Favorite biographical film?

I'm just curious which biographical film people around here would consider their favorite. It can be any sort of biographical film, from serious documentary-style films to dramatic (and possibly somewhat inaccurate, not looking to judge films on accuracy, just entertainment).

For starters, mine is, hands down, Immortal Beloved. In fact it's one of my top 5 movies of all time. For anyone not familiar, in the film Gary Oldman plays the role of Ludwig von Beethoven. It is, in my opinion, the greatest acting performance of Oldman's career and he plays Beethoven pretty much exactly the way I pictured him from my music studies. Amadeus, on the other hand, while not a bad movie, didn't really make me feel as satisfied about the portrayal of Mozart. Yes, from all available information he was an immature, irritating, obnoxious little s*it, but something about how he came off in that movie just didn't do it for me.

Anyone else?

Patton. I loved that movie when I was younger and I watched it a million times.

The Imitation Game, was excellent

iliveonramen said:

Patton. I loved that movie when I was younger and I watched it a million times.

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George C. Scott!

The one I enjoy the most is Chaplin.

Harshaw said:

The one I enjoy the most is Chaplin.

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I never saw that one. Didn't Downey Jr. Win an oscar for that one?

I like old war movies....so

To hell and back.....Audie Murphy

Sergeant York.....Gary Cooper (Alvin York)

Johnson said:

I never saw that one. Didn't Downey Jr. Win an oscar for that one?

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No, but he should have. The Oscar went to Al Pacino for Scent of a Woman.

Cinderella Man.

I'm partial to boxing movies, though.

Lots on my list: Lawrence of Arabia, In the Name of the Father, Bonnie and Clyde, Invictus, Nicholas and Alexandria, Schindler's List, to name a few.

The Miracle Worker...the story of Helen Keller. In my opinion, the finest acting that has ever been on screen in any movie, ever, is the scene in the dining room when Helen (Patty Duke, who most deservedly won an Oscar, I think she was 14, or 16?) was being taught to eat properly by Annie (Ann Bancroft). 15-20 minutes (I have never actually timed it) of the most amazing acting I have ever seen on screen.

PoS said:

Lots on my list: Lawrence of Arabia, In the Name of the Father, Bonnie and Clyde, Invictus, Nicholas and Alexandria, Schindler's List, to name a few.

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LAWRENCE may be the best bio film the movie industry has ever made. It just a masterpiece in so many ways and on so many levels. O'Toole was beyond perfect.

I love your mention of NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRIA as the scenes with Rasputin are great and one of my long time guilty pleasures. I think the rest of the film fails in several ways - but the Rasputin scenes are amazing.

SCHILNDLERS LIST is also a masterpiece. I love that scene when the Germans give him his apartment and he lies back in that bed and takes in all in. And then contrast that later when he feels guilty about keeping his watch. Really great stuff and Steven Spielberg at his highest powers.

LadyMoonlight said:

The Miracle Worker...the story of Helen Keller. In my opinion, the finest acting that has ever been on screen in any movie, ever, is the scene in the dining room when Helen (Patty Duke, who most deservedly won an Oscar, I think she was 14, or 16?) was being taught to eat properly by Annie (Ann Bancroft). 15-20 minutes (I have never actually timed it) of the most amazing acting I have ever seen on screen.

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Great choice. I saw it when it came out and was but 13 myself and just was knocked over by the drama and wonder of it all.

It came out in 1962 - which by the way is generally said to be the second best year for movies since the industry first began.

Just thought of another one that I truly enjoyed but is completely different from everything else here
Ed Wood, its a biography and a comedy at the same time

haymarket said:

I love your mention of NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRIA as the scenes with Rasputin are great and one of my long time guilty pleasures. I think the rest of the film fails in several ways - but the Rasputin scenes are amazing.

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I admit quite a few of the family scenes were cheesy in this movie, but being a history buff I loved watching the major events unfold over the end of the Romanovs and the rise of the Bolsheviks. The events depicted were historically accurate for the most part and I always found it fascinating just how disconnected the royals were with what was happening to their country. It was like seeing a disaster in slow motion.