SimilarScreen
The Wave

The Wave

19816.90h 44m

Overview

A teacher conducts an experiment in an American high school where students learn how easy it is to be seduced by the same social forces which led to the horrors of Nazi Germany.

Directed by Alexander Grasshoff
Written by Johnny Dawkins, Ron Jones
Produced by Fern Field
0

Top Cast

Bruce Davison

Bruce Davison

Ben Ross

Lori Lethin

Lori Lethin

Lauree

John Putch

John Putch

David

Johnny Doran

Johnny Doran

Robert

P

Pasha Gray

Amy

W

Wesley Pfenning

Christy Ross

M

Marc Copage

Eric

R

Robert DeLapp

M

Matthew Dunn

M

Michael Pasternak

Peter

Themes & Keywords

experimentbased on true storyteacher

About The Wave

The Wave is a drama, thriller, tv movie film released in 1981 exploring themes of experiment, based on true story, teacher. Directed by Alexander Grasshoff, it stars Bruce Davison, Lori Lethin, John Putch. A teacher conducts an experiment in an American high school where students learn how easy it is to be seduced by the same social forces which led to the horrors of Nazi Germany.

Movies Similar to The Wave

Discover titles like The Wave — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to The Wave

If you enjoyed The Wave, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of The Wave.

Dead Poets Society
39% Match

At an elite, old-fashioned boarding school in New England, a passionate English teacher inspires his students to rebel against convention and seize the potential of every day, courting the disdain of the stern headmaster.

The Wave
32% Match

The Wave(2008)

Movie7.5/10

A school teacher discusses types of government with his class. His students find it too boring to repeatedly go over national socialism and believe that dictatorship cannot be established in modern Germany. He starts an experiment to show how easily the masses can become manipulated.

JFK
28% Match

JFK(1991)

Movie7.6/10

Follows the investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy led by New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison.

Reality
27% Match

Reality(2023)

Movie6.4/10

Augusta, Georgia, United States, June 3, 2017. After running some errands, Reality Winner returns home, where she is approached by two men.

The Ron Clark Story
26% Match

Passionate and innovative teacher Ron Clark leaves his small hometown to teach in one of Harlem's toughest schools. But to break through to the students, he must use unconventional methods, including his ground-breaking classroom rules, to help them reach their potential. Based on a true story.

In My Father's Den
25% Match

War journalist Paul Prior returns to his New Zealand hometown after his father’s death, rekindling strained relationships with his brother and memories of a troubled past. He befriends Celia, a curious and aspiring writer, who shares a fascination with his world. When Celia mysteriously disappears, Paul becomes the prime suspect, forcing him to confront buried secrets and uncover the dark truths of his family and community.

Sommersby
25% Match

Sommersby(1993)

Movie6.3/10

Set in the South just after the US Civil War, Laurel Sommersby is just managing to work the farm without her husband, believed killed in battle. By all accounts, Jack Sommersby was not a pleasant man, thus when he suddenly returns, Laurel has mixed emotions. It appears that Jack has changed a great deal, leading some people to believe that this is not actually Jack but an imposter. Laurel herself is unsure, but willing to take the man into her home, and perhaps later into her heart.

Fist of Fury
25% Match

During the Japanese occupation of Shanghai, Chen Zhen, the star pupil of a recently-deceased martial arts teacher battles a Japanese dojo which seeks the demise of his fighting school.

Gandhi
24% Match

Gandhi(1982)

Movie7.6/10

In the early years of the 20th century, Mohandas K. Gandhi, a British-trained lawyer, forsakes all worldly possessions to take up the cause of Indian independence. Faced with armed resistance from the British government, Gandhi adopts a policy of 'passive resistance', endeavouring to win freedom for his people without resorting to bloodshed.

This Boy's Life
24% Match

When a son and mother move to Seattle in hopes for a better life, the mother meets a seemingly polite man. Things go south when the man turns out to be abusive, endangering their lives. As the mother struggles to maintain hope in an impossible situation, the son has plans to escape.

Picnic at Hanging Rock
24% Match

In the early 1900s, Miranda attends a girls boarding school in Australia. One Valentine's Day, the school's typically strict headmistress treats the girls to a picnic field trip to an unusual but scenic volcanic formation called Hanging Rock. Despite rules against it, Miranda and several other girls venture off. It's not until the end of the day that the faculty realizes the girls and one of the teachers have disappeared mysteriously.

Steve
24% Match

Steve(2025)

Movie6.4/10

Over one intense day, the devoted head teacher of a last-chance reform school strives to keep his students in line while facing pressures of his own.

Notes on a Scandal
24% Match

A veteran high school teacher befriends a younger art teacher, who is having an affair with one of her 15-year-old students. However, her intentions with this new "friend" also go well beyond platonic friendship.