A message picture is a motion picture that, in addition to or instead of being for entertainment, intends to communicate a certain message or ideal about society. Message pictures usually present the message they want to deliver in the form of a morality play

Morality play

The morality play is a genre of Medieval and early Tudor theatrical entertainment. In their own time, these plays were known as "interludes", a broader term given to dramas with or without a moral theme. Morality plays are a type of allegory in which the protagonist is met by personifications of...

, and are usually serious (often somber) works. However, not all message pictures are 100% serious, and there are also films spoofing the genre (Sullivan's Travels

Sullivan's Travels

Sullivan's Travels is a 1941 American comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges. It is a satire about a movie director, played by Joel McCrea, who longs to make a socially relevant drama, but eventually learns that comedies are his more valuable contribution to society. The film features...

, for example).

Dore Schary

Dore Schary

Isadore "Dore" Schary was an American motion picture director, writer, and producer, and playwright who became head of production at MGM and eventually president of the studio...

 was famous for his message pictures at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...

 during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Among these were The Next Voice You Hear

The Next Voice You Hear...

The Next Voice You Hear... is a drama film in which a voice claiming to be that of God preempts all radio programs for days all over the world. It stars James Whitmore and Nancy Davis as Joe and Mary Smith, a typical American couple. It was based on a short story of the same name by George Sumner...

, Asphalt Jungle, and Blackboard Jungle

Blackboard Jungle

Blackboard Jungle is a 1955 social commentary film about teachers in an inner-city school. It is based on the novel of the same name by Evan Hunter.-Plot:...

. Other famous message pictures by other parties include Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner is a 1967 American drama film starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn, and featuring Hepburn's niece Katharine Houghton...

and In the Heat of the Night.

In Indian cinema

Cinema of India

The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...

, B.R. Chopra was known for message pictures. Examples include Kanoon

Kanoon

Kanoon is a 1960 Indian Hindi film directed by B.R. Chopra. The film stars Rajendra Kumar, Nanda, Ashok Kumar, Mehmood , Shashikala, Jeevan and Om Prakash...

(against capital punishment), Naya Daur (importance of labour), Waqt

Waqt (1965 film)

Waqt is a 1965 Indian film directed by Yash Chopra. It made it onto the BFI's long list of films in consideration for their top ten of Indian films award. It was produced by B.R...

 (importance of time and destiny), Nikaah

Nikaah

Nikaah is a 1982 Hindi film produced and directed by B. R. Chopra. The film stars Raj Babbar, Deepak Parashar and Salma Agha in her Hindi movie debut role. The film also had Asrani, Iftekhar and Gufi Paintal in support roles. The films music is by Ravi. The original name of the movie was Talaq...

 (against triple talaq (divorce) among Muslims), etc.