Films need sets and costumes to look real; but when dealing with history, the knowledge needed eludes the specialists that are consulted. While our conception of the past is rooted in the nineteenth century’s desire to accurately depict historical evolution, filmic recreation developed generic codes to make a period in time and space recognizable. These codes change over time: the various film versions of Henry V’s character for example show how they are both challenged and reinforced. This illustrates the conversation between what we know and what we expect of history. Historians describe the past. Artists make us see it.