1. “Glory“(1989) — Not just the best Civil War film ever made but one of the best American films on race as it actually was, “Glory” tells the forgotten story of the all-black Massachusetts 54th Infantry. From skepticism to recruitment to a soldiers’ strike over unequal pay, the movie soars on performances by Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, who won an Oscar. The hand-to-hand combat is horrific. The history is sound. The heroism is undeniable.

2. “The Post” (2018) — Anyone who doubts the importance of a free press or the moral dilemmas publishers face should watch Spielberg's latest. It's not about Daniel Ellsberg and his Pentagon Papers but about Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep) and the boys club of newspapermen she is thrown into. Everyone I know who saw it said that when Graham gave the go ahead to publish, the audience burst into applause.

3. “Lincoln” (2012) — More than a tribute to the legend, Spielberg’s “Lincoln” shines a spotlight on the political process as managed by a master. Focusing on Lincoln’s unflagging efforts to get a reluctant Congress to pass the 13th amendment outlawing slavery, the film also offers a poignant look at Lincoln and his wife struggling with a waning marriage and grief over their lost son. Though not exactly action-packed, the film bristles with emotion and power.

4. “All the President’s Men” (1976) — Watergate was barely history when the movie came out, but the film now works as a tribute to investigative journalism. Follow Woodward and Bernstein — Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman — as they “follow the money” from the second-rate burglary to the White House. “Follow the money,” by the way, was never said by the real Deep Throat. The phrase comes from the movie.

5. “Amistad” (1997) — Got buried at the box office, but Spielberg (again) came through with a surprisingly insightful look at the forgotten 1839 slave ship uprising that led to a trial and a rethinking of slavery. The cross-cultural challenges of African vs. American — in language, custom, and spirit — are fascinating. The passion of the slaves is embodied in a riveting performance by Djimon Hounsou who deserved the Oscar. Matthew McConaughey does a great job as the young lawyer. Once Anthony Hopkins enters as John Quincy Adams, however, the film is done in by melodrama.

6. “Good Night and Good Luck” (2005) — The battle between broadcast legend Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy is replayed from behind the scenes. George Clooney, who plays producer Fred Friendly, did his homework, interweaving exact phrases from the newsroom and Murrow’s broadcasts while ratcheting up the fear and tension. David Straithairn gives a great performance as the troubled, chain-smoking Murrow.

SIX HOLLYWOOD MOVIES THAT GET HISTORY RIGHT