Disney movie tells the true story of an East German family and their 1979 escape to West Germany in a homemade hot-air balloon. I remember seeing this movie as a child, and it has stayed with me all these years. This movie is rated PG.
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Rhonda Clark is a stay-at-home-mom, free-lance writer, blogger, and above all, a Christian. Her more than five years of homeschooling experience extends beyond her home and into her co-op where she is a beloved teacher. She and her husband have an adult son and a high school daughter. They make their home in Memphis, Tennessee.
Comments (2)
I added Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List, The Race (Jesse Owens movie) and Selma. Some of the old movies are good, too: The Longest Day, The Great Escape, The Sting, etc.
Thanks for the list! Your second paragraph is a great assessment of the dilemma I find myself in as a history teacher to homeschool high schoolers. Many of the great depictions of history in movies that I wish I could show students in my class are R-rated. I have at times shown some “clean clips”, but even these I have to clear with parents first. Some have historical inaccuracies but are good for artistic depictions. Kind of like historical fiction. They present a chance to compare to actual history and discuss. Some of my favorites are Braveheart, Gladiator, Troy, Ben Hur, The Last of the Mohicans, Master and Commander (Naval conflict during Napoleonic Wars), The Eagle (Roman Britain, based on Rosemary’s Sutliff’s book), Kon Tiki (2013 movie), Saving Private Ryan and a recent favorite, Admiral (Dutch Independence in the 1700’s). Most of these have graphic war violence. There are some about WW2 and the Cold War that are milder on the war content but are still mature level: The Tunnel, The Lives of Others, Life is Beautiful, The Imitation Game.