Comments on: Inspiration or entertainment? Both please.

Question: Inspiration or entertainment? Both please.

strangeleftydoublethink — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:31:11 -0800

Movie recommendations in which the main character gives up his/her own success or place in society to pursue an unpopular social cause or to help unpopular person or people. Bonus points for movies based on actual events.

I watched Glory recently but thought it was poorly done. Looking for something to redeem the genre and to inspire me.

By: moxiedoll

moxiedoll — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:36:43 -0800

A Civil Action is one of those movies, and it's based (quite closely) on a true story. It's more depressing than inspiring, though.

By: Clyde Mnestra

Clyde Mnestra — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:40:14 -0800

Does To Kill a Mockingbird count? It's not clear whether situations in which the main character *risks* his or her place count.

You might also want to clarify early in this thread whether you really want only the *main* character, or one of the lead characters.

By: sweetkid

sweetkid — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:41:26 -0800

Gandhi might count.

By: Clyde Mnestra

Clyde Mnestra — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:42:19 -0800

Ooh! How about Brubaker?

By: strangeleftydoublethink

strangeleftydoublethink — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:43:38 -0800

Preferably the main character.

By: beaucoupkevin

beaucoupkevin — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:51:44 -0800

Local Hero.

By: General Malaise

General Malaise — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:01:38 -0800

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (the Frank Capra original from '36, not so much the Adam Sandler remake) sounds like it fits the bill, although it's pure fantasy.

By: drjimmy11

drjimmy11 — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:02:35 -0800

The Constant Gardener?

The book was OK, I found the movie unwatchable due to the horrific "shaky-cam," but it's almost exactly what you're asking for.

By: a3matrix

a3matrix — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:05:22 -0800

What about Schindler's List?

By: any major dude

any major dude — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:15:47 -0800

off the top of my head:

...and justice for all
Serpico
Braveheart

The life of Thomas Paine truly fits your description. His belief that all men need not be ruled did not stop at the monarchy. If it did I guarantee you there would be no shortage of movies and coins emblazoned with his image. He risked it all to take on the real ruler of men - the church - and died friendless and penniless in the process.

By: rhizome

rhizome — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:16:19 -0800

You watched the wrong "Glory" movie.

By: a3matrix

a3matrix — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:22:04 -0800

Another movie with Liam Neeson that may qualify is "Michael Collins."
IMDB LINK

By: katillathehun

katillathehun — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:27:52 -0800

The Painted Veil, sorta-kinda?

By: a3matrix

a3matrix — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:32:32 -0800

Maybe The Mission fits the bill here. Even if it doesn't, it is a great film.

By: Gungho

Gungho — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:35:25 -0800

It's a Wonderful Life.

By: Gungho

Gungho — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:37:19 -0800

oops I think I read the question wrong- Define "supporting an unpopular social cause"... Unpopular because people don't like it, or because they don't know they shouldn't like it and our hero has to show them the way?

By: Jacqueline

Jacqueline — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:40:28 -0800

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

(not based on actual events)

By: Leon

Leon — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:14:37 -0800

Metropolis

By: triggerfinger

triggerfinger — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:15:38 -0800

Tsotsi might qualify.

Maybe City of God?

Dead Man Walking

Hotel Rwanda

By: grumblebee

grumblebee — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:22:35 -0800

Showboat

By: Johnny Assay

Johnny Assay — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:23:53 -0800

City of Joy is a good movie, although not a great one.

By: Clyde Mnestra

Clyde Mnestra — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:55:34 -0800

Hell, what of Godspell?

That came out wrong, but you get the idea.

By: Mapes

Mapes — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:01:44 -0800

Stand and Deliver.

Seconding Serpico.

By: SoftRain

SoftRain — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:22:43 -0800

A Few Good Men, maybe? It is loosely based on a true-ish story, I think. I feel like there are lots of courtroom-type dramas that qualify.

Also, while we're on Frank Capra, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington is probably a good one to consider.

Gentleman's Agreement, where Gregory Peck pretends to be Jewish to learn about anti-Semitism. He literally gives up his social status there.

I also think The Magnificent Seven might count? But I don't know that they risk their social status so much as their actual lives.

By: mumkin

mumkin — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:43:13 -0800

Saving Grace. Not the British one about a pot-growing widow, but the 1985 release, in which Tom Conti plays the pope. He questions the relevancy of the Catholic power structure and goes on the lam as an anonymous good-deed doing homeless wanderer. Unfortunately it looks as if it hasn't ever been released on DVD, which is a pity. I remember it as a pleasant little sleeper, but on searching I see that the New York Times found it to be sappy, so what do I know?

By: Gerard Sorme

Gerard Sorme — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:51:16 -0800

Another vote for Serpico!

By: Shepherd

Shepherd — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:54:34 -0800

(ugh) Jerry McGuire.

By: public

public — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:19:49 -0800

No mention of Into the Wild yet? One of the better movies to come out recently imo.

By: gjc

gjc — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:32:46 -0800

Just saw "Talk of the Town" last night, and it has a theme like that. Good movie.

By: optovox

optovox — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:35:55 -0800

Casablanca.

By: Coaticass

Coaticass — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:40:28 -0800

Twelve Angry Men (either version)

By: cnc

cnc — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:07:16 -0800

The Girl in the Cafe

By: dubitable

dubitable — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:00:54 -0800

Does The Insider count? I'm not sure if you can call fighting tobacco execs "unpopular," but the other features qualify: giving up success, and based on actual events.

By: bryon

bryon — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:56:08 -0800

"The Sound of Music" would seem to fit. The Third Reich did, after all, have a certain support in Austria. And it's based (loosely) on actual events.

By: Awkward Philip

Awkward Philip — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:21:33 -0800

Europa '51 fits your description perfectly (except for the based on true events part), and happens to be one of the best movies of all time. It might be hard to find a copy, though.

By: Coaticass

Coaticass — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:36:37 -0800

Also Jack Lemmon's character in The China Syndrome might fit, I guess. Or the title character in Silkwood (based on real events- to what extent I'm not sure.)

By: Rashomon

Rashomon — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:39:28 -0800

- Norma Rae [Norma sacrifices for greater good]
- Sullivan's Travels [Hollywood director becomes homeless in order to make a truthful social justice movie]
- Nazarin [if you want a slightly sarcastic Bunuelian view of this kind of thing]