Offbeat Movies Based on Historical Events

Throughout this time at home, we have been continually searching for different things to watch. We don’t usually follow the normal movie or tv trends. We enjoy the pursuit of an obscure show that touches our hearts and feeds our minds. Over the past couple of weeks we’ve discovered three “based on historical events” movies on Amazon that we’ve loved, so I thought I’d share!

Stone of Destiny

This movie chronicles four 1950 Scottish university students’ attempt to pull off one of the greatest heists in history. As Scottish nationalists, they believed the Stone of Scone, a significant piece of Scottish history and nationality, needed to be in Scotland instead of England, where it currently resided. It had been placed in Westminster Abbey under the throne on which kings had been crowned since 1296.

We had heard the story before—either podcast or documentary, we can’t remember—but watching it in story form made it so much more real. And if you watch it, be sure to look up some info on the ringleader and his life after 1950. Quite extraordinary.

The Wipers Times

Oh my goodness! Such a funny and poignant movie. And a piece of history I had never heard before! The Wipers Times was a newspaper written and published by soldiers in the Great War (WWI) after they found an entire printing press, ink, and paper when they were hunkered down in Ypres, Belgium. (Wipers was an English mispronunciation of Ypres.) Two officers filled the homemade newspaper with humor and sarcasm in the form of articles, advertisements, letters to the editor and poetry. The men who started the paper continued it even when their unit marched off to the Somme, then back to Ypres once more.

I love the way the filmmakers chose to tell this story. It gives not only insight into the men who created the paper, but A well-told story that gives not only insight into the men who kept it up, but it also gives a feel for the tone of the articles in the paper. We enjoyed it so very much!

Castles in the Sky

So I knew that radar was developed in Britain during WWII. Kind of. But this story? Absolutely fascinating, even if I didn’t understand a word of the science that made it work. And then to know the result of this amazing and seemingly impossible work? That brought tears to my eyes. If you like stories about underdogs coming out on top, you’ll love this.

Ok—so I can’t resist one more, even though it isn’t a historically related film. We ran across this movie and it has immediately become one of my favorite ever. And that is huge!

A Man Called Ove

I saw this book everywhere for awhile (which is why we ended up trying the movie) but didn’t read it. (I have borrowed it from my mom and intend to remedy that soon!) Anyway, we almost didn’t watch this because we quickly realized it was a foreign language film (Swedish!) that would need to be watched with English subtitles. And although we like watching obscure things, we aren’t really into subtitled films. However, before we could get the subtitles turned on, we were hooked—even without understand a word that was said!

This is the sweetest story I have seen in a very long time. A story of love and hope and community and grace. Of persisting in relationship even with those who appear gruff and standoffish. Of realizing everyone has a story. Everyone has something to give. And everyone has something they need to receive, whether they want to admit that or not. Absolutely precious movie. And yes, I cried.

So there are some films we’ve found recently that had never crossed our path before. All are available free on Amazon if you are a Prime member. (Not sure what the fee is if you are not.) I hope you enjoy one–or all–soon!

What’s the best “off the beaten path” movie you’ve seen recently?