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These movies and docs will teach you more about Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s historic legacy

There is a reason they call her ‘Notorious RBG’

WASHINGTON - MARCH 03: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg smiles during a photo session with photographers at the U.S. Supreme Court March 3, 2006 in Washington DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (Mark Wilson, 2006 Getty Images)

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died late last week after a long battle with cancer, and those who looked up to her are mourning the loss by sharing some of her most famous quotes, decisions and iconic moments from her incredibly long career.

But for those who aren’t as familiar with the life and work of the late Supreme Court justice (who happened to be the second women appointed to the bench of the high court), you might be wondering what exactly this revered woman accomplished in her life.

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Luckily for you, there have been a few movies and documentaries made in the past few years that chronicle the extraordinary life of Ginsburg and her family.

‘RBG’

This Oscar-nominated documentary is probably the best way to learn the most. From her humble beginnings of growing up in Brooklyn, New York, to marrying her longtime love Marty, who passed away in 2010, this doc has it all.

What was really incredible about this documentary was learning about RBG’s professional career before she became a Supreme Court justice. Ginsburg argued many cases before the Supreme Court and won many of them. The documentary goes into great detail about the background of these cases, and how Ginsburg came up with a compelling argument, and how she made them landmark cases for America.

We also get a glimpse into her personal life, like her unique friendship with the now-deceased conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. You’ll learn about Ginsburg’s immense love for opera, and get to see her weekly workouts in her personalized U.S. Women’s Soccer Team jersey.

The documentary is streaming on Hulu.

‘On The Basis Of Sex’

Ginsburg’s life also got the Hollywood treatment in 2018 with the film “On The Basis Of Sex.” The movie stars Felicity Jones as RBG herself, and we get an inside look at her early life, long before she was a Supreme Court justice.

We get to see Ginsburg as an up-and-coming attorney during a time when women were not respected as lawyers, all the while trying to raise two kids and provide for her family.

And of course, we get to see RBG do what she did best, which is use her brilliant legal mind to argue sex discrimination cases. It’s interesting to see where her passion for law began, and what would eventually come later in her storied career.

You can stream the film on Showtime.


About the Author
Jack Roskopp headshot

Jack is a Digital Content Editor with a degree in creative writing and French from Western Michigan University. He specializes in writing about movies, food and the latest TV shows.

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