A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Biopics

bi·o·pic

/ˈbīōˌpik

noun

A Biographical Movie 

The first biographical film, or biopic, arrived way back in 1906. It was quaintly called THE STORY OF THE NED KELLY GANG, and told the life story of outlaw Ned Kelly. Since then, the biopic has been a pillar of Hollywood, and rightfully so. After all, the personal story of a real person who had achieved greatness can be the best source of inspiration and storytelling.

The recent release of the so-so BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY has sparked discussion of the best biopics that have been made, which leads us to Reel Speak’s very first Top 10 Biopics. To qualify, a film must have a focus on an individual, but not necessarily tell that person’s life story from birth to grave…because a person's life can have one single chapter that becomes the most defining. 

Now let’s get this story started…

10. AMADEUS (1984)

This Best Picture winner from 1984, which tells the story of famed composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is unrightfully overlooked when the discussion moves to the great films of the last 50 years. It was nominated for 53 awards and winning 40, including eight Oscars, and as of 2017 it is still the most recent film to have more than one nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. 

9. ED WOOD (1994)

The best film from strange and unusual director Tim Burton, which portrayed the life of famed director Ed Wood and his efforts to make what is considered to be the worst movie ever made. A film that serves as a love letter to classic Hollywood, and explores the old question of what is art and who gets to say if it is. It is inspiring to any one person who has been told that their creativity wasn’t good enough. 

8. WALK THE LINE (2005)

Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of the legendary Johnny Cash elevated him in the eyes of the world as one of our finest and committed actors, and his co-star Reese Witherspoon, playing Johnny’s wife June Carter Cash, was equally praised. An actor’s paradise, WALK THE LINE was a toe-tapper of a film with a lot of heart. 

7. RAGING BULL (1980)

A pair of Martin Scorsese classics enter the list, starting with his take on the life and times of boxer Jake LaMotta, played by Robert DeNiro. This brutal and near-savage film is hard to watch in places, as it should be, and earned DeNiro his second Oscar. 

6. THE AVIATOR (2004)

The only reason Scorsese’s film about famed aviator and filmmaker Howard Hughes ranks over RAGING BULL is that it’s easier to watch. The performances by Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugues and the great Cate Blanchett as the great(er) Katherine Hepburn were incredible, and Scorsese’s love for the good ol’ days of Hollywood and entertainment are on full display. It’s a celebration of Hughes more than an examination, and that’s OK.

5. THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY (1978)

The movie that could be considered the one that started the modern biopic, most especially in the music business. Gary Busey’s role as the famed musician Buddy Holly earned him an Oscar nomination, and today the film serves as the template for life stories on the big screen. 

4. THE KING’S SPEECH (2010)

One of the most obscure moments in history was elegantly brought to the screen by director Tom Hooper. The story of King George VI and his stuttering problems showed how a personal story can have wide implications for others; reaching as far as a nation or the entire world. This Best Picture winner featured tremendous acting from Colin Firth, Geoffery Rush, Guy Pearce, and Helena Bonham Carter. 

3. PATTON (1970)

This epic war drama, which told the story of General “ol blood and guts” Patton and his tireless efforts to win WWII all on his own, featured an iconic performance from George C. Scott, and is the one role that he is the most remembered for. A winner of seven Oscars including Best Picture and Best Actor for Scott. 

2. GANDHI (1982)

Richard Attenborough’s biography of the life of Gandhi, the leader of India’s peaceful movement against the United Kingdom, was not only a Best Picture winner, but was also the big-screen debuts of Sir Ben Kingsley and Daniel Day-Lewis; a claim that not many films can boast. Epic but personal, GANDHI is one of those exquisite films that should be required viewing for history and film classes. 

1. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)

One of the rare cases where the film nearly eclipses the man. Often regarded as one of, if not the greatest film of all time, David Lean’s Best Picture winner about the life of T.E. Lawrence made legends out of everyone involved. It cemented Lean’s reputation as a filmmaker, and Peter O’Toole’s status as one of the all-time greats. It is epic and grand in its scope, but never loses sight of the man it is about. If the best biopics are the ones that inspire, then LAWRENCE OF ARABIA is the one that stands the tallest; showing us how to be more than what we are. 

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 10 BIOPICS

1. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
2. GANDHI
3. PATTON
4. THE KING'S SPEECH
5. THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY
6. THE AVIATOR
7. RAGING BULL
8. WALK THE LINE
9. ED WOOD
10. AMADEUS