We entrepreneurs are clear about our objectives but sometimes we need some inspiration. And we look for it in books, friends, leaders and also motivational films that teach the keys to staying afloat, following our dreams and also knowing what risks we can take. These are some of the best movies for entrepreneurs that all of them should see, but there are surely many more, that’s why we invite you to increase this list in our comments block.
Motivational films for entrepreneurs:
Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)
Citizen Kane
Entrepreneurship is present in this film, both in the character of Charles Foster Kane, who is based on the press magnate William Randolph Hearst, and in the director, producer, scriptwriter and protagonist himself, Orson Welles, who at only 29 years of age released the most famous film of his career and who won him the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The film tells the story of Kane’s life, from his beginnings to his taking over a newspaper chain, a network of radio stations, two unions and a large art collection.
Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942)
films for entrepreneurs, casablanca
It is another of the classics, but its protagonist, Rick Blaine is another wartime entrepreneur. His business in Casablanca seems to be going well, and he has contacts to keep it afloat despite the adversities and also to help friends. This film, directed by Michael Curtiz, and starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman tells the story of a city where people from different countries fled from the Nazis in order to reach other places where the war did not reach. Rick helps Victor Laszlo, a Czech leader and resistance hero who escapes from the Nazis, and his wife, Ilsa, who was his lover in other times. It’s a love story.
The Sting (George Roy Hill, 1973)
films for entrepreneurs, the sting 1973
Despite the fact that the protagonists are swindlers, it is not surprising that this film is on this list, since their “business” organization, even if it is of deception, their planning and organization is exemplary, especially in achieving their goals. The film, directed by George Roy Hill and starring the two movie stars Robert Redford and Paul Newman and set in the 1930s, tells the story of two con men who decide to avenge the death of a friend, killed by a gangster. And they do it through an ingenious plan that includes the swindle of the gangster himself and with which they will count on all their friends and colleagues of profession.
Wall Street (Oliver Stone, 1987)
Wall Street, film for entrepreneurs
It is one of the classics within the motivational films about the business of investing in the stock market and the unlimited ambition. Charlie Sheen plays Bud Fox, a young and ambitious stockbroker who, after finishing his university studies, wants to work with a man he admires who is at the top of the business, Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas. He is an unscrupulous man who has amassed a large fortune through his investments and work in the stock market. Ambition and power in a film that has its second part released years later and played by Michael Douglas and which reflects the keys and consequences of the current economic crisis.
Cocktail (Roger Donaldson, 1988)
Ambition is also present in this film, starring Tom Cruise who brings to life Brian Flanagan, a young man who aspires to open his own drinking establishment, “Coktails and Dreams” and who takes his boss Douglas Coughlin, played by Brian Brown, as a model, who gives him advice on the best way to achieve his dreams. An adventure that Cruise follows and takes him to work in Jamaica, where he meets a girl who is on vacation on the island.
Women’s Weapons (Mike Nichols, 1988)
Ambition is also a woman’s thing. Tell that to Tess, a young New Yorker played by Melanie Griffith, who is willing to pursue her dream of becoming someone in the corporate world. To do so, she will have to face her boss and her demands, but little by little her intelligence and her way of doing things will help her build a better future, even if it is based on trickery and lies.
The Aviator (John Logan, 2004)
This film tells the biography of Howard Hughes, one of America’s most famous businessmen. In fact, he was one of the most prominent producers in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s and was responsible for launching actresses like Jean Harlow into stardom. But he also had other aspirations, and was one of the great drivers of innovations in the world of aviation, for which he felt a great fascination.
In search of happiness (Gabriel Muccino, 2006)
Effort and tenacity characterize the character played by Will Smith, Chris Gardner, who despite the difficulties manages to make a name for himself and be recognized by his bosses and colleagues. Gardner has to leave the apartment he lives in because of the economic difficulties he is going through, and together with his son they have to make a living. In search of a better future, the father gets an internship at a prestigious stock brokerage where, with work and determination, he manages to become one of the brightest of his peers. This is an example that if you work and believe in the possibilities you have, you can achieve everything you set out to do.
Up in the air (Jason Reitman, 2009)
Layoffs are part of the business world and this film shows how they can become an art and also a lucrative business. Ryan Bingham is the protagonist of the film, played by George Clooney, and is hired by companies to reduce staff because he is an expert in laying off people. His life takes place between companies, flying and carrying a suitcase, but he lacks something authentic to hold on to. He is attracted to a fellow traveler. Faced with the possibility of his boss changing jobs, he begins to wonder the meaning of his life and what it would mean to have a real home.
The Social Network (David Fincher, 2010)
One of the greatest entrepreneurs of the last few years is Mark Zuckerberg, creator of Facebook, which has revolutionized the way Internet users communicate. This inspiring film tells the story of the beginning of the most famous social network, when Zuckerberg, played by Jesse Eisenberg, is studying at Harvard and stands out for his work in the field of programming. It is during his free time that the idea of Facebook is born, a company that he formed with other colleagues, with whom he would later have legal and also personal difficulties, especially after the accusation that he stole the idea from some students of his same university and his relationship with Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), his old friend and co-founder of Facebook.