50 All-Time Best Biopics for History Buffs

July 29th, 2010

Coined by industry trade rag Daily Variety around the middle of the century, "biopic" is a handy mash-up of "biographical picture," meant to refer to any movie whose main narrative follows the life of a real-world figure. It may feel like they’re more popular than ever right now — recent years have seen a number of biopics about musicians — but they’ve been a staple of Hollywood since before the term was invented. Whether you’re brushing up on history for your online degree or you’re just a film fan looking to learn something, these biopics are perfect for history buffs. Be warned, though: Some of them take some pretty substantial liberties with the truth (but that’s half the fun of movies). Here we go:

Ancient History

Get your toga ready for these biopics set in the old days.

1. Alexander: Oliver Stone’s sprawling look at the life of Alexander the Great met with mixed reaction stateside but was a global hit.
2. Cleopatra: This Elizabeth Taylor vehicle almost destroyed 20th Century Fox, though it went on to win several awards for its depiction of the lavish life of Cleopatra VII, the queen of Egypt.
3. The Ten Commandments: Cecil B. DeMille’s biblical epic features Charlton Heston as Moses leading a "cast of thousands."
4. The Greatest Story Ever Told: This 1962 epic stars Max von Sydow as Jesus of Nazareth.
5. Spartacus: Kirk Douglas toplines this classic about a slave who leads an uprising against the Roman Republic.

Kings and Colonization

These are the films that explore the era of global expansion, from religion to economics.

6. The Lion in Winter: Peter O’Toole is King Henry II and Katharine Hepburn is Eleanor of Aquitaine in this classic costume drama based on the play of the same name.
7. Braveheart: Mel Gibson’s ode to Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace was one of the most popular films of the 1990s.
8. 1492: Conquest of Paradise: Released to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the "discovery" of America, Ridley Scott’s biopic stars Gerard Depardieu as Christopher Columbus.
9. Cromwell: Richard Harris stars as Oliver Cromwell, a soldier and leader who ruled Great Britain in the 1650s.
10. The Passion of Joan of Arc: One of the best silent films ever made, Carl Theodor Dryer’s moving account of the trial and death of Joan of Arc is a haunting film that’s a must for history buffs.
11. El Cid: Charlton Heston plays the title role of El Cid, renowned Castilian nobleman and governor of Valencia.
12. Richard III: Laurence Olivier’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s play is considered a classic treatment of the life of King Richard III, who ruled from 1483-1485.
13. Henry V: Kenneth Branagh’s exciting and visceral interpretation of Shakespeare’s account of King Henry V is one of the better adaptations of the Bard’s work.
14. Luther: Joseph Fiennes stars in the title role of Martin Luther, the theologian who started the Protestant Reformation.

War Stories

These films highlight the magnitude and cost of conflict.

15. Schindler’s List: One of Steven Spielberg’s best, this film stars Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler, a German business owner who helped a number of Jews escape the clutches of the Nazi prison camps during World War II.
16. Patton: George C. Scott’s iconic portrayal of Gen. George Patton makes this 1970 film a classic to this day.
17. Lawrence of Arabia: David Lean’s lengthy but beloved film follows the life of T.E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole), a British Army officer with a key role in the Arab Revolt of 1916-1918.
18. Valkyrie: This riveting thriller centers on Col. Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise), a German officer who conspired to kill Hitler.
19. Downfall: This acclaimed European film traces the final days of Adolf Hitler’s life at his bunker in Nazi Germany in 1945.

Everyday Life

From the notable to the unknown, these biopics dig into the existence of regular people with extraordinary lives.

20. Erin Brockovich: Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her portrayal of Erin Brockovich, a legal clerk who rose to prominence thanks to her dogged work to fight corporate malfeasance.
21. The Straight Story: Easily David Lynch’s most accessible (and least nightmare-inducing) film, this is the story of Alvin Straight, a man in his 70s who travels more than 200 miles on a John Deere riding mower to visit his ailing brother.
22. The Aviator: Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) was an American icon of engineering, aviation, and filmmaking, and Martin Scorsese’s biopic explores his greatness as well as the paranoia that consumed him later in life.
23. Into the Wild: Emile Hirsch plays Christopher McCandless, a young man who blew off college to hike through the Alaskan wilderness and explore the world. Sadly, his journey took him too far.
24. Antwone Fisher: This uplifting true story follows young Antwone Fisher (Derek Luke) as he deals with abuse in a foster home before joining the Navy and eventually seeking out his true family.
25. Donnie Brasco: Johnny Depp stars as Joseph Pistone, a real-life undercover cop who took on the identity of Donnie Brasco to infiltrate the mob. It’s also got a killer performance from Al Pacino.
26. The Three Faces of Eve: Joanne Woodward takes the title role in this fictionalized version of the life of Chris Costner Sizemore, a woman born with multiple personality disorder.
27. The Spirit of St. Louis: Billy Wilder directed Jimmy Stewart in this biography of Charles Lindbergh that follows Lucky Lindy’s solo flight from New York to Paris.
28. Quiz Show: A fantastic but often forgotten drama from 1994, Ralph Fiennes stars as Charles van Doren in Robert Redford’s compelling account of the TV game show scandals of the 1950s.
29. Searching for Bobby Fischer: Child chess prodigy Joshua Waitzkin is profiled in this winning drama starring Ben Kingsley, Joe Mantegna, and Joan Allen.
30. Goodfellas: Considered by some to be Martin Scorsese’s best movie, this film tells the story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), a kid who grew up to be in the mob but ultimately found the life too hard to survive.
31. The Miracle Worker: Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke both won Oscars for their work as Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller, respectively, in this drama about the woman who helped Keller learn to communicate with the outside world and overcome her handicaps.
32. My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown: Daniel Day-Lewis is predictably amazing in this biopic of Christy Brown, a man born with cerebral palsy who could only move his left foot.
33. Bonnie and Clyde: Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty are Bonnie and Clyde, a pair of young lover and bank robbers who tore up the South during the Great Depression.

Sports and Entertainment

These biopics scratch the surface of our obsession with celebrity.

34. Walk the Line: Johnny Cash’s life and love affair with June Carter get the all-star treatment in this great biopic starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.
35. Man on the Moon: Jim Carrey does some of his best work in this immersive portrayal of Andy Kaufman, the brilliant comedian who died of lung cancer at 35.
36. Rudy: It’s impossible not to cheer and cry (trust me) watching this inspirational true story of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, whose dream was to play football for the University of Notre Dame.
37. Prefontaine: Billy Crudup anchors this outstanding biopic of Steve Prefontaine, a long-distance runner and Olympic hopeful who met with tragedy.
38. Capote: This engaging drama follows Truman Capote (Philip Seymour Hoffman) as he researches the events that would make up his masterpiece, In Cold Blood.
39. The Notorious Bettie Page: The classic pin-up girl is brought to life by Gretchen Mol in this overlooked but highly entertaining drama from 2005.
40. Auto Focus: Greg Kinnear gives a powerful performance in this biography of "Hogan’s Heroes" star Bob Crane, whose private life was consumed by sexual addiction.
41. Ali: Will Smith stars as Muhammad Ali in this critically acclaimed look at the champ’s life. Directed by Michael Mann.
42. Chaplin: Robert Downey, Jr. earned some of the best praise of his career as Charlie Chaplin in director Richard Attenborough’s film.
43. The Pride of the Yankees: Gary Cooper stars as Lou Gehrig in this classic drama about the hero baseball player laid low by illness.
44. De-Lovely: Hollywood had tackled Cole Porter before, but this 2004 biopic starring Kevin Kline as the composer dealt more directly with his sexuality.
45. Notorious: This biopic deals with the life, career, and killing of Christopher "Biggie" Wallace, aka Notorious B.I.G.

Politics

The lives of politicians make for some riveting movies.

46. The Queen: Helen Mirren plays Queen Elizabeth II in this intimate drama about the aftermath of the death of Princess Diana. Michael Sheen co-stars as Tony Blair, a role he would play in several other films.
47. Frost/Nixon: Ron Howard’s drama focuses on the TV interviews David Frost (Michael Sheen) conducted with Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) in 1977, a few years after the president had resigned office.
48. Reds: Warren Beatty starred in, wrote, and directed this biography about John Reed, an American journalist who reported from the Bolshevik Revolution.
49. Invictus: Clint Eastwood’s film stars Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela in a story set shortly after the South African leader was released from prison.
50. Milk: Sean Penn is amazing as Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to hold public office in California, and who met with a tragic fate.

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