Best History Movies of 1974

Story of Moses. Originally a TV Miniseries recut for theaters

Penthesilea, the first of six films made by Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen, traverses thousands of years to look at the image of the Amazonian woman in myth. It asks, among other questions, is the Amazonian woman a rare strong female image or is she a figure derived from male phantasy? The film explores the complexities of such questions, but does not seek any concrete answers.

Queen Christina of Sweden abdicates and travels to Rome to embrace the Catholic church.

The "ceilidh play", as writer John McGrath styled it, is presented in the BBC's 1974 "Play for Today" production to a live audience intercut with filmed reconstructions of the Highland Clearances and the Victorian obsession with hunting stags. Restored in high definition from the original film masters held in the BBC Archives.

A mini-series made up of four plays each showing Benjamin Franklin at a different stage in his life. In each episode, Franklin is played by a different actor.

J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI go after notorious bank robber and kidnapper Alvin Karpis and his gang.

This film traces the career of Dr Edward Trenbow (Corin Redgrave), who becomes a well-respected Sydney psychiatrist. In the 1920s, he takes up residence at Callan Park Asylum. The film touches on issues of psychoanalysis and physical treatments, such as fever treatment.

Animated graphic symbols presented in a constant time frame are used to diagram and explain the laws of planetary motion devised by the Sixteenth-century astronomer Johannes Kepler. “Little Suite”, guitar and lute music composed by Galileo Galilei’s father Vincenzo, is performed by Laurindo Almeida

Epic tale set in 5th century Sri Lanka, following the battle for the throne between Kassapa and his father King Dhatusena