It has become more difficult for salespeople in Hollywood to win the trust and goodwill of customers. There have been films with more positive salesmanship qualities than others. Here’s a list of the top movies about salesmen of all time.
Your life can be influenced by the movies you see. They can teach us lessons, inspire us, and make us laugh.
It’s crucial to choose movies about salesmen that touch your heart and soul. This is why we compiled this list of the greatest movies ever made about salesmen.
This includes Hollywood movies that depict people in sales with love and care for their profession.
Hollywood can be quite brutal when it comes to casting people in various professions.
Movies about salesmen can capture the passion, energy, and ambition needed to launch a successful career. This is why we have compiled this list of the greatest movies about salesmen ever!
These films will inspire, educate, and entertain you.
Here are the greatest movies ever made about salesmen!
Happiness is a Pursuit
This biographical drama, released in 2006, tells the story of Chris Gardner (a salesman who falls on hard times) and his son.
Gardner is determined to succeed despite all the obstacles he encounters.
This movie is a great reminder that you can overcome any obstacle in life with determination and hard work.
Glengarry Glen Ross
The 1992 drama centers on a group of selling agents for a failing real estate company.
Selling is a stressful job. Coworkers are fiercely competitive. This film will show you how to survive in the competitive world of sales. This movie is a must-see for anyone who wants to get into sales.
The Salesman
The story of a couple forced to move into an apartment in Iran by a 2016 Iranian drama.
Soon after moving in, they discover the previous tenant had been murdered. This is one of the greatest movies about a salesman.
This film is a great look at the daily life of a salesman and the dangers associated with it.
The Wolf of Wall Street
This 2013 biographical drama centers on Jordan Belfort a stockbroker who is involved in securities fraud.
This film is a great portrayal of greed and corruption in the sales industry. This movie is a must-see for anyone who wants to enter sales. They’ll also learn valuable lessons.
The Scent of a Woman
Al Pacino plays Frank Slade, a blind and abrasive retired Army colonel who decides to teach at a prep school.
He tries to be tough with his students but ends up liking Charlie Simms, the student who seems to be his total opposite. This film is a great example of how difficult it can be to be introverted in sales.
Used Automobiles (1980).
Kurt Russell is a hotshot used-car entrepreneur who dreams of running in Robert Zemeckis’ absurd sales satire.
Russell’s easy-going charm and charisma give this hilariously filthy comedy an energy as strong today as it was 35 years ago. He is the perfect embodiment of every corrupt cliché in the trade.
Russell makes his character’s adage “Trust me!” a reality. Russell transforms his character’s infamous catchphrase “Trust me!” into a mantra that any salesperson would be proud to know.
A Salesman’s Demise (1985)
This Emmy-winning film adaptation of Arthur Miller’s classic play was made for television and premiered on CBS.
Dustin Hoffman’s incredibly moving portrayal of Willy Loman, beautifully supported by John Malkovich, and Stephen Lang brings Miller’s tragic fable to a tragic reality.
“Death Of A Salesman” is a sad depiction of a man who refuses to change and uses door-to-door selling as a metaphor for losing the American Dream.
Make the Best of the Situation (1986).
Robin Williams gave a strong performance to “Seize the Day,” three years before he taught the term “carpe diem” to the children in “Dead Poets Society.”
Williams captured every aspect of Saul Bellow’s novel about a middle-aged Jewish seller who was struggling with poverty and divorcing in the 1950s.
This dark portrayal of a man who has his natural sales skills and fails was originally broadcast by PBS television. It was both heartbreakingly honest and sad. This is something that sales movies are often not.
The World’s Best Salesman (1987)
Based on Og Mandino’s motivational book, this film is lighthearted and family-friendly.
The film tells the story of Marco, a young man who travels from Europe to sell encyclopedias door to door.
Marco quickly discovers that he is a natural salesman despite his initial hesitation. He ends up being the best salesman in all of the world.
This film is a great example of how anyone can be a successful salesperson if they have the right attitude.
In Good Company (2004)
The comedy-drama centers on a 40-year-old man who must take on a new, younger mentor and boss.
This movie is funny, but it also shows the struggles of a salesperson who is not good at their job.
This movie illustrates how important it is for salespeople to manage expectations. It also shows that being great at selling doesn’t automatically mean you are incredibly intelligent or talented in all other areas of life.
The Joneses, (2009)
The comedy-drama tells the story of David Jones and Kate Jones, a young and attractive couple who move to a suburb and begin to promote the American Dream to their neighbors.
Although they appear perfect, they soon realize that they are imposters and just looking for quick riches.
This movie shows the dangers of selling and the fact that even the most skilled salespeople can be dishonest when necessary.
The Baby Boom Generation (1987).
Diane Keaton plays J.C. Wiatt as a “Tiger Lady”, who is so focused on her work, she barely has the time to breathe.
When she inherits a toddler from her dying relatives, this high-powered management consultant realizes that raising a child takes more effort than negotiating a million dollars contract.
Wiatt, who is overworked, discovers her true calling after she purchases a neglected farm and starts selling organic baby food.
“Baby Boom”, a warm-hearted collection of entrepreneurial creativity, shows that a setback can be a blessing in disguise. This is true in both business and life.
Tin Men, No. 5 (1987)
Barry Levinson’s nostalgic drama about two aluminum-siding salesmen portrays the 1960s with impeccable art direction and complex characters.
“Tin Men” is a comedy-horror tale that captures the end of an era. It depicts the moment Baltimore’s new Home Improvement Commission took a stand against unscrupulous sales practices.
In the film’s funny epilogue, our disgraced heroes drive into an uncertain future. A familiar set of golden arches rises in the distance to signal a new business venture.
Tommy Boy (1995).
The raucous comedy about an imbecile who is trying to save his family’s business from ruin was unexpectedly a box office success thanks to Chris Farley’s physical humor and David Spade’s stinging sarcasm.
“Tommy Boy,” illustrates the growth of a salesman underneath the fat jokes, and gross-out antics.
Farley is charged with bringing in enough business to keep his company afloat. He quickly realizes that it takes more than just flashy slogans or forceful handshakes to connect with clients. It requires listening to their needs and responding with genuine empathy.
It’s a good idea to not light their desks on fire and shout “Holy Schnikes!” It helps.
Men of Diamonds (2000)
Robert Forster was a great actor as Eddie Miller, a traveling jewelry salesman who had to retire from the profession after suffering a heart attack just three years before his Oscar nomination for Jackie Brown.
His employer assigns him the task of training a younger successor. The cross-generational connections lead to an unexpected excursion to a neglected massage parlor where their bereaved hero might find another chance at love.
Hidden gems like “Diamond Men”, which is a part road movie and part character study, are often overlooked.
Lord Of The Battlefield (2005)
“Lord of War,” loosely based upon the true story of a notorious weapons dealer suggests that selling AK-47s and orthopedic footwear to senior citizens isn’t that much different than selling AK-47s or African warlords.
All it comes down to treating customers with respect.
Nicolas Cage stars in this darkly comic drama. It charts the rise and falls of a small-arms dealer, who goes from selling pistols in his New York City neighborhood to delivering guided missiles to renegade countries.
Cage, the tired merchant of death, holds on to the belief that he is only fulfilling a demand. However, Cage eventually admits that he isn’t in it for the money. It’s just something that Cage excels at.
Love & Other Drugs (2010)
This movie is a romantic drama about a salesman. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal playing an ambitious pharmaceutical rep whose shady ethics allow him to become Pfizer’s top drug pusher.
Based on the nonfiction book Hard Sell: The Evolution Of a Viagra Salesman, it is also a reinterpretation of that biography. The film is not meant to be romantic, but it offers a unique view of the medical industry and makes it worth your time.
Gyllenhaal’s charm as a puppy makes us want to root for him, regardless of the morally questionable practices in the industry.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa (2011)
This comedy about insurance salesmen will be a hit with fans of “Parks and Recreation,” but will also appeal to those who have been through an interminable business convention.
Ed Helms plays the role of Tim Lippe, a funny and innocent insurance agent who has never been to a hotel before.
Tim’s enthusiasm for life has a transformative effect on the cynical salespeople he meets at a convention in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “Cedar Rapids” is a funny comedy about worker camaraderie that’s simple and enjoyable.
Moneyball (2011)
This Oscar-nominated drama tells the story of Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), a downtrodden 2002 Oakland Athletics team baseball player.
Beane is the pioneer of the sabermetric approach to baseball recruiting with a small budget and the support from Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), a Yale economics graduate.
Pitt’s Beane must convince his management team, scouting team, and players about his unconventional approach to team building throughout the film.
It’s a story of big bets and defying the status quo. And it turns limited resources into great results, something every salesperson has experienced at one time or another.
Gratitude (2015)
Joy Mangano is a brilliant entrepreneur. Joy Mangano, played by Jennifer Lawrence is a divorced mother-of-two who works as a booking clerk for airlines when the film starts.
Mangano’s big break comes when QVC offers Mangano a slot on their telethon for her self-wringing mop. The commercial is unfortunately canceled due to poor performance by a salesman.
Mangano is eager to be the star of the infomercial and is quickly successful. “Joy,” is yet another example of how selling your way to the top takes hard work, sacrifice, and a deep understanding of your target audience.
The Founding Father (2016)
Ray Kroc is 52 years old. He was a milkshake machine salesman and built a fast-food empire.
The movie “The Founder” tells the story of Kroc’s relationship with Dick and Mac McDonald and his eventual acquisition of their family’s burger company.
Although Michael Keaton’s Oscar-nominated portrayal of Kroc by Michael Keaton is not always appealing, it is a great example of the “do whatever you have to” mentality that has helped many entrepreneurs achieve success.
You’ll want to eat a cheeseburger.
Room with Boiler (2000)
Aggressive brokers sell to ignorant consumers over the telephone in the “boiler room” and get rewarded with luxury homes, sports cars, and other goods. Giovanni Ribisi portrays a college dropout who gets a job at a suburban investment company as a broker.
His new job and lucrative income have brought him back into the good graces of his father. He must decide if the firm is legal.
Jerry Maguire (2000)
One of Tom Cruise’s most iconic roles is Jerry Maguire. He portrays the story of a sports agent who has a moral revelation and loses his job because of it.
With the help of his former secretary and a challenging athlete (played here by Cuba Gooding Jr. who won an Academy Award), he tries to create a new life and manage a new company. He also deals with issues that many new business owners can relate to on some level.
