Cinderella Man – The true story based on the life of boxer James J. Braddock. Braddock was a promising young boxer whose career was sidelined by a series of injuries. In the Depression, he and his family became destitute, forcing him to go on public relief to feed his children. He then staged a remarkable series of comeback fights, culminating in becoming heavyweight champion of the world in one of the greatest upsets in boxing history, when he defeated a champion, Max Baer, who had killed two men in the ring. A great story about character and comebacks, and a welcome antidote to modern boxing and characters like Mike Tyson.

Seabiscuit – The animal version of Cinderella Man, in either book or movie formats, carries the same theme of remarkable comebacks, during the Depression, and, also like James Braddock, the horse gave hope to millions of people who had lost hope during the Depression. While the story is ostensibly about the horse, the people around the horse – jockey, owner, and trainer, are just as intriguing.