The Historical Movies Podcast

In this episode of Historical Movies, we step into the glamorous world of Mrs Harris Goes to Paris (2022) and ask why this seemingly delightful fairy tale really misses the mark.
We ask whether this movie’s problems stem from the source material: the book with almost the same name (Mrs. ‘Arris Goes To Paris) by Paul Gallico - a man who was, according to his own words ‘a rotten novelist’.
And what is it about the movie itself that doesn’t work? Too much woke, lazy historical framing or contradictory moral narrative?
We take a look at some of the real history behind the film — postwar Britain and the extraordinary rise of Christian Dior with the revolutionary “New Look” of 1947. Plus we look at Yves Saint Laurent’s short and ill-fated stint as head of Dior following Christian Dior’s death in 1957.
Join Ros Evans and Prof. Bryce Evans for this episode of the Historical Movies Podcast!
📩 Have you seen Mrs Harris Goes to Paris? Could Mrs Harris really have afforded that Dior dress? Have a favourite historical movie we should cover? Email us at historicalmoviespodcast@gmail.com or find us on @hmpodcast.bsky.social.
#MrsHarrisGoesToParis#ChristianDior#Dior#FashionHistory#1950s#BritishHistory#FilmHistory#HistoricalMovies#HauteCouture#PostwarBritain#Paris #Woke

Inglourious Basterds (2009) is Quentin Tarantino's best film to date and has some of the greatest scenes in cinema for a generation. In this episode of the Historical Movies Podcast we take a look at everything that makes Inglourious Basterds a masterpiece.
We examine how Tarantino creates suspense through direction, camera work and language. We talk through Operation Greenup - the real history behind Inglorious Basterds - Bryce (professor of Modern World History) gives us his historical take on the depiction of World War 2. And we examine Tarantino's attention to detail that gives this movie it's charm and flair.

Plus:
• What exactly is wrong with Michael Fassbender's German accent
• Tarantino's obsessive attention to detail
• Why Inglourious Basterds feels so radically different from traditional World War II dramas
• Christoph Waltz’s iconic performance as Hans Landa, and how Tarantino nearly shelved the entire movie because he couldn't find the right actor
• The incredible tension of the basement tavern scene, and the tiny details that escalate a quiet drink into a bloody shootout
📩 What do you think? Are you raising your boot of beer to Inglourious Basterds or are rolling out the 1-star review like Peter Bradshaw? Email us at historicalmoviespodcast@gmail.com or find us on @hmpodcast.bsky.social.#InglouriousBasterds
#QuentinTarantino #BradPitt #ChristophWaltz #FilmHistory #WWII #Cinema #HistoricalMovies #HistoricalMoviesPodcast #MovieReview

A World Cup Special for our 50th episode: we take look at Channel 4's extraordinary 1994 film The Impossible Job which forever immortalised by Graham Taylor's unforgettable lament, "Do I not like that."
Following England manager Graham Taylor through the disastrous 1994 World Cup qualifying campaign, The Impossible Job captured something that simply couldn't exist today: total access, zero media training, no sanitised messaging, and every frustration and f-bomb left in the final edit.
Thirty years later, we ask whether this documentary permanently changed the relationship between football, television, and the people running the game.
We discuss:
• Why The Impossible Job feels so radically different from modern sports documentaries
• The incredible behind-the-scenes stories, including cameras being smuggled into stadiums after the Dutch FA tried to ban filming
• Bryce's unforgettable week training alongside Paul Gascoigne (Gazza)
• Whether England's famous "Old Guard" ever truly respected Graham Taylor
• The ruthless culture of the 1990s British tabloid press, and how headlines like "Swedes 2, Turnip 1" helped destroy Taylor's public reputation despite his remarkable success with Watford and Aston Villa
• Why the documentary became a watershed moment for sports broadcasting • A detour into the strange world of World Cup mascots, from Italia '90's minimalist "Ciao" to animated mascot spin-offs
• An entirely unnecessary—but surprisingly passionate—linguistic analysis of why "Do I not like that" became one of football's greatest catchphrases.
📩 What do you think? Is The Impossible Job still the greatest football documentary ever made, or could something like it be made today?
Email us at historicalmoviespodcast@gmail.com or find us on @hmpodcast.bsky.social. #TheImpossibleJob #GrahamTaylor #England #FootballHistory #Documentary #WorldCup #PaulGascoigne #Gazza #HistoricalMovies #HistoricalMoviesPodcast #SportsDocumentary

What did they change and why did they change it? Does it matter and shouldn't we all just shut up and enjoy the hit parade of 'Michael Jackson the Early Years'?
Michael (2026), the Michael Jackson biopic directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson, has already become one of the most controversial films of the decade. Long before its release, the Michael Jackson movie sparked debate over historical accuracy, artistic responsibility, and whether a film about one of the world's most famous entertainers can ever avoid the controversies that surrounded his life.
We also examine the wider history behind the film itself. Why did this project take so long to reach the screen? How involved was the Jackson estate? What were the biggest controversies during production? And why have discussions about the film often become as heated as discussions about Michael Jackson himself?
We discuss:
• The 4 hour first cut of this movie
• What critics, fans and commentators are arguing about
• How the story completely changed during production
• What the movie includes — and what it leaves out
• Jaafar Jackson's performance as Michael Jackson
• The role of the Jackson estate in the production
• Historical accuracy versus dramatic storytelling
• Whether any Michael Jackson biopic can ever satisfy everyone
📩 What do you think? Does Michael strike the right balance, or was controversy inevitable from the start? Email us at historicalmoviespodcast@gmail.com or find us on @hmpodcast.bsky.social.
#MichaelMovie #MichaelJackson #Michael2026 #MichaelJacksonBiopic #JaafarJackson #MovieControversy #FilmHistory #HistoricalMovies #Biopic #MovieReview

In this episode of Historical Movies, we unpack and explain The Secret Agent (2025) — breaking down its plot, characters, themes, and ending, while exploring the turbulent historical period of Brazil in the 1970s that gives the film its meaning.
We also discuss why it won none of the 4 Oscars it was nominated for, why it represents the genius of filmmaking and the real life legend of the Hairy Leg!
Kleber Mendonça Filho's The Secret Agent (2025) has been hailed as one of the year's most acclaimed films set against the backdrop of Brazil's military dictatorship. But it's also a deliberately elusive film, told through an unconventional narrative structure that withholds information, shifts perspectives, and gradually reveals the true shape of its story. We also explore the history behind the film, from political repression and censorship.
Understanding this historical context is crucial to understanding what The Secret Agent is trying to say — and why its story is told the way it is.
How does the film's fragmented storytelling work? Why does it reveal key events indirectly? And how does its atmosphere of paranoia, surveillance, and uncertainty reflect the realities of life under Brazil's military regime in the 1970s?
We discuss:
• How the film's unusual narrative won over critics but divided audiences
• Brazil's military dictatorship and the political climate of the 1970s
• The ending
• Why the film's historical setting is essential to understanding its deeper meaning

Plus: how filmmakers portray authoritarian societies on screen, why ambiguity can be a powerful storytelling tool, and whether The Secret Agent works best as a political thriller, a historical drama, or both at once.
📩 Have a different interpretation of the film's ending? Know more about the history of Brazil's military dictatorship? Email us at historicalmoviespodcast@gmail.com or find us on @hmpodcast.bsky.social.
#TheSecretAgent #BrazilianHistory #Brazil #MilitaryDictatorship #PoliticalThriller #FilmHistory #HistoricalMovies #KleberMendoncaFilho #HistoricalMoviesPodcast #Cinema