Business Through Hollywood's Lens

For Hollywood, the world of business can be a vehicle for many kinds of stories, from morality tales to conspiracy theories to David-and-Goliath fables. Celluloid heroes and villains illustrate the best and worst of human nature and in the process, tell us a little something about greed, management, even capitalism itself.

With that in mind, Bloomberg Businessweek asked deans at the top 30 U.S. business schools to name their favorite movies with a business theme or lesson and to explain their choices.

For anyone contemplating business school, or currently enrolled in one, these picks serve as a kind of silver-screen curriculum on leadership, ethics, and the exercise of power. The list contains a mix of classic and modern films, documentary and fictional works, comedies and dramas.