The Legend of Bagger Vance is a 2000 film directed by Robert Redford, based on the same-titled 1995 book by Steven Pressfield (ISBN 0-380-81744-6). The story in the film takes place in the world of Georgia in 1931, while the novel takes place in the Bhagavad Gita. The explicit parallels between Pressfield's novel and the Bhagavad Gita are brought out in a book called Gita on the Green: The Mystical Tradition Behind Bagger Vance (Continuum, 2000), written by Hinduism scholar Steven Rosen (Satyaraja Dasa). Pressfield himself wrote the foreword for Rosen’s book. It was also Jack Lemmon's final film before his death in 2001.

A disillusioned war veteran, Capt. Rannulph Junah (Matt Damon), reluctantly agrees to play a game of golf. He finds the game futile until his caddy, Bagger Vance (Will Smith), teaches him the secret of the authentic golf stroke which turns out also to be the secret to mastering any challenge and finding meaning in life. Written by M. Fowler

Rannulph Junnah is the best golfer in Savannah. He's living well and has a girl, Adele Invergordon, who's the daughter of a wealthy landowner. The First World War starts, though, and Junnah goes to Europe to fight. The only survivor of a dangerous mission, Junnah doesn't return to Savannah for 15 years. In 1930, he returns, and Adele's father has already committed suicide during the Depression. Pressured by tax collectors to sell the golf course her father built to pay off debts, Adele, now older, vows to bring to Savannah the greatest match ever played on the greatest golf course, her late father's. She's able to round up the 2 greatest golfers of their time, Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen to play for $10,000. The townspeople insist on having "one of their own" compete also, and Rannulph Junnah is rounded up. Junnah now hangs out with bums and is an alcoholic, as he has lost his authentic swing from 15 years ago. At first he turns down the offer. He gets his old clubs and balls and starts practicing. He has lost his ability. Suddenly, Bagger Vance shows up. He offers to be Junnahs's caddy and help him regain his "authentic swing". He does, and Junnah agrees to play in the big match. Written by Patrick Lynn, 13