Biopic Films
by BatBanks | created - 21 Sep 2014 | updated - 22 Sep 2014 | PublicNot in particular order.
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1. Frida (2002)
R | 123 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
A biography of artist Frida Kahlo, who channeled the pain of a crippling injury and her tempestuous marriage into her work.
Director: Julie Taymor | Stars: Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina, Geoffrey Rush, Mía Maestro
Votes: 95,318 | Gross: $25.89M
2. Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006)
R | 122 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
Turning her back on her wealthy, established family, Diane Arbus falls in love with Lionel Sweeney, an enigmatic mentor who introduces Arbus to the marginalized people who help her become one of the most revered photographers of the twentieth century.
Director: Steven Shainberg | Stars: Nicole Kidman, Robert Downey Jr., Ty Burrell, Harris Yulin
Votes: 16,359 | Gross: $0.22M
3. Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
PG-13 | 100 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
A young peasant maid working in the house of painter Johannes Vermeer becomes his talented assistant and the model for one of his most famous works.
Director: Peter Webber | Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth, Tom Wilkinson, Judy Parfitt
Votes: 82,657 | Gross: $11.63M
4. Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon (1998)
Unrated | 87 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
Biography of British painter Francis Bacon focuses on his relationship with his lover, George Dyer, a former small time crook.
Director: John Maybury | Stars: Derek Jacobi, Daniel Craig, Tilda Swinton, Anne Lambton
Votes: 3,994 | Gross: $0.34M
5. Lust for Life (1956)
Approved | 122 min | Biography, Drama
The life of brilliant but tortured artist Vincent van Gogh.
Directors: Vincente Minnelli, George Cukor | Stars: Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, James Donald, Pamela Brown
Votes: 12,506 | Gross: $3.48M
6. Moulin Rouge (1952)
Not Rated | 119 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Fictional account of French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.
Director: John Huston | Stars: José Ferrer, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Suzanne Flon, Claude Nollier
Votes: 6,519 | Gross: $11.81M
7. Pollock (2000)
R | 122 min | Biography, Drama
A film about the life and career of the American painter, Jackson Pollock.
Director: Ed Harris | Stars: Ed Harris, Marcia Gay Harden, Robert Knott, Molly Regan
Votes: 29,621 | Gross: $8.60M
8. Surviving Picasso (1996)
R | 125 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
The passionate Merchant Ivory drama tells the story of Françoise Gilot (Natascha McElhone), the only lover of Pablo Picasso (Sir Anthony Hopkins) who was strong enough to withstand his ferocious cruelty, and move on with her life.
Director: James Ivory | Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Natascha McElhone, Julianne Moore, Joss Ackland
Votes: 7,888 | Gross: $2.00M
9. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
R | 111 min | Action, Biography, Crime
Bored waitress Bonnie Parker falls in love with an ex-con named Clyde Barrow and together they start a violent crime spree through the country, stealing cars and robbing banks.
Director: Arthur Penn | Stars: Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Michael J. Pollard, Gene Hackman
Votes: 120,591
10. Bonnie & Clyde (2013)
TV-14 | 87 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, an American robbery team, were responsible for a 21-month crime spree from 1932. They robbed gas stations, restaurants, and small-town banks, chiefly operating in Texas, Oklahoma, as well as other states.
Stars: Emile Hirsch, Holliday Grainger, Sarah Hyland, Elizabeth Reaser
Votes: 5,923
11. Bugsy (1991)
R | 136 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The story of how Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel started Las Vegas.
Director: Barry Levinson | Stars: Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Harvey Keitel, Ben Kingsley
Votes: 30,996 | Gross: $49.11M
12. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
PG | 110 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
In 1890s Wyoming, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid lead a band of outlaws. When a train robbery goes wrong, they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels. After considering their options, they escape to South America.
Director: George Roy Hill | Stars: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, Strother Martin
Votes: 226,699 | Gross: $102.31M
13. Goodfellas (1990)
R | 145 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The story of Henry Hill and his life in the mafia, covering his relationship with his wife Karen and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco
Votes: 1,257,151 | Gross: $46.84M
14. Mr. Nice (2010)
121 min | Biography, Comedy, Crime
The life story of Howard Marks, an elite British drug smuggler.
Director: Bernard Rose | Stars: Rhys Ifans, Chloë Sevigny, David Thewlis, Luis Tosar
Votes: 7,925
15. Monster (2003)
R | 109 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Based on the life of Aileen Wuornos, a Daytona Beach prostitute who became a serial killer.
Director: Patty Jenkins | Stars: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, Lee Tergesen
Votes: 161,793 | Gross: $34.47M
16. Ned Kelly (1970)
GP | 100 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The impoverished son of Irish immigrants is pushed by wrongful police persecution into becoming Australia's most notorious bushranger.
Director: Tony Richardson | Stars: Mick Jagger, Clarissa Kaye-Mason, Mark McManus, Ken Goodlet
Votes: 1,414 | Gross: $0.25M
17. Ned Kelly (2003)
R | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Biography
An innocent man becomes one of the most wanted criminals the world has ever known.
Director: Gregor Jordan | Stars: Heath Ledger, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, Naomi Watts
Votes: 28,091 | Gross: $0.07M
18. Wild Bill (1995)
R | 98 min | Action, Biography, Drama
The early career of legendary lawman Wild Bill Hickock is telescoped and culminates in his relocation in Deadwood and a reunion with Calamity Jane.
Director: Walter Hill | Stars: Jeff Bridges, Ellen Barkin, John Hurt, Diane Lane
Votes: 7,865 | Gross: $2.17M
19. Wyatt Earp (1994)
PG-13 | 191 min | Action, Adventure, Biography
From Wichita to Dodge City, to the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, a man becomes a myth in this thrilling journey of romance, adventure, and desperate heroic action.
Director: Lawrence Kasdan | Stars: Kevin Costner, Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman, David Andrews
Votes: 54,946 | Gross: $25.05M
20. Alexander the Great (1956)
Not Rated | 141 min | Biography, Drama, History
The life and military conquests of Alexander III of Macedon (July 20/21, 356 - June 10/11, 323 B.C.), commonly known as Alexander the Great.
Director: Robert Rossen | Stars: Richard Burton, Fredric March, Claire Bloom, Barry Jones
Votes: 4,117
21. Alexander (2004)
R | 175 min | Action, Biography, Drama
Alexander, the King of Macedonia and one of the greatest army leaders in the history of warfare, conquers much of the known world.
Director: Oliver Stone | Stars: Colin Farrell, Anthony Hopkins, Rosario Dawson, Angelina Jolie
Votes: 176,654 | Gross: $34.30M
22. And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (2003 TV Movie)
TV-MA | 112 min | Biography, Drama, History
Hollywood makes a deal with Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa to film his war and recreate his life.
Director: Bruce Beresford | Stars: Antonio Banderas, Eion Bailey, Alan Arkin, Jim Broadbent
Votes: 3,622
23. The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)
Approved | 88 min | Biography, Drama, War
The story of the final years of the respected World War II German general, Erwin Rommel.
Director: Henry Hathaway | Stars: James Mason, Cedric Hardwicke, Jessica Tandy, Luther Adler
Votes: 6,708
24. George Washington (1984)
480 min | Biography, Drama, History
The early life and career of the American General and President through his participation in the Revolutionary War.
Stars: Barry Bostwick, Patty Duke, David Dukes, Jaclyn Smith
Votes: 526
25. Geronimo: An American Legend (1993)
PG-13 | 115 min | Drama, History, Western
The story of the Apache chief and his armed resistance to the U.S. Government's subjugation of his people.
Director: Walter Hill | Stars: Jason Patric, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Wes Studi
Votes: 13,483 | Gross: $18.64M
26. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Approved | 218 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
The story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.
Director: David Lean | Stars: Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins
Votes: 314,327 | Gross: $44.82M
27. Men of Honor (2000)
R | 129 min | Biography, Drama
The story of Carl Brashear, the first African-American U.S. Navy Diver, and the man who trained him.
Director: George Tillman Jr. | Stars: Cuba Gooding Jr., Robert De Niro, Charlize Theron, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
Votes: 125,132 | Gross: $48.82M
28. Patton (1970)
GP | 172 min | Biography, Drama, War
The World War II phase of the career of controversial American general George S. Patton.
Director: Franklin J. Schaffner | Stars: George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Stephen Young, Michael Strong
Votes: 107,944 | Gross: $61.70M
29. Amadeus (1984)
R | 160 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The life, success and troubles of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as told by Antonio Salieri, the contemporaneous composer who was deeply jealous of Mozart's talent and claimed to have murdered him.
Director: Milos Forman | Stars: F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Roy Dotrice
Votes: 427,995 | Gross: $51.97M
30. Backbeat (1994)
R | 100 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A dramatization of the Hamburg, Germany phase of The Beatles' early history.
Director: Iain Softley | Stars: Stephen Dorff, Sheryl Lee, Ian Hart, Gary Bakewell
Votes: 6,580 | Gross: $2.39M
31. Beethoven Lives Upstairs (1992 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 51 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
A young boy learns to appreciate the music of his upstairs boarder, Ludwig Van Beethoven.
Director: David Devine | Stars: Neil Munro, Illya Woloshyn, Fiona Reid, Paul Soles
Votes: 483
32. The Benny Goodman Story (1956)
Approved | 116 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The young Benny Goodman is taught clarinet by a Chicago music professor. He is advised by bandleader Kid Ory to play whichever kind of music he likes best, but to make a living, Benny begins by joining the Ben Pollack traveling band.
Director: Valentine Davies | Stars: Steve Allen, Donna Reed, Berta Gersten, Barry Truex
Votes: 1,296
33. Beyond the Sea (2004)
PG-13 | 118 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A swooning study of "Mack the Knife" singer Bobby Darin and specifically his relationship with wife Sandra Dee.
Director: Kevin Spacey | Stars: Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, John Goodman, Bob Hoskins
Votes: 15,540 | Gross: $6.32M
34. Bird (1988)
R | 161 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The troubled life and career of jazz musician Charlie "Bird" Parker.
Director: Clint Eastwood | Stars: Forest Whitaker, Diane Venora, Michael Zelniker, Samuel E. Wright
Votes: 13,483 | Gross: $2.18M
35. The Buddy Holly Story (1978)
PG | 114 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of the life and career of the early rock and roll singer, from his meteoric rise to stardom, to his marriage and untimely death.
Director: Steve Rash | Stars: Gary Busey, Don Stroud, Charles Martin Smith, Conrad Janis
Votes: 9,985 | Gross: $14.36M
36. Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
PG | 124 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The fictionalized life of singer Loretta Lynn, a girl who rose from humble beginnings to become a country music star in the 1960s/70s.
Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones, Levon Helm, Phyllis Boyens
Votes: 20,507 | Gross: $67.18M
37. De-Lovely (2004)
PG-13 | 125 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Inspecting a magical biographical stage musical, composer Cole Porter reviews his life and career with his wife, Linda.
Director: Irwin Winkler | Stars: Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, Jonathan Pryce, Kevin McNally
Votes: 11,844 | Gross: $13.34M
38. The Doors (1991)
R | 140 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band The Doors and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison, from his days as a UCLA film student in Los Angeles, to his untimely death in Paris, France at age 27 in 1971.
Director: Oliver Stone | Stars: Val Kilmer, Meg Ryan, Kyle MacLachlan, Frank Whaley
Votes: 99,053 | Gross: $35.18M
39. The Eddy Duchin Story (1956)
Approved | 123 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The life story of the famous pianist and band-leader of the 1930s and 1940s.
Director: George Sidney | Stars: Tyrone Power, Kim Novak, Victoria Shaw, James Whitmore
Votes: 2,154
40. Elvis and Me (1988 TV Movie)
240 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of Priscilla Presley's life with rock and roll star Elvis Presley.
Director: Larry Peerce | Stars: Susan Walters, Dale Midkiff, Linda Miller, Jon Cypher
Votes: 1,030
41. Elvis (I) (1979 TV Movie)
168 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Biographical movie about the famous rock singer Elvis Presley.
Director: John Carpenter | Stars: Kurt Russell, Shelley Winters, Bing Russell, Robert Gray
Votes: 5,131
42. Elvis (2005)
TV-14 | 87 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A chronicle of the life of Elvis Presley, from his humble beginnings to his rise to international stardom.
Stars: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Rose McGowan, Randy Quaid, Tim Guinee
Votes: 4,190
43. The Gene Krupa Story (1959)
101 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Biopic of famous jazz drummer, Gene Krupa, who becomes a sensation but cannot handle success and life in the fast lane and ends-up broke, struggling with drugs and alcohol.
Director: Don Weis | Stars: Sal Mineo, Susan Kohner, James Darren, Susan Oliver
Votes: 779
44. The Glenn Miller Story (1954)
Approved | 115 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Biography of bandleader Glenn Miller from his beginnings to his death over the English Channel in December 1944.
Director: Anthony Mann | Stars: James Stewart, June Allyson, Harry Morgan, Charles Drake
Votes: 9,707
45. Great Balls of Fire! (1989)
PG-13 | 108 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The life and career of wildly controversial rock 'n' roll star Jerry Lee Lewis.
Director: Jim McBride | Stars: Dennis Quaid, Winona Ryder, John Doe, Stephen Tobolowsky
Votes: 18,886 | Gross: $13.74M
46. Hendrix (2000 TV Movie)
R | 100 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Biography of Jimi Hendrix perhaps the single most groundbreaking guitarist in the history of rock and roll. Examines Hendrix's life and career both on and off the stage.
Director: Leon Ichaso | Stars: Wood Harris, Billy Zane, Dorian Harewood, Christian Potenza
Votes: 1,072
47. Hilary and Jackie (1998)
R | 121 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The tragic story of world renowned classic cellist Jacqueline du Pré, as told from the point of view of her sister, flautist Hilary du Pré-Finzi.
Director: Anand Tucker | Stars: Emily Watson, Rachel Griffiths, James Frain, David Morrissey
Votes: 10,739 | Gross: $4.87M
48. I'm Not There (2007)
R | 135 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Ruminations on the life of Bob Dylan, where six characters embody a different aspect of the musician's life and work.
Director: Todd Haynes | Stars: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw
Votes: 61,183 | Gross: $4.02M
49. Immortal Beloved (1994)
R | 121 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The life and death of the legendary Ludwig van Beethoven. Besides all the work he is known for, the composer once wrote a famous love letter to a nameless beloved, and the movie tries to ... See full summary »
Director: Bernard Rose | Stars: Gary Oldman, Jeroen Krabbé, Isabella Rossellini, Johanna ter Steege
Votes: 26,211 | Gross: $9.91M
50. In His Life: The John Lennon Story (2000 TV Movie)
PG-13 | 85 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A film about the early life of the rock musician and his burgeoning career as a member of the Beatles.
Director: David Carson | Stars: Philip McQuillan, Daniel McGowan, Mark Rice-Oxley, Jamie Glover
Votes: 702
51. The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992)
120 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of the Jackson family and their rise to success.
Stars: Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Angela Bassett, Holly Robinson Peete, Margaret Avery
Votes: 3,773
52. John and Yoko: A Love Story (1985 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 147 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Details the lives of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, from before their first meeting to their rise to stardom.
Director: Sandor Stern | Stars: Mark McGann, Kim Miyori, Kenneth Price, Peter Capaldi
Votes: 238
53. La Bamba (1987)
PG-13 | 108 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Biographical story of the rise from nowhere of early rock and roll singer Ritchie Valens who died at age 17 in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper.
Director: Luis Valdez | Stars: Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Peña
Votes: 36,436 | Gross: $54.22M
54. Lady Sings the Blues (1972)
R | 144 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of the troubled life and career of the legendary Jazz singer, Billie Holiday.
Director: Sidney J. Furie | Stars: Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor, James T. Callahan
Votes: 4,845 | Gross: $6.03M
55. Little Richard (2000 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 120 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of Little Richard Penniman, from his poor Southern upbringing to dealing with the trials and tribulations of being a black singer in the 1950s, to his born-again phase and brief "retirement" from rock and roll.
Director: Robert Townsend | Stars: Leon, Jenifer Lewis, Carl Lumbly, Tamala Jones
Votes: 991
56. Love Me or Leave Me (1955)
Passed | 122 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A fictionalized account of the career of jazz singer Ruth Etting and her tempestuous marriage to gangster Marty Snyder, who helped propel her to stardom.
Director: Charles Vidor | Stars: Doris Day, James Cagney, Cameron Mitchell, Robert Keith
Votes: 4,741
57. Madonna: Innocence Lost (1994 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 90 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The early years of the entertainer's career are chronicled.
Director: Bradford May | Stars: Terumi Matthews, Wendie Malick, Jeff Yagher, Diana Leblanc
Votes: 513
58. Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story (2004 TV Movie)
PG-13 | 87 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Chronicles the rise and fall of pop king Michael Jackson.
Director: Allan Moyle | Stars: Flex Alexander, Eugene Clark, Amy Sloan, Krista Rae
Votes: 1,022
59. Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back (2000 TV Movie)
PG-13 | 87 min | Drama
"Meat Loaf" Aday is an overgrown Texas youngster, the son of a gentle woman dying of cancer and an alcoholic, abusive father. Tormented by his father and schoolmates over his size, he ... See full summary »
Director: Jim McBride | Stars: W. Earl Brown, Dedee Pfeiffer, Zachary Throne, Tim Kelleher
Votes: 541
60. Notorious (2009)
R | 122 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The life and death story of The Notorious B.I.G. (a.k.a. Christopher Wallace), who came straight out of Brooklyn to take the world of rap music by storm.
Director: George Tillman Jr. | Stars: Jamal Woolard, Anthony Mackie, Derek Luke, Momo Dione
Votes: 46,059 | Gross: $36.84M
61. The Pianist (2002)
R | 150 min | Biography, Drama, Music
During WWII, acclaimed Polish musician Wladyslaw faces various struggles as he loses contact with his family. As the situation worsens, he hides in the ruins of Warsaw in order to survive.
Director: Roman Polanski | Stars: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Emilia Fox
Votes: 912,046 | Gross: $32.57M
62. The Rat Pack (1998 TV Movie)
R | 120 min | Biography, Drama, Musical
The public and private lives of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Peter Lawford.
Director: Rob Cohen | Stars: Ray Liotta, Joe Mantegna, Don Cheadle, Angus Macfadyen
Votes: 3,232
63. Ray (I) (2004)
PG-13 | 152 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of the life and career of the legendary rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles, from his humble beginnings in the South, where he went blind at age seven, to his meteoric rise to stardom during the 1950s and 1960s.
Director: Taylor Hackford | Stars: Jamie Foxx, Regina King, Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell
Votes: 157,388 | Gross: $75.33M
64. The Runaways (2010)
R | 106 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A coming-of-age biographical film about the 1970s teenage all-girl rock band The Runaways. The relationship between band members Cherie Currie and Joan Jett is also explored.
Director: Floria Sigismondi | Stars: Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon, Stella Maeve
Votes: 50,941 | Gross: $3.57M
65. Selena (1997)
PG | 127 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The true story of Selena, a Texas-born Tejano singer who rose from cult status to performing at the Astrodome, as well as having chart-topping albums on the Latin music charts.
Director: Gregory Nava | Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos, Jon Seda, Jackie Guerra
Votes: 31,629 | Gross: $35.42M
66. Shine (1996)
PG-13 | 105 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Pianist David Helfgott, driven by his father and teachers, has a breakdown. Years later he returns to the piano, to popular if not critical acclaim.
Director: Scott Hicks | Stars: Geoffrey Rush, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Justin Braine, Sonia Todd
Votes: 56,697 | Gross: $35.81M
67. Sid and Nancy (1986)
R | 112 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The relationship between Sid Vicious, bassist for British punk group Sex Pistols, and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen is portrayed.
Director: Alex Cox | Stars: Gary Oldman, Chloe Webb, David Hayman, Debby Bishop
Votes: 34,683 | Gross: $2.83M
68. The Strauss Family (1972)
60 min | Drama, Romance
A seven-part mini-series produced in England about Vienna's Strauss family in the 19th-century. Members of the London Symphony Orchestra provided the music.
Stars: Stuart Wilson, Anne Stallybrass, Barbara Ferris, Christopher Benjamin
Votes: 122
69. Sweet Dreams (1985)
PG-13 | 115 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of Patsy Cline, the velvet-voiced country music singer who died in a tragic plane crash at the height of her fame.
Director: Karel Reisz | Stars: Jessica Lange, Ed Harris, Ann Wedgeworth, David Clennon
Votes: 5,388 | Gross: $9.09M
70. Take Me Home: The John Denver Story (2000 TV Movie)
TV-G | 90 min | Biography, Drama, Music
John Denver achieved fame, fortune, and acclaim for his iconic country-pop music, but his sunny personality masked private pain and dark secrets that his celebrity could never heal.
Director: Jerry London | Stars: Chad Lowe, Kristin Davis, Gerald McRaney, Brian Markinson
Votes: 666
71. The Temptations (1998)
TV-PG | 88 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Biography of the singers who formed the hit Motown musical act, The Temptations.
Stars: Charles Malik Whitfield, D.B. Woodside, Terron Brooks, Christian Payton
Votes: 5,271
72. This Is Elvis (1981)
PG | 110 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
The life and career of Elvis Presley are chronicled in home movies, concert footage, and dramatizations. Subjects include early performances, army service, Ed Sullivan Show appearance, marriage, 1968 comeback, health decline and death.
Directors: Malcolm Leo, Andrew Solt | Stars: Elvis Presley, David Scott, Paul Boensch III, Johnny Harra
Votes: 1,644 | Gross: $2.03M
73. Wagner (1983)
300 min | Biography, Drama, History
A huge panorama of Richard Wagner's life and work, from before the 1848 revolution, through his exile in Switzerland, his rescue by the besotted King Ludwig II of Bavaria, to the final ... See full summary »
Stars: Richard Burton, Vanessa Redgrave, Miguel Herz-Kestranek, László Gálffi
Votes: 616
74. Walk the Line (2005)
PG-13 | 136 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins.
Director: James Mangold | Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick
Votes: 265,824 | Gross: $119.52M
75. What's Love Got to Do with It (1993)
R | 118 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of singer Tina Turner's rise to stardom and how she gained the courage to break free from her abusive husband, Ike Turner.
Director: Brian Gibson | Stars: Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, RaéVen Kelly, Virginia Capers
Votes: 24,578 | Gross: $39.10M
76. Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998)
R | 116 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Three women each claim to be the widow of 1950s doo-wop singer Frankie Lymon, claiming legal rights to his estate.
Director: Gregory Nava | Stars: Halle Berry, Vivica A. Fox, Lela Rochon, Larenz Tate
Votes: 4,544 | Gross: $12.41M
77. Get on Up (2014)
PG-13 | 139 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A chronicle of James Brown's rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history.
Director: Tate Taylor | Stars: Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd, Viola Davis
Votes: 26,142 | Gross: $30.51M
78. 42 (2013)
PG-13 | 128 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
In 1947, Jackie Robinson becomes the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era when he was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and faces considerable racism in the process.
Director: Brian Helgeland | Stars: Chadwick Boseman, T.R. Knight, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie
Votes: 102,706 | Gross: $95.00M
79. Abraham Lincoln (1930)
Passed | 96 min | Biography, Drama, War
An episodic biography of the 16th President of the United States.
Director: D.W. Griffith | Stars: Walter Huston, Una Merkel, William L. Thorne, Lucille La Verne
Votes: 1,710
80. Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940)
Approved | 110 min | Biography, Drama, History
Humble Abraham Lincoln gains the respect of his Illinois neighbors, growing in stature and respect until he is elected President in 1860 and departs for Washington.
Director: John Cromwell | Stars: Raymond Massey, Gene Lockhart, Ruth Gordon, Mary Howard
Votes: 2,060
81. Lincoln (2012)
PG-13 | 150 min | Biography, Drama, History
As the Civil War rages on, U.S President Abraham Lincoln struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on his decision to emancipate the slaves.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Votes: 272,617 | Gross: $182.21M
82. Amazing Grace (2006)
PG | 118 min | Biography, Drama, History
The idealist William Wilberforce maneuvers his way through Parliament, endeavoring to end the British transatlantic slave trade.
Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Ioan Gruffudd, Albert Finney, Michael Gambon, Romola Garai
Votes: 25,696 | Gross: $21.21M
83. The Betty Ford Story (1987 TV Movie)
96 min | Biography, Drama
Based on the life of the former first lady, this film depicts the ups and downs of Betty Ford, the wife of President Gerald Ford. While Betty seems to ease into her prominent role in the ... See full summary »
Director: David Greene | Stars: Gena Rowlands, Josef Sommer, Nan Woods, Concetta Tomei
Votes: 128
84. Blaze (1989)
R | 120 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
A middle-aged Louisiana governor falls in love with a young stripper, which jeopardizes his political career and the radical policies which have made him a controversial figure.
Director: Ron Shelton | Stars: Paul Newman, Lolita Davidovich, Jerry Hardin, Gailard Sartain
Votes: 4,178 | Gross: $19.13M
85. Eleanor and Franklin (1976)
203 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
The story of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, from early youth to his election as President of the United States, as told from Eleanor's point of view.
Stars: David Huffman, Mackenzie Phillips, Lilia Skala, Ed Flanders
Votes: 387
86. Eleanor, First Lady of the World (1982 TV Movie)
G | 120 min | Biography, Drama, History
Biography of former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who forged a new role for herself in the years after her husband's death.
Director: John Erman | Stars: Jean Stapleton, E.G. Marshall, Coral Browne, Joyce Van Patten
Votes: 140
87. Gandhi (1982)
PG | 191 min | Biography, Drama, History
The life of the lawyer who became the famed leader of the Indian revolts against the British rule through his philosophy of nonviolent protest.
Director: Richard Attenborough | Stars: Ben Kingsley, John Gielgud, Rohini Hattangadi, Roshan Seth
Votes: 240,189 | Gross: $52.77M
88. The Gathering Storm (2002 TV Movie)
TV-MA | 96 min | Biography, Drama, History
Winston Churchill's wilderness years prior to World War II, when only he could see the threat that Adolf Hitler and a rearmed Germany posed to Europe.
Director: Richard Loncraine | Stars: Albert Finney, Vanessa Redgrave, Jim Broadbent, Linus Roache
Votes: 7,043
89. George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation (1986 TV Movie)
190 min | Biography, Drama, History
The life of George Washington as the first President of the United States of America and his 8 years running his country. The trials he faces dealing with mobs and riots while keeping the country together.
Director: William A. Graham | Stars: Barry Bostwick, Patty Duke, Jeffrey Jones, Richard Bekins
Votes: 209
90. Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003)
TV-14 | 93 min | Biography, Drama, History
A profile of the life of Adolf Hitler with a unique slant, as a child and his rise through the ranks of the National Socialist German Workers Party prior to World War II.
Stars: Peter Stormare, Friedrich von Thun, Peter O'Toole, Zoe Telford
Votes: 23,616
91. Inside the Third Reich (1982 TV Movie)
240 min | Biography, Drama, History
A dramatization of the life of Albert Speer (Rutger Hauer), Adolf Hitler's (Sir Derek Jacobi's) young architect and one-time confidant, and his meteoric rise into the Nazi hierarchy. This movie is based on Speer's autobiography of the same name.
Director: Marvin J. Chomsky | Stars: Rutger Hauer, John Gielgud, Maria Schell, Blythe Danner
Votes: 702
92. Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot (2001 TV Movie)
163 min | Biography, Drama
They were more than Washington wives. They were part of an American dream known as Camelot. With strength and cunning they upheld their public image by concealing their private truths. ... See full summary »
Director: Larry Shaw | Stars: Jill Hennessy, Lauren Holly, Leslie Stefanson, Daniel Hugh Kelly
Votes: 462
93. Jefferson in Paris (1995)
PG-13 | 139 min | Biography, Drama, History
Widower Thomas Jefferson (3rd US president 1801-09) lives in Paris 1785-90 with his daughter. He has a pretty slave girl accompany his other daughter to France. He has an alleged affair with her resulting in children.
Director: James Ivory | Stars: Nick Nolte, Greta Scacchi, Gwyneth Paltrow, Estelle Eonnet
Votes: 3,194 | Gross: $2.47M
94. John Adams (2008)
TV-14 | 71 min | Biography, Drama, History
The life of one of the USA's Founding Fathers, its second President, and his role in the nation's first 50 years.
Stars: Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, John Dossett, Stephen Dillane
Votes: 36,620
95. Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long (1995 TV Movie)
100 min | Biography, Drama, History
A look at the life and career of controversial Louisiana governor Huey Long, whose nickname was "The Kingfish."
Director: Thomas Schlamme | Stars: John Goodman, Matt Craven, Anne Heche, Ann Dowd
Votes: 523
96. Kissinger and Nixon (1995 TV Movie)
97 min | Drama
Told mainly from Henry Kissinger's point of view, this movie explores the sad betrayal of South Vietnam to the Communists by Kissinger while working in the Nixon administration. It shows ... See full summary »
Director: Daniel Petrie | Stars: Ron Silver, Beau Bridges, Ron White, George Takei
Votes: 139
97. The Last Emperor (1987)
PG-13 | 163 min | Biography, Drama, History
Bernardo Bertolucci's Oscar-winning dramatisation of the life story of China's last emperor, Pu Yi.
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci | Stars: John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, Ruocheng Ying
Votes: 111,501 | Gross: $43.98M
98. The Last King of Scotland (2006)
R | 123 min | Biography, Drama, History
Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s.
Director: Kevin Macdonald | Stars: James McAvoy, Forest Whitaker, Gillian Anderson, Kerry Washington
Votes: 196,011 | Gross: $17.61M
99. LBJ: The Early Years (1987 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 155 min | Drama
This made-for-TV film chronicles the years 1934 through 1963, tracing the beginnings of Johnson's public career, chronicling his reputation for down-and-dirty politicking, and following his progress.
Director: Peter Werner | Stars: Randy Quaid, Patti LuPone, Morgan Brittany, Pat Hingle
Votes: 288
100. Michael Collins (1996)
R | 133 min | Biography, Drama, Thriller
Neil Jordan's historical biopic of Irish revolutionary Michael Collins, the man who led a guerrilla war against the UK, helped negotiate the creation of the Irish Free State, and led the National Army during the Irish Civil War.
Director: Neil Jordan | Stars: Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn, Julia Roberts, Ian Hart
Votes: 33,750 | Gross: $11.09M
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