Highest-Rated Movies about '12th Century', Sort by Popularity

Sansho the Bailiff (1954), Rashômon (1950), Ran (1985), Becket (1964), Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan (2007), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), Perceval (1978), Lancelot of the Lake (1974) ... Let's take a look at the ranked list of the best 12th Century movies.

#2. Rashômon (1950)

Storyline: A priest, a woodcutter and another man are taking refuge from a rainstorm in the shell of a former gatehouse called Rashômon. The priest and the woodcutter are recounting the story of a murdered samurai whose body the woodcutter discovered three days earlier in a forest grove. Both were summoned to testify at the murder trial, the priest who ran into the samurai and his wife traveling through the forest just before the murder occurred. Three other people who testified at the trial are supposedly the only direct witnesses: a notorious bandit named Tajômaru, who allegedly murdered the samurai and raped his wife; the white veil cloaked wife of the samurai; and the samurai himself who testifies through the use of a medium. The three tell a similarly structured story - that Tajômaru kidnapped and bound the samurai so that he could rape the wife - but which ultimately contradict each other, the motivations and the actual killing being what differ. The woodcutter reveals at Rashômon that he ...

Plot Keywords: husband, assassin, criminal, samurai, priest, ghost, crafty ...

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#3. Ran (1985)

Storyline: Japanese warlord Hidetori Ichimonji decides the time has come to retire and divide his fiefdom among his three sons. His eldest and middle sons - Taro and Jiro - agree with his decision and promise to support him for his remaining days. The youngest son Saburo disagrees with all of them arguing that there is little likelihood the three brothers will remain united. Insulted by his son's brashness, the warlord banishes Saburo. As the warlord begins his retirement, he quickly realizes that his two eldest sons selfish and have no intention of keeping their promises. It leads to war and only banished Saburo can possibly save him.

Plot Keywords: lord, son, brother, messenger, fool, dark, bleak ...

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#4. Becket (1964)

Storyline: Debauched King Henry II installs his longtime court facilitator Thomas Becket as the Archbishop of Canterbury, assuming that his old friend will be a compliant and loyal lackey in the King's ongoing battles with the church. But Becket unexpectedly finds his true calling on the ecclesiastical side, and aligns himself against the king's selfish wishes, causing a rift and an eventual showdown not only between the two men, but also the institutions they represent.

Plot Keywords: king henry ii, archbishop, priest, courtier, brooding, dark, palace ...

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#5. Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan (2007)

Storyline: The movie is an epic story of a young Genghis Khan and how events in his early life lead him to become a legendary conqueror. The 9-year-old Temüjin is taken on a trip by his father to select a girl as his future wife. He meets Börte, who says she would like to be chosen, which he does. He promises to return after five years to marry her. Temüjin's father is poisoned on the trip, and dies. As a boy Temüjin passes through starvation, humiliations and even slavery, but later with the help of Börte he overcomes all of his childhood hardships to become one of the greatest conquerors the world has ever known.

Plot Keywords: warrior, wife, father, soldier, slave, brooding, gripping ...

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#6. Kingdom of Heaven (2005)

Storyline: It is the time of the Crusades during the Middle Ages - the world shaping 200-year collision between Europe and the East. A blacksmith named Balian has lost his family and nearly his faith. The religious wars raging in the far-off Holy Land seem remote to him, yet he is pulled into that immense drama. Amid the pageantry and intrigues of medieval Jerusalem he falls in love, grows into a leader, and ultimately uses all his courage and skill to defend the city against staggering odds. Destiny comes seeking Balian in the form of a great knight, Godfrey of Ibelin, a Crusader briefly home to France from fighting in the East. Revealing himself as Balian's father, Godfrey shows him the true meaning of knighthood and takes him on a journey across continents to the fabled Holy City. In Jerusalem at that moment--between the Second and Third Crusades--a fragile peace prevails, through the efforts of its enlightened Christian king, Baldwin IV, aided by his advisor Tiberias, and the military ...

Plot Keywords: blacksmith, baron, crusader, king, priest, sultan, passionate ...

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#8. Lancelot of the Lake (1974)

Storyline: A million miles away from 'Camelot' or 'Excalibur', this film ruthlessly strips the Arthurian legend down to its barest essentials. Arthur's knights, far from being heroic, are conniving and greedy men who, just before the film starts, have failed miserably to find the Holy Grail. Aimlessly resentful at first, the developing relationship between Lancelot and Queen Guinevere focuses their rage, leading to inevitable tragedy...—Michael Brooke <michael@everyman.demon.co.uk>

Plot Keywords: lancelot, guinevere, king arthur, mentor, brooding, emotional, england ...

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#9. The Flame and the Arrow (1950)

Storyline: Twelfth-century Lombardy lies under the iron heel of German overlord Count Ulrich 'The Hawk', but in the mountains, guerillas yet resist. Five years before our story, Ulrich stole away the pretty wife of young archer Dardo who, cynical rather than embittered, still has little interest in joining the rebels. But this changes when his son, too, is taken from him. The rest is lighthearted swashbuckling, plus romantic interludes with lovely hostage Anne.—Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

Plot Keywords: archer, wife, leader, rebel, niece, tyrant, spirited ...

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#10. Ivanhoe (1952)

Storyline: In the center of this Walter Scott classic fiction inspired movie the chivalrousness and the daring stand. Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe (Robert Taylor), the disowned knight join to the bravehearted and high-minded Robin of Locksley (Harold Warrender), the valiant of Sherwood Forest. They want King Richard (Norman Wooland) to rule the kingdom instead of evil Prince John (Guy Rolfe).—Kornel Osvart <kornelo@alphanet.hu>

Plot Keywords: knight, king, prince, pretty woman, robin hood, engaging, spirited ...

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#11. The Crusades (1935)

Storyline: The Third Crusade as it didn't happen. King Richard Coeur de Lion goes on the crusade to avoid marrying Princess Alice of France; en route, he marries Berengaria to get food for his men. Berengaria.is captured by Saladin, spurring Richard to attack and capture Acre. But Saladin, attracted to her, takes her on to Jerusalem, and Richard is in danger of assassination.—Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

Plot Keywords: king richard i, sultan, crusader, knight, muslim, princess, spectacular ...

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#13. Robin and Marian (1976)

Storyline: It is twenty years after Robin Hood's heroics against Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham. Since then, Robin (Sir Sean Connery) has spent all his time outside of England, fighting as Richard the Lionheart's right-hand man in the Crusades and in France. His only connection to his past life in Sherwood Forest is his faithful companion, Little John (Nicol Williamson). However, Richard the Lionheart is now dead and a war-weary, middle-aged Robin decides to return to England. His first priority: rekindle his relationship with Maid Marian (Audrey Hepburn). However, if he figured on a peaceful life, he didn't bargain on the machinations of the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw) and King John (Sir Ian Holm).

Plot Keywords: robin hood, little john, mother superior, sheriff, highwayman, confident, rousing ...

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#14. King Richard and the Crusaders (1954)

Storyline: In 1191, King Richard the Lionheart, along with several other European monarchs, is in the Holy Land intent on retaking Jerusalem from the Saracens. There is much infighting and outright treachery in the European encampment however. Two nobles in particular, Sir Giles Amaury (Robert Douglas) and Conrad, Marquis of Montferrat (Michael Pate), want to eliminate the English King and attempt to have him assassinated. Severely wounded and on his death bed, Richard is brought back to health by a Saracen doctor recruited by one of his loyal knights, Sir Kenneth of the Leopard (Laurence Harvey). The King recovers from his wounds but when he hears that Sir Lawrence wishes to marry Lady Edith Plantagenet (Virginia Mayo), the knight is banished only to be taken in by the very doctor who treated the King and who has an altogether different identity.—rodmch

Plot Keywords: king, knight, lighthearted, jerusalem, royalty, loyalty, medieval times ...

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#15. Lionheart (1987)

Storyline: A young knight sets out to join King Richard's crusaders. Along the way, he encounters The Black Prince who captures children and sells them as slaves to the Muslims. It is Robert Narra's sworn duty to protect the children and lead them to safety.—Kevin Michael Papineau <kp@parse.com>

Plot Keywords: knight, orphan, prince, crusader, emotional, engaging, passionate ...

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