21 Movies Directed by Ron Howard

Night Shift

Night Shift

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1982-07-30

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

106 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

6.5 (10468 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Genres:

Comedy

Cast:

Writer:

Lowell Ganz

Babaloo Mandel

Fullplot:

A nebbish of a morgue attendant gets shunted back to the night shift where he is shackled with an obnoxious neophyte partner who dreams of the "one great idea" for success. His life takes a bizarre turn when a prostitute neighbour complains about the loss of her pimp. His partner, upon hearing the situation, suggests that they fill that opening themselves using the morgue at night as their brothel. Against his better judgement, he gets talked into the idea, only to find that it's more than his boss that has objections to this bit of entrepreneurship.

Splash

Splash

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1984-03-09

Languages:

English, Swedish

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

111 min

Rated:

PG

IMDB Ratings:

6.2 (50482 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Cast:

Writer:

Brian Grazer (story)

Bruce Jay Friedman (screen story)

Lowell Ganz (screenplay)

Babaloo Mandel (screenplay)

Bruce Jay Friedman (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Allen Bauer is rescued from drowning as a young boy off Cape Cod by a young mermaid. Years later, he returns to the same location, and once again manages to fall into the sea, and is rescued once more by the mermaid (Allen isn't sure what he has seen and what he has imagined). Using maps from a sunken ship, the mermaid decides to search for Allen in New York City, sprouting legs when her tail dries. On finding Allen, they fall in love, but she has a secret, which will no longer be a secret if she gets her legs wet.

Cocoon

Cocoon

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1985-06-21

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

117 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

6.6 (41858 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Genres:

Sci-Fi

Cast:

Writer:

Tom Benedek (screenplay)

David Saperstein (story)

Fullplot:

A group of aliens return to earth to retrieve cocoons containing the people they'd left behind from an earlier trip. These cocoons had been resting at the bottom of the ocean. Once retrieved, they stored these recovered cocoons in the swimming pool of a house they'd rented in a small Florida town. Their mission is hampered by a number of elderly people from a nearby retirement community who had been secretly using the pool, and who discover unusual powers from within these cocoons.

Gung Ho

Gung Ho

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1986-03-14

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

111 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

6.1 (8804 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Genres:

ComedyDrama

Cast:

Writer:

Edwin Blum (story)

Lowell Ganz (story)

Babaloo Mandel (story)

Lowell Ganz (screenplay)

Babaloo Mandel (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Hunt Stevenson works for a large car manufacturer that has just been bought out by a Japanese firm. Suddenly finding himself having to justify his own job, he's forced to choose between redundancy or the seemingly inhuman Japanese work ethic that the new owners have brought with them.

Willow

Willow

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1988-05-20

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA, New Zealand

Runtime:

126 min

Rated:

PG

IMDB Ratings:

7.2 (76250 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Cast:

Writer:

George Lucas (story)

Bob Dolman (screenplay)

Fullplot:

A baby girl is discovered in a river by Ranon and Mims, the children of Willow Ufgood, a dwarf farmer and magician and the baby girl is taken into the care of Willow's family. But when a terrifying dog-like creature attacks Willow's village, whilst tracking down the baby. Willow consults the village council and the wizard The High Aldwin. The High Aldwin gives Willow a task and Willow leaves the village and embarks on the task to give the baby girl to a responsible person. But Willow soon learns the baby is Elora Danan, the baby girl destined to bring about the downfall of the evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda. Joined by his allies: swordsman Madmartigan, sorceress Fin Raziel and the Brownies Franjean and Rool, Willow takes it upon himself to protect Elora from Queen Bavmorda, who intends to kill Elora and prevent Elora from fulfilling her destiny. And Willow and his allies are pursued by Queen Bavmorda's daughter Sorsha and the evil commander of Queen Bavmorda's army General Kael, whom are searching for Elora and bring her back to Queen Bavmorda's castle, where Queen Bavmorda bids to kill Elora in a ritual and prevent the prophecy of her downfall.

Parenthood

Parenthood

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1989-08-02

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

124 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

(33843 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Genres:

ComedyDrama

Cast:

Writer:

Lowell Ganz (story)

Babaloo Mandel (story)

Ron Howard (story)

Lowell Ganz (screenplay)

Babaloo Mandel (screenplay)

Fullplot:

The story of the Buckman family and friends, attempting to bring up their children. They suffer/enjoy all the events that occur: estranged relatives, the "black sheep" of the family, the eccentrics, the skeletons in the closet, and the rebellious teenagers.

Backdraft

Backdraft

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1991-05-24

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

137 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

6.7 (54277 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Fullplot:

A rookie firefighter tries to earn the respect of his older brother and other firefighters while taking part in an investigation of a string of arson/murders. This detailed look into the duties and private lives of firemen naturally features widespread pyrotechnics and special effects.

Far and Away

Far and Away

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1992-05-22

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

140 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

6.5 (44770 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Cast:

Writer:

Bob Dolman (story)

Ron Howard (story)

Bob Dolman (screenplay)

Fullplot:

A young man leaves Ireland with his landlord's daughter after some trouble with her father, and they dream of owning land at the big give-away in Oklahoma ca. 1893. When they get to the new land, they find jobs and begin saving money. The man becomes a local bare-hands boxer, and rides in glory until he is beaten, then his employers steal all the couple's money and they must fight off starvation in the winter, and try to keep their dream of owning land alive. Meanwhile, the woman's parents find out where she has gone and have come to the U.S. to find her and take her back.

Apollo 13

Apollo 13

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1995-06-30

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

140 min

Rated:

PG

IMDB Ratings:

7.6 (193096 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Cast:

Writer:

Jim Lovell (book)

Jeffrey Kluger (book)

William Broyles Jr. (screenplay)

Al Reinert (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Based on the true story of the ill-fated 13th Apollo mission bound for the moon. Astronauts Lovell, Haise and Swigert were scheduled to fly Apollo 14, but are moved up to 13. It's 1970, and America have already achieved their lunar landing goal, so there's little interest in this "routine" flight.. until that is, things go very wrong, and prospects of a safe return fade.

Ransom

Ransom

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1996-11-08

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

121 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

6.6 (92817 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Cast:

Writer:

Cyril Hume (story)

Richard Maibaum (story)

Richard Price (screenplay)

Alexander Ignon (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Tom Mullen is a millionaire, he built his fortune by working hard. Along the way he learned how to play the game. He has a great family. One day his son is kidnapped. He is willing to pay the ransom but decides to call in the FBI, who manages to go into his home secretly. When he goes to make the drop something goes wrong. The kidnapper calls him again and reschedules it. On the way Mullen decides not to go and appears on TV saying that the ransom he was going to give to the kidnapper is now a bounty on the kidnapper.

Edtv

Edtv

Basic Info:

Released Date:

1999-03-26

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

122 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

6.1 (34229 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Genres:

ComedyDrama

Cast:

Writer:

èmile Gaudreault (screenplay)

Sylvie Bouchard (screenplay)

Lowell Ganz (screenplay)

Babaloo Mandel (screenplay)

Fullplot:

A comedy about a video store clerk Ed whose life is thrown into chaos when he agrees to let an executive of a television studio film him for 24 hours.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2000-11-17

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA, Germany

Runtime:

104 min

Rated:

PG

IMDB Ratings:

(127366 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Cast:

Writer:

Dr. Seuss (book)

Jeffrey Price (screenplay)

Peter S. Seaman (screenplay)

Fullplot:

Inside a snowflake exists the magical land of Whoville. In Whoville, live the Whos, an almost mutated sort of munchkinlike people. All the Whos love Christmas, yet just outside of their beloved Whoville lives the Grinch. The Grinch is a nasty creature that hates Christmas, and plots to steal it away from the Whos which he equally abhors. Yet a small child, Cindy Lou Who, decides to try befriend the Grinch.

A Beautiful Mind

A Beautiful Mind

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2002-01-04

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

135 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

8.2 (532561 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Cast:

Writer:

Akiva Goldsman

Sylvia Nasar (book)

Fullplot:

From the heights of notoriety to the depths of depravity, John Forbes Nash, Jr. experienced it all. A mathematical genius, he made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a painful and harrowing journey of self-discovery. After many years of struggle, he eventually triumphed over his tragedy, and finally - late in life - received the Nobel Prize.

The Missing

The Missing

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2003-11-26

Languages:

English, Apache languages, Spanish

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

137 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

6.5 (26074 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Cast:

Writer:

Thomas Eidson (novel)

Ken Kaufman (screenplay)

Fullplot:

In 19th-century New Mexico, a father (Tommy Lee Jones) comes back home, hoping to reconcile with his adult daughter Maggie (Cate Blanchett). Maggie's daughter is kidnapped, forcing father and estranged daughter to work together to get her back.

Cinderella Man

Cinderella Man

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2005-06-03

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

144 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

(140006 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Cast:

Writer:

Cliff Hollingsworth (screenplay)

Akiva Goldsman (screenplay)

Cliff Hollingsworth (story)

Fullplot:

During the Great Depression, a common-man hero, James J. Braddock--a.k.a. the Cinderella Man--was to become one of the most surprising sports legends in history. By the early 1930s, the impoverished ex-prizefighter was seemingly as broken-down, beaten-up and out-of-luck as much of the rest of the American populace who had hit rock bottom. His career appeared to be finished, he was unable to pay the bills, the only thing that mattered to him--his family--was in danger, and he was even forced to go on Public Relief. But deep inside, Jim Braddock never relinquished his determination. Driven by love, honor and an incredible dose of grit, he willed an impossible dream to come true. In a last-chance bid to help his family, Braddock returned to the ring. No one thought he had a shot. However Braddock, fueled by something beyond mere competition, kept winning. Suddenly, the ordinary working man became the mythic athlete. Carrying the hopes and dreams of the disenfranchised on his shoulders, Braddock rocketed through the ranks, until this underdog chose to do the unthinkable: take on the heavyweight champ of the world, the unstoppable Max Baer, renowned for having killed two men in the ring.

The Da Vinci Code

The Da Vinci Code

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2006-05-19

Languages:

English, French, Latin, Spanish

Countries:

USA, Malta, France, UK

Runtime:

149 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

6.5 (287769 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Cast:

Writer:

Akiva Goldsman (screenplay)

Dan Brown (novel)

Fullplot:

Symbologist Robert Langdon is thrown into a mysterious and bizarre murder. Alongside Langdon is the victims granddaughter and cryptologist Sophie Neveu, who with Robert discovers clues within Da Vinci's paintings. To further find the truth, Robert and Sophie travel from Paris to London, whilst crossing paths with allies and villains such as Sir Leigh Teabing and Silas. Wherever their path takes them, their discovery which is about to be revealed could shake the foundations of mankind.

Angels & Demons

Angels & Demons

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2009-05-15

Languages:

English, Italian, Latin, French, Swiss German, German, Chinese

Countries:

USA, Italy

Runtime:

138 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

6.7 (189322 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Cast:

Writer:

David Koepp (screenplay)

Akiva Goldsman (screenplay)

Dan Brown (novel)

Fullplot:

Following the murder of a physicist, Father Silvano Bentivoglio, a symbolist, Robert Langdon, and a scientist, Vittoria Vetra, are on an adventure involving a secret brotherhood, the Illuminati. Clues lead them all around the Vatican, including the four altars of science, Earth, Air, Fire and Water. An assassin, working for the Illuminati, has captured four cardinals, and murders each, painfully. Robert and Vittoria also are searching for a new very destructive weapon that could kill millions.

Frost/Nixon

Frost/Nixon

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2009-01-23

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA, UK, France

Runtime:

122 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

7.7 (85026 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Genres:

DramaHistory

Cast:

Writer:

Peter Morgan (screenplay)

Peter Morgan (play)

Fullplot:

Writer Peter Morgan's legendary battle between Richard Nixon, the disgraced president with a legacy to save, and David Frost, a jet-setting television personality with a name to make, in the story of the historic encounter that changed both their lives. For three years after being forced from office, Nixon remained silent. But in summer 1977, the steely, cunning former commander-in-chief agreed to sit for one all-inclusive interview to confront the questions of his time in office and the Watergate scandal that ended his presidency. Nixon surprised everyone in selecting Frost as his televised confessor, intending to easily outfox the breezy British showman and secure a place in the hearts and minds of Americans (as well as a $600,000 fee). Likewise, Frost's team harbored doubts about their boss' ability to hold his own. But as cameras rolled, a charged battle of wits resulted.

The Dilemma

The Dilemma

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2011-01-14

Languages:

English

Countries:

USA

Runtime:

111 min

Rated:

PG-13

IMDB Ratings:

5.3 (41490 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Genres:

ComedyDrama

Fullplot:

A man finds out that what you don't say to a friend is just as important as what you do is this story of how far you can bend a brotherly bond before it snaps. Since college, confirmed bachelor Ronny (Vaughn) and happily married Nick (James) have been through thick and thin. Now partners in an auto design firm, the two pals are vying to land a dream project that would launch their company. Ronny's girlfriend, Beth (Connelly), and Nick's wife, Geneva (Ryder), are by their sides. But Ronny's world is turned upside down when he inadvertently sees Geneva out with another man and makes it his mission to get answers. As the amateur investigation dissolves into mayhem, he learns that Nick has a few secrets of his own. Now, with the clock ticking and pressure mounting on the biggest presentation of their careers, Ronny must decide what will happen if he reveals the truth to his best friend.

Rush

Rush

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2013-09-27

Languages:

English, German, Italian, French, Spanish

Countries:

UK, Germany, USA

Runtime:

123 min

Rated:

R

IMDB Ratings:

8.2 (263143 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Fullplot:

Set against the sexy, glamorous golden age of Formula 1 racing in the 1970s, the film is based on the true story of a great sporting rivalry between handsome English playboy James Hunt (Hemsworth), and his methodical, brilliant opponent, Austrian driver Niki Lauda (Bruhl). The story follows their distinctly different personal styles on and off the track, their loves and the astonishing 1976 season in which both drivers were willing to risk everything to become world champion in a sport with no margin for error: if you make a mistake, you die.

Made in America

Made in America

Basic Info:

Released Date:

2014-07-11

Languages:

English, Spanish

Countries:

USA

IMDB Ratings:

4.7 (453 Reviews)

Director:

Ron Howard

Fullplot:

A celebration of both the unifying power of music and pursuit of the American dream, Made in America is an all-access backstage pass to the one-of-a-kind festival created by rap superstar Jay Z, and directed by Ron Howard. Featuring performances and fascinating backstage interviews with many of today's biggest music stars, Made in America shows how one giant celebration of music can change people's lives.

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