Out of Africa (1985)

Based On the Life of: Karen Blixen

Starring: Meryl Streep

Movie Budget: $31 million

Star Salary: $10 million

Out of Africa stars Meryl Streep as Karen Blixen, who moved to Africa with her husband Bror to become a dairy farmer. Bror instead spends the family’s money purchasing a coffee plantation, ultimately becoming the villain. Karen begins an affair with Denys, a hunter played by Robert Redford.

The story turns into a romantic tragedy when Denys realizes he’s not actually in love with Karen, after all. The movie was based on Karen’s autobiography of the same name, which she wrote under the pseudonym Isak Dinesen. The autobiography was published in 1937.