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The Best Historical Movies from the '90s

Updated April 2, 2020 8.3k votes 622 voters 19.0k views47 items

List RulesVote on your favorite historical films from the 1990s.

What are the best historical movies from the 1990s? This list includes great period pieces such as Schindler's List, The Shawshank Redemption, and Titanic. Historical movies allow audiences to relive a piece of a history that they may never know about otherwise. They become sources of both entertainment and education.

The movies on this list are the best of the best when it comes to historical films. Which one is the best? Well, that's up to the voters to decide. Vote up your favorite historical movie, and if there isn't one on here that you think deserves a spot, be sure to add it.

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Forrest Gump
Tom Hanks, Sally Field
Released: 1994
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic romantic-comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the... more on Wikipedia
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Apollo 13
Tom Hanks, Bryce Dallas Howard
Released: 1995
Directed by: Ron Howard
Apollo 13 is a 1995 American historical docudrama film directed by Ron Howard. The film stars... more on Wikipedia
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Saving Private Ryan
Tom Hanks, Matt Damon
Released: 1998
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American epic drama war film directed by Steven Spielberg. Set... more on Wikipedia
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Titanic
Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet
Released: 1997
Directed by: James Cameron
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed by James Cameron. A... more on Wikipedia
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Tombstone
Val Kilmer, Kurt Russell
Released: 1993
Directed by: Kevin Jarre, George P. Cosmatos
Tombstone is a 1993 American western film directed by George P. Cosmatos, written by Kevin... more on Wikipedia
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Mississippi Burning
Willem Dafoe, Gene Hackman
Released: 1988
Directed by: Alan Parker
Mississippi Burning is a 1988 American thriller film directed by Alan Parker and written by... more on Wikipedia
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Thelma & Louise
Brad Pitt, Susan Sarandon
Released: 1991
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Thelma & Louise is a 1991 American film, written by Callie Khouri and directed by Ridley... more on Wikipedia
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JFK
Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman
Released: 1991
Directed by: Oliver Stone
JFK is a 1991 American historical legal-conspiracy thriller film directed by Oliver Stone. It... more on Wikipedia
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Elizabeth
Cate Blanchett, Daniel Craig
Released: 1998
Directed by: Shekhar Kapur
Elizabeth is a 1998 biographical film written by Michael Hirst, directed by Shekhar Kapur, and... more on Wikipedia
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Amistad
Morgan Freeman, Matthew McConaughey
Released: 1997
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Amistad is a 1997 historical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the true story... more on Wikipedia
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The Shawshank Redemption
Morgan Freeman, Rita Hayworth
Released: 1994
Directed by: Frank Darabont
The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont... more on Wikipedia
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Evita
Madonna, Antonio Banderas
Released: 1996
Directed by: Alan Parker
Evita is a 1996 American musical drama film based on Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's... more on Wikipedia
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Wyatt Earp
Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman
Released: 1994
Directed by: Lawrence Kasdan
Wyatt Earp is a 1994 American semi-biographical Western film, written by Dan Gordon and... more on Wikipedia
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Sleepy Hollow
Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci
Released: 1999
Directed by: Tim Burton
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The Thin Red Line
George Clooney, John Travolta
Released: 1998
Directed by: Terrence Malick
The Thin Red Line is a 1998 American ensemble epic film written and directed by Terrence... more on Wikipedia
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Dances with Wolves
Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell
Released: 1990
Directed by: Kevin Costner
Dances with Wolves is a 1990 American epic western film directed, produced by, and starring... more on Wikipedia
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Braveheart
Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau
Released: 1995
Directed by: Mel Gibson
Braveheart is a 1995 epic historical medieval war drama film directed by and starring Mel... more on Wikipedia
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The Last of the Mohicans
Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe
Released: 1992
Directed by: Michael Mann
The Last of the Mohicans is a 1992 historical epic film set in 1757 and produced by Morgan... more on Wikipedia
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In the Name of the Father
Daniel Day-Lewis, Emma Thompson
Released: 1993
Directed by: Jim Sheridan
In the Name of the Father is a 1993 Irish-British-American biographical courtroom drama film... more on Wikipedia
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October Sky
Jake Gyllenhaal, Laura Dern
Released: 1999
Directed by: Joe Johnston
October Sky is a 1999 American biographical film directed by Joe Johnston, starring Jake... more on Wikipedia
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The Crucible
Winona Ryder, Daniel Day-Lewis
Released: 1996
Directed by: Nicholas Hytner
The Crucible is a 1996 drama film written by Arthur Miller and based on his play of the same... more on Wikipedia
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The Cider House Rules
Charlize Theron, Michael Caine
Released: 1999
Directed by: Lasse Hallström
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Schindler's List
Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes
Released: 1993
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Schindler's List is a 1993 American epic historical period drama, directed and co-produced by... more on Wikipedia
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Legends of the Fall
Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins
Released: 1994
Directed by: Edward Zwick
Legends of the Fall is a 1994 American epic drama film directed by Edward Zwick and starring... more on Wikipedia
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Nixon
Anthony Hopkins, James Woods
Released: 1995
Directed by: Oliver Stone
Nixon is a 1995 American biographical film directed by Oliver Stone for Cinergi Pictures that... more on Wikipedia