MHM’s Top 20 Films Based on Books

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it 1000 times — a movie will never be as good as the book because the director’s vision will never be as good as what you create in your mind, but here are twenty films that dared to come close. Read the books and watch the movies to see if you agree with MHM.

#20 Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Based on the book Red Alert by Peter George.

#19 Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

Based on the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

#18 The Great Gatsby (2013)

Based on the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

#17 3:10 to Yuma (2007)

Based on the book Three-Ten to Yuma and Other Stories by Elmore Leonard.

#16 Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Based on the book Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak.

#15 Greed (1924)

Based on the book McTeague by Frank Norris.

#14 Gone With the Wind (1939)

Based on the book Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

#13 American Psycho (2000)

Based on the book American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.

#12 A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Based on the book A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar.

#11 The Shining (1980)

Based on the book The Shining by Stephen King.

#10 Goodfellas (1990)

Based on the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi.

#9 Jaws (1975)

Based on the book Jaws by Peter Benchley.

#8 To Kill A Mocking Bird (1962)

Based on the book To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee.

#7 One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

Based on the book One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey.

#6 Blade Runner (1982)

Based on the book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick.

#5 The Princess Bride (1987)

Based on the book The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern’s Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman.

#4 The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Based on the book The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett.

#3 Schindler’s List (1993)

Based on the book Schindler’s Ark by Thomas Keneally.

#2 The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Based on the book Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption a Story from Different Seasons by Stephen King.

#1 The Godfather (1972)

Based on the book The Godfather by Mario Puzo.