Best movies like The Josephine Baker Story
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Biography of the African-American who became a major performer in the Paris cabarets of the 1920's and 1930's. The film follows her life beginning as a struggling performer in 1917 St. Louis, her frustrations leading to her move to France, and follows to her death in 1975. Written by John Sacksteder.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, Music, Romance
Country: USA, UK, Hungary
Duration: 130 min
Plot tags: captivating, realistic, emotional, serious, entertaining, crying, uplifting, black cinema
Best tv shows and movies like The Josephine Baker Story (1991):
Similar in 86%
The Harmonists (1997)
Plot Summary:
Comedian Harmonists tells the story of a famous, German male sextet, five vocals and piano, the "Comedian Harmonists", from the day they meet first in 1927 to the day in 1934, when they become banned by the upcoming Nazis, because three of them are Jewish.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: Germany, Austria
Duration: 126 min
Plot tags: visually stunning, sentimental, touching, visual, sincere, uplifting, feel good, serious, emotional, realistic
Similar in 82%
Mao's Last Dancer (2009)
Plot Summary:
At the age of 11, Li was plucked from a poor Chinese village by Madame Mao's cultural delegates and taken to Beijing to study ballet. In 1979, during a cultural exchange to Texas, he fell in love with an American woman. Two years later, he managed to defect and went on to perform as a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet and as a principal artist with the Australian Ballet.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance
Country: Australia
Duration: 117 min
Plot tags: uplifting, touching, serious, emotional, independent film, powerful, captivating, realistic, stylized, crying
Similar in 85%
La Vie en Rose (2007)
Plot Summary:
A swirling, impressionistic portrait of an artist who regretted nothing, writer-director Olivier Dahan's La Vie en Rose stars Marion Cotillard in a blazing performance as the legendary French icon Edith Piaf. From the mean streets of the Belleville district of Paris to the dazzling limelight of New York's most famous concert halls, Piaf's life was a constant battle to sing and survive, to live and love. Raised in her grandmother's brothel, Piaf was discovered in 1935 by nightclub owner Louis Leplee (Gerard Depardieu), who persuaded her to sing despite her extreme nervousness. Piaf became one of France's immortal icons, her voice one of the indelible signatures of the 20th Century.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 90000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance
Country: France, UK, Czech Republic
Duration: 140 min
Plot tags: touching, disturbing, atmospheric, gloomy, inspirational, depressing, melancholic, serious, period piece, sincere
Similar in 88%
The Linda McCartney Story (2000)
Plot Summary:
In a dramatization of her life, Linda Eastman, takes a job snapping pictures for Rolling Stone Magazine, despite the objections of her straight-laced father, Lee Eastman. As Linda rubs elbows with music royalty, she bumps into rock star Paul McCartney, and they soon fall in love. Although not only her father but also Paul's band mates disapprove of the romance, Linda and Paul wed while relations between the Beatles begin to disintegrate.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 690
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: touching, realistic, serious, captivating, suspenseful, crying
Similar in 89%
Amália (2008)
Plot Summary:
You already know the legendary singer. For the first time, you'll get to know the woman behind the myth.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 775
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance
Country: Portugal
Duration: 127 min
Plot tags: emotional, serious, realistic, captivating, suspenseful, contemplative, gloomy
Similar in 77%
A Star Is Born (1976)
Plot Summary:
A Star Is Born is a 1976 rock music film telling the story of a young woman, played by Barbra Streisand who enters show business, and meets and falls in love with an established male star, played by Kris Kristofferson, only to find her career ascending while his goes into decline.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 13000
Genere: Drama, Music, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 139 min
Plot tags: grindhouse, independent film, sentimental, touching, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, corny
Similar in 78%
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999)
Plot Summary:
An acclaimed stage performer, Dorothy still struggled with the challenge of her color, in a time that wouldn't let some stars in by the front door. Yet against the odds she beat out many more famous rivals for the role of "Carmen Jones", becoming the first black woman ever nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award. Marriages and affairs would break her heart, but her heart was strong. Seductive and easily seduced, she was born to be a star - with all the glory and all the pain of being loved, abused, cheated, glorified, undermined and undefeated. Here was a woman who wouldn't wait in the wings. Halle Berry stars as Dorothy Dandrige.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: cult classic, sentimental, sincere, thought provoking, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, contemplative, entertaining
Similar in 81%
Dreamgirls (2006)
Plot Summary:
Three young women – Deena Jones, Effie White and Lorrell Robinson – dream of becoming pop stars and they get their wish when they're chosen to be backup singers for the legendary James 'Thunder' Early.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 76000
Genere: Drama, Music, Musical
Country: USA
Duration: 130 min
Plot tags: stylized, emotional, lyrical, melancholic, sentimental, visually appealing, inspirational, uplifting, hood, serious
Similar in 75%
De-Lovely (2004)
Plot Summary:
From Paris to Venice to Broadway to Hollywood, the lives of Cole Porter and his wife, Linda were never less than glamorous and wildly unconventional. And though Cole's thirst for life strained their marriage, Linda never stopped being his muse, inspiring some of the greatest sons of the twentieth century.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music, Musical
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 125 min
Plot tags: stylized, lyrical, atmospheric, captivating, sincere, historical drama, offbeat, realistic, semi serious, crying
Similar in 86%
Beyond the Sea (2004)
Plot Summary:
Based on the life and career of legendary entertainer, Bobby Darin, the biopic moves back and forth between his childhood and adulthood, to tell the tale of his remarkable life. Kevin Spacey did his own singing for Beyond the Sea, recreating Bobby Darin's vocal style with uncanny accuracy.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 15000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music, Musical
Country: UK, Germany, USA
Duration: 118 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, stylized, intense, realistic, inspirational, indie film, serious, independent film, light
Similar in 79%
Walk the Line (2005)
Plot Summary:
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.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 262000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 136 min
Plot tags: sentimental, touching, emotional, road movie, captivating, inspirational, feel good, dramatic, romantic, period piece
Similar in 76%
Isadora (1968)
Plot Summary:
A biography of the dancer Isadora Duncan, the 1920s dancer who forever changed people's ideas of ballet. Her nude, semi-nude, and pro-Soviet dance projects as well as her attitudes on free love, debt, dress, and lifestyle shocked the public of her time.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance
Country: UK, France
Duration: 131 min
Plot tags: sad, historical drama, serious, captivating, realistic, sexual, crying, sexy, period drama, beautiful
Similar in 82%
Bride of the Wind (2001)
Plot Summary:
A biopic of Alma Mahler, the wife of composer Gustav Mahler (as well as Walter Gropius and Franz Werfel), and the mistress of Oskar Kokoschka.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 692
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance
Country: UK, Germany, Austria
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, serious, captivating, realistic, heartbreaking, visual, visually stunning, independent film, period drama
Similar in 82%
Sid and Nancy (1986)
Plot Summary:
Following their breakout success in England, flagship punk rock band the Sex Pistols venture out on their first U.S. tour. Temperamental bassist Sid Vicious takes his troubled girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, along for the ride. Along the way, the couple's turbulent relationship strains the patience of bandmate Johnny Rotten and manager Malcolm McLaren, while plunging Sid and Nancy into the depths of drug addiction and co-dependency.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 34000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance
Country: UK
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: bloody, cult classic, disturbing, independent film, psychedelic, serious, captivating, gloomy, offbeat, intellectual
Similar in 87%
Sweet Dreams (1985)
Plot Summary:
Lange stunningly portrays Patsy Cline, the velvet-voiced country singer who died in a tragic plane crash.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min
Plot tags: factual, realistic, atmospheric, captivating, gothic, sad, sentimental, touching, semi serious, entertaining
Similar in 81%
Nina (2016)
Plot Summary:
The story of the late jazz musician and classical pianist Nina Simone including her rise to fame and relationship with her manager Clifton Henderson.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: UK
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: captivating, touching, serious, controversial, thought provoking, anamorphic, realistic, black cinema
Similar in 78%
Georgia O'Keeffe (2009)
Plot Summary:
Biopic of American artist Georgia O'Keeffe and her husband, photographer Alfred Stieglitz.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 958
Genere: Biography, Drama, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: tense, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic, art film, stylized, crying
Similar in 78%
I'm Not There (2007)
Plot Summary:
Six actors portray six personas of music legend Bob Dylan in scenes depicting various stages of his life, chronicling his rise from unknown folksinger to international icon and revealing how Dylan constantly reinvented himself.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 61000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: Germany, Canada, USA, France, UK
Duration: 135 min
Plot tags: non-linear, meditative, stylized, talky, lyrical, serious, realistic, intellectual, cult classic, experimental
Similar in 80%
King of Salsa (2006)
Plot Summary:
The rise and fall of salsa singer, Héctor Lavoe (1946-1993), as told from the perspective of his wife Puchi, who looks back from 2002.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: serious, captivating, realistic, disturbing, informative, sentimental, vintage
Similar in 79%
Bessie (2015)
Plot Summary:
The story of legendary blues performer, Bessie Smith, who rose to fame during the 1920s and '30s.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min
Plot tags: realistic, serious, emotional, factual, historical drama, gloomy, queer cinema, black cinema
Similar in 86%
Lady Sings the Blues (1972)
Plot Summary:
Chronicles the rise and fall of legendary blues singer Billie Holiday. Her late childhood, stint as a prostitute, early tours, marriages and drug addiction are featured.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 144 min
Plot tags: realistic, retro, intellectual, sentimental, touching, serious, gloomy, sexy, brutal, feel good
Similar in 77%
Purple Rain (1984)
Plot Summary:
A young man with a talent for music meets an aspiring singer, Apollonia, and finds that talent alone isn't all that he needs.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 23000
Genere: Drama, Music, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: exciting, captivating, sentimental, realistic, cult classic, intellectual, entertaining, avant garde, hood, eros
Similar in 83%
Ray (2004)
Plot Summary:
Born on a sharecropping plantation in Northern Florida, Ray Charles went blind at seven. Inspired by a fiercely independent mom who insisted he make his own way, He found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard. Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a reputation and then exploded with worldwide fame when he pioneered couping gospel and country together.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 155000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 152 min
Plot tags: inspirational, touching, sincere, emotional, captivating, sentimental, dramatic, psychological, motivational, romantic
Similar in 89%
What's Love Got to Do with It (1993)
Plot Summary:
A film about the singer Tina Turner and how she rose to stardom with her abusive husband Ike Turner and how she gained the courage to break free.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 24000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 118 min
Plot tags: inspirational, sincere, intense, serious, emotional, touching, intellectual, hood, captivating, realistic
Similar in 85%
Get on Up (2014)
Plot Summary:
A chronicle of James Brown's rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 26000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 139 min
Plot tags: heartbreaking, emotional, talky, captivating, realistic, sentimental, intellectual, feel good, surreal, period piece
Similar in 85%
Bird (1988)
Plot Summary:
Saxophone player Charlie Parker comes to New York in 1940. He is quickly noticed for his remarkable way of playing. He becomes a drug addict but his loving wife Chan tries to help him.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 13000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 161 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, psychological, factual, stylized, sincere, touching, serious, captivating, emotional, realistic
Similar in 87%
Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998)
Plot Summary:
In the mid-80s, three women (each with an attorney) arrive at the office of New York entertainment manager, Morris Levy. One is an L.A. singer, formerly of the Platters; one is a petty thief from Philly; one teaches school in a small Georgia town. Each claims to be the widow of long-dead doo-wop singer-songwriter Frankie Lyman, and each wants years of royalties due to his estate, money Levy has never shared. During an ensuing civil trial, flashbacks tell the story of each one's life with Lyman, a boyish, high-pitched, dynamic performer, lost to heroin. Slowly, the three wives establish their own bond.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 116 min
Plot tags: emotional, inspirational, melancholic, touching, sentimental, serious, realistic, cult classic, independent film, entertaining
Similar in 75%
Cadillac Records (2008)
Plot Summary:
The story of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in 1950s Chicago, and the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's musical legends, including Muddy Waters, Leonard Chess, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Etta James and Chuck Berry.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 23000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: realistic, inspirational, talky, stylized, intense, sincere, sentimental, serious, captivating, social
Similar in 87%
Selena (1997)
Plot Summary:
In this biographical drama, Selena Quintanilla is born into a musical Mexican-American family in Texas. Her father, Abraham, realizes that his young daughter is talented and begins performing with her at small venues. She finds success and falls for her guitarist, Chris Perez, who draws the ire of her father. Seeking mainstream stardom, Selena begins recording an English-language album which, tragically, she would never complete.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 31000
Genere: Biography, Drama, Music
Country: USA
Duration: 127 min
Plot tags: touching, sad, factual, sincere, emotional, hispanic, sentimental, historical drama, informative, uplifting
Similar in 88%
A United Kingdom (2016)
Plot Summary:
The inspiring true story of Seretse Khama, the King of Bechuanaland (modern Botswana), and Ruth Williams, the London office worker he married in 1948 in the face of fierce opposition from their families and the British and South African governments. Seretse and Ruth defied family, Apartheid and empire - their love triumphed over every obstacle flung in their path and in so doing they transformed their nation and inspired the world.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Country: UK, USA, France, Czech Republic
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: disturbing, romantic drama, sincere, thought provoking, captivating, motivational, inspirational, romantic, sweet, political