Robert Koehler wrote:
> I'd appreciate any suggestions of titles of films (the less known, the
> better) based either loosely or faithfully on true stories. Of course, the
> ``truth'' often becomes a highly debatable matter during the course of
> adaptation, but the idea is to gather film titles which derive from actual
> events. Suggestions for less known biographical films (especially older
> ones) would also be welcome.
> Regards,
> Robert Koehler
It's difficult to find films that have not suffered narrative inventions via
passing through a lot of scriptwriting filters, but out-and-out biographies
with few names changed include: The Bowery, The Mighty Barnum,
Viva Villa!, Parnell, Boy's Town, Young Mr. Lincoln, Juarez,
A Dispatch From Reuter's, Gentleman Jim, Wilson, The Wrong Man.
A subsection would be wartime films based on real characters
and/or events: Sergeant York, Hangmen Also Die, The (Fighting)
Sullivans, Story of Dr.Wassell, Story of G.I.Joe, The Desert Fox,
Judgment At Nuremberg.
For romans-à-clef, there are the films based on or inspired by
Leopold and Loeb (Rope, Compulsion), Bonnie and Clyde (You
Only Live Once, Gun Crazy), Huey Long (All the King's Men, A
Lion Is In the Street), Aimee Semple McPherson (The Miracle
Woman), and Al Capone (Scarface).
Also, famous trials and scandals--mostly long-forgotten now--inspired
many films: All This and Heaven Too, Roxie Hart, Girl In the Red
Velvet Swing, Reckless (1935), Caught, Written On the Wind, An
American Tragedy, A Place In the Sun, Inherit the Wind.
Then, there are the postwar exposé films based on real events:
Call Northside 777, Boomerang, Ace In the Hole, The Phenix City
Story, and The Incident.
Don't forget The Straight Story!
--Bob Keser
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