Originally by Ranker FilmList RulesSome story liberties and combining of characters allowed. All within reason. And yes, Cool Runnings.
"Movies based on a true story" is so commonly thrown around it's practically the new "in a world where..." as far as trailer plugs go. But the films on this list really are based on true events or a real person's life story. And they weren't just so-so, they're the best movies based on true stories.
The surge in the popularity of great movies based on or inspired by true stories in the last decade is especially staggering. The first feature-length film based on a true story was The Kelly Gang, about Ned Kelly. It was released in 1900. Since then, movies based on true stories are being made with increasing regularity, and each year sees the release of more true story movies. Of course, there are movies based on true events like Apollo 13, but there are also good biopics that give an audience insight into a person's life such as Erin Brockovich and Walk the Line. There are also, occasionally, "true stories" based on highly questionable sources, or ones that play with tired tropes. There are even som great action movies based on true stories. And sometimes, the movie provides a rosier version of true events, as with The Sound of Music.
The films on this list dove deep, did the research, and created films as honest and true to the facts as possible. Below are the top movies truly based on true stories. Vote up your favorite films on this list based on a real life story or historical events.
1
1,223439Apollo 13
Tom Hanks, Bryce Dallas HowardReleased: 1995
Directed by: Ron Howard
Apollo 13 is a 1995 American historical docudrama film directed by Ron Howard. The film stars Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, and Ed Harris. The screenplay by William Broyles, Jr.... more
2
1,433367Schindler's List
Liam Neeson, Ralph FiennesReleased: 1993
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Schindler's List is a 1993 American epic historical period drama, directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg and scripted by Steven Zaillian. It is based on the novel Schindler's Ark by Thomas... more- 31,188487
Catch Me If You Can
Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprioReleased: 2002
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 American biographical crime drama film based on the life of Frank Abagnale, who, before his 19th birthday, successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars by... more - 41,051384
Goodfellas
Robert De Niro, Samuel L. JacksonReleased: 1990
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Goodfellas is a 1990 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a film adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese. The... more - 51,010527
Titanic
Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate WinsletReleased: 1997
Directed by: James Cameron
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed by James Cameron. A seventeen-year-old aristocrat (Kate Winslet) falls in love with a kind but poor artist (Leonardo DiCaprio)... more - 6839393
Walk the Line
Reese Witherspoon, Joaquin PhoenixReleased: 2005
Directed by: James Mangold
Walk the Line is a 2005 American biographical drama film directed by James Mangold and based on the early life and career of country music artist Johnny Cash. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Reese... more - 7872381
A League of Their Own
Madonna, Tom HanksReleased: 1992
Directed by: Penny Marshall
A League of Their Own is a 1992 American comedy-drama film that tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Directed by Penny Marshall, the film... more - 8610298
The Sound of Music
Julie Andrews, Christopher PlummerReleased: 1965
Directed by: Robert Wise
The Sound of Music is a 1965 American musical drama film produced and directed by Robert Wise and starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The film is an adaptation of the 1959 Broadway... more - 9852486
Braveheart
Mel Gibson, Sophie MarceauReleased: 1995
Directed by: Mel Gibson
Braveheart is a 1995 epic historical medieval war drama film directed by and starring Mel Gibson. Gibson portrays William Wallace, a 13th-century Scottish warrior who led the Scots in the First War... more - 10831407
Cool Runnings
John Candy, Malik YobaReleased: 1993
Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
Cool Runnings is a 1993 American sports film directed by Jon Turteltaub, and starring Leon, Doug E. Doug, Rawle D. Lewis, Malik Yoba and John Candy. The film was released in the United States on... more - 11511203
The Great Escape
Steve McQueen, Richard AttenboroughReleased: 1963
Directed by: John Sturges
The Great Escape is a 1963 American WWII epic film based on an escape by British and Commonwealth POW from a German POW camp during WWII, starring Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Richard... more - 12412231
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Paul Newman, Robert RedfordReleased: 1969
Directed by: George Roy Hill
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a 1969 American Western film directed by George Roy Hill and written by William Goldman. Based loosely on fact, the film tells the story of Wild West outlaws... more - 13513293
Zodiac
Robert Downey Jr., Jake GyllenhaalReleased: 2007
Directed by: David Fincher
Zodiac is a 2007 American mystery thriller film directed by David Fincher, based on the 1986 non-fiction book by Robert Graysmith. In the late 1960s/early 1970s, a San Francisco cartoonist (Jake... more - 14647345
12 Years a Slave
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael FassbenderReleased: 2013
Directed by: Steve McQueen
12 Years a Slave is a 2013 period drama film directed by Steve McQueen, based on the 1853 memoir by Solomon Northup In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black... more - 15683354
The Perfect Storm
George Clooney, Mark WahlbergReleased: 2000
Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen
The Perfect Storm is a 2000 American biographical disaster drama film directed by Wolfgang Petersen. It is an adaptation of the 1997 non-fiction book of the same title by Sebastian Junger, which... more - 16827438
American Sniper
Bradley Cooper, Sienna MillerReleased: 2014
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
American Sniper is a 2014 American biographical drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Jason Hall. It is based on the book American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper... more - 17670314
Erin Brockovich
Julia Roberts, Marg HelgenbergerReleased: 2000
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Erin Brockovich is a 2000 biographical film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Susannah Grant. The film is a dramatization of the true story of Erin Brockovich, portrayed by Julia Roberts,... more - 18421232
The Elephant Man
Anthony Hopkins, John HurtReleased: 1980
Directed by: David Lynch
The Elephant Man is a 1980 American-British biographical film about Joseph Merrick, a severely deformed man in 19th century London. The film was directed by David Lynch and stars John Hurt, Anthony... more - 19355210
Patton
George C. Scott, Karl MaldenReleased: 1970
Directed by: Franklin J. Schaffner
Patton is a 1970 American epic biographical film about U.S. General George S. Patton during WWII. It stars George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Michael Bates and Karl Michael Vogler. It was directed by... more - 20811381
The Pursuit of Happyness
Will Smith, Thandie NewtonReleased: 2006
Directed by: Gabriele Muccino
The Pursuit of Happyness is a 2006 American biographical drama film based on Chris Gardner's nearly one-year struggle with homelessness. Directed by Gabriele Muccino, the film features Will Smith as... more - 21353225
Amadeus
Jeffrey Jones, Cynthia NixonReleased: 1984
Directed by: Miloš Forman
Amadeus is a 1984 American period biographical drama film directed by Miloš Forman and adapted by Peter Shaffer from his 1979 stage play Amadeus. The story is set in Vienna, Austria during the latter... more - 22242168
Gandhi
Daniel Day-Lewis, Ben KingsleyReleased: 1982
Directed by: Richard Attenborough
Gandhi is a 1982 epic biographical film which dramatises the life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the leader of India's non-violent, non-cooperative independence movement against the United Kingdom's... more - 23346194
Miracle
Kurt Russell, Patricia ClarksonReleased: 2004
Directed by: Gavin O'Connor
Miracle is a 2004 American sports docudrama about the United States men's hockey team, led by head coach Herb Brooks, that won the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics. The USA team's victory over... more - 24323248
127 Hours
James Franco, Kate MaraReleased: 2010
Directed by: Danny Boyle
127 Hours is a 2010 British-American biographical survival drama film directed, co-written and produced by Danny Boyle. The film stars James Franco as real-life canyoneer Aron Ralston, who became... more - 25436273
The Revenant
Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom HardyReleased: 2015
Directed by: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
The Revenant is a 2015 American semi-biographical epic western film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. A frontiersman (Leonardo DiCaprio) on a fur trading expedition in the 1820s fights for survival... more
