Movies Like The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965)

The Agony and the Ecstasy is a 1965 drama, history film from Carol Reed with a MovieMagicScore of 7.1/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with The Two Popes and The Lovers of Montparnasse.

Drama History

The Two Popes

2019

Frustrated with the direction of the church, Cardinal Bergoglio requests permission to retire in 2012 from Pope Benedict. Instead, facing scandal and self-doubt, the introspective Pope Benedict summons his harshest critic and future successor to Rome to reveal a secret that would shake the foundations of the Catholic Church.

7.5

MagicScore

The Lovers of Montparnasse

1958

Biographic film chronicling the last year of the life of the Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani, 1919, who falls in love with a girl from a wealthy family. Her parents are against this relationship and stop financial help. Modigliani worked and died in abject poverty in the Montparnasse Quarter of Paris, France.

6.8

MagicScore

Age of Consent

1969

An elderly artist thinks he has become too stale and is past his prime. His friend (and agent) persuades him to go to an offshore island to try once more. On the island he re-discovers his muse in the form of a young girl.

5.9

MagicScore

The Shoes of the Fisherman

1968

Ukrainian bishop Kiril Lakota, a political prisoner in a Soviet gulag for twenty years, is unexpectedly released and sent to the Vatican, where, upon the sudden death of the Pope, leader of the Catholic Church, he must face a challenging destiny that will put the future of the entire world in his hands.

6.7

MagicScore

Jodhaa Akbar

2008

A sixteenth century love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a Mughal emperor and a Rajput princess.

7.3

MagicScore

Andrei Rublev

1966

An expansive Russian drama, this film focuses on the life of revered religious icon painter Andrei Rublev. Drifting from place to place in a tumultuous era, the peace-seeking monk eventually gains a reputation for his art. But after Rublev witnesses a brutal battle and unintentionally becomes involved, he takes a vow of silence and spends time away from his work. As he begins to ease his troubled soul, he takes steps towards becoming a painter once again.

8.0

MagicScore

Lust for Life

1956

An intense and imaginative artist, revered Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh possesses undeniable talent, but he is plagued by mental problems and frustrations with failure. Supported by his brother, Theo, the tormented Van Gogh eventually leaves Holland for France, where he meets volatile fellow painter Paul Gauguin and struggles to find greater inspiration.

7.2

MagicScore

Painted Fire

2002

In a time of political and social unrest in 19th century Korea, uncouth, self-taught painter Jang Seung-up explores his natural talent amidst the repressive world around him.

7.0

MagicScore

Pollock

2000

In August of 1949, Life Magazine ran a banner headline that begged the question: "Jackson Pollock: Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?" The film is a look back into the life of an extraordinary man, a man who has fittingly been called "an artist dedicated to concealment, a celebrity who nobody knew." As he struggled with self-doubt, engaging in a lonely tug-of-war between needing to express himself and wanting to shut the world out, Pollock began a downward spiral.

6.7

MagicScore

#10

Caravaggio

1986

A retelling of the life of the celebrated 17th-century Baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio through his brilliant, nearly blasphemous paintings and his flirtations with the underworld.

6.1

MagicScore

#11

The Great Beauty

2013

Jep Gambardella has seduced his way through the lavish nightlife of Rome for decades, but after his 65th birthday and a shock from the past, Jep looks past the nightclubs and parties to find a timeless landscape of absurd, exquisite beauty.

7.5

MagicScore

#12

Moulin Rouge

1952

In 1890 Paris, Moulin Rouge is a nightclub where crippled artist Toulouse-Lautrec feels like he fits in. In the following years, he meets two women who provide an opportunity for him to find true love.

6.6

MagicScore

#13

Mrs Lowry & Son

2019

An intimate portrayal of the relationship between one of greatest artists of the 20th century, L.S. Lowry and his unhappy and controlling mother, Elizabeth, whom he lived with all his life.

6.4

MagicScore

#14

Klimt

2006

A portrait of Austrian artist Gustav Klimt whose lavish, sexual paintings came to symbolize the art nouveau style of the late 19th and early 20th century.

5.1

MagicScore

#15

Lautrec

1998

The life of Henri de Toulouse Lautrec, famous french painter, who lived, enjoyed, loved in the late 1800s Paris' Montmartre cultural life. He suffered from suffered from congenital health conditions traditionally attributed to inbreeding. His lifestyle and work are a testimony of the late-19th-century parisian bohemian lifestyle, as he was commissioned to produce a series of posters for the Moulin Rouge cabaret opening. As an alcoholic, he was addicted to absinthe. The movie related his love affair with the french painter Suzanne Valadon.

4.9

MagicScore

#16

Amen.

2002

Kurt Gerstein—a member of the Institute for Hygiene of the Waffen-SS—is appalled to discover that a poison gas he helped discover is being used to kill Jews. Driven by his conscience to alert the rest of the world, Gerstein teams up with a young Jesuit priest, Riccardo Fontana, but their protestations fall on deaf ears in the Vatican.

6.9

MagicScore

#17

Pope Joan

2009

A 9th century woman of English extraction born in the German city of Ingelheim disguises herself as a man and rises through the Vatican ranks.

6.8

MagicScore

#18

The Godfather Part III

1990

In the midst of trying to legitimize his business dealings in 1979 New York and Italy, aging mafia don, Michael Corleone seeks forgiveness for his sins while taking a young protege under his wing.

7.4

MagicScore

#19

Conclave

2024

After the unexpected death of the Pope, Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with managing the covert and ancient ritual of electing a new one. Sequestered in the Vatican with the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders until the process is complete, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could lead to its downfall.

7.2

MagicScore

#20

We Have a Pope

2011

The newly elected Pope suffers a panic attack just as he is about to greet the faithful who have gathered to see him. His advisors, unable to convince him he is the right man for the job, call on a renowned therapist who also happens to be an atheist. But the Pope's fear of his newfound responsibility is one he must face alone. Winner Best Film at the Italian Golden Globes.

6.8

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like The Agony and the Ecstasy?

The top films similar to The Agony and the Ecstasy by MovieMagicScore are The Two Popes (7.5), The Lovers of Montparnasse (6.8), Age of Consent (5.9). Each shares drama/history themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is The Agony and the Ecstasy worth watching?

The Agony and the Ecstasy holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.1/10 from 147 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is The Agony and the Ecstasy?

The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) is a drama, history film directed by Carol Reed, starring Charlton Heston, Rex Harrison, Diane Cilento.

Where can I find more recommendations like The Agony and the Ecstasy?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more drama recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like The Two Popes Movies like The Lovers of Montparnasse Movies like Age of Consent Movies like The Shoes of the Fisherman Movies like Jodhaa Akbar Movies like Andrei Rublev

About movies like The Agony and the Ecstasy

This ranked list pairs The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965), a drama and history film from Carol Reed, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Charlton Heston take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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