Best tv shows like A Small Light
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Twentysomething Miep Gies didn't hesitate when her boss Otto Frank came to her and asked her to hide his family from the Nazis during World War II. For the next two years, Miep, her husband Jan, and the other helpers watched over the eight souls in hiding in the Secret Annex. And it was Miep who found Anne’s Diary and kept it safe so Otto, the only one of the eight who survived, could later share it with the world as one of the most powerful accounts of the Holocaust.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 54 min
Plot tags: historical drama
Best tv shows and movies like A Small Light (2023):
Similar in 75%
My Name is Sara (2019)
Plot Summary:
The true life-story of Sara Góralnik, a 13 year-old Polish Jew whose entire family was killed by Nazis in September of 1942. After a grueling escape to the Ukrainian countryside, Sara steals her Christian best friend’s identity and finds refuge in a small village, where she is taken in by a farmer and his young wife. She soon discovers the dark secrets of her employers’ marriage, compounding the greatest secret she must strive to protect, her true identity.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 793
Genere: Biography, Drama, War
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: captivating, suspense, realistic, entertaining
Similar in 89%
All the Light We Cannot See (2023)
Plot Summary:
The story of Marie-Laure, a blind teenager, and Werner, a German soldier, whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 228 min
Plot tags: light, period drama
Similar in 90%
Triumph of the Spirit (1989)
Plot Summary:
Fact based story about a former Greek Olympic boxer who was taken as a prisoner during World war II and placed in the Auschwitz prison camp. There he was permitted to survive as long as he fought for the amusement of his captors. His father and brother were also held as insurance that he would continue to fight.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, Sport, War
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: disturbing, independent film, tense, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful, crying, inspirational, odd
Similar in 85%
Edward the King (1975)
Plot Summary:
Edward the Seventh is a 1975 television drama series, made by ATV in 13 episodes. Based on the biography of Edward VII by Philip Magnus, it starred Timothy West as the elder Edward VII and Simon Gipps-Kent and Charles Sturridge as Edward in his youth, Annette Crosbie as Queen Victoria, Deborah Grant and Helen Ryan as Queen Alexandra, Robert Hardy as the Prince Consort, Alison Leggatt as the Duchess of Kent, and Felicity Kendal as Princess Vicky. It was directed by John Gorrie, who wrote episodes 7-10 with David Butler writing the remainder of the series. The series also featured John Gielgud as Benjamin Disraeli, Michael Hordern as William Ewart Gladstone, Harry Andrews as young Edward's tutor Colonel Bruce, Jane Lapotaire as Empress Marie of Russia, Christopher Neame as Kaiser Wilhelm II and, in one of his earliest roles, Charles Dance as Edward's eldest son Eddy, who died at the age of 28. Gielgud previously played Disraeli in the 1941 film The Prime Minister. The actresses playing Edward's mistresses include Moira Redmond as Alice Keppel and Carolyn Seymour as Daisy Greville. Francesca Annis was featured in two episodes as Lillie Langtry which led to Butler writing a full series about Mrs Langtry's life for Annis to star in, Lillie.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 539
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: UK
Duration: 50 min
Plot tags: costume drama, historical drama, epic, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, saga, gloomy, period drama
Similar in 83%
Across the Waters (2016)
Plot Summary:
Fuglene Over Sundet is the gripping tale of the Danish Jews' escape to Sweden in October 1943.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: Denmark
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: exciting, thought provoking, unusual plot structure, sincere, touching
Similar in 84%
Inside the Third Reich (1982)
Plot Summary:
A dramatization of the life of Albert Speer, Hitler's young architect and onetime confidant, and his meteoric rise into the Nazi hierarchy. Based upon Speer's own monograph of the same title.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 678
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 240 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 81%
The Resistance Banker (2018)
Plot Summary:
In the occupied Netherlands during World War II, banker Walraven van Hall (Barry Atsma) is asked to use his financial contacts to help the Dutch resistance. He doesn’t have to think about it for long. With his brother Gijs van Hall (Jacob Derwig), he comes up with a risky plan to take out huge loans and use the money to finance the resistance. When this proves not enough, the brothers set about committing the biggest banking fraud in Dutch history, taking tens of millions of guilders out of the Dutch Central Bank – right under the noses of the Nazis. But the bigger the operation gets, the more people it involves. And every day brings a bigger risk of someone making that one mistake that could put an end to the whole business – and the lives of the resistance bankers.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Biography, Drama, War
Country: Netherlands, Belgium
Duration: 123 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, suspense, touching, captivating, disturbing, powerful
Similar in 85%
Holocaust (1978)
Plot Summary:
Holocaust is an American television miniseries broadcast in four parts in 1978 on the NBC television network. The series tells the story of the Holocaust from the perspective of the Weiss family of German Jews and that of a rising member of the SS, who gradually becomes a merciless war criminal. Holocaust highlighted numerous important events which occurred up to and during World War II, such as Kristallnacht, the creation of Jewish ghettos and later, the use of gas chambers. Although the miniseries won several awards and received critical acclaim, it was criticized by some, including noted Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel, who described it as "untrue and offensive.".
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: USA
Duration: 475 min
Plot tags: historical drama, depressing, anthology, touching, bleak, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, disturbing
Similar in 87%
De Gaulle (2020)
Plot Summary:
Explores the life of General De Gaulle, from the Appeal of June 18, 1940, to his departure from power in 1969. A dive into the military and political career of De Gaulle and an inside portrait of his private life.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 167
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: France
Duration: 297 min
Plot tags: political drama
Similar in 80%
A Fortunate Life (1986)
Plot Summary:
Four part biopic about classic Australian author A.B. Facey (1894-1982). Born in a large impoverished family, uneducated and illiterate, he had to fend for himself since he was eight, and as a recruit in WWI, he was sent to Gallipoli.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 107
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: Australia
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: historical drama
Similar in 82%
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (1981)
Plot Summary:
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years is an 8-part 1981 drama serial based on the life of Winston Churchill, and particularly his years in enforced exile from political position during the 1920s and 30s. It was written and directed by Ferdinand Fairfax and Churchill was played by Robert Hardy. Hardy's brilliant performance as Churchill won critical acclaim and a BAFTA award in 1982. He reprised the role in The Sittaford Mystery, Bomber Harris and War and Remembrance and at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the end of World War II in 1995 when he quoted a number of Churchill's wartime speeches in character.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 330
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: historical drama, period drama
Similar in 75%
Mussolini: The Untold Story (1985)
Plot Summary:
George C. Scott, Lee Grant, Virginia Madsen, Raul Julia, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Gabriel Byrne star in this Emmy-nominated program about the rise and fall of Italy's fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. Recounting his life with his wife, children and mistress, this biography (based on the recollections of Mussolini's eldest son, Vittorio) chronicles Il Duce's tyranny as he plunges Italy into the dark days of World War II.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 626
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: Yugoslavia, USA
Duration: 410 min
Plot tags: family saga, historical drama, political drama
Similar in 79%
Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001)
Plot Summary:
Anne Frank: The Whole Story is a film based on the life of Anne Frank, a Jewish girl growing up in Nazi occupied Holland. When war breaks out Anne & her family, Otto her father, Edith her mother & Margot her sister move from Germany to Holland where they are sure they will be safe. However when the Nazi's invade Holland, the family are forced into hiding.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Biography, Drama, War
Country: USA, Czech Republic
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: uplifting, sincere, bleak, emotional, sad, inspirational, depressing, serious, realistic, contemplative
Similar in 76%
Krupp: A Family Between War and Peace (2009)
Plot Summary:
The Krupps were one of Germany's most powerful and controversial families until their downfall.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 208
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: Germany
Duration: 270 min
Plot tags: captivating, historical drama
Similar in 76%
Speer & Hitler: The Devil's Architect (2005)
Plot Summary:
A reassessment of the role Albert Speer played in the Third Reich. Speer, who was ultimately convicted at the Nuremburg trials and served a 20-year prison sentence, was known for designing many of the Third Reich's buildings and for being Hitler's minister for war production.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 789
Genere: Biography, Drama, War
Country: Germany
Duration: 270 min
Plot tags: sincere, serious, contemplative, thought provoking, captivating, realistic, historical drama, intellectual
Similar in 86%
A Bag of Marbles (2017)
Plot Summary:
In occupied France, Maurice and Joseph, two young Jewish brothers left to their own devices demonstrate an incredible amount of cleverness, courage, and ingenuity to escape the enemy invasion and to try to reunite their family once again.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: France, Canada, Czech Republic
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, captivating, suspense, suspenseful, disturbing, art film
Similar in 80%
House of Saddam (2008)
Plot Summary:
A mini-series that explores the inner workings of Saddam Hussein's family and his relationship with his closest advisers.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 232 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, clever, realistic, political, stylized, gloomy, mad
Similar in 82%
The Zookeeper's Wife (2017)
Plot Summary:
The account of keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Jan and Antonina Zabinski, who helped save hundreds of people and animals during the Nazi invasion.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 46000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: Czech Republic, UK, USA
Duration: 127 min
Plot tags: factual, rough, tense, suspense, sad, suspenseful, disturbing, costume drama, thought provoking, touching
Similar in 77%
The Diary of Anne Frank (1980)
Plot Summary:
The story of a 13-year-old Jewish girl and her family who are forced into hiding by the Nazis during World War II.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 629
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: sincere, uplifting, touching, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, gloomy
Similar in 89%
Churchill (2017)
Plot Summary:
A ticking-clock thriller following Winston Churchill in the 24 hours before D-Day.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: UK
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: educational, factual, disturbing, political, independent film, extraordinary
Similar in 85%
Mussolini and I (1985)
Plot Summary:
A compelling drama/documentary chronicling the life and death of Il Duce himself, from his days as a terrorist to his alliance with Hitler to the betrayal of his son-in-law and untimely demise.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 442
Genere: Biography, Drama, War
Country: Italy, France, West Germany, Switzerland, USA
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, bleak, serious, realistic, disturbing
Similar in 85%
The Hiding Place (1975)
Plot Summary:
The Hiding Place is an account of a Dutch family who risk their lives by offering a safe haven for Jews during World War II.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 150 min
Plot tags: christian film, bleak, spiritual, independent film, sincere, uplifting, serious, emotional, realistic, disturbing
Similar in 89%
World War II: When Lions Roared (1994)
Plot Summary:
Based upon the actual cables between Washington, London and Moscow during the Second World War, this TV-movie examines the relationship between the leaders of these countries throughout the conflict. Franklin D. Roosevelt (John Lithgow), Winston Churchill (Bob Hoskins) and Joseph Stalin (Michael Caine), spring to life as real but imperfect people who nevertheless are great leaders fighting a great war.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 622
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 194 min
Plot tags: sincere, thought provoking, clever, serious, captivating, realistic, disturbing, contemplative, talky
Similar in 87%
The Diary of Anne Frank (2009)
Plot Summary:
Called the most accurate adaptation of Anne Frank’s moving diary, the film chronicles the Frank family as they flee from the Nazis in Amsterdam. Hiding behind a bookcase in a secret annex with random bombs exploding, Anne faces friction with her family, a desire for independence and the first stirrings of young love. It’s a remarkable record of a young woman’s first-hand observations of the Holocaust.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: UK
Duration: 150 min
Plot tags: touching, sincere, serious, realistic, historical drama, bleak, captivating, period drama
Similar in 80%
Ike: The War Years (1979)
Plot Summary:
Ike is a 1979 television miniseries about the life of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The screenplay by Melville Shavelson was based on Kay Summersby's 1948 memoir Eisenhower Was My Boss and her 1975 autobiography, Past Forgetting: My Love Affair. Directed by Boris Sagal and Melville Shavelson, the production starred Robert Duvall as Eisenhower and Lee Remick as Kay Summersby. Film editors John Woodcock and Bill Lenny won an Eddie Award for their work and the series garnered five Emmy Award nominations.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 456
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 291 min
Plot tags: exciting, sincere, serious, realistic, saga
Similar in 79%
The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank (1988)
Plot Summary:
During the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam, Otto Frank decides to hide his family, who are Jewish, after his daughter Margot is called to appear for transport to a Nazi labour camp. Miep Gies, Otto Frank's office assistant hides them in the attic above the office. The film tells the true story of Gies' struggle to keep the family hidden and safe, as the Nazis turn Amsterdam upside-down. Based upon Gies' memoirs and Anne Frank's famous diary.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 483
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, bleak, serious, realistic, disturbing
Similar in 88%
Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003)
Plot Summary:
A unique slant, profiling the life of Adolf Hitler as a child and his rise through the ranks of the National German Workers' Party prior to World War II.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 23000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 186 min
Plot tags: serious, bleak, captivating, realistic, disturbing, political, factual, suspense, rough, suspenseful
Similar in 82%
Manhattan (2014)
Plot Summary:
Set against the backdrop of the greatest clandestine race against time in the history of science with the mission to build the world's first atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Flawed scientists and their families attempt to co-exist in a world where secrets and lies infiltrate every aspect of their lives.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 55 min
Plot tags: clever, serious, captivating, realistic, melancholic, historical drama, independent film, period drama
Similar in 89%
Oppenheimer (1980)
Plot Summary:
Biography of the American physicist who led the U.S. effort to develop the atomic bomb during World War II, only to find himself suspected as a security risk in the 1950s because of his increasing ambivalence about the effect of his life's work.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 653
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 420 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, bleak, serious, captivating, realistic, disturbing
Similar in 90%
Genius (2017)
Plot Summary:
Anthology series about famous geniuses with the first season charting how Albert Einstein unlocked the mysteries of the atom and the universe, and the second exploring the passionate nature and relentless creative drive of Pablo Picasso.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 20000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: anthology, historical drama, inspirational, enigmatic, captivating, psychological, educational, saga, costume drama, intellectual