Let’s face it, the accounting profession has long been stereotyped as an uninteresting and rather unaspiring career choice since their job responsibilities often consist of tasks that are dull, repetitive, and filled with numbers. However, when it comes to tax seasons, they become the apple of everyone’s eye when they help save individuals and business owners a considerable sum of their earnings.

In recent years, such stereotype has also gradually assimilated into the pop culture and illustrated through the channel of films and TV shows. Even when it comes Hollywood, the creative directors, and producers who transform the most ordinary ideas around us into characters and films that captivated millions of audiences around the world, also known as Hollywoodized works, cannot place the accounting profession in the center of their glamorous spotlight.

However, numerous Hollywood adapted films have included an accounting character or component within the film. Often, the accountants in the films played a decisive role in the plot of the stories and the faith of the character. Frantic to say, without these characters, these stories would probably never materialize no matter how glamorous cinematography and the special effects are. To name a few, here are three all-time classic films where the accounting in the films made significant contributions in order to help the protagonists achieve their ultimate endeavor.

Schindler’s List

After witnessing the Nazi massacre which included a young Jewish girl in the iconic red outfit being shot. German businessman Oskar Schindler decided to transfer as many Jewish workers as possible and employ them to work in his factory in order to save them from the eventual fate of being killed or tortured.

Along with Schindler, was the factory accountant Itzhak Stern who ultimately balanced the accounts of the factory. In retrospective, Stern was ultimately the person that handled the financial aspect of the factory which enabled Schindler to save the innocent lives of his workers.

The Untouchable

Based on the true story of the conviction of the notorious Chicago based crime boss Al Capone, Prohibition agent Elliot Ness assembled a special team known as “The Untouchables” that consistently stagnated Capone’s reign and his consequential capture. This also included the final showdown between Ness and the Judge and Juries which were bribed by Capone himself.

Behind all of the fast-paced action within the film, it was ultimately the rather nerdy looking accountant Oscar Wallace who discovered the flaws within Capone’s books which ultimately became the evidence and focal point of his demise. Again, without Wallace and his financial expertise, Ness and his crew might never be able to capture Capone and the plot itself might not have been as dramatic as it was.

Shawshank Redemptions

One of the most critically acclaimed films of all time. Although the whole film was based on the theme and belief of hope, wrongfully convicted banker Andy Dufresne was able to escape the Shawshank State Penitentiary through the tunnel he dug using a rock hammer for 19 years.

However, if it wasn’t for Dufresne’s financial expertise, he might not have survived for 19 years within the prison. Using his knowledge regarding tax on inheritance, Dufresne was able to help the captain guard Byron Hadley set up a tax-free gift to his spouse in order to shelter his money. In return, Dufresne was given special security by the guards and occasional exclusion from the mandatory manual labor. Although not all of Dufresne’s latter conducts were professionally ethical, it is still worth noting that he will likely not have survived the brutality within the prison if he did not provide the guards and the warden the financial advice.

Form a Relationship with Your Accountant

Besides learning that the Hollywoodized accountants are able to save innocent lives from Nazis, convict once the most feared and notorious crime bosses in American history, and gain security and the trust from prison guards in order to fuel an eventual escape, all of the three protagonists shared one common quality: they formed a sustainable relationship with their accountants. Except for Andy Dufresne, who is an accountant himself. But note he did form client relationships with the guards in order to receive some contractual considerations.

The takeaway from these three films are, people regard the accounting profession as uninteresting and under-appreciate the importance of what an accountant can do for them. Business owners so often hire an accountant contractually during tax season and will not seek help until their bookkeeping issues are beyond their own control. From years of experience, we learned that hiring a professional accountant to consistently conduct your daily bookkeeping and tax preparation can save business owners their own time to focus on their products/services and their customers. In addition, they might also gain extra savings from tax strategies that are not well known by the general public.

Maybe there will never come a day where the accountants will come to the rescue of their clients from the sky while wearing a cape in real life or in films, it is still worth noting that sometimes it is the behind the scene accounting expertise that ultimately alters the outcome. Forming a sustainable relationship with your Accountant can enhance your business and personal financial position.

Ready to form a sustainable relationship with an accountant today? Contact us and book a consultation to further discuss how our services would help your business to thrive in the present and grow in the future.