Movies About Winning

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

To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic drama set in the small southern town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. It follows the story of 6-year-old tomboy Scout Finch, who lives with her older brother Jem and their widowed father Atticus. Atticus is a lawyer who is appointed to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who has been falsely accused of raping a white woman. As the trial progresses and racial tensions mount, Scout and Jem come to understand the unjust treatment of African Americans in the town. The story is told from Scout’s point of view, and is a coming-of-age tale as Scout, Jem and their friend Dill learn important life lessons through their experiences with intolerance and injustice.

From Directors: Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Sam Wood, starring Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Thomas Mitchell, Barbara O'Neil
Rated Passed

Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American epic historical romance film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel of the same name. It was directed by Victor Fleming, George Cukor and Sam Wood, produced by David O. Selznick and stars Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, and Olivia de Havilland. The story is set in Clayton County and Atlanta, both in Georgia, during the American Civil War and Reconstruction. It follows the life of Scarlett O'Hara, the strong-willed daughter of a Georgia plantation owner. She must use every means at her disposal to ward off the advances of the pampered Rhett Butler and to claw her way out of poverty following Sherman's destructive "March to the Sea". The film won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Fleming), Best Actress (Leigh), and Best Supporting Actress (de Havilland). It was the first film ever to win Best Picture without a Best Actor nomination. It was the longest film ever released, at over three and a half hours. It was also the first color film to win Best Picture, and the first sound film to win a Best Picture Oscar.

From John Ford, starring Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Charley Grapewin
Rated Passed

The Grapes of Wrath is an American drama film directed by John Ford and based on the novel of the same name by John Steinbeck. The film follows the Joad family, who are driven off their Oklahoma farm and join the thousands of other 'Okies' heading west towards California in search of a better life. Along the way, they encounter numerous hardships, including poverty, lack of resources, exploitation, discrimination, and despair. Despite these obstacles, Ma Joad leads the family on a relentless journey of survival and hope. They endure many struggles, but eventually find refuge in the Farm Security Administration's labor camp. Ultimately, the film illustrates the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

From Edward Dmytryk, starring Humphrey Bogart, José Ferrer, Van Johnson, Fred MacMurray
Rated Not Rated

The Caine Mutiny is a 1954 American war drama directed by Edward Dmytryk. It stars Humphrey Bogart as Lieutenant Commander Philip Queeg and has an acclaimed supporting cast including José Ferrer, Van Johnson, Fred MacMurray, Robert Francis and Lee Marvin. The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Herman Wouk. The story follows the crew of the USS Caine, a World War II minesweeper. Queeg, the captain of the ship, exhibits signs of mental instability and paranoia as he obsessively issues orders, pushing the crew to the point of insubordination and eventually mutiny. In the end, the crew is forced to decide whether to follow Queeg’s orders or stand up for what they believe is right. The film was a critical and commercial success and was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Avery
Rated PG-13

The Color Purple is an acclaimed 1985 drama film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on Alice Walker's 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. Set in the early 20th century, the story follows the life of Celie, an African-American woman in the American South, as she struggles with racism, sexism, abuse, and poverty. Celie's life experiences lead her to becoming a strong, independent woman. Along the way, she finds strength and friendship in the people she meets, including her sister Nettie, the blues singer Shug Avery, and the strong-willed Sofia. The Color Purple is a powerful and uplifting story that celebrates the power of sisterhood, resilience, and love.

From James Foley, starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Alan Arkin
Rated R

Glengarry Glen Ross is a 1992 American drama film adapted by David Mamet from his 1984 Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. Directed by James Foley and starring an ensemble cast led by Al Pacino, the film tells the story of four desperate Chicago real estate agents who are prepared to engage in any number of unethical, illegal acts—from lies and flattery to bribery, threats, intimidation and burglary—to sell undesirable real estate to unwitting prospective buyers. The film further demonstrates the varying degrees of desperation, manipulation and fraud that can exist in the world of sales.

From Directors: Orson Welles, Fred Fleck, Robert Wise, starring Tim Holt, Joseph Cotten, Dolores Costello, Anne Baxter
Rated Not Rated

The Magnificent Ambersons is a 1942 American drama film directed by Orson Welles and Fred Fleck, and co-directed by Robert Wise. It tells the story of the wealthy and influential Amberson family and their decline caused by the changing fortunes of industry over the turn of the 20th century. The film follows the beautiful, but spoiled, Isabel Amberson and her love for the ambitious young Eugene Morgan. The Magnificent Ambersons is an adaptation of the 1918 Booth Tarkington novel, and was Welles's second feature film. It was praised for its stunning visuals and excellent performances, but was drastically edited by studio executives and suffered from a poor release. Despite its critical acclaim, The Magnificent Ambersons has since been overshadowed by Welles's debut film, Citizen Kane.

From Stephen Daldry, starring Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Stephen Dillane
Rated PG-13

The Hours is a 2002 drama directed by Stephen Daldry and starring Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman, and Ed Harris. The movie follows three women from different eras and locations whose lives intersect in unexpected and profound ways. In 1923, Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman) struggles with mental illness and the challenge of writing her novel, Mrs. Dalloway. In 1951, Laura Brown (Julianne Moore) is a suburban housewife in California who reads Mrs. Dalloway and is inspired to take steps to change her life. In 2001, Clarissa Vaughan (Meryl Streep) is a New Yorker preparing for a party to honor her friend, a poet dying from AIDS. Through their stories, the film explores the power of literature, love, and the resilience of the human spirit.

From Denzel Washington, starring Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo
Rated PG-13

From Clarence Brown, starring Gregory Peck, Jane Wyman, Claude Jarman Jr., Chill Wills
Rated Approved

From John Hillcoat, starring Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Robert Duvall
Rated R

From Martin Scorsese, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, Linda Faye Farkas
Rated PG

From Directors: John Sturges, Fred Zinnemann, starring Spencer Tracy, Felipe Pazos, Harry Bellaver, Richard Alameda
Rated Not Rated