Best tv shows like Mata Hari
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
A sex icon becomes a spy during one of the most important wars of the 20th century.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 495
Genere: Drama, History
Country: Russia, Portugal, Ukraine
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: realistic, serious, captivating, emotional, disturbing, costume drama, beautiful
Best tv shows and movies like Mata Hari (2016):
Similar in 88%
Victorious Mehmets (2018)
Plot Summary:
During World War I, a group of determined soldiers fights to defend Ottoman territory against English invasion.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, War
Country: Turkey
Duration: 140 min
Plot tags: tense, serious, captivating, realistic, disturbing, islamic
Similar in 75%
Flambards (1979)
Plot Summary:
In the early 1900s in England, young Christina is orphaned and goes to live with her Uncle Russell, who owns the country estate of Flambards, and has two sons. Mark, the elder, is a wastrel, a roue and, like his father, loves to hunt. The younger son, William, lives to fly aeroplanes. Christina finds herself struggling with the ideas of classism as she falls in love with country life, the hunt, and one of her cousins. But after their impulsive marriage, when her husband is called away by the First World War, Christina must keep Flambards afloat by herself.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 477
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 780 min
Plot tags: serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, period drama
Similar in 85%
The Duchess of Duke Street (1976)
Plot Summary:
The Duchess Of Duke Street is a BBC television drama series set in London between 1900 and 1925. It was created by John Hawkesworth, the former producer of the highly successful ITV period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It starred Gemma Jones as Louisa Leyton/Trotter, the eponymous "Duchess" who works her way up from servant to renowned cook to proprietrix of the upper-class Bentinck Hotel in Duke Street, St. James's, in London. The story is loosely based on the real-life career of Rosa Lewis, the "Duchess of Jermyn Street", who ran the Cavendish Hotel in London. When the show first aired, there were many people who still remembered her, as she lived until 1952. According to census returns, she was born in Leyton, Essex, to a watchmaker. In the series, Louisa's family name is Leyton, and her father is a clock-maker. The programme lasted for two series totalling 31 episodes, shown between 1976 and 1977. It was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series in 1980. The theme music was composed by Alexander Faris.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 50 min
Plot tags: costume drama, historical drama, sincere, realistic, stylized, semi serious, period drama
Similar in 90%
Gallipoli (2015)
Plot Summary:
As dawn breaks on April 25, 1915, ANZAC troops go into battle on the beaches of the Gallipoli peninsula. Landing in the dark chaos, Tolly, Bevan and their mates struggle to establish a tenuous foothold on the treacherous slopes and deep ravines. They endure the next eight months on the peninsula learning lessons of survival. By the time of the final evacuation they have also learned the skills of combat and what it means to be a young man in war.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: Australia
Duration: 44 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, stylized, period drama
Similar in 80%
The Great Fire (2014)
Plot Summary:
An insight into what happened on the night of 2 September 1666, the Great fire of London.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 758
Genere: Drama, History
Country: UK
Duration:
Plot tags: serious, realistic, captivating, period piece, costume drama, historical drama, period drama
Similar in 83%
Casualty 1900s (2008)
Plot Summary:
Featuring true cases, characters and events taken from the London Hospital records, nurse's ward diaries and intimate memoirs, these gritty medical series show the lives – and forbidden romances – of pioneering doctors and nurses a hundred years ago.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 509
Genere: Drama, History
Country: UK
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: sentimental, sincere, touching, emotional, period piece, costume drama, serious, captivating, realistic, gloomy
Similar in 78%
A Passionate Woman (2010)
Plot Summary:
1950's, Leeds: Betty (Billie Piper) is a wife and mother, whose life is changed forever after falling hopelessly and dangerously in love with her charismatic Polish neighbour, Alex Crazenovski, better known as Craze . Against her principles, she soon abandons herself to a world of untapped thrills and passion, a world that has been so desperately missing from her own conventional and claustrophobic marriage. But 30 years later, an older Betty (Sue Johnston) comes to realise that her compulsive passion of the past and its consequences have created ripples that spill far into the future, finally reaching crisis point on her beloved son s wedding day.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 309
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: sincere, atmospheric, thought provoking, bleak, serious, emotional, realistic, gloomy, period drama
Similar in 88%
Titanic: Blood and Steel (2012)
Plot Summary:
Belfast, 1909. The Harland and Wolff shipyard has been handed the greatest project in its history. It will build a great, unsinkable ship. And it will be called the RMS Titanic.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: Ireland, Italy, France, Canada, UK, Spain, Germany
Duration: 55 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, stylized, tense, captivating, disturbing, costume drama, epic, period drama, vintage
Similar in 80%
The Arrow (1997)
Plot Summary:
This series tells the story of the world's fastest fighter plane ever built, in 1950's Canada, and how the project was dropped due to political pressure from the United States.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 865
Genere: Drama, History
Country: Canada
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: serious, captivating, realistic, disturbing
Similar in 85%
Elizabeth I (2017)
Plot Summary:
Elizabeth I may be remembered as the greatest monarch to rule England, but during her lifetime she was beset by enemies and hers was a life of constant battling.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 258
Genere: Drama, History
Country: UK
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: disturbing, exciting, serious, captivating, realistic, educational, historical drama
Similar in 88%
Operation Sunflower (2014)
Plot Summary:
Through the eyes of the scientist in charge of the operation, we see the events leading to Israel developing her nuclear option in the 1960's.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 52
Genere: Drama, History
Country: Israel, France
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: serious, captivating, realistic, suspenseful, tense
Similar in 80%
Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983)
Plot Summary:
A dramatization of the missions and adventures of the greatest spy in British history.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 720 min
Plot tags: political thriller, tense, serious, captivating, realistic, suspenseful, vintage, period drama
Similar in 86%
Cambridge Spies (2003)
Plot Summary:
In 1934, four brilliant Cambridge men are recruited to spy for Russia. Fueled by youthful idealism, a passion for social justice and a talent for lying, they take huge personal risks to pass Britain's biggest secrets to Moscow. Based on true events.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, History
Country: UK
Duration: 235 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, contemplative, tense, suspense, political, political thriller, period piece, period drama
Similar in 84%
Richard Sorge. Master Spy (2019)
Plot Summary:
A film about the life and work of the Soviet intelligence officer Richard Sorge in Japan on the eve of and during the Second World War in Japan. Working as a correspondent for an influential German newspaper in Tokyo, he had access to the most valuable information in German diplomatic circles. His brilliant ability to communicate with people made it possible to obtain secret military information.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 73
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, Mystery, War
Country: Russia, Ukraine, China
Duration:
Plot tags: captivating, exciting, realistic, factual, suspense, atmospheric
Similar in 82%
Banished (2015)
Plot Summary:
At its heart, Banished is a story of survival. Though it is set in the stark historical reality of the founding of the penal colony in Australia in 1788 after the arrival of the First Fleet, it is not the story of Australia and how it came to be. Rather, it is a tale of love, faith, justice and morality played out on an epic scale in a confined community where the stakes are literally life and death.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama, History
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: serious, historical drama, tense, realistic, captivating, costume drama, epic, period piece, period drama
Similar in 79%
Lillie (1978)
Plot Summary:
The story of Lillie Langtry.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 664
Genere: Adventure, Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Country: UK
Duration: 52 min
Plot tags: costume drama, historical drama, serious, captivating, realistic, stylized, period drama
Similar in 77%
Arthur & George (2015)
Plot Summary:
Arthur & George is a three-part adaptation of Julian Barnes' novel about Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle as played by actor Martin Clunes. Set in 1906 in Staffordshire, Hampshire and London the drama follows Sir Arthur and his trusted secretary, Alfred ‘Woodie’ Wood as they investigate the case of George Edalji, a young Anglo-Indian solicitor who was imprisoned for allegedly mutilating animals and writing obscene letters.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Drama, History, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: captivating, clever, serious, enigmatic, realistic, disturbing, detective, historical drama, period piece, costume drama
Similar in 81%
Our Zoo (2014)
Plot Summary:
“Our Zoo” follows the story of George, who being frustrated by memories of fighting in the great war and living with his extended family, wants to bring more beauty into the world. When he comes across a camel and monkey that are about to be abandoned, he embarks on a plan to set up a zoo.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, History
Country: UK
Duration: 312 min
Plot tags: sincere, captivating, realistic, semi serious, costume drama, period drama
Similar in 84%
Mr Selfridge (2013)
Plot Summary:
Mr. Selfridge recounts the real life story of the flamboyant and visionary American founder of Selfridge's, London's lavish department store. Set in 1909 London, when women were reveling in a new sense of freedom and modernity, it follows Harry Gordon Selfridge ('Mile a Minute Harry'), a man with a mission to make shopping as thrilling as sex. Pioneering and reckless, with an almost manic energy, Harry created a theater of retail where any topic or trend that was new, exciting, entertaining - or just eccentric - was showcased.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Drama, History
Country: UK
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: stylized, captivating, costume drama, serious, realistic, period piece, dark drama, historical drama, period drama, vintage
Similar in 79%
X Company (2015)
Plot Summary:
An emotionally-driven character drama, set in the thrilling and dangerous world of WWII espionage and covert operations. It follows the stories of five highly skilled young recruits - Canadian, American and British - torn from their ordinary lives to train as agents in an ultra-secret facility on the shores of Lake Ontario. These agents parachute behind enemy lines, where they're fair game for torture and execution. From elegant hotels to hellholes in the field, it's one risky operation after another, masterminded by the brains of Camp X.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Drama, War
Country: Canada
Duration: 44 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, suspenseful, exciting, captivating, tense, suspense, dark, educational, historical drama
Similar in 82%
37 Days (2014)
Plot Summary:
The story of what happened in the few weeks immediately preceding World War I.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: History
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: political thriller, realistic, serious, captivating, period piece, period drama
Similar in 78%
Anzac Girls (2014)
Plot Summary:
The unique, and rarely told true stories of Australian and New Zealand nurses serving at Gallipoli and the Western Front during the First World War.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: Australia
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: captivating, emotional, realistic, serious, stylized, costume drama, medical drama, historical drama, gloomy, romantic drama
Similar in 80%
The Passing Bells (2014)
Plot Summary:
At the outbreak of war, two teenage boys defy their parents to sign up.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, War
Country: UK, Poland
Duration:
Plot tags: historical drama, epic, realistic, serious, captivating, psychological, costume drama, emotional, gloomy
Similar in 89%
Anzacs (1985)
Plot Summary:
Anzacs was a 1985 5-part Australian miniseries set in World War I. The series follows the lives of a group of young Australian men who enlist in the 8th Battalion of the First Australian Imperial Force in 1914, fighting first at Gallipoli in 1915, and then on the Western Front for the remainder of the war. It follows in the wake of Australian New Wave war films such as Breaker Morant, Gallipoli, and precedes The Lighthorsemen. Recurring themes of these films include the Australian identity, such as mateship and larrikinism, the loss of innocence in war, and also the continued coming of age of the Australian nation and its soldiers.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 839
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: Australia
Duration: 165 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, bleak, serious, captivating, realistic, vintage, period drama
Similar in 84%
Titanic (2012)
Plot Summary:
An extraordinary re-telling of the doomed voyage that features both fictional and historical characters, ranging from steerage passengers to upper class guests.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Drama, History
Country: UK, Canada, Hungary
Duration: 190 min
Plot tags: emotional, realistic, costume drama, epic, historical drama, serious, stylized, nautical, period drama, disaster movie
Similar in 79%
Aristocrats (1999)
Plot Summary:
Based on a true story, Aristocrats draws back the curtain on an 18th century English family near the summit of society, revealing a tapestry of romance, prejudice, infidelity, and revolution.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, History
Country: UK, Ireland, USA
Duration: 300 min
Plot tags: period piece, captivating, serious, historical drama, realistic, stylized, costume drama, romantic drama, historical romance, period drama
Similar in 76%
South Riding (2011)
Plot Summary:
Andrew Davies sparkling adaption of Winifred Holtby's acclaimed novel. Insightful, warm and full of memorable characters, South Riding tells a fraught love story and paints a panaromic portrait of a Yorkshire community in the long aftermath of the First World War.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama
Country: UK
Duration:
Plot tags: touching, captivating, emotional, realistic, historical drama, period piece, costume drama, serious, stylized, period drama
Similar in 84%
The Bonfire of Destiny (2019)
Plot Summary:
After a devastating fire in 1897 Paris, three women find their lives upended by betrayal, deception, and romantic turmoil. Inspired by real events.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Drama, History
Country: France
Duration: 48 min
Plot tags: touching, suspenseful, disturbing, contemplative, rough, unusual plot structure, suspense, saga, costume drama
Similar in 82%
Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion (2003)
Plot Summary:
A true story about the tragic explosion at Halifax Harbour, Canada, in the early hours of December 6, 1917.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 377
Genere: Drama, History
Country: Canada
Duration: 175 min
Plot tags: serious, emotional, realistic, bleak, captivating, disaster movie
Similar in 77%
Seventeen Moments of Spring (1973)
Plot Summary:
The series is based on a true story of a Russian spy Colonel Isaev (Stirlitz) in Fascist Germany during 17 days in very end of WWII. Stirlitz has worked his way to the very top of the Fascist hierarchy without being caught. However, his "colleagues", top Hitler's officers Borman, Mueller, Schellenberg are beginning to suspect him. Stirlits is constantly walking on the edge between his two identities, sending information to Russia, while skillfully maintaining the appearance of loyalty to fascist regime.
IMDB Rating: 8.8
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Drama, History, War
Country: Soviet Union
Duration: 830 min
Plot tags: serious, tense, captivating, suspense, suspenseful, realistic, semi documentary