20th Century Period Pieces on Netflix
Last updated January 21, 2025
Paid in Full
2002 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsThis fictionalized account of three real-life Harlem drug dealers is told in flashbacks as they plunge into the world of hustling. Ace learns the business, and soon the trio becomes a dominant force. But the cost may ultimately be Ace's conscience.
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Captain America: The First Avenger
2011 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsIn Marvel's superhero slugfest, Steve Rogers volunteers for a secret experiment during WWII after being deemed unfit for duty. Transformed into super soldier Captain America, he takes on his Nazi-created counterpart, Red Skull, and the evil Hydra.
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The Legend is Born: Ip Man
2010 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsThis martial arts biopic follows the early years of Ip Man -- the master who would one day become Bruce Lee's mentor -- as he perfects his Wing Chun style of combat against a small army of villainous foes.
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The Notebook
2004 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsTwo young lovers (Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams) are torn apart by war and class differences in the 1940s in this adaptation of Nicholas Sparks's best-selling novel. Their story is told by a man (James Garner) who, years later, reads from a notebook while he visits a woman in a nursing home (Gena Rowlands). Nick Cassavetes directs this heart-tugging romance about the sacrifices people will make to hang on to their one true love.
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Masterpiece Mystery!: Endeavour
2012 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsShaun Evans steps into John Thaw's shoes as the younger version of Colin Dexter's iconic creation, Inspector Morse, shedding new light on the origins of the detective famed for his love of crosswords, classical music, real ale and classic cars.
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Secondhand Lions
2003 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsIn 1960s Texas, timid teen Walter (Haley Joel Osment) is forced to spend the summer with his rich and eccentric great-uncles (Michael Caine and Robert Duvall) on their farm, where, over time, he learns surprising tidbits about their mysterious and dangerous pasts. Emmanuelle Vaugier plays an Arabian sultan's daughter, with whom Duvall's character fell in love years ago. Kyra Sedgwick co-stars.
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City of God
2002 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsGrowing up in a Rio de Janeiro favela, Rocket is able to avoid being drawn into a life of drugs and crime by having a passion for photography. Through his eyes, the dramatic stories of several of the slum's colorful residents unfold.
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Fiddler on the Roof
1971 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsDirector Norman Jewison chronicles the trials of Jewish peasant Tevye, the humble father of three strong-willed daughters and husband to oft-objecting wife Golde in pre-revolutionary Russia.
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Into the White
2012 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsIn the early days of World War II, two military airplanes -- one British and one German -- are shot down over Norway. Now, the crews of both aircraft are forced to work together in a desperate attempt to survive the harsh winter conditions.
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Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale
2011 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsThis vivid drama tells the true story of the 1930s rebellion of the Taiwanese aboriginal Seediq tribe against the Japanese occupation. The warriors set out to reclaim their self-respect as well as their land from the Japanese oppressors.
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United
2011 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsA devastating plane crash in 1958 left the Manchester United football squad with only four surviving team members still able to play, as recounted in this moving drama that finds the team and community struggling to recover from the tragedy.
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The Way Back
2010 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsAfter narrowly escaping from a wretched World War II Siberian labor camp, a small band of multinational soldiers desperately undertakes a harrowing journey to traverse Siberia, the Gobi Desert and the Himalayas on foot.
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For Greater Glory
2012 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsIn Mexico in the late 1920s, President Calles institutes a vicious ban on Catholicism that results in many deaths and prompts retired general Gorostieta to join the motley militia groups fighting to preserve religious freedom throughout the country.
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Enemy at the Gates
2001 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsSet during the infamous World War II siege of Stalingrad, this suspenseful drama follows a battle of wits and wills between renowned Russian sharpshooter Vassili Zaitsev and top German sniper Maj. König.
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Jet Li's Fearless
2006 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsJet Li stars as real-life martial arts legend Huo Yuanjia, a world-class Chinese fighter who dreams of continuing his father's legacy and restoring pride in his nation. But as Huo's sparring skills grow, so does his ego.
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Black Book
2006 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsRachel Stein is a beautiful Jewish woman who averts Nazi capture, then assumes a new Aryan identity and joins the Dutch resistance movement. A local leader persuades her to seduce a Nazi commander and take down the enemy from within.
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The Illusionist
2006 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsWith his eye on a beautiful aristocrat, a gifted illusionist uses his powers to win her away from her betrothed, a cruel prince. But the magician's scheme soon creates tumult within the monarchy and stirs the suspicion of a dogged inspector.
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Water for Elephants
2011 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsIn this captivating Depression-era melodrama, impetuous veterinary student Jacob Jankowski joins a celebrated circus as an animal caretaker but faces a wrenching dilemma when he's transfixed by angelic married performer Marlena.
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Finding Neverland
2004 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsPeter Pan and the denizens of Neverland have captured the hearts and minds of J.M. Barrie's readers. But this Oscar-winning film reveals how the imaginative author envisioned a world that was at once so wondrous and perilous.
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Radio
2003 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsA small-town high school football coach (Ed Harris) befriends a developmentally disabled man (Cuba Gooding Jr.) nicknamed "Radio," who has always been the target of jokes and teasing, in this heartwarming drama based on the real-life experiences of James Robert Kennedy. Although their friendship raises eyebrows at first, Radio's growth under the coach's guidance ultimately inspires the local townsfolk to think differently about being different.
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Breaker Morant: Masterworks Edition
1980 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsThree Australian soldiers (Edward Woodward, Bryan Brown and Lewis Fitz-Gerald) find themselves court-martialed for murder in 1901, at the end of South Africa's bloody Boer War. With just one day to prepare a defense, attorney major J.F. Thomas (Jack Thompson) must retrace his clients' steps -- and prove they acted under orders. Based on a play by Kenneth Ross, the film won 10 Australian Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.
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The Cider House Rules
1999 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsA surrogate son and protégé to a kindly physician who runs an orphanage in rural Maine, itchy Homer Wells sets off wide-eyed to see the world -- but cold reality soon intrudes on his youthful idealism and moral certitude.
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Dirty Dancing
1987 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsExpecting the usual tedium of summer in the mountains with her family, 17-year-old Frances is surprised to find herself stepping into the shoes of a professional dancer -- and falling in love with the resort's free-spirited dance instructor.
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Titanic
1997 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsThis cinematic spectacle -- winner of 11 Oscars -- follows society girl Rose and penniless artist Jack as they fall in love just as tragedy strikes. Rereleased for the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster, the stirring romance remains timeless.
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Hoodlum
1997 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsIn this gangland epic, black gangs in 1930s New York City battle the Italian mob for control of the Harlem numbers racket. Laurence Fishburne plays the Harlem boss tasked with protecting the business from mafioso Dutch Schultz and his violent crew.
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