Ever since hearing that Abraham Lincoln's biopic, "Lincoln", only focused on his final, I guess, 18 months alive (I don't think they show him being assassinated?), the "Hitchcock" film that only focuses on the legendary director making "Psycho" and the Lenny Kravitz-Marvin Gaye vehicle focusing on the possible 1980-1982 period of Marvin's life when he triumphs over his tragedies for a brief period pre-death, I notice there has some biographies that have only focused on one part of a legendary public figure's life be it before that person's death or during a pivotal time in their life or whatever, but can anyone name any film that only focus on one bit of that person's life?

So far, the only ones that come to mind are:

Ali (which only really focuses on the boxer's three important eras from beating Sonny Liston in 1964 to beating George Foreman in 1974)

Jefferson in Paris (which only focused on the period the third president of the United States traveled to Paris and also brings up his relationship to Sally Hemmings)

Backbeat (only focusing on the early years of the Beatles before they became THE BEATLES)

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Anything else?

No other suggestions right away, but I will say that "Lincoln" was absurd in it's narrowness. It focuses on 1 month of his life and within that month only on his political life. It's an interesting story about passing the thirteenth ammendment, based on the book Team of Rivals, which is what the title should have been. Calling it Lincoln is just deceptive marketing.

In total, it covers about 5 months leading up to his death, but 90% is focused exclusively on January 1865. The end shows reactions to his assassination and then him lying in bed lifeless but not the shooting itself (I would say "spoiler alert", but I'm guessing everybody already knows how his life ended.)

controversy99 said:

No other suggestions right away, but I will say that "Lincoln" was absurd in it's narrowness. It focuses on 1 month of his life and within that month only on his political life. It's an interesting story about passing the thirteenth ammendment, based on the book Team of Rivals, which is what the title should have been. Calling it Lincoln is just deceptive marketing.

In total, it covers about 5 months leading up to his death, but 90% is focused exclusively on January 1865. The end shows reactions to his assassination and then him lying in bed lifeless but not the shooting itself (I would say "spoiler alert", but I'm guessing everybody already knows how his life ended.)

Ah thanks for the correction... doesn't sound like much of a biopic.

Timmy84 said:

controversy99 said:

No other suggestions right away, but I will say that "Lincoln" was absurd in it's narrowness. It focuses on 1 month of his life and within that month only on his political life. It's an interesting story about passing the thirteenth ammendment, based on the book Team of Rivals, which is what the title should have been. Calling it Lincoln is just deceptive marketing.

In total, it covers about 5 months leading up to his death, but 90% is focused exclusively on January 1865. The end shows reactions to his assassination and then him lying in bed lifeless but not the shooting itself (I would say "spoiler alert", but I'm guessing everybody already knows how his life ended.)

Ah thanks for the correction... doesn't sound like much of a biopic.

Fair points, and I still disagree.

That one month in Lincoln's life was a lifetime of accomplishment for most everyone else. His entire life would need a serial treatment; his failed political campaigns and the Douglas Debates would fill a trilogy of movies. But Lincoln, by capturing a small but critical part of his life, still counts as a biopic in a literal sense.

namepeace said:

Timmy84 said:

Ah thanks for the correction... doesn't sound like much of a biopic.

Fair points, and I still disagree.

That one month in Lincoln's life was a lifetime of accomplishment for most everyone else. His entire life would need a serial treatment; his failed political campaigns and the Douglas Debates would fill a trilogy of movies. But Lincoln, by capturing a small but critical part of his life, still counts as a biopic in a literal sense.

Someone described the film as a "thriller" lol

Anyways, I found another biopic that only focused on one era of a legend's life:

[img:$uid]http://www.theprodigalguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/nowhere-boy.jpg[/img:$uid]

There was another Lennon biopic that only focused on Lennon during his final years with the Beatles and his early solo career:

[img:$uid]http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2010/6/23/1277308889546/Christopher-Eccleston-as--006.jpg[/img:$uid]

Lennon Naked

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Showing yeah a film about one particular part of a legend's career could work.

Of course Liz & Dick does too, but I think it's understood that it is not a full biopic, just a story of their relationship.

I'm still not sure whether or not to call Sid & Nancy a biopic but they say it is...

Gandhi covered nearly all his life, minus his childhood years and the "student" years (which weren't that important anyway)

could be that there's also a flashback of his teenage years (first experiences with hardcore racism), could be wrong, I haven't seen that movie in ages

JoeTyler said:

Gandhi covered nearly all his life, minus his childhood years and the "student" years (which weren't that important anyway)

could be that there's also a flashback of his teenage years (first experiences with hardcore racism), could be wrong, I haven't seen that movie in ages

Yeah I remember that film being about, what, four hours long? Malcolm X's was about three hours...