There seems to be something infinitely appealing about the lives of authors. Time and again, Hollywood has turned to stories about creative talents struggling with their work. This tendency emerged almost in tandem with the industry itself, but it does seem to have moments of particular prominence. During these instances, studios and audiences collectively want to explore what it means to be a writer and to use language to grapple with some of the enormous questions facing humankind.
While not all such films are successful, there have been more than a few biopics about writers that have managed to bring the inner minds of these figures to life.
Infamous (2006)
Truman Capote was, to put it mildly, a rather eccentric figure. While the big-budget film Capote is probably better-known than Infamous, in some ways Toby Jones’ portrayal of the strange author and noted eccentric feels more authentic (this might be because Jones looks and sounds more like Capote).
In fact, there are some moments in the film where Jones almost seems to actually become Capote. What’s more, this film has the advantage of having some truly splendid actors in various roles including Sandra Bullock, Daniel Craig, and Lee Pace.
Shirley (2020)
Elizabeth Moss is one of those actresses who somehow manages to succeed no matter what sort of role in which she appears. That is certainly the case with Shirley, in which she portrays the eccentric author Shirley Jackson, an author of one of the famous ghost stories (The Haunting of Hill House).
As she always does, Moss seems to effortlessly inhabit the psyche of her character, bringing the author to stunning life on screen.
Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
Melissa McCarthy has shown time and again that she is a truly stupendous comedic talent, but in this film, she gets to show that she also has formidable dramatic chops as well. She portrays the character of Lee Israel, a noted biographer who perpetrated a huge literary scam by selling fake letters from famous literary figures.
McCarthy ably captures the wit and warmth of this character, as well as the many struggles that she has, including her failing writing career.
Tolkien (2019)
J.R.R. Tolkien was, of course, the author of The Lord of the Rings, arguably the most influential fantasy novel ever written. It took quite a while for a story about his life to come to the screen, but in 2019 it finally did so.
There’s no denying that Nicholas Hoult is an absolutely charming young actor, and he manages to imbue the character of Tolkien with a warmth and a genuineness that shines out from the screen every time that he appears. It’s a lovely little film and a worthy testament to the author’s early life.
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (2007)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is one of those biopics that manages to both capture the complexity of its subject and also experiments with film form itself. It follows the last years of the famous editor Jean-Dominique Bauby after he is afflicted with locked-in syndrome.
There are several points in the film where the camera actually adopts his perspective from where he is lying in bed, unable to move. It’s a beautiful, sad, and haunting film about one man’s heroic struggle to live.
Trumbo (2015)
There’s no question that Bryan Cranston is one of the best acting talents of his generation. His ability to capture a certain form of raw, masculine rage is unparalleled by almost anyone else working in Hollywood today.
In Trumbo, Cranston brings all of that to bear in his portrayal of the noted Hollywood screenwriter who was willing to destroy his career and his personal life by refusing to name names during the infamous Red Scare of the postwar era. While the viewer doesn’t always like Trumbo as a character, it’s impossible not to admire him.
The Life of Emile Zola (1937)
The Life of Emile Zola is one of many biopics produced in the 1930s (one of the golden ages of the genre). The title character is portrayed by Paul Muni, who went to great lengths to inhabit the character of the noted author Emile Zola. The latter was famous for intervening in the Dreyfus Affair, in which a Jewish man was wrongfully imprisoned due to anti-Semitism in France.
Despite this, the film doesn’t tackle the issue directly but instead focuses on this significant event in Zola’s life.
Wilde (1997)
Often, the mark of a truly great biopic is a lead who can truly inhabit the mind, body, and soul of their character. That is just what happens with Stephen Fry, who manages to inhabit the persona of the (in)famous writer and playwright Oscar Wilde.
It certainly helps that Fry bears a remarkable resemblance to Wilde, but it’s more than that. He manages to capture the tortured complexities of the film’s gay subject, an author who attempted to live life on his own terms in an era in which such things were forbidden.
Shakespeare In Love (1998)
To be fair, Shakespeare in Love is a rather strange biopic, in the sense that it takes some substantial liberties with the known facts of Shakespeare’s life. Despite that, it is still a remarkable film, managing to be uproariously funny and at times wrenchingly sad.
There’s also undeniable chemistry between Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow, both of whom bring their utmost to their roles. And, of course, no discussion of this film would be complete without mentioning Judi Dench, who almost manages to steal the show as Elizabeth I.
Wild Nights With Emily (2018)
When thinking about actresses likely to portray the reclusive yet famous poet Emily Dickinson, most people probably wouldn’t have thought of Molly Shannon, most famous for her comedic talents.
Nevertheless, Shannon is truly extraordinary in her turn as Dickinson. While there is certainly a lot of silliness to the film, there’s no question that there is also a rich warm heart under all of the levity that allows the viewer to truly appreciate the poet’s genius.
