Braveheart (1995)
So many historical inaccuracies can be found in Braveheart that it really isn’t a biography. The movie and the 15th-century epic poem that inspired it are works of historical fiction—and on that level, Braveheart succeeds beautifully.
It’s the romanticized story of William Wallace, a 13th-century Scotsman who leads a war of independence against England. Played by James Robinson as a child, Wallace witnesses the ruthless brutality of King Edward I (Patrick McGoohan), known far and wide as “Longshanks.” The boy survives an ambush that claims the lives of his father and brother. As a result, he is raised by his uncle Argyle (Brian Cox), who sets out to educate him. Together, they travel around Europe, and young William learns to read and speak several languages. He is taught to use his brain first, before a weapon.
Years pass, and as an act of aggression against a resistant Scotland, the evil Longshanks grants his feudal lords Prima Nocta, giving them the legal right to sexual relations with any Scottish bride on her wedding night. The king boasts that if he can’t get the Scots to honor England, he can “breed them out.” A grown Wallace (Mel Gibson) weds Murron (Catherine McCormack), his lifelong love, and while their marriage is kept secret from everyone, including the English soldiers, Murron is attacked anyway. She successfully fights off an attempted rape but, as a result of her disobedience, is executed in public to set a grisly example for all who refuse these advances. In retaliation, Wallace leads his local clan to wipe out the entire English garrison.
When Longshanks learns what has happened, he orders his ineffectual son Prince Edward to bring him Wallace dead or alive. Meanwhile, Wallace unites the Scottish clans with the goal of independence from the king’s tyranny and from England itself. He seeks the assistance of Robert the Bruce (Angus McFadyen), a likely successor to the Scottish crown, but Robert is urged by his ailing father, Robert the Elder (Ian Bannen), to instead secure the royal seat by agreeing to England’s “sellout” proposal of entitlement.
During this time, Prince Edward, who is portrayed in the film by Peter Hanly as a repugnant caricature of a homosexual, is forced to wed Princess Isabella of France (the beautiful Sophie Marceau). It’s a strategic move by Longshanks to gain an influential ally. The king then sends his new daughter-in-law into Scotland to negotiate directly with Wallace—and when the two meet, they become enamored with each other. Longshanks, however, has already mobilized his army to ambush Wallace and the clans, regardless of the peaceful summit’s outcome.
The rest of the film is filled with epic (and gruesome) battles, calculated double-crosses, surprise military attacks, and a passionate, romantic story. It makes for great cinema. Wallace fights for the lost love of his life, the love of his native country, and the love of his fellow Scotsmen. But the movie is not without drawbacks, and many of them are inaccuracies from a historical perspective. As mentioned, the homophobic depiction of Prince Edward sours me … a lot. In truth, Edward II sired five children with Isabella and at least one illegitimate son—and no solid evidence of male lovers has ever been unearthed, despite speculation over his intense friendships with other men. Regardless, why portray him this way, by using sexual orientation as the key derogatory enforcement of his weakness? The nickname “Braveheart” was in direct reference to Robert the Bruce, not William Wallace, and Wallace never had a romantic liaison or fathered a child with Princess Isabella, who was just five years old at the time of these events. The list of “mistakes” goes on and on, and others have written plenty about it.
In the end, Braveheart tells a powerful if fictional tale of Scotland’s independence from England, and Gibson does a fine job bringing it to life, both in front of and behind the camera. Over time, however, even Gibson has become a detraction with his drunken, racist rants making headlines on more than one occasion. In spite of all that, the movie holds up well. It was a surprise winner on Oscar night, having picked up no prior Best Picture trophies from any critics’ organizations or industry guilds leading up to it. Still, it’s a worthy choice for the Academy’s top award.
Braveheart
Director | Mel Gibson |
Primary Cast | Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Angus, McFadyen, Patrick McGoohan, Catherine McCormack, Brendan Gleeson, Peter Hanly, James Robinson |
Familiar Faces | Ian Bannen from Gandhi |
Firsts | None to speak of |
Total Wins | 5 (Picture, Director, Cinematography, Sound Effects Editing, Makeup) |
Total Nominations | 10 (Picture, Director, Screenplay: Original, Cinematography, Costume Design, Editing, Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Makeup, Score: Dramatic) |
Viewing Format | Blu-ray Disc |
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