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In the following listed movies, the actors embraced the lives of the people they were playing so sincerely, that these movies, coupled with complete cinematic genius, became some of the best biographical drama films of all time.
1. The Wolf of Wall Street
Director: Martin Scorsese
Release Date: December 25, 2013 (USA)
The once immoral and a narcissist stockbroker turned motivational speaker, Jordan Belfort wrote a non-fiction memoir of his life, which later on got made into a movie. None other than the brilliant Leonardo DiCaprio plays the role of Jordan Belfort, and unquestionably, does full justice to it.
2. The Pursuit Of Happyness
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Release Date: December 15, 2006
Another classic, The Pursuit of Happyness is a beautiful depiction of the struggles and the rise of Chris Gardner (enacted by Will Smith) from a homeless salesman to becoming the founder of a multi-million dollar brokerage firm.
3. A Beautiful Mind
Director: Ron Howard
Release Date: December 21, 2001 (USA)
A personal favourite, this biographical drama is based on the life of a Nobel laureate in economics, John Nash, enacted by the talented Russell Crowe. The film is an adaptation of a novel known by the same name, which was written by Sylvia Nasar, and was nominated for Pulitzer.
4. Into The Wild
Director: Sean Penn
Release Date: September 21, 2007
A favourite of millions, this one is based on the life of American hiker Christopher McCandless. The movie documents his travels across North America and his life spent in Alaskan wilderness during the early 1990s. Actor Emile Hirsch stars as McCandless in the movie.
5. The Imitation Game
Director: Morten Tyldum
Release Date: 28 November 2014 (USA)
The movie stars Benedict Cumberbatch who acted as British cryptanalyst Alan Turing; the genius who helped British government during World War II by decoding German intelligence codes.
6. Erin Brockovich
Director:Â Steven Soderbergh
Release Date: March 17, 2000
Based on the life of Erin Brockovich, this movie portrays Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich- the lady who had put up a fight against Pacific Gas and Electric Company (the energy corporation). The role was so brilliantly played by the pretty woman, that it garnered her an Academy Award for best actress, and many others.
7. Ray
Director:Â Taylor Hackford
Release Date: October 29, 2004
The movie describes the 30 years from the life of an American Rhythm and Blues musician, Ray Charles, who was also nicknamed “The High Priest of Soul”.
8. The Audrey Hepburn Story
Director: Steven Robman
Release Date: March 27, 2000
This vivid description of the starlet from the Hollywood’s Golden Age describes her life right from childhood to the days when she became Hollywood’s screen legend, in a TV movie. Jennifer Love Hewitt plays Audrey Hepburn in the movie.
9. The Elephant Man
Director: David Lynch
Release Date: October 10, 1980 (USA)
The movie stars John Hurt as Joseph Carey Merrick, who because of his severe deformities, was exhibited as a sideshow freak and came to be known as ‘The Elephant Man’.
10. The Aviator
Director:Â Martin Scorsese
Release Date: 25 December 2004 (USA)
The Aviator is based on the life of Howard Hughes, an aviation pioneer and the director and producer of a 1930 American war film, Hell’s Angels. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the character of Hughes in this movie which garnered 11 Academy nominations.
11. Schindler’s List
Director:Â Steven Spielberg
Release Date: December 15, 1993 (USA)
Adapted from the Schindler’s Ark, written by an Australian novelist Thomas Keneally, the movie centers around the life of the big-hearted German from the World Ward II era, Oskar Schindler, who hired thousands of Polish-Jewish refugees in his factories to save their lives from the genocide, the Holocaust. The movie stars Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler.
12. Frida
Director:Â Julie Taymor
Release Date: August 29, 2002
The movie portrays the professional and personal life of the famous Mexican surrealist painter, Frida Kahlo. The role of this legendary artist is enacted by Hollywood’s one of the finest finds, Salma Hayek, who also earned an Academy Award nomination for this role.
13. Walk The Line
Director:Â James Mangold
Release Date: November 18, 2005 (USA)
Based on the life of American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor and author John Cash, the movie stars Joaquin Phoenix as the lead.
14. Coco Before Chanel
Director:Â Anne Fontaine
Release Date: 22 April 2009
The story beautifully depicts the world acclaimed French fashion designer Coco Chanel’s rise to fame from the time when she worked in a provincial bar.
15. Raging Bull
Director:Â Â Martin Scorsese
Release Date: December 19, 1980 (US)
The movie is adapted from Jake LaMotta’s memoir Raging Bull: My Story. Robert De Niro plays the role of Jake LaMotta, an Italian American middleweight boxer whose self-destructive and wild behaviour ended up in destruction of his family life.
16. The Theory Of Everything
Director: James Marsh
Release Date: 7 September 2014 (USA)
A British biographical drama film, it is based on the memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen, written by Jane Wilde Hawking. The movie describes Jane Wilde’s relationship with her ex husband, the world acclaimed theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking.
17. Chaplin
Director: Richard Attenborough
Release Date: January 8, 1993 (United States; wide)
The name says it all. Based on the life of British comedian whose performances will be celebrated in talks by the generations to follow, the role of Charlie Chaplin is played by the very versatile, Robert Downey Jr.
18. Ali
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Release Date: 13 January 2012 (United States)
Based on the life of the world famous boxer Muhammad Ali, the movie stars Will Smith in the lead role.
19. Milk
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Release Date: 13 January 2012 (United States)
The movie centers around the life of Harvey Milk, the gay rights activist who was the first openly gay to be elected to a public office in California. Sean Penn plays the role of Milk in the movie.
20. The Iron Lady
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Release Date: 13 January 2012 (United States)
The movie is based on the life of the longest serving Prime Minister of the UK, Margaret Thatcher. Chiefly, the role is played by the woman with a store full of Academy Awards, Meryl Streep. The early political years are portrayed by the Welsh actress Alexandra Roach.
The characters in these movies are so brilliantly enacted and the stories so well told that they compel the buffs to get glued to Internet to research about the real people behind.
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