Best History Movies of 1935

Dr. Peter Blood, unjustly convicted of treason and exiled from England, becomes a notorious pirate.

In early nineteenth-century France Jean Valjean, an ex-convict who failed to report to parole, is relentlessly pursued over a twenty-year period by Javert, an obsessive policeman.

The exciting story of Dr. Manette, who escapes the horrors of the infamous Bastille prison in Paris. The action switches between London and Paris on the eve of the revolution where we witness 'the best of times and the worst of times' - love, hope, the uncaring French Aristocrats and the terror of a revolutionary citizen's army intent on exacting revenge.

King Richard the Lionhearted launches a crusade to preserve Christianity in Jerusalem.

This saint film is about Sant Eknath (1533-99), a major Marathi poet, author of the Eknathi Bhagvata and numerous abhangas evoking folk poetry, especially the bharuda form of solo performances. The film focuses on Eknath's humanitarian defence of the 'untouchable' castes. Opposed by the evil Mahant (Kelkar/Chandramohan), Eknath becomes a social outcast when he arranges to have the lower-caste people fed before the Brahmins during a prayer meeting at his house, compounding the offence by going to eat in one of their houses. The drama is heightened by Eknath's son Hari Pandit (Kale) who joins the ranks of the opposition. The happy ending occurs when the film transcends the food motif and Eknath defends himself by reading his poems to the Pradayananda Shastri of Kashi.

The cunning Cardinal Richelieu must save King Louis XIII from treachery within his inner circle.

The film depicts a dramatic episode in Danish history: the tumultous relationship between King Christian VII of Denmark and his English consort Caroline Matilda in Eighteenth century Copenhagen and the Queen's tragic affair with the royal physician and liberal reformer Johann Friedrich Struensee.

During the Irish War of Independence in 1921, a pair of IRA soldiers are ordered to guard two British prisoners, but face a dilemma when they bond with their captives.

Ballard's trail jumpers attack the Wyatt Company wagon train, killing young John's parents and kidnaping his brother, Jim. In post-Civil War California, John Wyatt, now a man, pulls together a vigilante posse, The Singing Riders, who all ride white horses, dress alike, and ride the trails singing and rounding up outlaw gangs. Meanwhile, John is ever on the lookout for the gang that murdered his parents As a youngster John Wyatt saw his parents killed and his brother kidnapped. On a wagon train heading West he meets his brother who is now a spy for the gang which originally did the dirty work. He and his brother both fall for Mary Gordon When Ballard and his men attack the Wyatt wagon train, they kill all except two young brothers. Twelve years later one brother John has organized a vigilante group. The other brother Jim is now part of Ballard's gang and the two are destined to meet again

In 1908, Sultan Abdul Hamid rules the Turkish Empire, but he is faced with the threat of revolt by the Young Turk party. He allows Hilmi Pasha, the leader of the Young Turks, to return from exile and form the country's first constitutional government. With tensions still growing, chief of police Kadar Pasha assassinates Hassan Bey, the leader of the Old Turk party, and makes it look as if a Young Turk committed the crime, in order to give Abdul an excuse for arresting the Young Turk leaders. Meanwhile, Abdul becomes infatuated with a visiting Austrian singer. When she rejects his advances, she endangers both herself and her fiancé, a Turkish officer who also knows who really shot Hassan Bey.

Fort St. David, Cuddalore, southern India, 1748. While colonial empires battle to seize an enormous territory, rich in spices and precious metals beyond the wildest dreams, and try to gain the favor of the local kings, Robert Clive (1725-1774), a frustrated but talented clerk who works for the East Indian Company and struggles to earn his fortune, makes a bold decision that will change his life forever.

The day after his Gettysburg Address, President Abraham Lincoln meets a wounded Confederate soldier in a hospital. The blinded rebel, not knowing his visitor's identity, regales him with memorized lines from the speech.

In the late 17th century, a boy-king ruled the Ahom dynasty of Assam. But the executive power over the whole administration was vested on the Prime Minister. Owing to the presence of a large body of princes, each of whom was a positive material for insurrection, no king could sit on the throne safely. The Prime Minister, therefore, instituted search for the suitors to capture and kill them, or let off after mutilating thereby banning them for succession. The principal target of massacre was Godapani, a man of personal - vigor and energy. But Godapani became aware of The Prime Minister's design and fled to the Naga hills. Unable to trace Godapani, the army led by, one Gathi Hazarika, came upon his wife Joymoti. Gathi inflicted tortures on her to elicit the much sought-after information. She stuck to plea of ignorance, and replied to the increasing tortures by silence and patience. She breathed her last in the midst of torture.

Lorenzino de 'Medici manipulates Alessandro ruler of Florence to save his beloved Bianca.

The life of Stephen Foster, composer who was the influence for the early Minstrel shows.

Here from 1935 is Gaumont British's documentary about the Royal Air Force, simply titled "RAF", and directed by John Betts.This film looks at the training of new recruits, and includes views of many aircraft of the period. Anyone who thinks that formation flying started with the Red Arrows had better think again - here we see bi-planes flying in perfect synchronization over 70 years ago.