"The Professor and the Madman"

I read this outstanding book a few years ago and didn't know it had been made into a film. It stars Mel Gibson and Sean Penn, so I was a bit hesitant to see it. But I was very pleasantly surprised. It's the true story of a brilliant scholar played by Gibson, who wants to compile what would become the Oxford English Dictionary--a huge tome that would include every word in the English language.  Oxford University reluctantly agrees to fund his mission and along the way, he meets an American refugee, who is haunted by demons from the Civil War and is institutionalized. The two share a love of the English language and work together on this daunting project. If you don't know about this amazing story, I highly recommend watching this. However, I'd suggest reading the book first. 

4.5 out of 5 stars