Movies Like Bound for Glory (1976)

Bound for Glory is a 1976 drama, music film from Hal Ashby with a MovieMagicScore of 6.9/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with 12 Mighty Orphans and Emperor of the North.

Drama Music

12 Mighty Orphans

2021

Haunted by his mysterious past, a devoted high school football coach leads a scrawny team of orphans to the state championship during the Great Depression and inspires a broken nation along the way.

7.2

MagicScore

Emperor of the North

1973

Hobos encounter a sadistic railway conductor that will not let anyone "ride the rails" for free.

6.7

MagicScore

Wild Boys of the Road

1933

At the height of the Great Depression, Tommy's mother has been out of work for months when Eddie's father loses his job. Eager not to burden their parents, the two high school sophomores decide to hop the freight trains and look for work.

6.8

MagicScore

Lady Sings the Blues

1972

Chronicles the rise and fall of legendary blues singer Billie Holiday, beginning with her traumatic youth. The story depicts her early attempts at a singing career and her eventual rise to stardom, as well as her difficult relationship with Louis McKay, her boyfriend and manager. Casting a shadow over even Holiday's brightest moments is the vocalist's severe drug addiction, which threatens to end both her career and her life.

6.9

MagicScore

Sullivan's Travels

1941

Successful movie director John L. Sullivan, convinced he won't be able to film his ambitious masterpiece until he has suffered, dons a hobo disguise and sets off on a journey, aiming to "know trouble" first-hand. When all he finds is a train ride back to Hollywood and a beautiful blonde companion, he redoubles his efforts, managing to land himself in more trouble than he bargained for when he loses his memory and ends up a prisoner on a chain gang.

7.4

MagicScore

The Naked Civil Servant

1975

Story of the life of Quentin Crisp, an Englishman who was brave enough to live his life according to his own style even in the hostile days of WW2.

6.6

MagicScore

Hold Your Breath

2024

In 1930s Oklahoma amid the region's horrific dust storms, a woman is convinced that a sinister presence is threatening her family.

5.9

MagicScore

In Like Flynn

2018

A mostly true account of future Hollywood star Errol Flynn's sea adventures in the early thirties, sailing from Australia to Papua in search of gold, along with his best friend Rex, a former Canadian smuggler; Dook, a handy English gentleman; and Charlie, a grumpy old sailor.

4.9

MagicScore

Yellow Earth

1984

A communist soldier is sent to a remote region of China in order to collect folk songs. Staying with a peasant family (a widower with two small children), he discovers a community whose way of life is completely alien to him, but he gradually wins their trust…

7.2

MagicScore

#10

King of the Hill

1993

Based on the Depression-era bildungsroman memoir of writer A. E. Hotchner, the film follows the story of a boy struggling to survive on his own in a hotel in St. Louis after his mother is committed to a sanatorium with tuberculosis. His father, a German immigrant and traveling salesman working for the Hamilton Watch Company, is off on long trips from which the boy cannot be certain he will return.

6.8

MagicScore

#11

Honkytonk Man

1982

During the Great Depression, a young boy leaves his family's Oklahoma farm to travel with his country musician uncle who is trying out for the Grand Ole Opry.

6.4

MagicScore

#12

Pennies from Heaven

1981

During the Great Depression, a sheet music salesman seeks to escape his dreary life through popular music and a love affair with an innocent school teacher.

6.0

MagicScore

#13

The Green Mile

1999

A supernatural tale set on death row in a Southern prison, where gentle giant John Coffey possesses the mysterious power to heal people's ailments. When the cell block's head guard, Paul Edgecomb, recognizes Coffey's miraculous gift, he tries desperately to help stave off the condemned man's execution.

8.5

MagicScore

#14

Monsieur Verdoux

1947

The film is about an unemployed banker, Henri Verdoux, and his sociopathic methods of attaining income. While being both loyal and competent in his work, Verdoux has been laid-off. To make money for his wife and child, he marries wealthy widows and then murders them. His crime spree eventually works against him when two particular widows break his normal routine.

7.7

MagicScore

#15

Sounder

1972

The oldest son of a loving and strong family of black sharecroppers comes of age in the Depression-era South after his father is imprisoned for stealing food.

7.5

MagicScore

#16

Road to Perdition

2002

Mike Sullivan works as a hit man for crime boss John Rooney. Sullivan views Rooney as a father figure, however after his son is witness to a killing, Mike Sullivan finds himself on the run in attempt to save the life of his son and at the same time looking for revenge on those who wronged him.

7.3

MagicScore

#17

Places in the Heart

1984

In 1935 rural Texas, recently widowed Edna Spaulding struggles to survive with two small children, a farm to run, and very little money in the bank - not to mention a deadly tornado and the unwelcome presence of the Ku Klux Klan. Edna is aided by her beautician sister, Margaret; a blind boarder, Mr. Will; and a would-be thief, Moze, who decides to teach Edna how to plant and harvest cotton.

7.2

MagicScore

#18

Lawless

2012

In 1931, the Bondurant brothers of Franklin County, Virginia, run a multipurpose backwoods establishment that hides their true business — bootlegging. Middle brother Forrest is the brain of the operation; older Howard is the brawn, and younger Jack, the lookout. Though the local police have taken bribes and left the brothers alone, a violent war erupts when a sadistic lawman from Chicago arrives and tries to shut down the Bondurants operation.

7.1

MagicScore

#19

Seabiscuit

2003

True story of the undersized Depression-era racehorse whose victories lifted not only the spirits of the team behind it but also those of their nation.

7.1

MagicScore

#20

Heroes for Sale

1933

World War I veteran Tom Holmes is marked by the unbearable suffering caused by his battle wounds. Over the years, he comes to experience both the pain of misfortune and a love for other human beings.

7.0

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Bound for Glory?

The top films similar to Bound for Glory by MovieMagicScore are 12 Mighty Orphans (7.2), Emperor of the North (6.7), Wild Boys of the Road (6.8). Each shares drama/music themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Bound for Glory worth watching?

Bound for Glory holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.9/10 from 76 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Bound for Glory?

Bound for Glory (1976) is a drama, music film directed by Hal Ashby, starring David Carradine, Ronny Cox, Melinda Dillon.

Where can I find more recommendations like Bound for Glory?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more drama recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like 12 Mighty Orphans Movies like Emperor of the North Movies like Wild Boys of the Road Movies like Lady Sings the Blues Movies like Sullivan's Travels Movies like The Naked Civil Servant

About movies like Bound for Glory

This ranked list pairs Bound for Glory (1976), a drama and music film from Hal Ashby, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of David Carradine take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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