Biographical films allow us an insight into the lives of the rich, famous, influential and powerful. They shine a light on historical figures, celebrities and even people in the public interest and use storytelling to explore their lives. Sometimes they’re entirely fictional, sometimes they’re almost documentarian – occasionally, they’re both. Frequently they can be a fascinating insight not just into people’s histories, but our own too.
To celebrate the release of Goodbye Christopher Robin, the latest biographical drama to hit cinemas, here are five other celebrated biographies of fascinating figures…
Jackie (2016)
At one point, Jacqueline Kennedy was the most photographed woman in the world. The wife to John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, the image of her scrambling over her husband’s body after his assassination in 1963 is one of the most defining images of the 20th century. Jackie later went on to marry Greek shipping merchant Aristotle Onassis, but her position in the – allegedly cursed – Kennedy family still holds fascination for the general public.
Jackie starring Natalie Portman as the former first lady, focuses only on the week following the President’s death in Dallas. Portman plays Jackie as broken and traumatized, caught between protecting herself and her children, but well aware of the public’s need for a piece of her. The film cleverly manages to condense the story of John and Jackie into a running time of just over an hour and a half without having to deal with the seedier aspects of the Kennedy marriage.
The Social Network (2010)
Known originally in the press as just ‘The Facebook movie’, Jesse Eisenberg pays Mark Zuckerberg as he goes from Harvard undergraduate to one of the youngest billionaires ever. Eisnerberg makes no attempt to play Zuckerberg as a sympathetic character, showing him essentially stealing the idea from Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (Armie Hammer) and screwing over his best friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield). As the success of ‘The Facebook’ rises, so do the number of lawsuits Zuckerberg is hit with.
A movie about the origins of Facebook sounds boring on paper, but in the hands of David Fincher and a script by Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network provides a fascinating insight into the origins of something that is now a part of most people’s daily lives. The lawsuits didn’t hurt Zuckerbeg, he is worth an estimated $70.5 billion.
Walk The Line (2006)
Joaquin Phoenix plays ‘The Man in Black’, Johnny Cash in a warts of all portrayal of his life up until his career defining performance at Folsom Prison. The heart of the story is Johnny’s relationship with June Carter and how his desire and longing to be with her is nearly derailed by his addictions. Cash’s story is one of tremendous talent that is nearly overcome by darkness.
Kathy Cash, his daughter from his first marriage, was unhappy with the portrayal of her Mother Vivian and the omission of his children and the impact his addictions had on them. However, Cash and Carter’s son John replied that the point of the story was the love affair between his parents. The biopic garnered universal acclaim and an Oscar win for Reese Witherspoon.
Capote (2005)
Another Oscar winner here for the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman and his role as writer Truman Capote as he decides to cover the real life case of a murdered Kansas family. The prison interviews between Capote and suspect Perry Smith are juxtaposed against Capote’s glamorous life as one of Manhattan’s elite.
Capote himself could have easily become a caricature due to his eccentricities, but in Hoffman’s capable hands he is quick witted and often manipulative, Capote struggles with claiming to want to help Smith but knows he is only using him for his own ends. Infamous was released the same year and covered the same subject matter with Toby Jones playing Capote.
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
This was the role many were convinced would finally see Leonardo DiCaprio take home the Academy award (he didn’t, he lost to Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club). The story of corruption, drugs and sex, Jordan Belfort defrauded millions from investors and made himself a fortune in the process.
This was the fifth collaboration between DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese, and the source material came from Belfort himself. The quick paced dark humour keeps things interesting enough that the story manages to hold the viewers attention if the stockbroking world isn’t your thing. It also features the word ‘fuck’ over 500 times.
What is your favourite biographical movie? What did you think of Goodbye Christopher Robin? Let us know!