The Agony and The Ecstasy

The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) Starring Charlton Heston as Michelangelo, this is the story of the painting of the Sistine Chapel, and the difficult relationship between Michelangelo and Pope Julius (the warrior pope).A Man for All Seasons (1966) The story of the last years of the life of Thomas More, chancellor to Henry VIII. More was a committed Catholic and was (spoiler alert!) beheaded because he wouldn’t publicly proclaim that Henry was the rightful supreme head of the Church of England.Elizabeth (1998) The story of the early years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England. Pretty good on the politics, but as most of these movies do, it completely invents a romantic plot line between Elizabeth and one of her courtiers. You can also watch the sequel, Elizabeth: The Golden Age if you want.La Reine Margot (Queen Margot) This is the story of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, told from the perspective of Margot, or Marguerite, the sister of the king and the one who is being married off to Henry of Navarre, leader of the Huguenots. It gives an interesting view of the politics of early modern France as well as their religious difficulties. And, of course, some really bloody massacre scenes.