The Bridges of Madison County currently edges Out of Africa 53–47
Two Streep romances about forbidden love — Africa and Iowa, no winner.
Who do you think should win?
The Verdict
Pollack's Africa is a romance staged against a continent. Eastwood's Iowa is a romance staged against a kitchen counter. Both are films about women who meet the love of their lives at the wrong time, and both use Streep to make that temporal cruelty feel specific rather than generic. The tie says both scales of romantic storytelling work equally well when the central performance is this precise. Streep in Africa has the landscape. Streep in Iowa has the four-day deadline. Neither advantage is decisive. The constraint that makes each romance urgent is different, but the urgency is the same.
The Numbers
| Out of Africa | The Bridges of Madison County | |
|---|---|---|
| Head-to-Head | 47% | 53% |
| Overall Win Rate | 43% | 51% |
| Championships | 3 | 5 |
| Avg Decision | 1.8s | 1.9s |
| Budget | $31M | $24M |
| Box Office | $228M | $182M |
Where This Matchup Sits
Out of Africa sits at #8 in History among 11 on BingeBracket.
Elsewhere on the platform, The Iron Lady reveals where they differ: Out of Africa wins that matchup easily, while The Bridges of Madison County struggles with it.
Where to Watch
Availability may vary by region.
Want to pit The Bridges of Madison County against something else?
Build your own bracket with any films you want.