47 Biographies of Scientists and Inventors
47 titles
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Dr. Ehrlich's Magic BulletMovie · 1940 · 103mThis is the true story of a physician who believed seeking a cure for syphilis was not ethically wrong.IMDb 7.4TMDB 6.5 - 2
I Aim at the StarsMovie · 1960 · 106mThis is the story of Dr. Werner von Braun, the celebrated and debated rocket scientist who was central to the space age. He was instrumental in the early development of rocketry, most notably through his work on the V-2 rockets that targeted London during World War II. Later, he spearheaded the American effort to develop and launch space satellites.IMDb 6.2TMDB 5.7 - 3
Gorillas in the MistMovie · 1988 · 129m · Drama, HistoryThis film is the true story of Dian Fossey, a scientist deeply committed to studying the dwindling population of mountain gorillas in Africa. Entering the gorillas' wild habitat, she forms a profound connection with them while observing and documenting their lives. Fossey comes to understand that human actions are endangering the gorillas' survival. She becomes a passionate advocate and protector, using her skills to fight poachers and other threats. The story explores the complex relationship between humans and wildlife, and the personal sacrifices made to save a disappearing world.IMDb 7.1TMDB 7.0 - 4
October SkyMovie · 1999 · 108m · DramaHomer Hickam, a boy growing up in a poor West Virginia coal-mining town, becomes captivated by space after seeing Sputnik launch. His family expects him to work in the mines like them, but Homer's passion for rockets is undeniable. He bravely pursues his dream, facing obstacles and setbacks, and eventually achieves success at NASA. This uplifting story follows a visionary who defies expectations to follow his ambition and reach for the stars.IMDb 7.8TMDB 7.7 - 5
HawkingMovie · 2004 · 90m · Drama, TV MovieThis is the story of Professor Stephen Hawking's early life. It's 1963, and the 21-year-old cosmologist is celebrating his birthday. A new friend, Jane Wilde, is at the party, and a strong connection forms between them. Jane is fascinated by Stephen's discussions of stars and the universe. But she becomes concerned when Stephen suddenly discovers he can no longer stand up.IMDb 7.4TMDB 7.1 - 6
The Imitation GameMovie · 2014 · 113m · History, Drama, ThrillerThis film tells the true story of Alan Turing, a brilliant cryptanalyst, and his team at Bletchley Park. During World War II, they raced against time to break the enemy's codes.IMDb 8.0TMDB 8.0 - 7
CopernicusMovie · 1973 · 128mThis film chronicles the life of Nicolaus Copernicus over half a century, starting with his education in Europe and following his path through theological pursuits to the eventual development of his groundbreaking work, *On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres*.IMDb 6.1TMDB 5.5 - 8
Edison, the ManMovie · 1940 · 107mFifty years after inventing the light bulb, an 82-year-old Thomas Edison recounts his life story, beginning with his arrival in New York at age twenty-two. He's there to promote a new invention: an early version of the stock market ticker.IMDb 7.0TMDB 6.8 - 9
GalileoMovie · 1968 · 90mGalileo Galilei, a scientist in Padua, makes a groundbreaking discovery: he demonstrates that the Earth orbits the Sun, challenging the long-held belief that Earth is the center of everything.IMDb 6.7TMDB 6.3 - 10
JaneMovie · 2017 · 90m · DocumentaryDirector Brett Morgen uses previously unseen footage from the National Geographic archives to tell the story of Jane Goodall, the pioneering researcher whose chimpanzee studies transformed how we understand the natural world.IMDb 7.8TMDB 7.5 - 11
TeslaMovie · 2020 · 102m · History, DramaThis is the story of Nikola Tesla's relentless pursuit to revolutionize the world with wireless energy. He strives to surpass existing technology, even his own inventions, by developing a groundbreaking system that promises to fundamentally change how we power everything.IMDb 5.1TMDB 5.8 - 12
Embrace of the SerpentMovie · 2015 · 125m · Drama, AdventureThis is the sweeping tale of first contact, betrayal, and an unlikely friendship. Karamakate, the sole survivor of his Amazonian tribe, meets two scientists who embark on a 40-year journey through the rainforest searching for a sacred plant with healing properties. The story is inspired by the journals of early explorers of the Colombian Amazon, Theodor Koch-Grunberg and Richard Evans Schultes.IMDb 7.8TMDB 7.7 - 13
Marie CurieMovie · 2016 · 95m · Drama, HistoryThis is the story of Marie Curie during her most eventful five years. From 1905, when she and Pierre Curie travel to Stockholm to receive the Nobel Prize for their discovery of radioactivity, to 1911, when she wins a second Nobel Prize, Marie challenges the established male academics in France, both as a scientist and as a woman.IMDb 5.6TMDB 5.1 - 14
The Man Who Knew InfinityMovie · 2016 · 108m · Drama, HistoryBorn into poverty in Madras, India, Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar gains entry to Cambridge University during World War I. There, under the mentorship of Professor G.H. Hardy, he pioneers new mathematical theories.IMDb 7.2TMDB 7.2 - 15
The Story of Alexander Graham BellMovie · 1939 · 98mAlexander Graham Bell develops feelings for Mabel Hubbard, a deaf woman he teaches, as he works to create a way to transmit speech electronically. She advises him to focus on his work before considering marriage. Bell successfully invents the telephone, achieves wealth and fame, but his success is challenged when a competitor attempts to undermine his company.IMDb 6.9TMDB 6.2 - 16
The InsiderMovie · 1999 · 158m · Drama, ThrillerA driven scientist risks everything when he agrees to reveal his research on how the tobacco industry operates to a major news outlet. As he prepares for the interview, powerful interests try to undermine him and his work. Caught in a web of corporate manipulation and personal attacks, he must decide whether to stay quiet to protect himself or fight for the truth, even if it destroys his career. This intense drama reveals the extent of industry power and the difficult fight for justice against powerful enemies.IMDb 7.8TMDB 7.5 - 17
KinseyMovie · 2004 · 118m · DramaKinsey is a look at Alfred Kinsey, a researcher determined to explore the most private aspects of American life. What starts as a scientific project becomes deeply personal for Kinsey, evolving into an unforeseen exploration of human nature.IMDb 7.0TMDB 6.6 - 18
ExperimenterMovie · 2015 · 97m · Drama, HistoryYale University, 1961. Stanley Milgram conducts a psychology experiment that remains impactful today: participants believe they are administering painful electric shocks to a friendly stranger in another room. Despite the stranger's pleas to stop, most subjects continue the experiment, delivering what they perceive as lethal shocks because they are instructed to do so. As the trial of Nazi Adolf Eichmann is broadcast nationwide, Milgram’s work deeply resonates with both the public and the scientific world, exploring human obedience to authority. While lauded by some, he faces accusations of deception and manipulation, but his wife Sasha remains a steadfast supporter.IMDb 6.6TMDB 6.5 - 19
SakharovMovie · 1984 · 118mThis biography examines the early steps of Russian physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov toward advocating for civil rights.IMDb 6.4TMDB 7.0 - 20
MesmerMovie · 1994 · 107mThis is a biography of Franz Anton Mesmer, an 18th-century Viennese doctor. He developed controversial healing methods centered on his concept of "animal magnetism."IMDb 5.8TMDB 6.0 - 21
GodsMovie · 2014 · 121m · Drama, HistoryThe film follows the early career of cardiovascular surgeon Zbigniew Religa in 1980s Poland, under communist rule.IMDb 7.6TMDB 7.7 - 22
The Current WarMovie · 2018 · 108m · Drama, HistoryIn a fierce rivalry, electrical innovators Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse battle for dominance. Both strive to develop a reliable electrical system and successfully sell it to the public.IMDb 6.5TMDB 6.7 - 23
Something the Lord MadeMovie · 2004 · 110m · TV Movie, DramaThis film explores the partnership between Alfred Blalock, a leading heart surgeon, and Vivien Thomas, a Black surgical technician. It depicts their collaboration and the development of groundbreaking techniques in pediatric heart surgery.IMDb 8.0TMDB 7.9 - 24Einstein RevealedMovie · 1997 · 120mNOVA presents a comprehensive biography of Albert Einstein, exploring his formative years, groundbreaking work on relativity, and intimate personal life.IMDb 7.8TMDB 4.5
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Temple GrandinMovie · 2010 · 108m · Drama, HistoryThis is a film about Temple Grandin, an autistic American woman who has become a leading expert in improving how livestock are treated.IMDb 8.2TMDB 7.8 - 26
Flash of GeniusMovie · 2008 · 119m · DramaBased on a true story, this is a David versus Goliath story about college professor Robert Kearns. He challenges the powerful auto industry after they refuse to acknowledge his invention of intermittent windshield wipers. Kearns persistently fights for credit for his work and the financial compensation needed for his family of eight.IMDb 7.0TMDB 6.5 - 27
Einstein and EddingtonMovie · 2008 · 90m · History, Drama, TV MovieDuring World War I, brilliant physicist Albert Einstein and English scientist Arthur Eddington develop an unexpected friendship. This collaboration ultimately results in the creation of the theory of relativity.IMDb 7.1TMDB 6.8 - 28
A Beautiful MindMovie · 2001 · 135m · Drama, RomanceJohn Forbes Nash Jr. rises to fame as a brilliant but socially awkward mathematician, poised for international recognition after a major discovery. However, accepting a classified cryptography assignment draws him into a shadowy conspiracy. His life spirals into turmoil, forcing him to confront a difficult and deeply personal path toward understanding himself.IMDb 8.2TMDB 7.9 - 29
CopenhagenMovie · 2002 · 90mThe details of a meeting between German physicist Werner Heisenberg and his Jewish Danish friend, Niels Bohr, in Copenhagen are shrouded in mystery, becoming a legendary moment in scientific history. Director Howard Davies presents his interpretation of this pivotal encounter, which took place one night in September 1941. The two longtime friends engaged in a sensitive conversation about both physics and the political climate of the time.IMDb 7.2TMDB 7.5 - 30
You Don't Know JackMovie · 2010 · 134m · Drama, TV Movie, HistoryDr. Jack Kevorkian faces controversy and legal challenges while advocating for assisted suicide.IMDb 7.5TMDB 7.0 - 31
RadioactiveMovie · 2020 · 111m · Drama, Romance, HistoryThis is the story of Marie Curie, Nobel Prize winner, and her groundbreaking scientific work, viewed through her marriage to Pierre. It explores the profound and revolutionary impact of their discovery of radium on the 20th century.IMDb 6.3TMDB 6.6 - 32
Young Tom EdisonMovie · 1940 · 86mThe early life of inventor Thomas Edison is depicted, revealing a boy whose experiments and inventions frequently result in mishaps. This leads the townspeople to view Tom as eccentric, creating tension between him and his father. Tom finds support only in his mother, who believes he is destined for remarkable achievements.IMDb 6.8TMDB 5.8 - 33
CreationMovie · 2009 · 108m · Drama, HistoryThis is a deeply personal love story offering a rare glimpse into the life of Charles Darwin. He grapples with his conflicting beliefs about faith and science while striving to complete his groundbreaking book, "On the Origin of the Species"—a work that would revolutionize our understanding of life itself.IMDb 6.6TMDB 6.4 - 34
Blaise PascalMovie · 1972 · 129mThis atmospheric biography portrays philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal, brought to life by Roberto Rossellini. Despite facing religious persecution and widespread ignorance, Pascal held a firm belief in the compatibility of faith and scientific inquiry.IMDb 7.0TMDB 7.4 - 35
Hidden FiguresMovie · 2016 · 127m · Drama, HistoryThis is the story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson – exceptional African-American women who worked at NASA and were essential to the success of the historic John Glenn orbital flight. These pioneering women broke barriers and inspired future generations with their extraordinary talent.IMDb 7.8TMDB 8.1 - 36
The Story of Louis PasteurMovie · 1936 · 86m · Drama, HistoryThis film tells the compelling story of Louis Pasteur, a key figure in medical science whose discoveries revolutionized human health. During a time when disease was poorly understood, Pasteur dedicated himself to finding its causes, ultimately proving that many illnesses were caused by microbes. He emphasized sanitation as a way to prevent disease and developed vaccinations to treat certain conditions – a groundbreaking idea for his time. The film highlights Pasteur's brilliant mind and his relentless drive to improve lives by challenging old beliefs and advancing medicine.IMDb 7.2TMDB 6.8 - 37
Newton : A Tale of Two IsaacsMovie · 1997 · 51mWhile Isaac Newton dedicates himself to the challenging and isolated work of developing his theories on the movement of celestial bodies and gravity, his young assistant, Humphrey, struggles to decide between a career in science and pursuing his own desires.IMDb 7.0TMDB 4.0 - 38
A Dangerous MethodMovie · 2011 · 99m · DramaDriven by the allure of a complex case, Dr. Carl Jung takes on Sabina Spielrein as his patient. Spielrein is emotionally unstable but captivatingly beautiful. Jung employs the techniques of his mentor, Sigmund Freud, and both men become deeply affected by her.IMDb 6.4TMDB 6.4 - 39
The Theory of EverythingMovie · 2014 · 123m · Drama, Romance"The Theory of Everything" tells the remarkable story of Stephen Hawking, one of the most celebrated scientists of our time. It follows his passionate romance with Jane Wilde, a fellow student at Cambridge University.IMDb 7.7TMDB 7.8 - 40
Albert EinsteinMovie · 1990 · 160mThis two-part film chronicles Albert Einstein's departure from Germany in 1932, followed by his role in the 1939 development of the atomic bomb.IMDb 6.8 - 41
GalileoMovie · 1975 · 145mA new student pushes Galileo to embrace the latest telescope technology. He uses it to find undeniable evidence that the Earth isn't the center of the universe – a dangerous idea. In a society controlled by powerful nobles and the Church, already shaken by plague and religious upheaval, science is seen as a threat and knowledge is a privilege. Galileo faces a terrible choice: risk execution by the Inquisition or deny his discoveries to the Pope. He must decide whether to protect himself or uphold his lifelong pursuit of scientific truth, even if it means sacrificing everything he holds dear.IMDb 6.5TMDB 5.9 - 42
InfinityMovie · 1996 · 119mThis is the story of the formative years of Richard Feynman, the brilliant physicist who would later win the Nobel Prize. It chronicles his early life and the development of his extraordinary mind.IMDb 6.2TMDB 6.2 - 43
Sister KennyMovie · 1946 · 116mIn Australia, a nurse discovers a promising new treatment for polio. However, she faces significant challenges persuading the medical community of its effectiveness.IMDb 7.2TMDB 6.8 - 44
Mikhail LomonosovMovie · 1955 · 104mThis film chronicles the life of Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov, a remarkable Russian polymath who excelled as a scientist and writer.IMDb 6.8TMDB 7.5 - 45
The OdysseyMovie · 2016 · 122m · Adventure, DramaThis film chronicles approximately thirty years of the remarkable life of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, a pioneering figure known for his groundbreaking work as a filmmaker, researcher, innovator, and passionate conservationist in the underwater world.IMDb 6.6TMDB 6.6 - 46
AwakeningsMovie · 1990 · 120m · DramaDr. Malcolm Sayer, a quiet research doctor, changes his life when he tests a drug meant to bring consciousness back to people with a very rare illness. Leonard is the first patient to get the treatment, and his recovery unexpectedly revitalizes Sayer too. As Leonard, who was once unable to respond, rediscovers life with a childlike sense of wonder, he unknowingly awakens a similar curiosity in the reserved doctor. This story explores connection between people, personal development, and the strength of understanding in unusual situations.IMDb 7.8TMDB 7.8 - 47
Madame CurieMovie · 1943 · 124m · Drama, Romance, HistoryIn late 1890s Paris, Marie, a determined physics student at the Sorbonne, faces skepticism as one of the few women in her field. Her talent attracts the attention of Pierre Curie, who offers her a position in his lab.
A shared passion for science draws Marie and Pierre closer, both professionally and personally. They focus their research on isolating radium from a specific ore, a chemical element they discovered. This demanding work tests their relationship as they navigate the challenges of their research.
Through professional difficulties, Marie and Pierre's story reveals the personal sacrifices of scientific advancement and its potential impact on the future. This story of love, perseverance, and discovery combines historical accuracy with emotional resonance.IMDb 7.2TMDB 7.2
