Sports movies: The top 50 sports films of all time

Get into the game with our definitive list of the best sports movies: inspirational dramas, rude comedies and classic documentaries celebrating the real thing.

By David Fear, Joshua Rothkopf and Keith Uhlich Mon Sep 17 2012

Sports movies: The Set-Up (1949)
Sports movies: Personal Best (1982)
Sports movies: Knute Rockne All American (1940)
Sports movies: Gentleman Jim (1942)
Sports movies: Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001)
Sports movies: This Sporting Life (1963)
Sports movies: Undisputed (2002)
Sports movies: Pumping Iron (1977)
Sports movies: White Men Can’t Jump (1992)
Sports movies: Jerry Maguire (1996)

Sports movies: The Set-Up (1949)

The Set-Up (1949)

In this dark, disturbing noir, the great Robert Ryan plays a has-been pugilist who learns his manager has fixed one of his bouts—which unleashes some of the old fighting spirit. The jittery boxing sequences directly influenced Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull.—Keith Uhlich

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Personal Best (1982)

The characters are U.S. track-and-fielders striving to qualify for the women’s team headed for the 1980 Olympics (a Games the States would boycott). But what will always set this drama apart is its exploration of physical attraction between same-sex competitors, presented in an honest, nonexploitative manner. Side note: Here’s how you do arm wrestling.—Joshua Rothkopf

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Knute Rockne All American (1940)

Pat O’Brien may have played the titular character in this ode to the legendary Notre Dame football figurehead, but it’s Ronald Reagan’s gridiron all-star, George Gipp, who inspired football’s most famous inspirational motto: “Let’s win one for the Gipper!” So many coaches have quoted the movie’s line that Reagan’s estate should be paid annual royalties.—David Fear

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Gentleman Jim (1942)

One of Hollywood’s most charismatic actors plays one of the sweet science’s most charming practitioners: You’d swear Errol Flynn was born to play heavyweight champion “Gentleman Jim” Corbett. Raoul Walsh’s film re-creates 1890’s rollicking, game-changing Corbett vs. John L. Sullivan match—the moment when boxing became as much about brains as brawn.—David Fear

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Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001)

The director, Stacy Peralta, was a teenage celebrity in the late-’70s: a SoCal skateboarder whose revolutionary style got him all the way to a cameo on Charlie’s Angels. His affectionate, irreverent profile of his fearless comrades plays more like a rock documentary, the band broken up by money, endorsements and bad luck.—Joshua Rothkopf

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This Sporting Life (1963)

Director Lindsay Anderson made his fiction debut with this gritty tale of a hotheaded coal miner (Richard Harris) who finds stardom on the rugby field. Harris’s jagged-edge performance complements the film’s immersively rough-hewn aesthetic; even the sports scenes feel as if they’ve been doused in kitchen-sink grime.—Keith Uhlich

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Undisputed (2002)

Fueled by a scrappy, improvisatory energy, this prison-set boxing drama pits a recently incarcerated heavyweight champ (Ving Rhames) against a yard favorite (Wesley Snipes). Apart from the imminent clash of fists and egos, there’s a fascinating side plot concerning promotion, masterminded by elderly con Peter Falk in one of his craftiest turns.—Joshua Rothkopf

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Pumping Iron (1977)

The biceps are watermelon-size, the grunts deafening and the imposed narratives a little dodgy. But boring this docudrama is not. Mainly, it serves as a fascinating peek at two future superstars, Arnold Schwarzenegger (witty and already a ham) and TV-Hulk-to-be Lou Ferrigno, his chief competition for the title of Mr. Olympia.—Joshua Rothkopf

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White Men Can’t Jump (1992)

No film better captures the psych-out art of athletic trash-talking than Ron Shelton’s ode to playground B-ballers. Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes display serious game on the court, but it’s the way they gracefully ace lines like “Still throwing up bricks? What is this, a mason’s convention?” that makes the duo so dynamic.—David Fear

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Jerry Maguire (1996)

Writer-director Cameron Crowe casts an eye off the field in his crowd-pleasing romantic comedy, focusing on a conscientious sports agent (Tom Cruise) who starts his own firm. Classic scenes abound, from Cruise’s ecstatic rendition of “Free Fallin’ ” to costar Cuba Gooding Jr.’s highly memorable demand to “Show me the money!”—Keith Uhlich

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(5 ratings)

do we read this list as higher numbers are better? perhaps the list maker is trying to judge a sports movie by the usual parameters of movie making for "good". you don't do that. a good movie tells a sports story well by emphasizing the elements that make sports so interesting and entertaining, and often meaningful. i also note no effort to change the list when obvious omissions like remember the titans are pointed out (and don't tell me titans is "formula".. yes, it pushes all the correct buttons and manipulates its audience to no end.. but it is a good story well told and denzel washington and the rest of the cast, with just a few exceptions, ring true. anyways, thanx for this, now i don't have to check out any more of your "lists"

don marks Tue Oct 23 2012
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no rudy, sandlot, remember the titans, or he got game .. major league? the program?

guy Tue Oct 23 2012
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Good movies, good list. The order will always by negotiable because people have different tastes, but I was really struck when I couldn't find Remember the Titans.

Wilmar Tue Oct 23 2012
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Overall a good list but I feel as though it hit the right movies just wrong order. Without Limits wasn't even on this list and honestly that hidden gem could make top 10, and Any Given Sunday deserves better than #20.

Gage Tue Oct 23 2012
Rated as: 3/5
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Are you kidding me?! Rudy isn't on the list wtf is wrong with you. . .

Reece Tue Oct 23 2012
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This list has some significant omissions, such as: Jim Thorpe All American It Happens Every Spring Band the Drum Slowly Angels in the Outfield (original) just to name a few.

Craig Lumpkins Sat Oct 20 2012
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Stick It and Cool Runnings missing... And really? Bend it like Beckham is LAST!?

Molly Sat Oct 20 2012
Rated as: 1/5
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What a joke of a list. Do you even watch sports? Terrible...just terrible.

Shane Fri Oct 19 2012
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terrible list # 1 Rudy, # 2 Sandlot # 3 Remember the titans.... go crawl in a hole and never come out

your mom Fri Oct 19 2012
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And although it's kinda new, the movie Goon is a really good sports flick. This list needs trimming and have better more beloved movies in there. The whole, "it's old so it's good" thing has run it's course.

Silly Fri Oct 19 2012
Rated as: 2/5
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