10 Movies Based on Real Stories that won the Oscar For Best Picture
Biopics and movies based on true events are the easiest way to win big at the Oscars and it is clearly evident from the past. But these movies are not just Oscar bait, as we cannot deny the superior quality of these movies one bit. These movies deserved the Oscar for Best Picture. It proves that real life can be as interesting as a movie.
#1: Titanic (1997)
There is not a single person who has not heard about this iconic movie. Titanic is loved by fans and critics alike, as it earned $2 billion at the box office and won 11 Oscars. But in its heart, Titanic tells a very tragic story. It tells us the heart-breaking story of the RMS Titanic, which sank on April 15, 1912, and took the lives of more than 1500 people.
#2: Gandhi (1982)
Most of you are already aware of the great Mahatma Gandhi, a revolutionary Indian leader who employed non-violent tactics to free India from Britishers. Ben Kingsley portrayed the character perfectly and Richard Attenborough gave us the definitive movie on the great icon. It is a spectacular biopic that touched upon every aspect of Mahatma Gandhi’s journey.
#3: Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Considered as one of the greatest movies ever created, Lawrence of Arabia is a masterpiece that tells the true story of T.E. Lawrence, an English officer who led the Arabs against Turks during World War I. The movie is based on Lawrence’s own writings and it is presented in the grandest fashion.
#4: Gladiator (2000)
Ridley Scott tried to make Gladiator as historically accurate as possible and he mostly succeeded. The movie is inspired by the events that occurred during the latter half of the Roman Empire. Maximus is a blend of several historical figures and it was done like this to add more zest to the movie.
#5: Braveheart (1995)
The core of this epic movie is inspired by the story of William Wallace, a Scottish hero during the 15th Century. The story takes a lot from the poem named “The Acts and Deeds of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Elderslie”. Mel Gibson took a lot of liberties while making this movie to make it more interesting, and that worked, as he won the ultimate reward – the Oscar.
#6: A Beautiful Mind (2001)
A Beautiful Mind is based on the life of John Nash, a Nobel Winning mathematician who developed schizophrenia. The makers changed some bits of the story to make it more sensational and even claimed that this movie is not a literal interpretation of John Nash’s life. The movie is fantastic nonetheless, and fortunately, the Academy agreed with the fans.
#7: The King’s Speech (2010)
This movie is based on King George VI of England and his struggle to overcome his stammer with the help of a speech therapist. The movie is mostly accurate apart from the fact that King George VI started his speech therapy 10 years before assuming the throne in reality.
#8: 12 Years a Slave (2013)
12 Years a Slave tells the heart-breaking story of Solomon Northup, a man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841. This movie is a very faithful adaptation of Northup’s writings about his life. Chiwetel Ejiofor gives a fantastic performance in this movie and it is enough to make anyone emotional.
#9: Platoon (1986)
This movie depicts all the horrors of the Vietnam War to the point. It is based on director Oliver Stone’s time in Vietnam during the war, and it captures all of his traumatic moments. It is lauded as an amazing War movie as it managed to bring out all the emotions that a soldier faces during the war.
#10: Argo (2012)
Argo is based on the life of a CIA agent named Tony Mendez, who devises the perfect plot to evacuate Canadian citizens from a hostage situation in Iran. The movie takes the story a bit further and adds a lot more spice to make it more interesting. Affleck was correct in doing that as Argo is a thrilling movie and it has an Oscar to show for itself.
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