With the recent release of Jobs a film about the early career of Apple founder, Steve Jobs, and the soon to be released, Diana and Grace of Monaco, biopics seem to be in vogue. They are candid, emotional and sometimes shocking especially with the wow factor that the story line is mostly factual. But there is nothing more interesting and scandalous as when Hollywood turns a camera on itself for the best of all biopic dramas. Below is a list of the top ten biopics, in chronological order, about the dark, manipulative and glittering highs and lows of the American film industry.
10. Too Much, Too Soon (1958)
The torrid and self-destructive tale of Diana Barrymore, daughter of silent film legend John Barrymore, an adaption from her autobiography of the same name published in 1957. The film accounts Barrymore’s (Dorothy Malone) erratic childhood, estranged relationship with her father (played by John Barrymore’s real-life friend, Errol Flynn), struggles to become an independent actress, failed marriages, drug and alcohol addiction and suicide attempts. It is a well-developed drama with great portrayals of actual people and events. However, the main issue with this biopic is its creation, some say too soon after the events, although both Barrymore’s parents had been dead for over a decade. The film highlighted the cruel, sad truth of Barrymore’s life as she died two years after its release, aged 38, from an overdose.
9. Harlow (1965)
Carroll Baker as Jean Harlow.
Harlow (1965) is a big budget retelling of the life and premature death, aged 26, of blonde bombshell, Jean Harlow. Featuring Carroll Baker as Harlow and Angela Lansbury as Mama Jean Bello, her mother; the film begins at the start of her career as a model through to her days as a star crafting an iconic persona and life from her platinum hair, legendary walk and costumes. Also, chronically parts of her failed personal life, such as, health problems and marriage to producer Paul Bern (Peter Lawford) that ended in his suicide. However, the movie has been criticised by failing to highlight many of her other personal relationships, such as, with William Powell and Clark Gable.
8. Mommie Dearest (1981)
The most controversial and excruciating of all the Hollywood biopics, Mommie Dearest (1981) is the cult film made from an autobiography by Christina Crawford, the adopted daughter of actress Joan Crawford. Joan Crawford, played brilliantly by Faye Dunaway, is portrayed as a controlling, psychotic ‘germaphobe’, egotistical, abusive mother focused only on her stardom and marriages. Dunaway does a scarily beautiful depiction of Crawford’s strange idiosyncrasies, volatile relationships and need for motherhood. Her performance is wonderfully campy and massively agonising especially when she is disciplining her adopted daughter Christina, played by both Diana Scarwid and Mara Hobel, who is constantly oppressed by her out of control mother. This film is a must watch if not just for the perverse clothes-hanger scene and Dunaway’s strange, but historically accurate, eyebrows.
7. Frances (1982)
Frances (1982) depicts the short life of acting hopeful, Frances Farmer, her brief career in Hollywood, collapse into mental illness, stints in sanatoriums and blacklisting from the film industry. Farmer, played by Jessica Lange who received an Academy Award for her efforts, is a tragic figure mostly for her time outside of Hollywood in an abusive mental institution suffering multiple rapes, numerous violent therapies and eventually a lobotomy. She is eventually released from the institution and put into the custody of her mentally abusive mother who was instrumental in her earlier breakdowns. The film rises however with Farmer legally parting from her mother, being honoured by the This is Your Life program and hosting her own television show Frances Farmer Presents. It is a brilliantly shot film with a powerful acting performance by Lange as she highlights the cruel and degrading side of Hollywood and mid-century mental institutions captured perfectly by the line, “if a person is treated like a patient, they are apt to act like one.”
6. Chaplin (1992)
An exploration into the life of the legendary filmmaker Charlie Chaplin; it includes his destitute childhood years in England, the creation of his classic films, his tumultuous love life and even political activities in a well-rounded portrayal. Robert Downey Jr. realistically plays Chaplin through his adult years pulling off a brilliant English accent and looking comfortable in the iconic top hat, moustache and cane. It is constructed through a series of flashbacks with Chaplin, living in Switzerland during his last years, discussing the events of his career and personal life with George Hayden, a fictional character played by Anthony Hopkins. The film is a duel adaption from Chaplin’s own publication, My Autobiography (1964) and Chaplin: His Life and Art by David Robinson. It includes treasure trove of silent stars, directors, Hollywood businessmen and personalities all portrayed with varied success by modern stars. Such as, Mack Sennett, Mabel Normand, Douglas Fairbanks, J. Edgar Hoover and not to mention all of Chaplin’s four colourful wives. Look out for a cameo of Chaplin’s real-life daughter, Geraldine Chaplin.