Following is a list of movies I recommend you watch for the American Heritage or Citizenship in the Community requirement.  Historically, they’re interesting, and they’re just plain old good movies.

Some of these are better ”positive effect on the community” movies than others (Cit/Community #5), so they are marked with a (C).

  1. Patton – ask your parents for permission before starting.  Though historically accurate, the toil of war and strong language don’t make for fun family entertainment.
  2. Far and Away – Irish immigrants try to start a new life in America.  The film’s reenactment of the Oklahoma Land Run of 1893 is worth watching.
  3. (C) Pride of the Yankees – a bigraphy of Lou Gerhig, the famous Yankees baseball player.  The final scene leads up to this famous speech, which you can learn more about for Citizenship in the Nation.
  4. Eight Men Out – the famous “Chicago Black Sox” scandal of the 1919 World Series.
  5. (C) *61 – the battle for the home run title between Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris in 1961.
  6. (C) Miracle – the 1980 United States Men’s Hockey Team, made up of college players brought together for the Olympics, takes on the Russian powerhouse.  Yes, I am old enough to remember the actual event and it was as spectacular, memorable, and amazing as the film makes it.  Jim Craig was my childhood hero.
  7. (C) Invicible - Vince Papale, unemployed teacher, tries out for the Philadelphia Eagles and earns a spot on the team.  The American Dream.
  8. (C) The Rookie - kinda like Invicible, but this guy is an employed teacher with a family, and it’s baseball, not football.
  9. Amistad - slaves mutiny onboard a slave ship in 1839.  Subject of a famous case in the Supreme Court in 1841.
  10. Glory
  11. Midway
  12. Tora! Tora! Tora!
  13. (C) Glory Road
  14. Fat Man and Little Boy
  15. Dances With Wolves
  16. Forrest Gump
  17. Apollo 13
  18. (C) October Sky
  19. The Right Stuff
  20. Seabiscuit
  21. Cinderella Man
  22. The Aviator
  23. The Hurricane
  24. (C) Remember the Titans
  25. (C) The Greatest Game Ever Played
  26. 1776
  27. Twelve O’Clock High
  28. Memphis Belle
  29. The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming!
  30. Gone With the Wind
  31. In the Heat of the Night
  32. On the Waterfront
  33. (C) Lean on Me – tough schoolteacher in L.A. challenges kids to rise up to the best they can be, escape the barrios and go to college.  Good inspiration here!
  34. (C) Mr. Holland’s Opus – tough music teacher challenges kids to be the best musicians they can be.
  35. (C) A League of Their Own – girls can play baseball, too.  During World War II, an all-girls baseball league was started to fill the void when professional baseball was suspended for the war effort.
  36. (C) Coach Carter – tough basketball coach and teacher in L.A. challenges kids to rise up to the best they can be, escape the ghetto and be the best they can be.  Good inspiration here!
  37. (C) Secretariat - Commitment against the odds and the pursuit of greatness.  Secretariat was one of the greatest racehorses of all time, and and inspiration to millions (including me! I remember his triple crown win when I was a boy).
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