Best History Movies of 1961

A young governess for two children becomes convinced that the house and grounds are haunted by ghosts and that the children are being possessed.

Epic film of the legendary Spanish hero, Rodrigo Diaz ("El Cid" to his followers), who, without compromising his strict sense of honour, still succeeds in taking the initiative and driving the Moors from Spain.

Who is Jesus, and why does he impact all he meets? He is respected and reviled, emulated and accused, beloved, betrayed, and finally crucified. Yet that terrible fate would not be the end of the story.

Epic account of the thief Barabbas, who was pardoned for his crimes and spared crucifixion when Pilate offered the Israelites a choice to pardon Barabbas or Jesus. Struggling with his spirituality, Barabbas goes through many ordeals leading him to the gladiatorial arena, where he tries to win his freedom and confront his inner demons, ultimately becoming a follower of the man who was crucified in his place.

In 13th century Italy, Francis Bernardone, the son of an Assisi merchant, renounces a promising army career in favor of a monastic life and starts his own religious order, sanctioned by the Pope.

“The Forgotten Faces (1961), a film reconstruction of the Hungarian revolution of 1956, won Watkins another amateur Oscar, and to this day, the film is praised in England as "one of the most memorable amateur films ever made".

The story of Alexander the Great.

X-15 is a 1961 movie that tells a fictionalized account of the X-15 research rocket plane, the men who flew it and the women who loved them.

1961 adaptation of "Victoria Regina".

Rousing tales of the North-West Mounted Police are brought to life through photos and artists' sketches. In 1873, the North-West Mounted Police were established to maintain law and order in the North-West Territories. They undertook a trek from Fort Dufferin, south of Winnipeg, to Fort Whoop-up, near present-day Lethbridge, Alberta. The force raised the flag and proclaimed the Queen's Law, ensuring that the Canadian West would not become a lawless, American-style frontier.

Based on the royal and political events during the heyday of the Malacca Sultanate. A member of the Sultanate, Megat Datuk Seri Rama, successfully defeats a group of pirates, and rescues a local beautiful woman in the process. The king, Sultan Mahmud, was delighted with his victory for his kingdom and promotes Megat Datuk Seri Rama to Rear Admiral Datuk. This leads to resentment and jealousy from another member of the court, Bija Tun Ali, especially after Rear Admiral Megat Datuk Seri Rama marries the woman he rescued. Bija Tun Ali then leads a conspiracy against him which ultimately leads to tragedy and upheaval in the kingdom. Written by mahajanssen

The story of John A. MacDonald’s rise to power.

'Sri Tanjong' tells the story of the plight of Tanjong and her younger brother Atan, who are orphaned after their mother passes away and are forced to move in with their stepfamily. They are despised upon by their stepmother who abuses them, making Tanjong handle all the household chores, and chastises Atan at every opportunity. Despite the maltreatment, Tanjong performs her tasks with diligence and prepares snacks for her brother to sell in the kampong, but she suffers the humiliation of a lecherous crook. Atan is eager to learn after watching a class in session teaching the Jawi alphabet, but is scolded for outsmarting his half-sibling. Tun Setia, a visitor from afar, sympathises with the waif siblings and desires to help them. He is determined to rid the kampong of crooks and pirates, and bring justice against the wicked.

This short drama is a portrait of Nova Scotian journalist and politician Joseph Howe (1804-1873) and his battle for freedom of press. When, in 1835, Howe was accused of seditious libel, no lawyer dared defend him. Choosing to defend himself, he addressed the jury for over 6 hours, urging jurors to leave an unshackled press as a legacy to their children. Though the judge instructed the jury to find Howe guilty, jurors took only 10 minutes to acquit him - a landmark event in the evolution of press freedom in Canada.

This film is a reconstruction of Robert Baldwin’s involvement in the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837. Though bound to the cause of constitutional reform by principle, Baldwin’s heart was with the rebels and in the midst of armed revolt, he withdrew to fight a lonely battle with himself.