Best Historical Screenplays
Script Name | |
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1 |
ALTA CALIFORNIAIn 1780s California, a mixed-blood scout, torn between his native heritage and Spanish conquerors, is thrust into a battle of survival and identity as he navigates oppressive mission life and brutal colonizers. Script Excerpt |
2 |
Maeta's StoryIn the Occupied Netherlands, a widow and her 7 year old son go into hiding with the help of her brother, a WW1 veteran who struggles with PTSD. * "Recommend" by Dave Trottier Script Excerpt |
3 |
HenriettaOhio, 1887. A multiracial family is devastated by illness after 11 year old Rhett believes she has summoned a demonic power. While her doctor stepfather quarantines the house for cholera, Rhett must fight through an otherworldly dreamscape to protect her mother and brother. (harryaspinwall.com/henrietta) |
4 |
KibouA tenacious young Japanese-American's loyalties, duties, and illicit interracial relationship are tested to the limits when his family is separated by the US government and imprisoned during a time of fear and paranoia surrounding WWII. |
5 |
RestorationAs an introverted art restorer succumbs to the evil temptations of an ancient painting, otherworldly forces attempt to stop her from unleashing the painting's unholy power. Script Excerpt |
6 |
Dance of the InnocentThe just deceased spirit of a Black pro-life leader is restored in heaven with the two unaware children of her youth, recounting the events around their earthly loses decades earlier to a teenage abortion and the related miscarriage. The spirit of her one-time White fiancé divulges the explosive secret that had altered all of their lives. |
7 |
The Wayward SonOrphaned after his father and other Chinese are murdered in the Rock Springs Massacre of 1885, Bo helps his adopted family of sheep ranchers fight for their land in bloody range wars while struggling with his identity and reigniting a dangerous love affair. |
8 |
Astral CrisisA female Sheriff searching for a pompous astronomy nerd and a dyslexic mortuary clerk races North Korean agents to the re-entry site of an old satellite holding images of the USS Pueblo boarding and enable reparations for the crew. Script Excerpt |
9 |
We Shall Not Go HungryIn Viking Age Iceland, Sigrun and her two brothers are reunited with their estranged father, only to fall prey to a horrific curse. After their father goes missing, Sigrun must protect her brothers by any means necessary, but uncovering her family’s history of dark magic may lead her to become the very thing she’s fighting. (harryaspinwall.com/wsngh) |
10 |
SMALLSBy produced writer. 10 feature films. 20 novels. A slave steals a Confederate steamship and sails it past the blockade of Charleston harbor during the Civil War, freeing himself, his family, his crew and their families. True story of Robert Smalls. |
11 |
Colter's RunBased on a true story, John Colter becomes a legend during the early days of the American frontier due to his adventures in the Yellowstone region and encounters with dangers that lead to an arduous eleven-day, two-hundred mile flight across the wilderness in which he has only his wits to survive. Script Excerpt |
12 |
Between the Salt and the SkyIt’s 1942, and a small Portuguese fishing village is on the edge of a war that seems far away. An out-of-work fisherman with nothing to live for meets an unlikely ally with a dangerous secret and nothing to lose. When two Jewish girls arrive, it changes everything. Script Excerpt |
13 |
LABYRINTH OF DESTINYDuring the Mexican-American War, Lieutenant Ulysses Grant falls in love with a young Mexican woman who helps American slaves escape bondage. The war separates them, but years later they meet again when the woman is dispatched to the United States to seek an alliance to prevent France from conquering Mexico and becoming an ally of the Confederacy. |
14 |
THE BANNERThough haunted by the childhood memory of the lynching of his father for leading a slave rebellion, an American slave risks his life to join Mexico's struggle for independence after witnessing the execution of the author of the first law against slavery on the North American continent. |
15 |
GreenmanA rising rock star strikes out for Iceland in search of inspiration, only to discover a centuries-old horror that threatens to use her gifts to take over the world. |
16 |
The ExperimentAmbition, class prejudice and racism forever alter the lives of a poor white boy bound for delinquency and a young Afro-American athlete headed for stardom. |
17 |
HOSEAThe son of the superintendent of international churches is convinced he hears a divine word which he follows, only to face ridicule from his family circle and friends and threats to lose his life from the drug and human trafficking world. This is a contemporary suspense about the prophet Hosea in the Bible. |
18 |
Ilium RidgeTo brothers Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, the First World War is but a game to stave off the boredom of immortality. To Captain Achilles, the Man Who Cannot Be Killed, it is a curse to be avoided at all costs, as the gods, battles and magic of Homer's Iliad are transplanted to the bloody trenches of the last century. Script Excerpt |
19 |
The Odyssey of John BuchananWhen a Scottish soldier loses his father in the Battle of Culloden, he rushes home only to see his wife and mother slain by British soldiers. John Buchanan is captured and must not only escape his captors but fight against his eventual banishment to the British Colonies and escape his life as an indentured servant on a tobacco plantation in Maryland. Script Excerpt |
20 |
E PLURIBUS UNUMVirginia 1860 – when a profitable, free plantation founded by disguised aliens and supported by famous abolitionists is attacked by pro-slavers, two former slaves - a fighter and a pacifist, band to together to seek help from newly-elected President Lincoln. Script Excerpt |
21 |
Falls CityTRUE STORY: |
22 |
Anne Bonny, PirateAnne Bonny is the most illustrious female pirate from the Golden Age of Piracy. Her life is legendary, but no one agrees on the details of her story -- not even her death. Maybe she can set the record straight? also, Finalist, 2009 Charleston International Film Festival; Finalist, Beaufort International Film Festival, 2010. Script Excerpt |
23 |
Kingbird and FranklinAt the height of the Enlightenment, Ben Franklin fosters the birth of a nation, an alliance with France, and a legacy called Kingbird. |
24 |
The Puzzle PeopleBerlin cold war aftermath: A Woman reconstructs shredded Stasi documents and stumbles upon a murder committed days after the Fall of the Berlin Wall. Her curiosity gets the best of her and she almost gets killed. The Puzzle People screenplay is an adaptation of the Berlin Spy Mystery by Doug Peterson. |
25 |
McIntyre's MountainArizona Territory, 1883: When a band of ex-confederate-led banditos raid a gold shipment steaming down the Colorado River, a fifteen year old boy has to choose between a life of adventure or doing what's right, while his father, a retired Confederate Major, races to save him and stop the bandits. Finalist, 2024 Cowpokes International Film Festival. Script Excerpt |
26 |
Jane, The Legend of Mountain CharleyA woman in the 1850's gives up her children to The Sisters of Mercy, changes into men's clothing and spends the next twelve years looking for her husband's killer. She was fifteen years old and this is a true story. Jane is an award-winning script. |
27 |
MADEMOISELLEIn 19th Century Paris, ERICA CLAUDIN is the brightest star in Opera. After an accident leaves her husband dead and her face disfigured, Erica wants just one thing: Revenge. Inspired by Gaston Leroux' Phantom of the Opera. Winner, L.A. Reel Film Festival, 2010; Silver Remi Winner, Worldfest 2008, Finalist, Charleston International Film Festival 2008; Quarterfinalist, Champion Screenwriting, 2009. Script Excerpt |
28 |
AND WE WERE LEFT DARKLINGIn the aftermath of WW2, in an undefined place, two men, Eichmann and Wallenberg, play chess, using humans as pawns. Each represents the extreme of man’s humanity and inhumanity to man. https://andwewereleft.com/ |
29 |
Behind The VeilFilm Noir. Los Angeles, 1947. A private detective struggles with moral inequities as he assists a corrupt federal judge's efforts to contact his estranged, gay son. (FINALIST: BEST FEATURE SCRIPT - 2023 LONELY WOLF INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Script Excerpt |
30 |
WHITE DEVIL OF SHANGHAIRomantic war adventure set against the backdrop of World War II China. Two mismatched fugitives of war, a jaded American newsman and a strong-willed Jewish refugee girl, escape Japanese-occupied Shanghai to reach Free China. They evolve into unlikely heroes among the Chinese, one as a mercenary destroying lives, the other as a Red Cross miracle worker saving lives. Their stormy relationship ultimately brings them together to save Shanghai's Jewish refugees from Nazi extermination. Script Excerpt |
31 |
ELIJAHThe King of Israel marries a Phoenician Princess, who is consumed by Baal worship and wants to kill all devout Hebrews. God’s prophet challenges the king to repent despite the threat of death. |
32 |
Panama FeverWhen the Army sends a young doctor to Panama, his adventures- and misadventures- with the natives, the Army and his wife come fast and furious. |
33 |
NEXT WARBefore the end of WWII, the most dangerous mental cases in the US Army were taken to a foreign island. What the first nurse who volunteered to take care of them had to learn could get the entire world ready for the next war. |
34 |
Fallen SonLOGLINE: When the son of mafia boss leaves the family business and is wrongly charged for murder, he must choose whether to stay loyal to his mob family and serve a prison sentence, or defy them by proving his innocence and risk assassination. ____________________________________________________________________________ SYNOPSIS: Chosen as next head of his family’s crime business, the eldest son of a New Orleans Mafia boss facing deportation orders abandons his Sicilian heritage by marrying an American woman and going into legitimate business. After his father is deported and his younger brother inherits the family business, the elder son is indicted for murder when a restaurant owner he had previously refused orders to kill turns up dead. Then he learns who is real family is and risks certain assassination by teaming up with an investigation lawyer against his blood family in court to avoid a death row prison sentence. |
35 |
The Missionary's ImpositionIn 1909, a white New York City socialite turned missionary engages in a scandalous love affair with a debonair Chinese immigrant, resulting in a murder mystery that captures the nation’s attention after her body is discovered stuffed in a trunk. Inspired by true events. |
36 |
Turtle Eggs for AgassizA famous scientist's strange need challenges a young teacher to tackle it, launching a great adventure. |
37 |
Hell Gate to Golden GateAlice Ramsey is on a mission to become the first woman to drive an automobile across the United States, but a vengeful bank president, whose wife becomes a suffragette, isn't about to let that happen. Script Excerpt |
38 |
A Journey With DestinyIn 1906, a young man’s journey by automobile leaves him stranded in a remote mining town about to erupt into a battle royale between company goons and radical labor. Script Excerpt |
39 |
Marshal Mart DugganThe town selected a brawny, gun-fighting Irishman as Marshal to tame the fast-growing, notoriously wild, and depraved new boom town of Leadville, Colorado, in the 1870s. |
40 |
Deborah SamsonThe based-on-true-events story of the first American female combat soldier who disguised herself as a man, was wounded twice and id the Official Heroine of the Revolutionary War. |
41 |
A Risk of ExposureIn 1953, Russian ballet teacher plots to smuggle shocking photos of Stalin's crimes while part of a cultural exchange to the U.S. With the KGB in close pursuit, she finds an unexpected ally. Script Excerpt |
42 |
RevelationA coming-of-age tale about a beautiful, but insolent, peasant who nurses back to health a spiteful teenage samurai after he survives an ambush while persecuting Christians. |
43 |
Cold Blooded GoldMuch more interest in this script since Yellowstone. Even a blind pig gets an acorn now and again. Western Ghost Story - Cold Blooded Gold Soldiers are haunted by their last mission to hide a load of gold. Their captain may have returned from the dead to call them together years later to find the gold and save it for the future. The gold is tainted by the war and a group of "buffalo soldiers" help to save the treasure from an evil force determined to use it for nefarious purposes. Gritty and surprising this project has been on the front burner of a couple of production companies. Its time has finally come. |
44 |
East Meets WesternA runaway indentured Asian cook bakes his way into the good graces of a frontier town, where he struggles to win the skills and allies he needs to avoid recapture by the ruthless outlaw who 'owns' him. |
45 |
Charity RoyallA strong-willed young woman facing an unplanned pregnancy struggles with her pride, her identity, and her independence while fighting for respect in a small New England town at the turn of the 20th Century. |
46 |
Ungodly BehaviorIn this contemporary retelling of the Greek myth, Demeter decides to kill the earth to get her daughter back, but Persephone has her own terms. The Chorus presides over it all while Cassandra has a prophecy. Script Excerpt |
47 |
In the Broad Face of DayHistorical Drama (1843): When a lunatic guns down the secretary of the British Prime Minister in broad daylight in the streets of central London, the ensuing courtroom battle and outcome was to change forever the way insanity was viewed by courts around the world. |
48 |
Dunkirk: Miracle of DeliveranceVice Admiral Bertram Ramsay masterminded the plans to rescue the British Expeditionary force from the beaches of Dunkirk. Operation Dynamo would bring them home. This docudrama starts from the very beginning of an insane plan to use 'little ships', captained by normal everyday people, to save the troops before they are cut down by Hitler's forces. |
49 |
When Doves CryIn 1991, fraternal twins navigate the treachery of young adulthood, dealing with bullies, racists, homophobes, and abusive authority figures while seeking the ultimate Minneapolis experience; seeing the legendary Prince perform live at First Avenue on Halloween night but a freak blizzard threatens their plans. Script Excerpt |
50 |
Nino Cochise - genre Native AmericanBased on a true untold story - Grandson of Cochise - 2 year old Apache Nino escaped with his mother and a small clan arranged by his father Tahza to Mexico to escape from being herded to the San Carlos Reservation. - Made chief of the clan at the age of 15 and struggles to keep his clan fed and protected from tyrant General Luiz Torres, - He joins the local American ranchers and together fight an epic battle and an amazing victory against Gen Torres. - The battle compares with that of Braveheart and the only known story of Americans and Native Americans fighting together. |
51 |
LAST FLAG ON OAK ISLANDWhen a museum curator and his female assistant translate clues in an American Revolution-era journal describing a British payroll buried on Oak Island, they must go undercover to unearth the treasure before two rival treasure hunters discover it. Is it the treasure of the century or the island's deft insult? (From the novel Last Assault on Oak Island by Jenn Rekka.) Script Excerpt |
52 |
Tree In The PitAt Treblinka, a Jewish prisoner forced to dispose of the dead joins a secret uprising, risking his life to strike back against the Nazis before he too is erased. |
53 |
The Rondo ConspiracyIn the late fifties a resident lawyer of Rondo, primarily a Black community in St. Paul, must assist an evil cop hunt a killer through after-hours joints or be charged with murder. As his life unravels, he agrees and could save himself and Rondo when he learns the cop is actually stalking him and is a co-conspirator with St. Paul to destroy Rondo. |
54 |
Two Shades of ViceBased on the true story of a 1960s interracial couple who faces incredibly dangerous odds when they enter into a violent, vicious, and vulgar world of crime. Script Excerpt |
55 |
Nino Cochise - genre Native AmericanBased on a true untold story - Grandson of Cochise - 2 year old Apache Nino escaped with his mother and a small clan arranged by his father Tahza to Mexico to escape from being herded to the San Carlos Reservation. - Made chief of the clan at the age of 15 and struggles to keep his clan fed and protected from tyrant General Luiz Torres, - He joins the local American ranchers and together fight an epic battle and an amazing victory against Gen Torres. - The battle compares with that of Braveheart and the only known story of Americans and Native Americans fighting together. |
56 |
Never Been A slaveCan one story truly have the power to heal a nation from its deep-rooted racial wounds? The answer is no, unless someone tells that story. The story of Dr. John Dixon and his legacy is not just a tale, but a journey that will make you question the boundaries of love, family, and race. It is an unconventional tale of slavery that will transport you to a time and place where the color of one's skin did not define them. Through the eyes of Dr. Dixon, you will witness the resilience of the human spirit and the power of hope. This story goes beyond words and pages. It is an experience that will leave a lasting impression on your mind, heart, and soul. It is a story that begs to be told, for its message of unity and understanding is one that the world needs now more than ever. This story will transport you to a time and place where racial tensions ran high, where the very essence of humanity was at stake. You will witness the struggles and triumphs of Dr. Dixon as he defies societal norms and fights for what is right. Dr. John's story is about not just him but also the people he encountered along the way. Through their interactions and conversations, you will see the true nature of each character, their hopes and fears, and their unwavering determination. This story is not just about the past, but also about the present and the future, as it challenges us to confront our own biases and prejudices. This is not just a story, but a journey that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page. It is a story that needs to be shared, for its message of love, family, and unity is one that can heal a nation and change the world. So come, join Dr. John on his journey and experience the power of one story to make a difference. |
57 |
NeBAS: Never Been A slaveThe protagonist of “NeBAS: Never Been A Slave,” a white plantation owner, faces a pivotal choice when he takes on the responsibility of caring for his biracial twin grandsons after his son’s path takes an unexpected detour. Once inseparable, the twins suffered a cruel separation and now live their lives in parallel, constantly yearning for the day when they will be able to reunite. |
58 |
MADALYN MURRAY-O'HAIRAthiest Madalyn Murray-O'Hair becomes the most hated woman in America by having prayers banned in public schools. Her confrontational style causes riots and ultimately leads to her sensational death at the hands of a former employee. |
59 |
HART CRANEHomosexual poet Hart Crane achieves fame and notoriety during the Great Depression before self destructing in alcohol and sexual excess, leaving behind a series of classic poems praising the myth of America. |
60 |
ColdwaterMt. St. Helens, 1980: Scientists must prove an eruption is imminent or else thousands of lives will be lost. |
61 |
RUNNING FROM DEATHTrials and tribulations of the notorious John Wesley Hardin, 1800’s Texas gunfighter, who’s gunfighting abilities are tested while he runs from death throughout his life. Script Excerpt |
62 |
PITTSBURGH PHILBiopic of Harry Strauss, a.k.a. Pittsburgh Phil, notorious mafia hitman in the 1930’s, who rises from the streets of Brooklyn to become one of the most ruthless killers in Murder Incorporated. Script Excerpt |
63 |
THE MAN CALLED BIBLEA cowboy who delivers "Old Testament" justice ("An eye for an eye") and an outcast Comanche woman join forces to escort a young girl across the Arizona badlands in search of her missing family. "The Searchers" meets "True Grit". |
64 |
Time Travel: Many Happy ReturnsTwo simple-minded brothers work part time at a science lab and find machinery in an unauthorized area that unknowingly transports them to Spain years before their time. Now they must figure out where they are, how they got there, and how to get back home. |
65 |
The March of the 18thIn 1864 the Veteran Reserve Corps was formed to allow disabled Union army men to continue to perform their duty for God and Country. This is the story of 6 invalid soldiers of the 18th Regiment and their 25 mile march into history, as they battled the elements, their disabilities and self-doubt, as well as a band of vicious, scavenging marauders. Script Excerpt |
66 |
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!A sledgehammer right fist; Heavyweight Boxing Champion at age 23; the most popular man in America; “boxing reform” activist and a ten-year foe of the Police Gazette publisher who wants him dethroned. And an alcoholic. And a lover. "RECOMMEND" Dave Trottier (author "The Screenwriter's Bible") Multiple contest wins and placements. |
67 |
THEATRE OF DEATHIn 1903 Chicago, a crusading reporter exposes of the “Absolutely Fireproof” Iroquois Theatre, as a fire trap. He is proven right. Based on the true incident. No one was ever punished. Professional Coverage: "Recommend” - Dave Trottier (Author “The Screenwriter's Bible") Multiple contest wins and placements. |
68 |
BOSS TWEEDNYC politician William M. “Boss” Tweed loots the city treasury for millions until exposed by the upstart New York Times and immigrant cartoonist Thomas Nast. Political drama/strong contemporary relevance. Heavy non-comic animation and graphics. Professional Coverage: “RECOMMEND” – Dave Trottier (Author, “The Screenwriter’s Bible”) Multiple contest wins and placements. |
69 |
Spawn of EvilSix boys, sons of Auschwitz Nazi guards, have psychological behavior patterns and are selected for a particular education class, which led to their post-war serial killing and raping of Jews that spurred the little-known Jewish Nakam hit squads to hunt them down. Script Excerpt |
70 |
SIR HARRY LAUDER TONIGHT!A famed Hollywood actor produces and stars in an Off-Broadway musical about his idle – the acclaimed, world renowned but long forgotten musical hall entertainer, Sir Harry Lauder. A biographical musical extravaganza. All music public domain. Multiple contest wins and placements. Script Excerpt |
71 |
GENERAL GRANT IS DOOMED!“NEVER RETREAT, NEVER SURRENDER!” Ex-President Ulysses S. Grant struggles to complete his “Personal Memoirs” while combatting terminal cancer. He produces a masterpiece. The true story. Can be expanded to TV miniseries. Professional Coverage: “Recommend” - Dave Trottier (Author, The Screenwriter’s Bible) Multiple contest wins and placements |
72 |
BOJANGLES, EUBIE AND BERT!A TOE-TAPPING MUSICAL! Legendary performers Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Eubie Blake and Bert Williams relive their show business triumphs in spite of racism and theatrical bigotry. An epic musical drama and biopic. All music public domain; can be expanded to TV musical miniseries. Professional Coverage: “Recommend” Dave Trottier (author, “The Screenwriter’s Bible.”) Mutiple contest wins and placements. Script Excerpt |
73 |
EXPLOSION AT BLACK TOM!Federal Agents -- including a young J. Edgar Hoover and a badass female translator -- track German saboteurs plotting the July 30, 1916 Black Tom Island explosion in New York harbor - the terrorist attack on America! Professional Coverage: “Recommend” - Dave Trottier (Author “The Screenwriter’s Bible”). Mutltiple contest wins and plcements. Script Excerpt |
74 |
Mother SeacoleBritish soldiers are transported from Jamaica to fight in the Crimean War. From her own resources, a Scottish-Jamaican lady provides home comforts and medical assistance to her boys in Crimea and becomes a British heroine. Script Excerpt |
75 |
RAGTIME WARRIORA FORGOTTEN MUSICAL GENIUS! James Reese Europe fights racism, Army prejudice and the Germans when he takes command of the “Harlem Hellfighters” band, introduces jazz and pop tunes; he revolutionizes military band music forever. A WW1 action musical biopic; all music public domain. Can be adapted to TV miniseries. Professional Coverage: “Recommend” Dave Trottier (Author “The Screenwriter’s Bible.”) Multiple contest wins and placements. Script Excerpt |
76 |
MARY BAKER EDDYWhen the leader of a new Christian religion is targeted by a vicious smear campaign by a leading newspaper, it launches a suit against the popular but controversial 85-year-old woman for control of her newly found church; but a famous literary figure (Mark Twain) surprisingly comes to her aid, and the church leader wins the suit and starts a newspaper that decades later wins awards named after the publisher (Pulitzer) that attacked her. |
77 |
Shadow on the HeartlandA successful Wall Street attorney reluctantly returns to rural North Dakota to help his family fight against an agricultural corporate giant that's quickly taking over the food industry with dangerous GMO seeds. Script Excerpt |
78 |
A GRUNT'S TALEVietnam vet Kurt "Wojo" Wojiski suffers from wounds that can't be seen. His sister's maid, Elvina, is the only person that can reach him. Based on actual events from the Siege of Khe Sanh, Vietnam in 1968! |
79 |
ROME IN WHITEThe assassination of an American president begins in 300 AD in Rome and proceeds to 2011 Washington DC and then returns to Rome in 307 AD for the assassination, death of Severus II on a day it snowed on Italy and Rome is in white. |
80 |
Edward's ReturnAn unjust murder summons revenge, even if it takes 160 years. |
ScriptLinks
Post Your Script Here!RUNNING FROM DEATH
Trials and tribulations of the notorious John Wesley Hardin, 1800’s Texas gunfighter, who’s gunfighting abilities are tested while he runs from death throughout his life.
AT THE MERCY OF FAITH
A former preacher, haunted by the tragic rape/murder of his twin sister, spirals into darkness as supernatural forces, both angelic and demonic, wage war for his soul.
PITTSBURGH PHIL
Biopic of Harry Strauss, a.k.a.
Suicide Prevention - Please Hold
Ex Navy Pilot returns home anticipating matrimony, abandoned by his bride to be, contemplating suicide.
THE SOCIAL POLICE
Twenty years from now, an FBI agent patrols the social media.
CIRQUE D' ETOILES
*** Russian astronaut, thrown out of the space program, hijacks a space taxi going to the International Space Station.
THE CALL CENTER
Locusts invade the building, the adherence schedules are off kilter, and one of the night managers is watching TV and preaching the word.
CITY DWELLERS (The Millennials)
A Veteran FBI Agent outsmarts a cult of young cyber crooks.
She Curses Like a Sailor
The culture of women and cursing is discussed at this art opening in New York.
Lady Diogenes of the Shadow
Three retired ladies candidly discuss their eccentric neighbor over morning coffee.