BRIDGET MORRISON

Many films focus on the subject of money — perhaps simply because people love money. Feed your greed by indulging in these classic rags-to-riches tales.

Depending on the film, rags-to-riches stories can take a couple of forms but the basic plot is the same: the poor man, despite all odds, comes to acquire a large sum of money. These types of films can be inspiring and heartwarming, or they can be heavy, dark and violent as the love of money can sometimes take away the best in people. Here are a few films from both ends of the spectrum that are worth checking out.

First on the list is 1983’s Scarface. Directed by Brian De Palma and starring Al Pacino, the film tells the story of a Cuban refugee, Tony Montana (Pacino). With absolutely nothing in his pockets, Montana arrives in America in the 1980s and eventually rises to become a powerful drug kingpin.

Be warned — this rags-to-riches film isn’t a heartwarming and inspiring story, so if you’re looking for a happy ending, skip to the next movie on the list. Scarface is a violent and profane film that’s centered on greed, power and money, but it is fascinating and worth the watch.

The second film on the list is much lighter fare than the first. My Fair Lady, released in 1964 and starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison, received much critical acclaim. This 1964 version was actually an adaptation of the stage musical, which itself was based on the 1938 film adaptation of the original 1913 stage play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw — needless to say, there was a lot of adaptation going on!

Directed by George Cukor, the 1964 version tells the story of an arrogant phonetics professor, Henry Higgins (Harrison), as he makes a wager that he can teach a poor Cockney flower seller, Eliza Doolittle (Hepburn), to speak proper English and become presentable in high society. Let the beautiful and talented Hepburn take you on a spectacular journey as you watch this charming story of transformation and love. 

The third film in this theme is much like the first — it’s fairly heavy and dark. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood was released in 2007 and stars Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano. The film was inspired by the novel Oil! written by Upton Sinclair.

There Will Be Blood tells the story of Daniel Plainview (Day-Lewis), a poor silver miner who strikes oil and becomes a rich man. However, as his fortune grows he begins to lose sight of his morals and deviates into a dark and dangerous life.

If the intriguing plot isn’t enough to convince you to watch the film, the fact that Daniel Day-Lewis is in it should be. Day-Lewis won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2007 for his role in this film. The film reached great critical acclaim and was listed as the top film of its decade by many, including Peter Travers of Rolling Stone.

Fourth on this rags-to-riches roundup is Danny Boyle’s 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire. The film tells the story of 18-year-old Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), who comes from the Juhu slums of Mumbai. As a contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Malik answers all the questions correctly and consequently finds himself accused of cheating. The film shows Jamal as he recounts his history to prove how he was able to answer each question.

Slumdog Millionaire won eight of the 10 academy awards it was nominated for in 2009, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. This honest and colourful film immerses the viewer in the life of Jamal, leaving them awestruck. Although this film takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions, it’s a rags-to-riches story that can’t help but leave you feeling uplifted.

Sit back, relax and experience the tragedies and triumphs of wealth. Happy viewing!