Best movies like Act One
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Story of the life of writer/playwright Moss Hart.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 281
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: sincere, uplifting, touching, serious, realistic, sexual, sexy
Best tv shows and movies like Act One (1963):
Similar in 84%
Haywire (1980)
Plot Summary:
After fleeting marriages to Henry Fonda and William Wyler, Margaret Sullavan found contentment as the wife of producer Leland Hayward (Jason Robards) and as the mother of three. Or so it seemed, until the marriage crumbled, the children rebelled and she was found dead of an overdose at the age of 50.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 150
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 200 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 88%
Isn't She Great (2000)
Plot Summary:
An unsuccessful over-the-top actress becomes a successful over-the-top authoress in this biography of Jacqueline Susann, the famed writer of "The Valley Of The Dolls" and other trashy novels. Facing a failing career, Susann meets a successful promoter who becomes her husband. After several failures to place her in commercials and a TV quiz show, he hits upon the idea for her to become a writer. In the pre-60's, her books were looked upon as trash and non-printable. But then the sexual revolution hit and an audience was born for her books. The story shows the hidden behind the scenes story of Susan's life, including her autistic son and her continuing bout with cancer that she hid up to her death.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Biography, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: UK, Germany, Canada, Japan, USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: light, touching, satirical, sincere, humorous, sentimental, realistic, semi serious, parody, inspirational
Similar in 87%
The Patricia Neal Story (1981)
Plot Summary:
The actress (Glenda Jackson) recovers from a 1966 stroke with help from friends and her husband, author Roald Dahl (Dirk Bogarde).
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 209
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 78%
Julia (1977)
Plot Summary:
At the behest of an old and dear friend, playwright Lillian Hellman undertakes a dangerous mission to smuggle funds into Nazi Germany.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 117 min
Plot tags: factual, atmospheric, captivating, realistic, political, touching, visually stunning, historical drama, serious, contemplative
Similar in 90%
Have a Little Faith (2011)
Plot Summary:
At age 82, Mitch Albom's former rabbi Albert Lewis wants the famous Detroit sportswriter to give his eulogy when the time comes. Albom makes a visit to his former home town in New Jersey, where Rabbi Lewis has served a congregation for about 50 years. Albom doesn't feel worthy, especially since he is no longer a practicing Jew and, in fact, he has married a Christian (who apparently isn't active either). Nevertheless, Rabbi Lewis says he is the one to do the job, and over the next eight years, Albom makes several visits back home and even attends some Sabbath services, where the good rabbi is determined to continue working and inspiring his flock even as his health declines.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 575
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: sincere, captivating, psychological, contemplative, spiritual, uplifting, touching, serious, realistic
Similar in 77%
Tropic of Cancer (1970)
Plot Summary:
In contemporary Paris, expat American writer Henry Miller works his way through a series of amorous encounters while trying to find his literary voice.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 678
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: realistic, stylized, atmospheric, serious, erotic, clever, controversial, sexual, grindhouse, sexy
Similar in 89%
Burton and Taylor (2013)
Plot Summary:
TV drama based on Richard Burton's diaries, about his last performance in 1983 with ex-wife Elizabeth Taylor. They meet after several years and he agrees to her suggestion that they star in a stage revival on Broadway of Noel Coward's comedy 'Private Lives', although Elizabeth Taylor has never before performed on stage. Burton soon regrets his agreement, however, when her pill-popping and lack of discipline causes problems already during the rehearsals. The play opens to a critical trashing, but is popular with audiences because they just want to see Taylor. After a two month troubled run, the curtain comes down and Taylor tells Burton she has always loved him and still does. A year later he is dead.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 83 min
Plot tags: realistic, serious, captivating, stylized, cult classic, historical drama, crying
Similar in 86%
Your Cheatin' Heart (1964)
Plot Summary:
The story of the country and western singer Hank Williams.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 857
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: retro, sentimental, sincere, touching, serious, captivating, realistic
Similar in 78%
The Tiger Woods Story (1998)
Plot Summary:
With his father coaching him and his mother providing a strong spiritual influence, Tiger Woods rose to fame and fortune. But his success came at a price, as he endured personal struggles with racism, self-doubt and cultural identity.
IMDB Rating: 4.2
IMDB Votes: 295
Genere: Biography, Drama, Sport
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: sincere, uplifting, touching, serious, realistic
Similar in 86%
Growing Up Brady (2000)
Plot Summary:
A tell-all story of what happened behind the scenes of the 70s hit TV series "The Brady Bunch." Based on the book written by Barry Williams, the actor who played Greg Brady.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 704
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: sitcom, sentimental, humorous, semi serious, touching, realistic, sexual, sexy
Similar in 75%
Flynn (1993)
Plot Summary:
A biographical movie on the film star Errol Flynn's early life before Hollywood fame.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 321
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Australia, USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, serious, realistic
Similar in 79%
Cross Creek (1983)
Plot Summary:
The portrait of a woman who, at the edge of survival, found a world of meaning.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 127 min
Plot tags: touching, realistic, atmospheric, uplifting, serious, captivating, sentimental, inspirational, sexy, thought provoking
Similar in 87%
The Jayne Mansfield Story (1980)
Plot Summary:
The gaudy rise and dizzy fall of the last great Hollywood blonde bombshell: Jayne Mansfield.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 956
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: sentimental, uplifting, touching, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, gloomy, psychotronic, nostalgic
Similar in 89%
Black Butterflies (2011)
Plot Summary:
Confronted by Apartheid and a father who was Minister of Censorship, Ingrid Jonker searched for a home, searched for love. With men like Jack Cope and André Brink she found much love, but no home. Later, in his first speech to the South African Parliament Nelson Mandela read her poem "The Dead Child of Nyanga" and addressed her as one of the finest poets of South Africa.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Netherlands, Germany, South Africa
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: serious, emotional, realistic, captivating, sexy, edutainment, contemplative, gloomy
Similar in 78%
Mark Twain and Me (1991)
Plot Summary:
Dorothy Quick, A young girl befriends the famous writer, Samuel "Mark Twain" Clemans during the final years of his life.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 191
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 75%
Enid (2009)
Plot Summary:
Edwardian child Enid Blyton begins to tell stories to her brothers as an escape from their parents' rows before the father deserts the family.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 82 min
Plot tags: serious, captivating, realistic, costume drama, cult classic, period drama, weird
Similar in 76%
Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story (2003)
Plot Summary:
Biographic movie of the witty, overachieving, hot-tempered Rudy Giuliani, spanning from his rising days as a New York district attorney in the early 1980s to his marriage to part-time actress Donna Hanover, to his candidacy for mayor of New York City and his controversial methods to tackle the city's crime and urban problems, as well as his romance with his assistant Cristyne Lategano which lead to the failure of his marriage, to his battle with prostate cancer, all leading up to the terrible day of September 11, 2001 which Guiliani himself narrowly escaped death after suicide terrorists hijacked and crashed two passenger airliners into the twin World Trade Center towers leading to their collapse in which Guiliani's toughness and spirited personality help calm the city's residents to face the chaos on that day which made him a national hero.
IMDB Rating: 4.5
IMDB Votes: 861
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: sincere, uplifting, serious, realistic
Similar in 78%
Set Fire to the Stars (2014)
Plot Summary:
An aspiring poet in 1950s New York has his ordered world shaken when he embarks on a week-long retreat to save his hell raising hero, Dylan Thomas.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: sentimental, sincere, atmospheric, realistic, psychological, captivating, black and white, serious, stylized, gloomy
Similar in 88%
Prick Up Your Ears (1987)
Plot Summary:
Stephen Frears directs this biographical drama focusing on controversial British playwright Joe Orton, revealed in flashback after his murder by lover Kenneth Halliwell. Born in 1933 in Leicester, in the English Midlands, John 'Joe' Orton moves to London in 1951, to study at RADA, and enjoys an openly gay relationship with Halliwell in their famous Islington flat in the 1960s. However, when Orton achieves spectacular success with such plays as 'What the Butler Saw' and 'Loot', Halliwell begins to feel alienated and the pair's future looks increasingly uncertain.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: UK
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: independent film, witty, dark comedy, black comedy, period piece, tense, clever, serious, realistic, gloomy
Similar in 89%
Polanski Unauthorized (2009)
Plot Summary:
An unauthorized chronicle of the life of Roman Polanski.
IMDB Rating: 2.7
IMDB Votes: 164
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, serious, realistic, captivating, sexual, independent film, sexy
Similar in 76%
America's Prince: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story (2003)
Plot Summary:
A look inside the life of John F. Kennedy Jr.
IMDB Rating: 4.7
IMDB Votes: 337
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: touching, serious, realistic, captivating
Similar in 86%
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (2005)
Plot Summary:
Based on the true story of Evelyn Ryan, a midwestern housewife who managed to rescue her family from debt by entering contests for ad slogans sponsored by consumer product companies.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: inspirational, sentimental, touching, sincere, uplifting, semi serious, stylized, emotional, intense, motivational
Similar in 75%
The Audrey Hepburn Story (2000)
Plot Summary:
The film spans from Hepburn's early childhood to the 1950s which details her life as a Dutch ballerina, coming to grips with her parents' divorce, and enduring life in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands during World War II. She then settles in the U.S. where she succeeds in making it big as a movie actress, in such movies as Breakfast at Tiffany's.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 133 min
Plot tags: uplifting, feel good, serious, sentimental, touching, emotional, realistic, iconic
Similar in 86%
Magic Beyond Words: The J.K. Rowling Story (2011)
Plot Summary:
Magic Beyond Words: The J.K. Rowling Story is a made-for-TV film starring Australian actress Poppy Montgomery. The film, which was shot in B.C. Canada locations altered to look like British locations, details the journey of struggling single mother J. K. Rowling, her bid to become a published author, and her rise to fame that followed the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The film aired on Lifetime on July 18th and was criticized for being too lacklustre (mainly down to the fiercely private author having no say in the production) but it also shed some light on her personal life and featured scenes such as her highly abusive first husband and the death of her mother. The eponymous J.K. Rowling is the world's first billionaire (in terms of US dollars) author and the films inspired by her books have been the highest grossing films of all time. Poppy Montgomery reportedly got blue contact lenses to play the role of the highly influential author.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: sentimental, serious, sincere, touching, realistic, inspirational, art film, ridiculous
Similar in 76%
Pinero (2001)
Plot Summary:
"Piñero" tells the story of the explosive life of a Latino icon, the poet-playwright-actor Miguel Piñero, whose urban poetry is recognized as a pre-cursor to rap and hip-hop. After doing time in hard-core Sing-Sing for petty thefts and drug dealing, Piñero's prison experiences developed into the 1974 Tony-nominated play Short Eyes. The resulting notoriety and fame was too much for the Latino bad-boy genius who retreated to the darker corners of New York City.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: disturbing, stylized, intense, factual, sincere, touching, serious, independent film, sentimental, realistic
Similar in 88%
Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996)
Plot Summary:
This film follows Norma Jean from her simple, ambitious youth to her sex star pinnacle and back down. She moves from lover to lover in order to further her career. She finds fame but never happiness, only knowing seduction but not love.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 139 min
Plot tags: psychological, touching, serious, realistic, disturbing, contemplative, gloomy, iconic
Similar in 77%
James Dean (2001)
Plot Summary:
The man behind the legend and a knowing look at the 1950's Hollywood are revealed in this dynamic bioepic of the meteoric star whose troubled life echoed his gut-grabbing performances in East of Eden, Rebel Without A Cause and Giant.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: sentimental, serious, realistic, captivating, clever, iconic
Similar in 79%
Last Call (2002)
Plot Summary:
Renowned writer F. Scott Fitzgerald is living the last months of his life with his youthful secretary, confidant, and protégé who later wrote a memoir of their time together.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 963
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: clever, serious, emotional, realistic, contemplative, gloomy, spiritual, masterpiece
Similar in 90%
Sal (2011)
Plot Summary:
James Franco's Sal chronicles the final hours of the life of actor Sal Mineo, one-time teen idol and star of the blockbuster films Rebel Without a Cause and Exodus.
IMDB Rating: 4.6
IMDB Votes: 510
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: sincere, atmospheric, touching, serious, realistic, gloomy, independent film
Similar in 80%
The End of the Tour (2015)
Plot Summary:
The story of the five-day interview between Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky and acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace, which took place right after the 1996 publication of Wallace's groundbreaking epic novel, 'Infinite Jest.'.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 32000
Genere: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: philosophical, meditative, psychological, sincere, serious, talky, depressing, novela, aesthetic, twisted