Movies About Alabama

From Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field
Rated PG-13

Forrest Gump is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth. It is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom and stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, and Sally Field. The film follows the life story of a slow-witted but kind-hearted man from Alabama, Forrest Gump (Hanks), who witnesses, and in some cases influences, some of the defining events of the latter half of the 20th century in the United States; from the Vietnam War and Watergate, to the birth of the personal computer and the rise of rock and roll. The film was well-received by critics, who praised its acting, directing, music, and visual effects. It was a massive box office success, becoming the highest-grossing film in North America at the time, and earning over $677 million worldwide. It won the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Hanks, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects, and Best Film Editing.

From Robert Mulligan, starring Gregory Peck, John Megna, Frank Overton, Rosemary Murphy
Rated Approved

To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic American drama film directed by Robert Mulligan, based on the 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Harper Lee. Set in the 1930s in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, the story revolves around Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), a lawyer who defends a black man, Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping a white woman. Through the eyes of Finch's children, Scout (Mary Badham) and Jem (Phillip Alford), the film explores the racism and injustice that existed in the segregated South. The film also follows the Finches as they experience the good and bad of a town haunted by prejudice and hatred. As the children learn from their father, they come to understand the importance of justice and courage, and the importance of standing up for what is right. The film was praised for its performances by the cast, particularly Peck, and its themes of courage and justice.

From Ava DuVernay, starring David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Wilkinson
Rated PG-13

Selma (2014) is a biographical drama by director Ava DuVernay, based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery civil rights marches led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The film follows Dr. King as he and other African-American activists struggle to secure voting rights for black citizens by organizing a march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, the state capital. Despite opposition from the federal government, local police, and the Ku Klux Klan, the marchers prevail, and the march leads to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The film stars David Oyelowo as Dr. King, and also features Carmen Ejogo, Oprah Winfrey, Tim Roth, and Common.

From Richard Pearce, starring Sissy Spacek, Whoopi Goldberg, Dwight Schultz, Ving Rhames
Rated PG

From Antonio Banderas, starring Melanie Griffith, David Morse, Lucas Black, Cathy Moriarty
Rated PG-13