Women's Stories Come to Life on Film | Part II

For Women's History Month, we are sharing the stories of real women who lived extraordinary lives, changed history, or made the world a better place. As a film and television production stage company, we naturally love to learn and share these stories via film. Earlier this month, we wrote about the lives of entertainers, writers, artists, athletes, and activists. Below are more acclaimed biopics about women, many of which are available to rent on streaming services.

"Big Eyes" (2014)

In the 1950s, artist Margaret Keane developed a signature painting style, depicting subjects with unusually large, prominent eyes. She produced more than 100 paintings in her lifetime, generating a good deal of commercial success. However, for more than a decade she received no recognition for her work. Her husband Walter claimed credit for her paintings and continuously lied to art critics and collectors for decades to keep up the charade.

Margaret and Walter divorced in 1965, and several years later she publicly announced that she was the true artist, not her ex-husband. Several lawsuits followed, and in 1986 a federal judge ordered Margaret and Walter to create an original painting on the spot in the courtroom to prove once and for all who the real artist was. It took less than an hour for Margaret to create a painting that became known as "Exhibit 224." Walter did not even attempt to produce a piece of art, claiming he was suffering from a shoulder injury.

Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz earned critical acclaim for their performances as Margaret and Walter in Tim Burton's "Big Eyes," and Adams ended up winning a Golden Globe while Waltz earned a nomination.

Learn about other female artists by watching: "Charlotte" (2021), "Woman Walks Ahead" (2017), "Maudie" (2016), "The Danish Girl" (2015), "Séraphine" (2008), "Frida" (2002), "Camille Claudel" (1988)

"Killers of the Flower Moon" (2023)

Mollie Burkhart (née Kyle) might not be a household name, but Martin Scorsese's award-winning film about the Osage Indian murders ensures that her story will never be forgotten.

In 1917, Kyle married Ernest Burkhart, the nephew of a local crime boss in Osage County, Oklahoma. Shortly after their union, many of her family members died under mysterious circumstances, and she narrowly survived a poisoning attempt. These deaths were actually calculated murders orchestrated by Burkhart's uncle to gain control of the victims' lucrative headrights, which entitled members of the Osage Nation to regular payments for the oil on their land.

Outraged, members of the Osage Nation petitioned the Bureau of Investigation (the predecessor to the FBI) to investigate, leading to prosecutions of the guilty parties. Their persistence led to real change, as Congress passed a law in 1925 barring the inheritance of Osage headrights to non-Osage people (with specific exclusions).

"Killers of the Flower Moon" earned 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Lily Gladstone, who won a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award for her performance.

Learn about other historical figures by watching: "Harriet" (2019), "Jackie" (2016), "Amelia" (2009), "The Diary of Anne Frank" (1959), "Calamity Jane" (1953), "Joan of Arc" (1948)

"Elizabeth" (1998) and "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" (2007)

Following the short reigns of her half-siblings Edward VI and Mary I, Queen Elizabeth I became the Queen of England in 1558 at the age of 25. The daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn ruled England for 44 years, a time during which British culture flourished, particularly theater, poetry, and literature.

"Elizabeth" follows the early years of her reign, as she survived multiple attempts to usurp her throne and turned down several potential suitors in favor of her independence, earning her the nickname "The Virgin Queen." A sequel, 2007's "Elizabeth: The Golden Age," covers the later years of her reign.

The film earned seven Academy Awards nominations, including Best Picture. Cate Blanchett earned the first of her eight Oscar nominations for her performance in "Elizabeth," and she earned another nomination for the sequel.

Learn the stories of other royal women by watching: "Spencer" (2021), "A Royal Affair" (2012), "The Young Victoria" (2009), "The Queen" (2006), "Marie Antoinette" (2006), "The Lion in Winter" (1968), "Cleopatra" (1963), "Queen Christina" (1933)

"Joy" (2015)

In the late '80s, Joy Mangano found herself divorced, struggling to pay her bills, and sharing a Long Island home with her three young children, unemployed ex-husband, negligent mother, and grandmother.

Unfulfilled with her home life and job as an airline booking clerk, she decided to pursue her dreams of inventing, starting with a self-wringing mop that she designed. Mangano faced many challenges in securing funding, navigating patent laws, dealing with unscrupulous manufacturers and investors, and promoting her invention – the Miracle Mop.

Today, Mangano is a highly decorated business woman who recently partnered with Pitbull to create a new line of cleaning products called CleanBoss. She has sold around $3 billion in products and remains a regular fixture on HSN. Mangano served as an executive producer on the critically acclaimed film about her life, simply called "Joy." Jennifer Lawrence received an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe for portraying Mangano in the film.

Learn about other female entrepreneurs and inventors by watching: "Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker" (2020) miniseries, "The Post" (2017), "Coco Before Chanel" (2009)

"Music of the Heart" (1999)

Violinist Roberta Guaspari spent decades working to keep music education taught in Harlem schools. She first came to Harlem in the early '80s and established a violin program at Central Park East School. She began holding concerts with her students, and her program grew over the decade to include several additional schools.

However, in 1991 New York City sought budget cuts for its public schools, and her program was dropped. That year, she co-founded her own school, the Opus 118 Harlem School of Music. To support music education, she organized a benefit concert called Fiddlefest with the help of former students and teachers. Several esteemed violinists enlisted top talent and booked Carnegie Hall for the event, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Meryl Streep learned to play the violin in order to accurately portray Guaspari in "Music of the Heart," earning her an Oscar nomination.

Learn about other inspirational educators: "Freedom Writers" (2007), "Anna and the King" (1999), "The Sound of Music" (1965), "The Miracle Worker" (1962)