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Drake of England
England 🇪🇸 Spain The 16th CenturyTake to the high seas for a heart-stopping tale of riches, war and romance with England's dashing pirate hero! — Imposing Canadian-born stage actor and playwright Matherson Lang was one of the twentieth century's great Shakespearean players, and became Britain's foremost screen actor during the 1920s; in Drake of England, one of his final films, he takes the title role in Arthur Woods' portrayal of the life and times of the flamboyant piratical adventurer who founded Britain's sea fortunes. From clandestine romance at the court of Elizabeth I to conquests in the newly discovered lands of South America and spectacular victory over the Armada, Drake of England offers a panoramic overview of Drake's life.
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The Affairs of Cellini
🇮🇹 Italy The 16th CenturyHanging is too good for Cellini...declared the Duchess, so she smothered him...in her arms! — The 16th-century sculptor woos the Duchess of Florence despite the duke.
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Henry the Ache
The 16th CenturyShemp Howard stars in this old parody of the then-current film "King Henry The Eighth". Also starring Bert Lahr in the title role.
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William of Orange
🇳🇱 Netherlands The 16th CenturyThe first 'official' Dutch sound film was presented as a historic document on the history of the Netherlands, highlighting the importance of prince William of Orange's role during the Eighty Years war. His story is told in a series of short episodes, spanning his sudden rise to prince of Orange in 1844 to his murder by Balthasar Gerards in 1584.
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The Private Life of Henry VIII
England The 16th CenturyHE GAVE HIS WIVES A PAIN IN THE NECK, And did his necking with an axe. Henry, the Eighth Wonder of the World! And this picture...the wonder of all time! — Renowned for his excess, King Henry VIII goes through a series of wives during his rule. With Anne Boleyn, his second wife, executed on charges of treason, King Henry weds maid Jane Seymour, but that marriage also ends in tragedy. Not one to be single for long, the king picks German-born Anne of Cleves as his bride, but their union lasts only months before an annulment is granted, and King Henry continues his string of spouses.
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Wara Wara
🇧🇴 Bolivia The 16th CenturySet in the 16th century, a peaceful Inca community is massacred by a group of conquistadors, and the survivors including Wara Wara flee into the mountains. Later, Wara Wara is assaulted by two Spanish soldiers, and rescued by a conquistador with a noble heart. The two fall in love, but are confronted with the mutual hatred between their peoples. Sentenced to death, they escape, and live happily ever after.
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The Lady of the Lake
Scotland The 16th CenturyIn 15th century Scotland, a woman of an outlaw clan tries to rescue both her father and her lover when they're captured by the king's men.
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Two Lovers
🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇧🇪 Belgium The 16th CenturyEvery Emotion Thrillingly Yours in This Their Final Picture Together! — Set during the 16th-century Spanish occupation of Flanders, the story concentrates on the fiercely patriotic Mark Van Ryke (Colman). Donning the guise of "Leatherface," a swashbuckling masked avenger, Van Ryke performs his derring-do on behalf of the Prince of Orange (Nigel de Brulier). Naturally, Van Ruke considers beautiful Spanish aristocrat Donna Leonora de Vargas (Vilma Banky) to be a bitter enemy, and the feeling is mutual. To no one's surprise, however, Van Ryke and Donna Leonara eventually fall in love (hence the title). The pulse-pounding climax finds Van Ryke riding hell-for-leather through a rainstorm to warn the Flemish troops about the Spaniards' plans to burn the city of Ghent to the ground. Two Lovers was based on Madame Orczy's novel Leatherface, and adapted for the screen by Alice Duer Miller.
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Faust
The 16th CenturyThe Voice of the Tempter — God and Satan war over earth; to settle things, they wager on the soul of Faust, a learned and prayerful alchemist.
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Don Juan
🇮🇹 Italy The 16th CenturyA Super Spectacle Depicting the Romantic Adventures of THE LORD OF ALL LOVERS! — If there was one thing that Don Juan de Marana learned from his father Don Jose, it was that women gave you three things - life, disillusionment and death. In his father's case it was his wife, Donna Isobel, and Donna Elvira who supplied the latter. Don Juan settled in Rome after attending the University of Pisa. Rome was run by the tyrannical Borgia family consisting of Caesar, Lucrezia and the Count Donati. Juan has his way with and was pursued by many women, but it is the one that he could not have that haunts him. It will be for her that he suffers the wrath of Borgia for ignoring Lucrezia and then killing Count Donati in a duel. For Adriana, they will both be condemned to death in the prison on the river Tigre.
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The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots
Scotland England The 16th CenturyThe Dauphin's widow weds a lord and is executed for plotting against the queen.
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Taras Bulba
🇺🇦 Ukraine The 16th Century -
Ashes of Vengeance
🇫🇷 France The 16th CenturyThis historical piece, set in the Huguenot days of France, is Norma Talmadge's 37th feature film and the longest to date at two hours. The plot involves a man forced into servitude who falls in love with the sister of his persecutor. It was Ms. Talmadge's fourth involvement with director, Frank Lloyd and the cast included future star, Wallace Beery.
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When Knighthood Was in Flower
England The 16th CenturyMary Tudor falls in love with a new arrival to court, Charles Brandon. She convinces her brother King Henry VIII to make him his Captain of the Guard. Meanwhile, Henry is determined to marry her off to the aging King Louis XII of France as part of a peace agreement.
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Othello
🇨🇾 Cyprus 🇮🇹 Italy The 16th CenturyEven without the benefit of sound, the 1922 German adaptation of Othello seems more operatic than Shakespearean. This may be due to the casting of Emil Jannings, to whom restraint and subtlety were strangers. Werner Krauss, of Cabinet of Dr. Caligari fame, is on hand as the duplicitous Iago. Appearing as the unfortunate Desdemona is Lea Von Lenkeffy, better known as Lya de Putti. Produced on an elaborate scale, Othello may not be true to the letter of Shakespeare, but is undeniably a smorgasbord of visual delights.
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Lucrezia Borgia
🇮🇹 Italy The 16th CenturyRodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander VI, has three adult children: Juan, who is virtuous and has a sweetheart who is a woman of the people, Lucrezia, who is virtuous and wants to marry Alfonso, and Cesare, who is wicked and lusts after Lucrezia, Juan's girlfriend, and probably others. Cesare has vowed to kill any suitor for Lucrezia's love, and he has three thugs to carry out his wishes. Bodies fall into the Tiber, into the Colosseum (with lions prowling), and onto the Vatican floors.
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Meriota, die Tänzerin
🇮🇹 Italy The 16th Century -
Die Verschwörung zu Genua
🇮🇹 Italy The 16th Century -
The Golem
🇨🇿 Czechia The 16th CenturyThe 1920 Horror Masterpiece — Suffering under the tyrannical rule of Rudolf II in 16th-century Prague, a Talmudic rabbi creates a giant warrior to protect the safety of his people. Sculpted of clay and animated by the mysterious secrets of the Cabala, the Golem was a seemingly indestructible juggernaut, performing acts of great heroism, yet equally capable of dreadful violence. When the rabbi's assistant takes control of the Golem and attempts to use him for selfish gain, the lumbering monster runs rampant, abducting the rabbi's daughter and setting fire to the ghetto.
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Anna Boleyn
England The 16th CenturyThe story of the ill-fated second wife of the English king Henry VIII, whose marriage to the Henry led to momentous political and religious turmoil in England.
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Prinz und Bettelknabe
England The 16th CenturyAlexander Korda's early German adaptation of Mark Twain's historical fiction novel about two young boys who are born on the same day and identical in appearance but of very different origin: Edward the Prince of Wales son of Henry VIII and Tom Canty the son of an lowly pauper.
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Maria Tudor
England The 16th CenturySilent Film Drama by Adolf Gärtner. Starring Ellen Richter
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Sir Arne's Treasure
🇸🇪 Sweden The 16th CenturyThree Scottish officers, including Sir Archi, murder Sir Arne and his household for a coffin filled with gold. The only survivor is Elsalill, who moves to relatives in Marstrand. There she meets a charming young officer- Sir Archi- and she soon understands that he was one of the murderers.
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Der König amüsiert sich Rigoletto
🇫🇷 France The 16th Century -
The Woman God Forgot
Ciudad de México The 16th CenturyCortez sends Alvarado to Montezuma who throws him into a dungeon from which he is rescued by Tecza who loves him. He is recaptured when her lover Guatemoco finds Alvarado hiding in her chambers. Tecza next leads Cortez into the city, thus causing the destruction of her nation and securing the love of Alvarado.
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Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages
🇮🇶 Iraq 🇮🇹 Italy The 1910s The 1st Century The 16th CenturyThe Cruel Hand of Intolerance — The story of a poor young woman, separated by prejudice from her husband and baby, is interwoven with tales of intolerance from throughout history.
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The Netherlands and Orange
🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇫🇷 France The 1800s The 1810s The 18th Century The 17th Century The 16th CenturyA collection of short scenes portraying highlights of Dutch history, from the Eighty Years' War to King Willem I's return from exile. This film was made to commemorate the centenary of the Dutch royal family.
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Henry VIII
England The 16th CenturyDirected by William Barker.
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A Sixteenth Century Russian Wedding
The 16th CenturyA dramatization of a wedding in 16th-century Russia, between members of two prominent boyar families (based on paintings by Konstantin Makovskii): Three matchmakers first visit the family of the prospective bride, and then do the same with the prospective bridegroom's family. Later, as the time of the wedding draws near, the bride is dressed with great formality and prepared for the ceremony, as the guests get ready to celebrate the upcoming wedding.
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Fool's Revenge
🇫🇷 France The 16th CenturyA court fool believes the Duke is after his beautiful daughter, and arranges to have the Duke murdered. The daughter overhears the plot and, disguised in the Duke's cloak, sacrifices her life to save him.
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The Assassination of the Duke de Guise
🇫🇷 France The 16th CenturyThe film portrays the events on the day King Henri III of France arranged for Duke Henri de Guise to be murdered.
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The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots
The 16th CenturyA short film depicting the execution of Mary, Queen of the Scots. Mary is brought to the execution block and made to kneel down with her neck over it. The executioner lifts his axe ready to bring it down. After that frame Mary has been replaced by a dummy. The axe comes down and severs the head of the dummy from the body. The executioner picks up the head and shows it around for everyone else to see. One of the first camera tricks to be used in a movie.
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Marakkar - Arabikadalinte Simham
🇮🇳 India Indian Ocean The 16th CenturyThe Lion of the Arabian Sea — ‘Marakkar Lion of the Arabian Sea’ portrays the courageous life-events of a rebellious naval chief, Kunjali Marakkar the fourth, who fought against the Portuguese in the ancient times. He was the fourth naval chief of the Calicut Zamorin. The film revolves around him who was also the first Indian Naval Commander and Indian freedom fighter for the war against the Portuguese. He is said to have won 16 such battles with his impeccable strategies and fighting skills.
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Ivan the Terrible
🇵🇱 Poland 🇷🇺 Russia The 16th CenturySergei Eisenstein’s final film, was a projected three-part historical epic/biopic on Czar Ivan Grozny commissioned by Joseph Stalin, documenting the tyrannical tsar’s rise to power and descent into paranoia and madness. Eisenstein managed to complete the first two parts of the trilogy, but the second film was banned by the USSR until 1958, halting production of the Part III. After Eisenstein’s death in 1948, most of what was filmed for Part III was seized and destroyed.
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