Philosophers in movies
by Ancient_Watcher | created - 22 Jan 2014 | updated - 07 May 2015 | Public- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. Hannah Arendt (2012)
Not Rated | 113 min | Biography, Drama
A look at the life of philosopher and political theorist Hannah Arendt, who reported for 'The New Yorker' on the trial of the Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann in Jerusalem.
Director: Margarethe von Trotta | Stars: Barbara Sukowa, Axel Milberg, Janet McTeer, Julia Jentsch
Votes: 12,025 | Gross: $0.71M
2. When Nietzsche Wept (2007)
PG-13 | 105 min | Drama
Viennese doctor Josef Breuer meets with philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche to help him deal with his despair.
Director: Pinchas Perry | Stars: Ben Cross, Armand Assante, Joanna Pacula, Michal Yannai
Votes: 4,880
3. Agora (2009)
R | 127 min | Adventure, Biography, Drama
A historical drama set in Roman Egypt, concerning a slave who turns to the rising tide of Christianity in the hope of pursuing freedom while falling in love with his mistress, the philosophy and mathematics professor Hypatia of Alexandria.
Director: Alejandro Amenábar | Stars: Rachel Weisz, Max Minghella, Oscar Isaac, Ashraf Barhom
Votes: 73,076 | Gross: $0.62M
4. Gandhi (1982)
PG | 191 min | Biography, Drama, History
The life of the lawyer who became the famed leader of the Indian revolts against the British rule through his philosophy of nonviolent protest.
Director: Richard Attenborough | Stars: Ben Kingsley, John Gielgud, Rohini Hattangadi, Roshan Seth
Votes: 240,238 | Gross: $52.77M
5. Little Buddha (1993)
PG | 123 min | Drama
After the death of Lama Dorje, Tibetan Buddhist monks find three children - one American and two Nepalese - who may be the rebirth of their great teacher.
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci | Stars: Keanu Reeves, Bridget Fonda, Ruocheng Ying, Chris Isaak
Votes: 17,953 | Gross: $4.86M
6. Confucius (2010)
TV-MA | 125 min | Biography, Drama, History
The life story of the highly-influential Chinese philosopher, Confucius.
Director: Mei Hu | Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Xun Zhou, Jianbin Chen, Quan Ren
Votes: 3,989
7. Destiny (1997)
135 min | Comedy, Drama, History
The story is set in the 12th century in Arab-ruled Spanish province Andalusia, where famed philosopher Averroes is appointed grand judge by the caliph and his liberal court judgments are ... See full summary »
Director: Youssef Chahine | Stars: Nour El-Sherif, Layla Olwi, Mahmoud Hemida, Safia El Emari
Votes: 3,201
8. Sartre, Years of Passion (2006– )
165 min | Biography
Biographical film about French writer Jean-Paul Sartre, concentrating on his passionate affairs with women.
Stars: Denis Podalydès, Anne Alvaro, Maya Sansa, Frédéric Gorny
Votes: 141
9. The Last Days of Immanuel Kant (1993)
70 min | Biography, Drama
A brief, fictionalized time period in the life of Professor Kant. The story is set in Kant's hometown, Konigsberg; it chronicles his last few years prior to his death in 1804 at the age of 80.
Director: Philippe Collin | Stars: Christian Rist, André Wilms, David Warrilow, Roland Amstutz
Votes: 111
10. Wittgenstein (1993)
Not Rated | 72 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
A dramatization, in modern theatrical style, of the life and thought of the Viennese-born, Cambridge-educated philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), whose principal interest was the ... See full summary »
Director: Derek Jarman | Stars: Clancy Chassay, Jill Balcon, Sally Dexter, Gina Marsh
Votes: 2,932
11. The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999 TV Movie)
TV-MA | 104 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
The rather eccentric (especially in her thinking) author of "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged" becomes involved with a much younger, and married man, to the dismay of those close to her.
Director: Christopher Menaul | Stars: Helen Mirren, Eric Stoltz, Julie Delpy, Peter Fonda
Votes: 1,652
12. Iris (I) (2001)
R | 91 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
True story of the lifelong romance between novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband John Bayley, from their student days through her battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Director: Richard Eyre | Stars: Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent, Kate Winslet, Hugh Bonneville
Votes: 19,146 | Gross: $1.29M
13. Giordano Bruno (1973)
123 min | Biography, Drama, History
Fleeing from his enemies in the Catholic Church, the free thinking philosopher, poet and scientist Giordano Bruno (1548-1600) has found some protection in Venice. But the Roman Inquisition,... See full summary »
Director: Giuliano Montaldo | Stars: Gian Maria Volontè, Hans Christian Blech, Mathieu Carrière, Renato Scarpa
Votes: 981
14. Adi Shankaracharya (1983)
Not Rated | 130 min | Biography, Drama
The first Indian movie to be made in Sanskrit. The movie follows the life and times of Adi Shankaracharya - the founder of the non-duality (Advaita) school of Indian philosophy. The ... See full summary »
Director: G.V. Iyer | Stars: Sarvadaman Banerjee, M.V. Narayana Rao, Manjunath Bhatt, Leela Narayana Rao
Votes: 312
15. Beyond Good and Evil (1977)
127 min | Biography, Drama
The life and ideas of the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. A love triangle unfolds as Nietzsche and his best friend decides to live with a Jewish woman. According to Nietzsche's ... See full summary »
Director: Liliana Cavani | Stars: Dominique Sanda, Erland Josephson, Robert Powell, Virna Lisi
Votes: 511
16. Days of Nietzsche in Turin (2001)
85 min | Drama
A cinematographic essay, without dialogues, about the months Nietszche spent in Turin, Italy, with narration quoted by his original writings.
Director: Júlio Bressane | Stars: Fernando Eiras, Paulo José, Mariana Ximenes, Leandra Leal
Votes: 331
17. The Turin Horse (2011)
Not Rated | 155 min | Drama
A rural farmer is forced to confront the mortality of his faithful horse.
Directors: Béla Tarr, Ágnes Hranitzky | Stars: János Derzsi, Erika Bók, Mihály Kormos, Ricsi
Votes: 19,434 | Gross: $0.05M
18. A Poet's Fate (1959)
Biography, Drama, History
A take on the life of the the poet, Rudaki.
Director: Boris Kimyagarov | Stars: Marat Aripov, Nozukmo Shomansurova, Makhmud Takhiri, Abdulkhamid Nurmatov
Votes: 25
19. Al-Ghazali: The Alchemist of Happiness (2004)
PG | 80 min | History
Exploring the life and impact of the greatest spiritual and legal philosopher in Islamic history, this film examines Ghazali's existential crisis of faith that arose from his rejection of ... See full summary »
Director: Abdul Latif Salazar | Stars: Dariush Arjmand, Mitra Hajjar, Ghorban Najafi, Robert Powell
Votes: 183
20. The Ister (2004)
Not Rated | 189 min | Documentary
A 3000km journey up the Danube river to the heart of Europe.
Directors: David Barison, Daniel Ross | Stars: Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe, Jean-Luc Nancy, Bernard Stiegler, Hans-Jürgen Syberberg
Votes: 225
21. Derrida (2002)
Not Rated | 84 min | Documentary
Documentary about French philosopher (and author of deconstructionism) Jacques Derrida, who sparked fierce debate throughout American academia.
Directors: Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering | Stars: Jacques Derrida, Marguerite Derrida, René Major, Chantal Major
Votes: 990 | Gross: $0.16M
22. Zizek! (2005)
Not Rated | 71 min | Documentary
A look at the controversial author, philosopher and candidate for Slovenian presidency: Slavoj Zizek.
Director: Astra Taylor | Star: Slavoj Zizek
Votes: 1,733 | Gross: $0.02M
23. Examined Life (2008)
Not Rated | 87 min | Documentary
In Examined Life, filmmaker Astra Taylor accompanies some of today's most influential thinkers on a series of unique excursions through places and spaces that hold particular resonance for them and their ideas.
Director: Astra Taylor | Stars: Kwame Anthony Appiah, Judith Butler, Michael Hardt, Martha Nussbaum
Votes: 1,836 | Gross: $0.12M
24. Being in the World (2010)
Unrated | 81 min | Documentary
BEING IN THE WORLD takes us on a journey around the world to meet philosophers influenced by the thought of Martin Heidegger, as well as experts in the fields of sports, music, craft, and ... See full summary »
Director: Tao Ruspoli | Stars: Tony Austin, Taylor Carman, Leah Chase, Ryan Cross
Votes: 408
25. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
PG | 90 min | Adventure, Comedy, Music
Two rock-'n-rolling teens, on the verge of failing their class, set out on a quest to make the ultimate school history report after being presented with a time machine.
Director: Stephen Herek | Stars: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin, Terry Camilleri
Votes: 141,724 | Gross: $40.49M
26. Socrates (1970 TV Movie)
120 min | Biography, History
A false accusation leads the philosopher Socrates to trial and condemnation in 4th century BC Athens.
Director: Roberto Rossellini | Stars: Jean Sylvère, Anne Caprile, Giuseppe Mannajuolo, Ricardo Palacios
Votes: 959
27. Blaise Pascal (1972 TV Movie)
135 min | Biography, History
Blaise Pascal struggles to understand the natural world around him, in addition to an inner quest for religious faith.
Director: Roberto Rossellini | Stars: Pierre Arditi, Rita Forzano, Giuseppe Addobbati, Christian De Sica
Votes: 636
28. Augustine of Hippo (1972 TV Movie)
121 min | Biography, History
This biography tells the life story of Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo, a North African region during the last years of the Roman Empire. The film details Augustine's struggle to maintain ... See full summary »
Director: Roberto Rossellini | Stars: Dary Berkani, Virgilio Gazzolo, Cesare Barbetti, Bruno Cattaneo
Votes: 211
29. Cartesius (1974 TV Movie)
150 min | Biography, History
This made for television film chronicles the illustrious life of French philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650)
Director: Roberto Rossellini | Stars: Ugo Cardea, Anne Pouchie, Claude Berthy, Gabriele Banchero
Votes: 471
30. Twilight of the Gods (2013)
85 min | Drama
When the ghost of the composer Richard Wagner visits the raving Friedrich Nietzsche within the walls of the Turin lunatic asylum the details of their dreadful conflict are revealed.
Director: Julian Doyle | Stars: Jud Charlton, Richard Franklin, Annie Walker
Votes: 54
31. The Flowers of St. Francis (1950)
Not Rated | 85 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
A series of vignettes depicting the lives of the original Franciscan monks, including their leader and the bumbling Ginepro.
Director: Roberto Rossellini | Stars: Aldo Fabrizi, Gianfranco Bellini, Peparuolo, Severino Pisacane
Votes: 4,046
Tell Your Friends