Biographies
by t-xy | created - 04 Oct 2016 | updated - 04 Feb 2020 | PublicThe list is far from complete and will be updated sporadically. Below are links to lists of biographical films in sections the site doesn't provide filters for.
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101. Rossini's Ghost (1996 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 52 min | Biography, Drama, Family
Nine-year old Reliana witnesses Rossini's efforts to salvage his seemingly cursed new opera, the Barber of Seville.
Director: David Devine | Stars: Joseph Di Mambro, Melissa Pirrera, Frances Bay, Margaret Illmann
Votes: 72
102. Liszt's Rhapsody (1996 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 49 min | Biography, Drama, Family
A dashing Franz Liszt appears to have it all - talent, success, wealth and adoring fans. Yet when he takes on a young street musician as a violin student, his own fork is transformed.
Director: Richard Mozer | Stars: Geordie Johnson, Drew Jurecka, Peter Keleghan, Ida Carnevali
Votes: 63
103. The Temptation of Franz Schubert (1997 TV Movie)
60 min | Drama
The darker side of the composer is explored when he stays in the hospital for syphilis.
Director: Peter Webber | Stars: Simon Russell Beale, Jason Flemyng, Emilia Fox, Richard Van Allan
Votes: 48
104. Chopin: Desire for Love (2002)
R | 134 min | Drama, Romance, Music
A tangled web of unruly passion lies at the center of this drama, chronicling the stormy affair between the great piano virtuoso Frédéric Chopin and the flamboyant feminist writer George Sand.
Director: Jerzy Antczak | Stars: Piotr Adamczyk, Danuta Stenka, Adam Woronowicz, Bozena Stachura
Votes: 810
105. Il était une fois Jean-Sébastien Bach (2003)
Not Rated | 105 min | Drama
J.S. BACH: THE MUSIC, THE LIFE, THE LEGEND is a dramatic look at the life of Johann Sebastian Bach, a man who dedicated his life to the service of music.
Director: Jean-Louis Guillermou | Stars: Christian Vadim, Elena Lenina, Frédérique Bel, Jean Rochefort
Votes: 92
106. Antonio Vivaldi, un prince à Venise (2006)
95 min | Drama
The life of Antonio Vivaldi, the great Italian composer and musician of the 17th century.
Director: Jean-Louis Guillermou | Stars: Stefano Dionisi, Michel Serrault, Michel Galabru, Annette Schreiber
Votes: 129
107.
Tchaikovsky (2007)
Episode:
The Creation of Greatness
(2007)
Documentary, Drama
Director: Matthew Whiteman | Stars: Charles Hazlewood, Ed Stoppard, William Mannering, Gyuri Sarossy
Votes: 105
108. Beloved Clara (2008)
107 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A look at the lives of 19th-century composers Clara and Robert Schumann.
Director: Helma Sanders-Brahms | Stars: Martina Gedeck, Pascal Greggory, Malik Zidi, Aline Annessy
Votes: 303
Schumann
109. Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (2009)
R | 119 min | Drama, Music, Romance
Paris 1913. Coco Chanel is infatuated with the rich and handsome Boy Capel, but she is also compelled by her work. Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring is about to be performed. The ... See full summary »
Director: Jan Kounen | Stars: Anna Mouglalis, Mads Mikkelsen, Elena Morozova, Natacha Lindinger
Votes: 7,036 | Gross: $1.72M
110. Mahler on the Couch (2010)
98 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
Alma Mahler's affair with the young architect Walter Gropius sets in motion a marital drama that forces her husband Gustav Mahler to seek advice from Sigmund Freud.
Directors: Felix O. Adlon, Percy Adlon | Stars: Johannes Silberschneider, Barbara Romaner, Karl Markovics, Eva Mattes
Votes: 495
111. Rhapsody in Blue (1945)
Passed | 135 min | Biography, Drama, Musical
George Gershwin is a driven composer whose need to succeed destroys his relationship with singer Julie Adams and socialite Christine Gilbert.
Director: Irving Rapper | Stars: Robert Alda, Joan Leslie, Alexis Smith, Charles Coburn
Votes: 1,799
112. Villa-Lobos: Uma Vida de Paixão (2000)
132 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The film tells the story of an intuitive, adventurous man who loved his country and being Brazilian. This man fought to be loyal to himself. His music is a transparent portrait of his ... See full summary »
Director: Zelito Viana | Stars: Antônio Fagundes, Marcos Palmeira, André Ricardo, Letícia Spiller
Votes: 297
113. Eroica (1949)
95 min | Biography, Drama, Music
"Eroica" is an Austrian film from 1949 that illustrates the life and work of composer Ludwig von Beethoven.
Director: Walter Kolm-Veltée | Stars: Ewald Balser, Marianne Schönauer, Judith Holzmeister, Oskar Werner
Votes: 76
114. Topsy-Turvy (1999)
R | 160 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
Set in the 1880s, the story of how, during a creative dry spell, the partnership of the legendary musical/theatrical writers Gilbert and Sullivan almost dissolves, before they turn it all around and write the Mikado.
Director: Mike Leigh | Stars: Jim Broadbent, Allan Corduner, Dexter Fletcher, Sukie Smith
Votes: 13,478 | Gross: $6.20M
115. Liszt Ferenc (1982– )
Biography, Drama, History
The brilliant Austrian-Hungarian pianist Franz Liszt was a superstar. He was touring in Europe and giving piano recitals before European royalty and aristocracy. Overwhelming public ... See full summary »
Stars: Gabriella Marschek, Iván Darvas, Géza D. Hegedüs, Christiane Gabrielle Violet
Votes: 41
116. Nicolo Paganini (1982– )
256 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Biopic about Niccolo Paganini. He receives training from his father in early childhood. The best teachers of Parma are unable to give him more, so Paganini turns to a daily 15 hours of ... See full summary »
Stars: Albert Filozov, Donatas Banionis, Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, Vladimir Samoylov
Votes: 134
117. The Loves of Liszt (1970)
G | 130 min | Biography, Drama, History
Romantic film about the great music composer Franz Liszt. Long journeys, great successes, passionate loves and, of course, lots of music in this lavish Soviet-Hungarian co-production with a Hungarian all-star cast.
Director: Márton Keleti | Stars: Imre Sinkovits, Ariadna Shengelaia, Sándor Pécsi, Igor Dmitriev
Votes: 193
118. Strauss: The King of 3/4 Time (1995 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 48 min | Biography, Drama, Family
Johann Strauss Jr. is pressure to outdo himself with each new composition. When he meets Nicholas, a humble young stable boy, they embark on a remarkable collaboration
Director: Kit Hood | Stars: Michael Riley, Derek Senft, Kate Trotter, Jill Frappier
Votes: 38
119. Bach's Fight for Freedom (1995 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 53 min | Biography, Drama, Family
A young boy helps the rebellious Johann Sebastian Bach fight for his artistic freedom.
Director: Stuart Gillard | Stars: Ted Dykstra, Kyle Labine, Ian D. Clark, Rosemary Dunsmore
Votes: 113
120. Handel's Last Chance (1996 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 51 min | Biography, Drama, Family
A Dublin street kid is selected as a choirboy for Handel's first performance of The Messiah. His friendship helps deliver the composer from a temporary lack of self esteem and restores his great glory.
Director: Milan Cheylov | Stars: Leon Pownall, Tod Fennell, Gerard Parkes, Seana McKenna
Votes: 89
121. The Mozart Story (1948)
91 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Story of the life and work of famed composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Directors: Karl Hartl, Frank Wisbar | Stars: Hans Holt, Winnie Markus, Wilton Graff, Irene von Meyendorff
Votes: 29
122. Rossini! Rossini! (1991)
R | 155 min | Biography, Drama, Music
An funny, witty and bright biopic by the master of italian comedy Mario Monicelli about the famed italian composer Gioacchino Rossini, here portrayed in a wonderful way by famed actor and later director Sergio Castellitto.
Director: Mario Monicelli | Stars: Philippe Noiret, Jacqueline Bisset, Sergio Castellitto, Sabine Azéma
Votes: 124
123. The Life and Music of Giuseppe Verdi (1953)
G | 118 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The life and loves of great composer Giuseppe Verdi are played against a background of the great operas of the 19th Century. A tender love story of his successful and turbulent life, with more than 20 excerpts from his acclaimed operas.
Director: Raffaello Matarazzo | Stars: Pierre Cressoy, Anna Maria Ferrero, Gaby André, Sandro Ruffini
Votes: 124
124. Mozart - Ich hätte München Ehre gemacht (2006 TV Movie)
90 min | Biography, Drama
Scenes from the life of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who was drawn to Munich again and again
Director: Bernd Fischerauer | Stars: Xaver Hutter, Alexander Held, Maximilian Brückner, Marcus Anton
Votes: 56
125. Verdi (1994 TV Movie)
118 min | Biography, Music
Director: Barrie Gavin | Stars: Bob Peck, Juliet Stevenson, Edmund Barham, Josephine Barstow
Votes: 9
126. Melodie immortali - Mascagni (1952)
96 min | Biography, Drama, Musical
Director: Giacomo Gentilomo | Stars: Pierre Cressoy, Carla Del Poggio, Nerio Bernardi, Enzo Biliotti
Votes: 34
127. Harmony Lane (1935)
Passed | 89 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The life and loves of composer Stephen Foster, from his early success through his decline, degradation, and death from alcoholism.
Director: Joseph Santley | Stars: Douglass Montgomery, Evelyn Venable, Adrienne Ames, Joseph Cawthorn
Votes: 125
128.
Great Composers (1997– )
Episode:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 1756-1791
(1997)
Documentary, Music
Director: Francesca Kemp | Stars: Kenneth Branagh, Imogen Cooper, Robert Levin, Eric Wyrick
Votes: 13
129. The Child of Music (1999 TV Movie)
52 min | Music
The Child Of Music explores Mozart's frenzied life and offers a visually poetic interpretation of the composer's String Quartet No. 15 in D Minor, K.421. Biographical vignettes introduce ... See full summary »
Director: Raymond St-Jean
130. The Cantor of St Thomas's (1984 TV Movie)
Biography, Music
The life of German composer Johann Sebastian Bach.
Director: Colin Nears | Stars: Brian Cox, Polly Hemingway, Michael Gough, Timothy Bateson
Votes: 9
131. Seine einzige Liebe (1947)
Biography, Drama
Director: Emmerich Hanus | Stars: Franz Böheim, Klaramaria Skala, Walter Gynt, Heinz Conrads
132. Geblendeter Augenblick - Anton Weberns Tod (1986 TV Movie)
129 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Director: Gert Jonke | Stars: Peter Fitz, Stuart Rudin, Rudolf Wessely, Peter Simonischek
133. Song of My Heart (1948)
Approved | 85 min | Drama, Music, Romance
The portrait of Russian composer Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky focuses on his failed love affair.
Director: Benjamin Glazer | Stars: Frank Sundström, Audrey Long, Cedric Hardwicke, Mikhail Rasumny
Votes: 20
134.
Great Composers (1997– )
Episode:
Tchaikovsky
(1997)
24 min | Documentary, Music
This programme explores the life and times of Tchaikovsky against a background of orchestral performance of the highlights of his most popular works.
Director: Simon Broughton | Stars: Kenneth Branagh, Valery Gergiev, Evgeny Kissin, Sergei Leiferkus
Votes: 30
135. Rimskiy-Korsakov (1953)
88 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A musical biography of the great Russian classical composer.
Directors: Gennadiy Kazanskiy, Grigoriy Roshal | Stars: Grigori Belov, Nikolay Cherkasov, Aleksandr Borisov, Liliya Gritsenko
Votes: 54
136. Song of Scheherazade (1947)
Approved | 105 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
In 1865, Russian Navy midshipman Rimsky-Korsakov is inspired by a romantic interlude with a cabaret dancer while on shore leave in Spanish Morocco and writes the symphonic suite Scheherazade.
Director: Walter Reisch | Stars: Yvonne De Carlo, Brian Donlevy, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Eve Arden
Votes: 246
137. Robert Schumann - Clara Wieck - Johannes Brahms (2006 TV Movie)
60 min
Director: Benedict Mirow | Stars: Norbert Funken, Hélène Grimaud, Elsa Hanewinkel, Dennis Lilienbecker
Votes: 8
138. Träumerei (1944)
110 min | Biography, Drama, Musical
A movie about Clara Schumann, wife of Robert Schumann. Originally Zarah Leander should have played the lead role!
Director: Harald Braun | Stars: Hilde Krahl, Mathias Wieman, Friedrich Kayßler, Elly Burgmer
Votes: 63
139. Testimony (1987)
Not Rated | 157 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of the great Soviet composer Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) and his life and career during the rule of Stalin.
Director: Tony Palmer | Stars: Ben Kingsley, Sherry Baines, Magdalen Asquith, Mark Asquith
Votes: 287
140. Stars and Stripes Forever (1952)
Approved | 90 min | Biography, Comedy, Music
A film biography of the composer John Philip Sousa, from his early days in the Marine Corps Band through the Spanish-American War in 1898.
Director: Henry Koster | Stars: Clifton Webb, Robert Wagner, Debra Paget, Ruth Hussey
Votes: 962
John Philip Sousa (1854–1932)
141. Voices from a Locked Room (1995)
R | 93 min | Drama
A story about real life early 20th century British composer and music critic Philip Arnold Heseltine.
Director: Malcolm Clarke | Stars: Jeremy Northam, Tushka Bergen, Allan Corduner, Hilton McRae
Votes: 243
Peter Warlock (1894-1930)
142. Motsart i Salieri (1962)
47 min | Drama, History
Film version of the Rimsky Korsakov opera from the Pushkin story.
Director: Vladimir Gorikker | Stars: Pyotr Glebov, Sergei Lemeshev, Aleksandr Pirogov, Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy
Votes: 37
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Antonio Salieri (1750–1825)
143. Mit meinen heißen Tränen (1986)
285 min | Biography, Drama
Depicts the final years of the life of 19th century Austrian composer Franz Schubert.
Stars: Udo Samel, Daniel Olbrychski, Wojciech Pszoniak, Traugott Buhre
Votes: 119
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
144. Rossini (1942)
99 min | Biography, Musical
The famous composer's life and his career. His love story with Isabella Colbran, the soprano who was to become his wife and the singer in all his operas up to the unfortunate day she lost her voice.
Director: Mario Bonnard | Stars: Nino Besozzi, Paola Barbara, Camillo Pilotto, Greta Gonda
Votes: 21
Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868)
145. The Life of Giuseppe Verdi (1938)
110 min | Biography, Drama, History
A biography of the opera composer, from his early struggles and wife's death to his later political involvement, a new relationship, final rejuvenation and acclaim.
Director: Carmine Gallone | Stars: Fosco Giachetti, Gaby Morlay, Germana Paolieri, Camillo Pilotto
Votes: 22
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)
146. Passion (1999)
102 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The complicated relationship between Percy Grainger, famous Australian-born early 20th century folk musician, and his abusive unstable mother that lead to his interest in S&M, instability and failed relationships with women.
Director: Peter Duncan | Stars: Barbara Hershey, Richard Roxburgh, Emily Woof, Claudia Karvan
Votes: 313
Percy Grainger (1882–1961)
147. The Devil's Violinist (2013)
R | 122 min | Biography, Drama, Musical
19th Century violinist and composer Niccolò Paganini incurs the wrath of his diabolical manager while preparing for his debut performance in London, and falling for the daughter of an English impresario.
Director: Bernard Rose | Stars: David Garrett, Jared Harris, Joely Richardson, Christian McKay
Votes: 3,835
Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840)
148. Riot at the Rite (2005 TV Movie)
90 min | Biography, History, Music
In the spring of 1913, Parisian businessman Gabriel Astruc opens a new theater on the Champs Elysées. The first performance is the premiere of Igor Stravinsky's 'The Rite of Spring', danced... See full summary »
Director: Andy Wilson | Stars: Alex Jennings, Adam Garcia, George Antoni, Emma Pierson
Votes: 234
Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971)
149.
Biography (1970– )
Episode:
Beethoven
(1970)
Biography
The story of the great composer, who eventually lost his hearing.
Director: Mark Cullingham | Stars: Michael Jayston, Edward Hardwicke, Charles Leno, John Loder
150. Ray (I) (2004)
PG-13 | 152 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of the life and career of the legendary rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles, from his humble beginnings in the South, where he went blind at age seven, to his meteoric rise to stardom during the 1950s and 1960s.
Director: Taylor Hackford | Stars: Jamie Foxx, Regina King, Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell
Votes: 157,411 | Gross: $75.33M
151. Isadora (1968)
M/PG | 131 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A biography of the 1920s dancer Isadora Duncan, who forever changed people's ideas of ballet. Her nude, semi-nude, and pro-Soviet dance projects as well as her attitude and lifestyle shocked the public of her time.
Director: Karel Reisz | Stars: Vanessa Redgrave, James Fox, Jason Robards, John Fraser
Votes: 2,613
152. Nijinsky (1980)
R | 129 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of Vaslav Nijinsky, who is widely believed to be one of the greatest ballet dancers of all time. Based on Romola Nijinsky's "Last Years Of Nijinski.
Director: Herbert Ross | Stars: Alan Bates, George De La Pena, Leslie Browne, Alan Badel
Votes: 835
153. Shine (1996)
PG-13 | 105 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Pianist David Helfgott, driven by his father and teachers, has a breakdown. Years later he returns to the piano, to popular if not critical acclaim.
Director: Scott Hicks | Stars: Geoffrey Rush, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Justin Braine, Sonia Todd
Votes: 56,705 | Gross: $35.81M
154. Walk the Line (2005)
PG-13 | 136 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A chronicle of country music legend Johnny Cash's life, from his early days on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise to fame with Sun Records in Memphis, where he recorded alongside Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins.
Director: James Mangold | Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick
Votes: 265,862 | Gross: $119.52M
155. Hilary and Jackie (1998)
R | 121 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The tragic story of world renowned classic cellist Jacqueline du Pré, as told from the point of view of her sister, flautist Hilary du Pré-Finzi.
Director: Anand Tucker | Stars: Emily Watson, Rachel Griffiths, James Frain, David Morrissey
Votes: 10,740 | Gross: $4.87M
156. La Vie En Rose (2007)
PG-13 | 140 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Biopic of the iconic French singer Édith Piaf. Raised by her grandmother in a brothel, she was discovered while singing on a street corner at the age of 19. Despite her success, Piaf's life was filled with tragedy.
Director: Olivier Dahan | Stars: Marion Cotillard, Sylvie Testud, Pascal Greggory, Emmanuelle Seigner
Votes: 90,749 | Gross: $10.30M
157. Florence Foster Jenkins (2016)
PG-13 | 111 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
The story of Florence Foster Jenkins, a New York heiress who dreamed of becoming an opera singer, despite having a terrible singing voice.
Director: Stephen Frears | Stars: Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant, Simon Helberg, Rebecca Ferguson
Votes: 59,590 | Gross: $27.38M
158. Gypsy (1993 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 153 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
Based on the autobiography of Gypsy Rose Lee, this made-for-TV movie-previously a Broadway smash and a 1962 film-depicts the life and times of a stripper and her domineering mother.
Director: Emile Ardolino | Stars: Bette Midler, Peter Riegert, Cynthia Gibb, Edward Asner
Votes: 2,158
159. Funny Girl (1968)
G | 151 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
The life of Fanny Brice, famed comedienne and entertainer of the early 1900s. We see her rise to fame as a Ziegfeld girl, subsequent career, and her personal life, particularly her relationship with Nick Arnstein.
Director: William Wyler | Stars: Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, Kay Medford, Anne Francis
Votes: 25,163 | Gross: $58.50M
160. Valentino (1977)
R | 128 min | Biography, Drama
In 1926 the tragic and untimely death of a silent screen actor caused female moviegoers to riot in the streets and in some cases to commit suicide.
Director: Ken Russell | Stars: Rudolf Nureyev, Leslie Caron, Michelle Phillips, Carol Kane
Votes: 2,154
161. The Walk (II) (2015)
PG | 123 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
In 1974, high-wire artist Philippe Petit recruits a team of people to help him realize his dream: to walk the immense void between the World Trade Center towers.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Charlotte Le Bon, Ben Kingsley, James Badge Dale
Votes: 135,514 | Gross: $10.14M
162. The Doors (1991)
R | 140 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band The Doors and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison, from his days as a UCLA film student in Los Angeles, to his untimely death in Paris, France at age 27 in 1971.
Director: Oliver Stone | Stars: Val Kilmer, Meg Ryan, Kyle MacLachlan, Frank Whaley
Votes: 99,073 | Gross: $35.18M
163. The Soloist (2009)
PG-13 | 117 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A newspaper journalist discovers a homeless musical genius and tries to improve his situation.
Director: Joe Wright | Stars: Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander
Votes: 55,399 | Gross: $31.67M
164. Nijinsky: The Diaries of Vaslav Nijinsky (2001)
95 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Dramatization of Russian ballet star Vaclav Nijinsky's diaries which detail his madness as well as his homosexual relationship with Ballet Russe impresario Sergei Diaghilev and his marriage to his Hungarian wife.
Director: Paul Cox | Stars: Derek Jacobi, Delia Silvan, Chris Haywood, Hans Sonneveld
Votes: 178 | Gross: $0.06M
165. Callas
Biography, Drama, Music | Pre-production
A biopic about the operatic star, Maria Callas.
166. The Sound of Music (1965)
G | 172 min | Biography, Drama, Family
A young novice is sent by her convent in 1930s Austria to become a governess to the seven children of a widowed naval officer.
Director: Robert Wise | Stars: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn
Votes: 261,105 | Gross: $163.21M
167. The Pianist (2002)
R | 150 min | Biography, Drama, Music
During WWII, acclaimed Polish musician Wladyslaw faces various struggles as he loses contact with his family. As the situation worsens, he hides in the ruins of Warsaw in order to survive.
Director: Roman Polanski | Stars: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Emilia Fox
Votes: 912,432 | Gross: $32.57M
168. Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
PG | 124 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The fictionalized life of singer Loretta Lynn, a girl who rose from humble beginnings to become a country music star in the 1960s/70s.
Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones, Levon Helm, Phyllis Boyens
Votes: 20,513 | Gross: $67.18M
169. Sweet Dreams (1985)
PG-13 | 115 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of Patsy Cline, the velvet-voiced country music singer who died in a tragic plane crash at the height of her fame.
Director: Karel Reisz | Stars: Jessica Lange, Ed Harris, Ann Wedgeworth, David Clennon
Votes: 5,388 | Gross: $9.09M
170. Farinelli (1994)
R | 111 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of castrato opera singer Carlo Broschi, who enthralled 18th-century European audiences under his stage name Farinelli.
Director: Gérard Corbiau | Stars: Stefano Dionisi, Enrico Lo Verso, Elsa Zylberstein, Caroline Cellier
Votes: 7,351 | Gross: $2.12M
171. The Rose of the Rascal (2001)
102 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The life of Irwin Goodman, a Finnish singer.
Director: Timo Koivusalo | Stars: Martti Suosalo, Ilkka Koivula, Vexi Salmi, Riitta Salminen
Votes: 1,373
172. Sid and Nancy (1986)
R | 112 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The relationship between Sid Vicious, bassist for British punk group Sex Pistols, and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen is portrayed.
Director: Alex Cox | Stars: Gary Oldman, Chloe Webb, David Hayman, Debby Bishop
Votes: 34,692 | Gross: $2.83M
173. The Filth and the Fury (2000)
R | 108 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A film about the career of the notorious punk rock band, the Sex Pistols.
Director: Julien Temple | Stars: Paul Cook, Steve Jones, John Lydon, Glen Matlock
Votes: 6,206 | Gross: $0.61M
174. Control (2007)
R | 122 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A profile of Ian Curtis, the enigmatic singer of Joy Division whose personal, professional, and romantic troubles led him to die by suicide at the age of 23.
Director: Anton Corbijn | Stars: Sam Riley, Samantha Morton, Craig Parkinson, Alexandra Maria Lara
Votes: 68,560 | Gross: $0.87M
175. Nowhere Boy (2009)
R | 98 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A chronicle of John Lennon's first years, focused mainly in his adolescence and his relationship with his stern aunt Mimi, who raised him, and his absentee mother Julia, who re-entered his life at a crucial moment in his young life.
Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson | Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Anne-Marie Duff, David Threlfall
Votes: 38,880 | Gross: $1.45M
176. I'm Not There (2007)
R | 135 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Ruminations on the life of Bob Dylan, where six characters embody a different aspect of the musician's life and work.
Director: Todd Haynes | Stars: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw
Votes: 61,185 | Gross: $4.02M
177. La Bamba (1987)
PG-13 | 108 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Biographical story of the rise from nowhere of early rock and roll singer Ritchie Valens who died at age 17 in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper.
Director: Luis Valdez | Stars: Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Peña
Votes: 36,442 | Gross: $54.22M
178. Behind the Candelabra (2013)
TV-MA | 118 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A chronicle of the tempestuous six-year romance between megastar singer Liberace and his young lover Scott Thorson.
Director: Steven Soderbergh | Stars: Michael Douglas, Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Eric Zuckerman
Votes: 45,399
179. What's Love Got to Do with It (1993)
R | 118 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of singer Tina Turner's rise to stardom and how she gained the courage to break free from her abusive husband, Ike Turner.
Director: Brian Gibson | Stars: Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, RaéVen Kelly, Virginia Capers
Votes: 24,587 | Gross: $39.10M
180. The Jolson Story (1946)
Approved | 128 min | Biography, Drama, Music
This movie shows the idealized career of the singer Al Jolson, a little Jewish boy who goes against the will of his father in order to be in showbiz. He becomes a star, falls in love with a... See full summary »
Director: Alfred E. Green | Stars: Larry Parks, Evelyn Keyes, William Demarest, Bill Goodwin
Votes: 1,768
181. Jolson Sings Again (1949)
96 min | Biography, Music
In this sequel to The Jolson Story, we pick up the singer's career just as he has returned to the stage after a premature retirement. But his wife has left him and the appeal of the ... See full summary »
Director: Henry Levin | Stars: Larry Parks, Barbara Hale, William Demarest, Ludwig Donath
Votes: 724
182. The Sapphires (2012)
PG-13 | 103 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
In 1968, four talented young Australian Aboriginal girls learn about love, friendship, and war when their all-girl group The Sapphires entertains the US troops in Vietnam.
Director: Wayne Blair | Stars: Chris O'Dowd, Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens
Votes: 15,175 | Gross: $2.45M
183. Straight Outta Compton (2015)
R | 147 min | Biography, Drama, History
The rap group NWA emerges from the mean streets of Compton in Los Angeles, California, in the mid-1980s and revolutionizes Hip Hop culture with their music and tales about life in the hood.
Director: F. Gary Gray | Stars: O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr.
Votes: 218,509 | Gross: $161.20M
184. Jersey Boys (2014)
R | 134 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who came together to form the iconic 1960s rock group The Four Seasons.
Director: Clint Eastwood | Stars: John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda, Vincent Piazza
Votes: 36,568 | Gross: $47.03M
185. Get on Up (2014)
PG-13 | 139 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A chronicle of James Brown's rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history.
Director: Tate Taylor | Stars: Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd, Viola Davis
Votes: 26,145 | Gross: $30.51M
186. Bessie (2015 TV Movie)
TV-MA | 115 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of legendary blues performer Bessie Smith, who rose to fame during the 1920s and '30s.
Director: Dee Rees | Stars: Queen Latifah, Kamryn Johnson, Rikki McKinney, Alan T. Coleman
Votes: 4,791
187. Love & Mercy (2014)
PG-13 | 121 min | Biography, Drama, Music
In the 60s, Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson struggles with emerging psychosis as he attempts to craft his avant-garde pop masterpiece. In the 80s, he's a broken, confused man under the 24-hour watch of shady therapist, Dr. Eugene Landy.
Director: Bill Pohlad | Stars: John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti
Votes: 42,614 | Gross: $12.55M
188. Amy (III) (2015)
R | 128 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Archival footage and personal testimonials present an intimate portrait of the life and career of British singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse.
Director: Asif Kapadia | Stars: Amy Winehouse, Mitch Winehouse, Mark Ronson, Russell Brand
Votes: 55,068 | Gross: $8.41M
189. Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015)
TV-MA | 132 min | Documentary, Animation, Biography
An authorized documentary on the late musician Kurt Cobain, from his early days in Aberdeen, Washington to his success and downfall with the grunge band Nirvana.
Director: Brett Morgen | Stars: Kurt Cobain, Wendy O'Connor, Don Cobain, Jenny Cobain
Votes: 32,133
190. What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
A documentary about the life and legend Nina Simone, an American singer, pianist, and civil rights activist labeled the "High Priestess of Soul."
Director: Liz Garbus | Stars: Nina Simone, Lisa Simone Kelly, Roger Nupie, Al Schackman
Votes: 14,831
191. Lillie (1978)
672 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
Seen on Masterpiece Theatre, starring Francesca Annis in an award-winning performance, Lillie vividly captures the complex woman who became one of the most notorious and respected figures of the Victorian era.
Stars: Francesca Annis, Catherine Feller, Peggy Ann Wood, Anton Rodgers
Votes: 681
192. I Saw the Light (2015)
R | 123 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The story of the country-western singer Hank Williams, who in his brief life created one of the greatest bodies of work in American music. The film chronicles his rise to fame and its tragic effect on his health and personal life.
Director: Marc Abraham | Stars: Tom Hiddleston, Elizabeth Olsen, Maddie Hasson, Bradley Whitford
Votes: 8,266 | Gross: $1.65M
193. Miles Ahead (2015)
R | 100 min | Biography, Drama, Music
An exploration of the life and music of Miles Davis.
Director: Don Cheadle | Stars: Don Cheadle, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Ewan McGregor, Michael Stuhlbarg
Votes: 10,561 | Gross: $2.61M
194. Born to Be Blue (2015)
R | 97 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A re-imagining of jazz legend Chet Baker's musical comeback in the late '60s.
Director: Robert Budreau | Stars: Ethan Hawke, Carmen Ejogo, Callum Keith Rennie, Tony Nappo
Votes: 9,276 | Gross: $0.83M
195. Tim Maia (2014)
140 min | Biography, Drama, Music
Biopic of Brazilian singer Tim Maia, from his childhood in Rio de Janeiro until his death at age 55, including his passage by the US, where he discovers a new style of music and is arrested for theft and drug possession.
Director: Mauro Lima | Stars: Babu Santana, Robson Nunes, Alinne Moraes, Cauã Reymond
Votes: 2,835
196. Man on the Moon (1999)
R | 118 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
The life and career of legendary comedian Andy Kaufman.
Director: Milos Forman | Stars: Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito, Gerry Becker, Greyson Erik Pendry
Votes: 137,494 | Gross: $34.58M
197. Mao's Last Dancer (2009)
PG | 117 min | Biography, Drama, Music
In Maoist China, a boy is taken from his family and trained to become a dancer, but everything he knows is challenged when he is chosen to attend a ballet summer school in Houston, Texas.
Director: Bruce Beresford | Stars: Chi Cao, Bruce Greenwood, Kyle MacLachlan, Penne Hackforth-Jones
Votes: 8,297 | Gross: $4.81M
198. The Great Caruso (1951)
Approved | 109 min | Biography, Drama, Music
This film traces the life of tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921). He loves Musetta, in his home town of Naples, and then Dorothy, the daughter of one of the Metropolitan Opera's patrons. Caruso... See full summary »
Director: Richard Thorpe | Stars: Mario Lanza, Ann Blyth, Dorothy Kirsten, Jarmila Novotna
Votes: 1,467
Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)
199. So This Is Love (1953)
Approved | 101 min | Biography, Music, Musical
Biopic of opera star Grace Moore, who was killed in a plane crash in 1947.
Director: Gordon Douglas | Stars: Kathryn Grayson, Merv Griffin, Joan Weldon, Walter Abel
Votes: 257
Grace Moore (1898-1947)
200. Interrupted Melody (1955)
Passed | 106 min | Biography, Drama, Music
This movie chronicles Australian-born opera star Marjorie Lawrence's success, her battle with polio, and her eventual career comeback.
Director: Curtis Bernhardt | Stars: Glenn Ford, Eleanor Parker, Roger Moore, Cecil Kellaway
Votes: 1,189
Marjorie Lawrence (1907-1979)
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