Historical Movies That Twisted The Truth
Making a historical film is tedious work that requires in-depth research. Sometimes mistakes creep into the storyline, and sometimes writers make wild decisions to rewrite history.
Are The Plot Twists Intentional?
Historical movies are an entertaining way to learn about occurrences that have laid the foundation for modern society. However, it takes serious storytelling skills to engage audiences while staying true to the past. While minor inaccuracies can be excused, some films twist the truth outrageously.
Braveheart, Paramount Pictures
Braveheart
To kick things off is a Mel Gibson film that has gained notoriety for its historical inaccuracies. As many critics have pointed out, the film takes plenty of liberties with respect to distorting facts for dramatization. Even the title of the film is off.
Twentieth Century, Braveheart (1995)
Braveheart (Cont.)
Braveheart refers to Robert the Bruce, not William Wallace, whose role in Scottish history is documented by the movie. Other aspects of the film, such as the blue warpaint and Wallace’s relationship with Princess Isabella, are entirely made-up. Wallace’s backstory is also modified to erase his lesser nobility heritage.
Twentieth Century, Braveheart (1995)
JFK
For what should have been a historical movie, JFK integrated a bunch of government conspiracy theories and unsupported claims that did not sit well with critics. The most glaring misdemeanor of all is the confession by David Ferrie, which was portrayed in the movie.
JFK (Cont.)
In reality, this did not happen at all, with Ferrie maintaining his innocence until death. They also messed up the seating arrangement, a crucial factor in the assassination. In the film, John Connally is seen seated directly in front of Kennedy while he is actually positioned further inside the vehicle.
Apocalypto
Prepare yourself to see the name Mel Gibson a few times because a couple of his films have made the list. One of these is Apocalypto, a historical thriller intended to depict the Mayan civilization. It’s generally viewed as problematic, and here’s why.
Apocalypto (Cont.)
For one, the timeline is skewed. The Spanish conquistadors, who arrived at the end of the movie during the collapse of Mayan society, only really showed up around 400 years later. Additionally, the mass human sacrifices shown in the movie were more characteristic of the Aztecs.
Apocalypto (Cont.)
Overall, it is seen as an almost offensive misrepresentation of the Mayan culture, especially since the violence that is central to the film has no evidence rooted in history. The Mayans were relatively peaceful dwellers, unlike the barbaric society the movie painted them to be.
Apocalypto - HD (Trailer) by AMBI Distribution
The Imitation Game
A tribute to the genius Alan Turing, who played a climactic role in cracking the German enigma code during WW2, The Imitation Game does have a good number of inaccuracies that derail its excellence. Some characters in the storyline, like Robert Nock, are fictional altogether.
The Imitation Game (2014), Black Bear Pictures
The Imitation Game (Cont.)
Other characters, like John Cairncross, are based on real people but are unlikely to have even met Turing in his lifetime. The details of Turing’s arrest and chemical castration are also manipulated, resulting in a skewed perception of Alan Turing’s personal life and motivations.
Black Bear, The Imitation Game (2014)
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor has infamously received negative reviews from not only critics but also stakeholders like the veterans who were involved in the attack. This can be attributed to the factual inaccuracies that plague the film, which made everyone wonder why.
Touchstone Pictures, Pearl Harbor (2001)
Pearl Harbor (Cont.)
Apart from the anachronisms and timeline mistakes throughout the film, one major event that became controversial was the Japanese hospital attack. What was shown was far from the truth, as the Japanese pilots were ordered not to attack civilian targets.
Touchstone, Pearl Harbor (2001)
Marie Antoinette
This is a fun one, as the inaccuracies and anachronisms present in the movie are intentional choices made by the director, Sofia Coppola. Despite its title, Marie Antoinette can be labeled as more of an artistic representation than a historical film.
Marie Antoinette (2006), Columbia Pictures
Marie Antoinette (Cont.)
Notably, the Converse sneakers that Antoinette is seen wearing are meant to metaphorically represent her rebellious reign as Queen of France. Other minor errors include the circumstances of Antoinette’s marriage to King Louis XVI, which, contrary to the movie, took place on a stormy night.
Columbia, Marie Antoinette (2006)
The Patriot
Another historical movie with repercussions of agitation upon its release, The Patriot, received backlash for multiple acts of creative wrongdoing. Of these, the primary offenses are the film’s watered-down depiction of slavery during the period and the villainization of the British soldiers.
The Patriot (Cont.)
As if that were not enough, the protagonist, Benjamin Martin, is a mixed character based on multiple historical personalities. One of these is Francis Marion, but unlike Martin, Marion persecuted indigenous communities and mistreated his slaves. Oh, before we forget, this is a Mel Gibson film.
U-571
A historical film that comes closest to being classified as fiction is probably U-571. The film revolves around an imaginary narrative in which the first German enigma machine was captured by American forces. In reality, the British naval forces captured one of these devices months before America entered the war.
U-571 (Cont.)
Ignoring the obvious, the movie has misreported many technical nuances of the machinery used during the war. It also downplays British accomplishments while negatively characterizing German U-boat crews with atrocities that are entirely fabricated.
U-571 (2000) - Ending Scene by kinobscura
Cool Runnings
This sports comedy chronicles the Jamaican Olympic bobsled team that contested in the 1988 Winter Olympics. It’s a charming film beloved by audiences but contains a plethora of factual errors. The team was originally formed of members from the Jamaican army, not disqualified athletes from the Summer Olympic trials.
Walt Disney, Cool Runnings (1993)
Cool Runnings (Cont.)
They were also well-received at the Olympic Village, unlike the circumstances painted by the film. Besides, the crash that occurred was not a result of mechanical failure but rather of driver inexperience and excessive speed that led to instability of the bobsled.
Walt Disney, Cool Runnings (1993)
Kingdom Of Heaven
For all its artistic big-screen worth, the Kingdom Of Heaven contains rather shallow portrayals of the conflicts that drove the Crusades and the events surrounding them. The film oversimplified the Siege of Jerusalem, in particular, while it was meant to be more thrilling.
Twentieth Century, Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Kingdom Of Heaven (Cont.)
The renowned figures the film is known for have also been misrepresented. Saladin’s characterization and Bailan of Ibelin’s lineage are examples of this. Bailan was a legitimate child who was married to Maria Comnena, and Saladin was more of a ruthless military leader than a philosopher.
Kingdom of Heaven (2005), 20th Century Fox
Bohemian Rhapsody
Real fans of the rock band Queen will notice the discrepancies that speckle the biographical film Bohemian Rhapsody. From an imaginary period of estrangement amongst the bandmates to fictionalized individuals, the film contains a few sneaky errors.
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), Twentieth Century Fox
Bohemian Rhapsody (Cont.)
Ray Foster, an EMI executive, is a composite character rather than a specific person Queen was involved with. Paul Pretner’s character is also villainized for dramatic effect. Apart from some additional timeline inaccuracies, the movie seems to imply estrangement amongst the bandmates for a period of time, which never happened.
