My Favorite Biopics

48.
Man of a Thousand Faces



This 1957 film biography of horror film icon Lon Chaney is worth watching for James Cagney's kinetic performance in the title role. This is another of those biographies where factual accuracy might be an issue, but Cagney makes you don't care.

47.
Too Much Too Soon



A look at one segment of one of Hollywood's most iconic acting family dynasties. This film follows the destructive relationship between matinee idol John Barrymore (Erroll Flynn) and his daughter, Diana (Dorothy Malone), which includes a serious bout with alocoholism which, sadly, becomes a point on which father and daughter actually bond. Though made near the end of his career, Flynn still proves to have the charisma to carry a movie and Malone is wonderfully unhinged as Diana.

46.
Houdini



Tony Curtis put himself on the map with this entertaining 1953 film of famed escape artist Harry Houdini and began a real life romance with is leading lady (Janet Leigh). Curtis really seems to be enjoying himself here and the film is really beautiful to look at.

45.
Lust for Life



Kirk Douglas had one of his best roles as the tortured artist Vincent Van Gogh. The facts are relatively accurate and there is a wonderful supporting performance from Anthony Quinn as Paul Gaugin that won him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, one of 1956's best films.

44.
The Seven Little Foys



Bob Hope turned in one of his best performances as the famous vaudeville performer who was thrown when his wife and co-star passed away and then came up with the idea of incorporating his seven children into the act. This movie is so warm and ingratiating and Hope offers one of his most endearing characterizations here, not just a stand-up zipping from punch line to punch line. The film also has loving attention to period detail and some really great musical moments.

I've been interested in Van Gogh and his work for a long time. I've seen many documentaries on him. This film Lust for Life is as you say pretty accurate. It really seems to capture the torment and genius that was Van Gogh. It's also a very good watch. Great choice for your list!

Obvious rep for The Doors. I love that film and have it on my 100. I liked Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, too and, as always, rep for anything starring Stockard Channing.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

43.
The Patricia Neal Story



This 1981 TV movie regarding the legendary actress is worth watching because of another legendary actress in the starring role...two time Oscar winner Glenda Jackson.

42.
Selena



This lovingly mounted tribute to the Tejano singer who was murdered by her fan club president right before becoming a crossover sensation is worth seeing for the perfect marriage of actress and character in the title role. Jennifer Lopez found the perfect vehicle here and, for my money, has never done anything better. The film is a little overlong, offering more detail than needed, including an unnecessary epilogue, but writer-director Gregory Nava makes his respect and admiration for the subject crystal clear.

41.
Martin & Lewis



This 2002 CBS TV movie was a factually solid and very entertaining look at one of the most successful and volatile show business pairings ever. The film chronicles their humble beginnings when Jerry Lewis inserted himself into Dean Martin's tuneful but dull nightclub act and a new show business team was born through several movies, marriages, televison events and the eventual breakup which I don't think we will ever know the truth about. Lewis is presented here as a career-driven maniac who thought he was the brains and creative force of the team and that Martin just went along and did what he said until he could no longer take it. Sean Hayes was nominated for an Emmy for his charismatic performance as Jerry Lewis and Jeremy Northam is a perfect counterpart as Martin...Northam doesn't really resemble Martin, but he captures Martin's essence beautifully. If you haven't seen this one , check it out, it might surprise you.

40.
Yankee Doodle Dandy



I have always loved that James Cagney, who made a career out of playing bad guys, won an Oscar for his performance in a musical biography. Cagney really lights up the screen here as the legendary singer/dancer/actor/playwright George M. Cohan. Anyone who has their doubts about Cagney as a song and dance man will have said doubts quashed after seeing this one. This was another near miss on my musical list, but it definitely deserved mention here.

39.
Babe (1975)



Susan Clark (whatever happened to her?) won an Emmy for her performance as world class female athlete Babe Didrickson, who broke all kinds of ground for females in sports before battling for her life after contracting cancer. Clark works very hard in this (obviously) physically demanding role and she receives solid support from Alex Karras as love interest and eventual husband George Zaharias. The onscreen romance between Clark and Karras occurred offscreen as well and resulted in a real life marriage.

38.
Why Do Fools Fall in Love?



This biopic of 50's teen singing sensation Frankie Lyman takes a different tack from most of these films. It opens after Frankie's death when three women (Halle Berry, Viveca A. Fox, Lela Rochon) show up in court fighting for Frankie's estate, all claiming to be Frankie's widow and learning that technically, he was married to all three. The film then flashes back allowing all three women to tell their story about their lives with Frankie. Larenz Tate's baby face good looks work for the womanizing part of Frankie though I think the story probably glosses over his drug use since it was the cause of Lyman's death. It's actually the performances of the three ladies (especially Fox) that make this one sizzle. The facts may be fuzzy here, but this movie is a lot of fun.

37.
Great Balls of Fire!



Dennis Quaid appears to be having a ball here playing the 1950's rock and roller who did everything his own way, including actually marrying his 14 year old cousin (Winona Ryder). As far as I know the facts appear to be pretty solid here, but Quaid's breezy performance as the title character kind of makes everything else fade to the background, with the possible exception of a flashy turn by Alec Baldwin as Jimmy Swaggert. BTW, Quaid also does his own singing and piano playing.

36.
The Betty Ford Story



Gena Rowlands won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance in this moving TV movie about the first lady's battles with addiction that eventually led to the opening of a treatment center with her name on it. Rowland's tour-de-force performance commands the screen and she gets solid support from Joseph Sommer as Gerald Ford.

35.
Love Me or Leave Me



This mostly fictionalized 1955 biography of 20's torch singer Ruth Etting is worth watching due to the high MGM gloss and the performances by Doris Day as Etting and James Cagney as Jimmy "The Gimp" Synder, the gangster who, according to this screenplay, controlled and manipulated a lot of Etting's career and life. Cagney received an Oscar nomination for his kinetic work here, but Day is the revelation here...Doris Day has never been so adult, so sensual, so alluring on screen...the sight of her onstage in a tight black sequinned dress singing "Ten Cents a Dance" is burned into my memory forever. Oddly, even though Cagney was nominated Day was overlooked for what was easily the best performance of her career.

34.
Beyond the Sea



This lavish biopic of singing sensation Bobby Darrin works because of the love and respect the film's director, co-writer, and star, Kevin Spacey, displays for the subject. The film follows Darrin from his difficult childhood, which included some serious illness, through his complicated family relationships, his romance with Sandra Dee, and more than anything, Darrin's mission to be "the next Sinatra." Spacey lights up the screen, as usual, and has a great supporting cast behind him including Bob Hoskins, John Goodman, and Caroline Aaron.

I'm putting this list on hold because I feel like I need to watch Behind the Candelabra before completing the list, so bear with me. Thanks.

I've not seen it since it came out on VHS, but I remember quite liking Great Balls Of Fire.

Love Me or Leave Me was reportedly Doris Days favorite movie of here. A great film.