Films based on True Stories

TK-421

TK-421

I Do Not Sow
Joined
Jan 30, 2006
Messages
2,481
Location
Ottawa, ON, Canada
There are many out there and some are great, some are good, many ho-hum and some bad. I have attempted to make a list of, what I think, may be the best ones out there. I expect some lively discussions (and perhaps a list of the worse ones, later).

These are in no specific order:

Glory
Boys don't Cry
American Gangster
Breach
Donnie Brasco
Erin Brockovich
Ali
Frida
Hoosiers
Monster
Capote
The Pianist
Shindler's List
Seabiscuit
Walk the Line
Goodfellas
The Last King of Scotland
Casino
Bugsy
Catch me if you can
City of God
Apollo 13
JFK (debatable)
Amittyville Horror
Patton
Lawrence of Arabia
Adaptation
The Insider
The Hurricane
The French Connection
Fire in the Sky (very debatable)
Gods and Monsters
Ghandi

Any more?
 
Apparently based on a true story, or at least from a number of true stories thrown together: Fargo, by the Coen Brothers. A fantastic film, indeed.
 
Fargo was true? (sort of)

Lean on me
300
Hollywoodland
A league of thier own - I love this film!!
 
Forget Seabiscuit, Phar Lap is the king of "true story" racing movies. Although Seabiscuit wasn't too bad really. ;) And what was that one about the little horse that won the Arabian endurance race? Hidalgo, thats it. I think that was based on a true story?

Of the movies you have listed, TK, Glory was one I particularly loved, and Erin Brockovich I coudn't finish.

And I shall add Shadowlands to the list.
 
A couple more sports movies....

Eight Men Out (Baseball Black Sox Scandal)
Invincible (Construction worker turned pro football player for the Philladelphia Eagles)
 
Munich. A good movie though the true story it's based on - Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team by George Jonas reads much more exciting and thought-provoking. The best written book I've read this year.
 
I have a soft spot for British Films so a lot below are British... All based on real events, with some the "events have been stretched for dramatic effect" All worth a look, some better than others.

Saving Private Ryan.

Flags of our Fathers

Letters from Iwo Jima

Dunkirk

D Day.

Carve her Name with Pride.

Sink the Bismarck.

Battle of the River Plate.

Colditz

Battle of Britain.

First of the Few.

Target for tonight

In which we serve (Based loosely on the story of HMS Kelly)

Target for Today. Semi documentary, famous for its unparalleled sequences of the brutal battles waged at 30,000 feet.

Scott of the Antarctic

Whiskey Galore (based on the shipwreck of HMS Politician)

David Lean’s Film Madeleine

Odette ( story of female agent of SOE)

The Magic Box ( Gave a biographic account of William Friese-Greene who first designed and patented a working cinematic camera. The accuracy of this claim is subject to some controversy, but evidence now tends to support the claim)

Moulin Rouge (1952)

Breaking the Sound Barrier. (The story is not a comprehensive (nor wholly accurate) account of the attempts to break the sound barrier, giving only a fictional and parochially British view, albeit considered an entertaining and visually stunning depiction, especially at the time of release.)

The Cruel Sea, based on the book by Nicholas Monsarrat It is a strikingly accurate portrayal of the war between the Royal Navy and Germany's U boats from the viewpoint of the British naval officers and seamen who served in escort vessels during WWII

The One That Got Away, which chronicled the true exploits of Oberleutenent Franz von Werra a German flyer shot down over England.

Yangtse Incident: The Story of HMS Amethyst

I Was Monty's Double

Becket

Zulu

A Man for all Seasons.

The Lion in Winter

Mayerling.

Anne of a Thousand Days.

Cromwell.

The Music Lovers

10 Rillington Place.

Nicholas and Alexandra

Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall is a film adaptation of Spike Milligan's autobiography

Young Winston

Mahler (about Gustav Mahler)

A Bridge too Far

The Elephant Man

McVicar

Chariots of Fire.

The Bounty

The Killing Fields.

Lady Jane

84 Charing Cross Road.

Cry Freedom

Hope and Glory

Buster

My Left Foot.

Scandal

The Krays

Memphis Belle

In the name of the Father

Backbeat

The Madness of King George.

Carrington

Stonewall

Mrs Brown

Elizabeth

Tea with Mussolini

Calendar Girls

Enigma

Iris

Touching the Void.

The Life and Death of Peter Sellers

Mrs Henderson Presents.

Becoming Jane.

Elizabeth the Golden Age

The Duchess

The Queen
 
Many of these are good additions, in particular:
Letters from Iwo Jima
Flags of our Fathers
The Queen
Elizabeth
The Madness of King George
My Left Foot
Memphis Belle
The Killing Fields
Mrs Brown
In the Name of the Father

I'd like to add:
Grey Owl
The Other Boleyn Girl (also some of it debatable)

but, Titanic?

The Exorcism of Emily Rose is also debatable, meaning it depends on what you believe.

A Beautiful Mind has ALOT of controversy surrounding it as it left out some major parts of his character and life.
 
Breaking the Sound Barrier! David Lean, I know, but... it's the one where they have to "reverse the controls" when they reach Mach 1.
 
Shine - based on the true story of pianist David Helfgott. Brilliant film!
 
iansales said:
Breaking the Sound Barrier! David Lean, I know, but... it's the one where they have to "reverse the controls" when they reach Mach 1.
Click to expand...

Yep, that's the one, but I think if you really did that you would become part of the falling debris.

Braveheart, the film with the Battle of Stamford Bridge without the bridge...:D

Forgot "Night to remember" The best film, I feel, about the Titanic.
 
Last edited:
As for Braveheart, I do not think it is even close to factual that William Wallace got the princess pregnant. He was quartered though, Ouch!

Another excellent movie, albeit made-for-TV, was The Burning Season (1994) with Raul Julia as the Brazilian environmentalist Chico Mendes. Highly recommended.

I agree that Shine was very good as well but I felt Black Hawk Down was OK. Apparently they changed the name of one of the main soldiers in that incident as he was later a convicted child molester.

I rather liked Malcom X by Spike Lee as well.
 
I think The Lord of the Rings managed to be pretty accurate while also being entertaining. ;)
 
However, it isn't based on a true story.

Another good one that has come to mind is Lorenzo's Oil with Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon.
 
Its a american comedy!!

Very few ppl must be knowing this but Yes man is also a movies based on true story...The film is based on the true story and 2005 book Yes Man.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
B What do you think Are The Most Overrated Films ? General Film Discussion 12
Harpo Poll: some 1982 films General Film Discussion 24
B Your Favorite Roger Corman Films General Film Discussion 17
B Best Cult Films Ever General Film Discussion 70
F Best sci-fi films of 2023 General Film Discussion 1

Similar threads


Back
Top