Best movies like Houston: The Legend of Texas
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Plot Summary:
Sam Elliot stars as Sam Houston, the visionary who nearly single-handedly forged the state of Texas into a powerful entity in its own right. Refusing to forget the Alamo (as if anyone could), Houston led the military in Texas' rebellion against Mexico. G.D. Spradlin co-stars as President Andrew Jackson, with Michael Beck appearing as Jim Bowie, James Stephens as Stephen Austin, and Richard Yniguez as Mexican General Santa Anna. Lensed on location in the Lone Star state, this sweeping made-for-TV film originally occupied three hours' screen time on November 22, 1986. Its title at that time was Houston: The Legend of Texas. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 444
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 144 min
Plot tags: christian film, exciting, sincere, epic, serious, captivating, realistic
Best tv shows and movies like Houston: The Legend of Texas (1986):
Similar in 90%
Chicogrande (2010)
Plot Summary:
Butch Fenton, major of American army, comes for Villa's head and he's gonna get it. The "Punitive Expedition" proved to be the last major campaign of the U.S. Cavalry. Mexican revolution is the first social movement of the century.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 159
Genere: Drama, History, War, Western
Country: Mexico
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: sincere, rough, serious, captivating, epic, realistic
Similar in 76%
Cinco de Mayo: La Batalla (2013)
Plot Summary:
On May 5th, 1862, a few thousand Mexican soldiers put their lives on the line against the world's largest and most powerful army in one legendary battle for freedom and for Mexico.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 934
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: Mexico
Duration: 125 min
Plot tags: exciting, realistic, captivating, factual, rough, touching, epic, serious, emotional
Similar in 81%
The Great Sioux Massacre (1965)
Plot Summary:
Colonel Custer (Philip Carey), an outspoken believer in fair treatment for the Indians, is ousted from his post and forced into retirement. Fueled by ambition when a Senator Blaine (Don Haggerty) convinces him to run for President, Custer decides to upstage General Terry (Frank Ferguson) at Little Big Horn.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 703
Genere: Action, Biography, Drama, History, War, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, captivating, realistic
Similar in 83%
Two for Texas (1998)
Plot Summary:
Kris Kristofferson and Scott Bairstow are hunted fugitives from a Louisiana prison camp who come Two for Texas when they opt to lose themselves in a crowd by joining Sam Houston's Texas Volunteer Army.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 306
Genere: Crime, Drama, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: epic
Similar in 87%
Villa Rides (1968)
Plot Summary:
Pulled into the Mexican Revolution by his own greed, Texas gunrunner & pilot Lee Arnold joins bandit-turned-patriot Pancho Villa & his band of dedicated men in a march across Mexico battling the Colorados & stealing women's hearts as they go. But each has a nemesis among his friends: Arnold is tormented by Fierro, Villa's right-hand-man; and Villa must face possible betrayal by his own president's naiveté.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, War, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 125 min
Plot tags: spaghetti western, retro, political, euro western, exciting, rough, epic, serious, captivating, realistic
Similar in 78%
Crazy Horse (1996)
Plot Summary:
The legendary Native American chieftain refuses to go with his people peacefully to the reservation and starts a rebellion.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 493
Genere: Action, Biography, Drama, History, War, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, bleak, serious, captivating, realistic
Similar in 84%
The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory (1987)
Plot Summary:
Against orders and with no help of relief Texas patriots led by William Travis, Jim Bowie, and Davy Crockett defend the Alamo against overwhelming Mexican forces.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 714
Genere: Action, Adventure, Biography, Drama, History, War, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 140 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, tense, captivating, cult film
Similar in 79%
Texas (1994)
Plot Summary:
In the beginning of the 19th Century many Anglosaxons are settling in the Mexican province of Texas. As the years go by, political conflicts between the settlers and the Mexican government are escalating which would lead to war and Texan independence.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 566
Genere: Adventure, History, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, epic, serious, captivating, realistic
Similar in 81%
One Man's Hero (1999)
Plot Summary:
One Man's Hero tells the little-known story of the "St. Patrick's Battalion" or "San Patricios," a group of mostly Irish and other immigrants of the Catholic faith who deserted to Mexico after encountering religious and ethnic prejudice in the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War. The plot centers around the personal story of John Riley, an Irishman who had been a sergeant in the American Army who is commissioned as a captain in the Mexican army and commands the battalion, as he leads his men in battle and struggles with authorities on both sides of the border.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, Romance, War, Western
Country: Mexico, USA, Spain
Duration: 121 min
Plot tags: epic, exciting, tense, captivating, suspenseful, suspense, serious, realistic, controversial, crying
Similar in 84%
The Last Confederate: The Story of Robert Adams (2005)
Plot Summary:
Amid the bitter divisiveness of the Civil War, Confederate Capt. Robert Adams (Julian Adams) feels the rift within his soul. Steadfastly loyal to the South, Adams also holds an unshakable love for his Northerner wife, Eveline McCord (Gwendolyn Edwards). Based on the true story of Robert Adams and produced by his descendents, this stirring historical drama -- a film festival favorite -- delves into the themes of honor, patriotism and love.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 504
Genere: Action, Biography, Drama, History, Romance, War, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: serious, captivating, realistic, romantic, saga
Similar in 83%
Wicked Spring (2002)
Plot Summary:
During the 1864 battle of the Wilderness, three Union soldiers and three Confederate Soldiers get seperated from their units as twilight engulfs the ravaged battlefield. The men wander alone through the dangerous woods, separate of each other, until they meet by chance on the banks of a quiet creek. The men meet and spend the night around a campfire, not realizing they are enemies until the next morning when the sun rises and a new day of battle begins.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, War, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: sincere, thought provoking, epic, emotional, serious, captivating, realistic, independent film, contemplative
Similar in 76%
The Opium War (1997)
Plot Summary:
The story of the Opium War between China, in the waning days of the Qing Dynasty, and the British Empire, in the 1830s, and the subsequent takeover of Hong Kong by Britain; through the eyes of the key figures, fiercely nationalistic Lin Zexu, and opportunistic British naval diplomat Charles Elliot.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 590
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: China
Duration: 153 min
Plot tags: epic, thought provoking, serious, captivating, realistic
Similar in 77%
1911 (2011)
Plot Summary:
At the beginning of the 20th century, China is in a state of crisis. The country is split into warring factions, the citizens are starving, and recent political reforms have made matters worse, not better. The ruling Qing Dynasty, led by a seven-year-old emperor, and his ruthless mother, Empress Dowager Longyu is completely out of touch after 250 years of unquestioned power. Huang Xing has recently returned from Japan, where he has studied the art of modern warfare. When he finds his country falling apart, he feels he has no choice but to pick up the sword.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: China, Hong Kong
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: epic, exciting, cult classic, cute, serious, realistic, stylized, cult film
Similar in 81%
And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (2003)
Plot Summary:
In 1914, the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa (Antonio Banderas) invites studios to shoot his actual battles against Porfírio Diaz army to raise funds for financing guns and ammunition. The Mutual Film Corporation, through producer D.W. Griffith (Colm Feore), interests for the proposition and sends the filmmaker Frank Thayer (Eion Bailey) to negotiate a contract with Pancho Villa himself.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War, Western
Country: USA, Mexico
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: serious, captivating, realistic, surreal, factual, philosophical
Similar in 85%
Custer of the West (1967)
Plot Summary:
Biopic of General George Armstrong Custer from his rise to prominence in the Civil War through to his "last stand" at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War, Western
Country: UK, France, Spain, USA
Duration: 140 min
Plot tags: spaghetti western, independent film, exciting, serious, captivating, realistic, tragic ending
Similar in 83%
The Blue and the Gray (1982)
Plot Summary:
This movie is also in existance as a 3 part miniseries. America just before and during the Civil War, as seen through the eyes of an artist correspondent. The plot revolves around the families of two sisters; Maggie Geyser and Evelyn Hale. The Geysers are farmers who reside near Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Hales own a small newspaper in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Geysers are generally indifferent to the issue of slavery, but are sympathetic to the Southern cause. The lone exception in the family is son John, an artistic young man who becomes sympathetic to the plight of Southern slaves and free Negroes. The Hales are pro-Union and anti-slavery, but, like many Northerners at the time, they hope for a peaceful solution to the nation's problems.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 381 min
Plot tags: realistic, serious, captivating, disturbing, exciting, sincere
Similar in 78%
The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968)
Plot Summary:
A chronicle of events that led to the British involvement in the Crimean War against Russia and which led to the siege of Sevastopol and the fierce Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854 which climaxed with the heroic, but near-disastrous calvary charge made by the British Light Brigade against a Russian artillery battery in a small valley which resulted in the near-destruction of the brigade due to error of judgement and rash planning on part by the inept British commanders.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: UK
Duration: 139 min
Plot tags: epic, factual, harsh, serious, exciting, realistic, patriotic, light, romantic, depressing
Similar in 85%
April Morning (1988)
Plot Summary:
A teenager grows up during the onset of the American revolution.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 759
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: sincere, uplifting, thought provoking, bleak, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, disturbing, period drama
Similar in 77%
George Washington (1984)
Plot Summary:
The early life and career of the American General and President through his participation in the Revolutionary War.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 510
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 480 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 78%
The Crossing (2000)
Plot Summary:
A made-for-TV dramatization of George Washington's perilous gamble of crossing the Delaware River and attacking the British forces at Trenton.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: tense, exciting, realistic, serious, political, christian film, historical drama, historically accurate, gloomy, period drama
Similar in 82%
Ike: Countdown to D-Day (2004)
Plot Summary:
This is the story of the senior-level preparations for the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944 from the time of Dwight D. Eisenhower's appointment as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, to the establishment of the beachhead in Normandy. The film recounts many of the trials and tribulation Ike had to face, not the least of which were the many prima donnas surrounding him (Patton, Montgomery and especially de Gaulle) and the need for tact and diplomacy to bring all sides together for what would be the largest amphibious assault ever attempted.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: tense, rough, serious, captivating, realistic, suspenseful, political
Similar in 85%
The Liberator (2013)
Plot Summary:
Bolívar was instrumental in Latin America’s struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire, and is today considered one of the most influential politicians and emancipators in American history. Libertador is told from the viewpoint of Bolívar, portrayed by Ramírez, about his quests and epic military campaigns, which covered twice the territory Alexander the Great conquered, and his vision to unify South America.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: Venezuela, Spain
Duration: 119 min
Plot tags: captivating, epic, serious, tense, political, exciting, realistic
Similar in 86%
Druids (2001)
Plot Summary:
In the year 60 B.C. a group of Druids, including the arch-druid Guttuart (Max von Sydow), witness the passing of a comet and interpret it as the sign of the coming of a king for their country Gaul, which has not had a king for a long time. Guttuart goes to Gergovia, the capital of the Arvenes tribe, to attend a meeting of Gallic tribal chieftains. The young boy Vercingetorix, along with his friend the young girl Eponia, sneak into a large cavern where Celtill, Vercingetorix's father and chieftain of the Arvenes, hosts the meeting of chieftains with the intention of proclaiming himself king of all Gauls. When Celtill shows off the crown once worn by the old kings of Gaul, an arrow from two Roman spies (dressed as Gauls) hits Celtill in the back.
IMDB Rating: 2.7
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Adventure, Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: France, Belgium, Canada
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: rough, exciting, serious, epic, captivating, realistic
Similar in 79%
Rough Riders (1997)
Plot Summary:
In 1898 the US government decided to intervene on the side of the Cuban rebels in their struggle against Spanish rule. Assistant Navy Secretary Theodore Roosevelt decides to experience the war first hand by promoting and joining a volunteer cavalry regiment. The regiment, later known as the Rough Riders, brings together volunteers from all corners of the nation and all walks of life. When Roosevelt and his men finally land on Cuba, they face ambush, intense enemy fire, and a desperate, outnumbered charge up a defended hill.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, War, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 240 min
Plot tags: realistic, sincere, serious, captivating, tense, suspenseful, political
Similar in 76%
The Alamo (2004)
Plot Summary:
Based on the 1836 standoff between a group of Texan and Tejano men, led by Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, and Mexican dictator Santa Anna's forces at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 22000
Genere: Drama, History, War, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 137 min
Plot tags: realistic, factual, intense, exciting, sincere, rough, serious, epic, historical drama, anamorphic
Similar in 81%
MacArthur (1977)
Plot Summary:
The film portrays MacArthur's (Gregory Peck) life from 1942, before the Battle of Bataan, to 1952, the time after he had been removed from his Korean War command by President Truman (Ed Flanders) for insubordination, and is recounted in flashback as he visits West Point.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 130 min
Plot tags: melancholic, epic, intense, realistic, serious, political, exciting, tense, sincere, rough
Similar in 76%
Gods and Generals (2003)
Plot Summary:
The film centers mostly around the personal and professional life of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, a brilliant if eccentric Confederate general, from the outbreak of the American Civil War until its halfway point when Jackson is killed accidentally by his own soldiers in May 1863 during his greatest victory.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 219 min
Plot tags: intense, sincere, rough, serious, epic, christian film, political, costume drama, anamorphic, religious drama
Similar in 90%
Gettysburg (1993)
Plot Summary:
Summer 1863. The Confederacy pushes north into Pennsylvania. Union divisions converge to face them. The two great armies clash at Gettysburg, site of a theology school. For three days, through such legendary actions as Little Round Top and Pickett's Charge, the fate of "one nation, indivisible" hangs in the balance.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 31000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 271 min
Plot tags: epic, factual, realistic, serious, captivating, exciting, breathtaking, intense, period piece, patriotic
Similar in 90%
Glory (1989)
Plot Summary:
Robert Gould Shaw leads the US Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices of both his own Union army and the Confederates.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 142000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 122 min
Plot tags: epic, inspirational, suspense, realistic, rough, factual, period piece, emotional, talky, serious
Similar in 87%
Tombstone (1993)
Plot Summary:
Legendary marshal Wyatt Earp, now a weary gunfighter, joins his brothers Morgan and Virgil to pursue their collective fortune in the thriving mining town of Tombstone. But Earp is forced to don a badge again and get help from his notorious pal Doc Holliday when a gang of renegade brigands and rustlers begins terrorizing the town.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 162000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 130 min
Plot tags: realistic, suspense, serious, factual, tense, intense, cult classic, spaghetti western, epic, historical drama