Movies About The Roaring 20s

From Orson Welles, starring Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, Agnes Moorehead
Rated PG

Citizen Kane tells the story of Charles Foster Kane, a powerful publishing magnate and one of the wealthiest men in the world. After he dies, a reporter embarks on a quest to discover the meaning of Kane's dying words, "Rosebud." Through flashbacks, we follow Kane's life as he rises to fame and power in the business world, suffers personal tragedies, and makes enemies along the way. In the end, the reporter discovers the true meaning of Kane's last words. In addition to its influential cinematography, the film is celebrated for its innovative narrative structure and its groundbreaking use of flashback technique.

From Billy Wilder, starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft
Rated Passed

Some Like It Hot is a comedic classic about two musicians, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, who witness a mob hit and disguise themselves as women so they can join an all-female band and hide from the mob. Along the way, they both fall in love with the band’s singer, Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe). But they must maintain their disguises while avoiding the mob and learning to live with the confusion and complications of their double lives.

From Tom Hooper, starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Derek Jacobi
Rated R

The King's Speech is a 2010 biographical drama film directed by Tom Hooper, starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, and Timothy Spall. The film tells the story of King George VI (Firth), who, to overcome his debilitating stammer, enlists the help of an unorthodox speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Rush). Despite the odds, Logue teaches the king to conquer his speech obstacle, leading to a powerful and moving bond between the two men. As World War II looms, King George is thrust into the role of a leader, and must find a way to inspire and unite his people. With the help of Logue, he succeeds in delivering a powerful and moving speech that rallies the nation, and leads to a lasting friendship between the two men.

From Michel Hazanavicius, starring Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell
Rated PG-13

The Artist is a 2011 French romantic comedy-drama film directed by Michel Hazanavicius and starring Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, and James Cromwell. Set in Hollywood in 1927, the film follows silent-film star George Valentin (Dujardin) as he struggles to cope with the advent of talkies and the resulting change in public tastes. The Artist also stars Uggie, a Jack Russell Terrier, as George's loyal companion. As George's career begins to falter, he meets a young aspiring actress named Peppy Miller (Bejo) who is making her way up in the industry. The two form a friendship and the film follows their journey to success and the consequences of the changes in the industry. The Artist was a critical and commercial success, winning several awards including the Academy Award for Best Picture.

From Clint Eastwood, starring Angelina Jolie, Colm Feore, Amy Ryan, Gattlin Griffith
Rated R

Changeling is a 2008 drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Angelina Jolie. Set in 1920s Los Angeles, the film tells the true story of Christine Collins (Jolie), a single mother whose son, Walter, goes missing. Despite her desperate search and the police's attempts to find him, Walter is never found. To appease her, the police offer her a boy they claim is Walter, but Christine knows the boy is an impostor. With the help of a local reverend, she takes her case to the media and the police, only to be branded a liar and admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Ultimately, she is successful in exposing the corruption and misconduct of the Los Angeles Police Department, and the real Walter is eventually found.

From Woody Allen, starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Kurt Fuller
Rated PG-13

Midnight in Paris is a romantic comedy-fantasy film directed by Woody Allen, starring Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams. The storyline follows Gil, a struggling writer from Los Angeles, on his summer visit to Paris with his fiancée Inez and her parents. While exploring the city's nightlife, Gil travels back in time to the 1920s, where he meets some of the world's most renowned writers, artists, and musicians, who all appreciate his writing. As he spends more time in the past, he finds himself increasingly torn between the life he left behind and the newfound excitement of this different era. In the end, he has to decide whether to stay in the past or to return to his present-day life.

From Olivier Dahan, starring Marion Cotillard, Sylvie Testud, Pascal Greggory, Emmanuelle Seigner
Rated PG-13

La Vie en Rose is a biographical drama about the life of French singer Édith Piaf. It follows the singer's journey from her humble beginnings as a street performer to her rise to fame and the challenges she faced along the way. The film chronicles her tumultuous personal life, her struggles with addiction and poverty, her turbulent relationships, and her commitment to perform until the very end of her life. Despite all of the hardships she faced, Piaf's boundless passion for music and performing come through in her work and in her life. The film also explores her influence on popular music and culture, particularly in France.

From Richard Attenborough, starring Robert Downey Jr., Geraldine Chaplin, Paul Rhys, John Thaw
Rated PG-13

Chaplin is a biopic about the life of British actor, director, and producer Charles Chaplin. The film follows Chaplin’s rise to fame as the iconic Little Tramp character and his struggles both professionally and personally. It covers his journey from a childhood of poverty to the heights of Hollywood stardom, and beyond. Along the way, Chaplin confronts personal and professional setbacks including an ongoing struggle with the Hollywood studio system, a public moral scandal, and numerous legal battles. The film stars Robert Downey Jr. as Chaplin and features a number of supporting performances from Dan Aykroyd, Kevin Kline, Geraldine Chaplin, and Marisa Tomei. In the end, Chaplin’s life story is ultimately one of triumph over adversity.

From John Curran, starring Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Catherine An
Rated PG-13

From Lasse Hallström, starring Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Michael Caine, Delroy Lindo
Rated PG-13

From Mike Newell, starring Alfred Molina, Joan Plowright, Miranda Richardson, Polly Walker
Rated PG

From Baz Luhrmann, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Tobey Maguire
Rated PG-13

From Rob Marshall, starring Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Taye Diggs
Rated PG-13

From Alan Parker, starring Jodie Foster, Scott Baio, Florence Garland, John Cassisi
Rated G

From Peter Bogdanovich, starring Kirsten Dunst, Cary Elwes, Edward Herrmann, Eddie Izzard
Rated PG-13