You would be far better watching this than any of the elizabeth movies of late which lack the. Wallace in stained glass at his monument in stirling. Wallace was a scottish knight who became a hero in the scottish rebellions against the english in the late th and early 14th century. What do you think about the historical accuracy of the. Sep 25, 2019 glory is another masterpiece of a war movie, and many of the events portrayed in the film are historically accurate. The patriot the movie, the patriot, is the story of a south carolina plantation owner, benjamin martin, who leads a local militia against british troops in the south during the beginning of the. In the movies version of events, the revolution is nearly lost because general george washington and the main patriot army are being pursued by a much larger british army in the north, while cornwallis has destroyed the rebel army in the south. Historically accurate movies that are also captivating have an immense burden to meet. This film is believed to be very inaccurate by many critics but i would say that it is somewhat both accurate and inaccurate. Principal among the movies gross inaccuracies is the portrayal of british soldiers as evil, bloodthirsty sadists. Historical events during the colonial war 1775 the american revolution begins this year, with the first military engagement being the april 19 battles of lexington and concord on the day after paul reveres nowlegendary ride. The movie does leave viewers with a mistaken sense that everyone in. Unfortunately, hollywood, for one reason or another, doesnt always get the facts straight.
Lets take a look at the 15 most historically inaccurate movies ever. I thought it was a good movie, but historically it is not true to history or the time. One of the most common questions i have been receiving from college audiences is, is the lincoln movie accurate. Dec 03, 2018 movie at the new york film festival premiere of the favourite, director yorgos lanthimos told the hollywood reporter, some of the things in the film are accurate and a lot arent. Historical events during the colonial war the patriot by.
Adding more credibility to the historical accuracy of this film was the participation. He was a member of a warrior aristocracy who excelled at the life he was given. Like in the movie, this added to the risk of publishing the pentagon papers. It seems people dont like her, but its not made clear why. People watch all types of movie including action movies, adventure movies, comedy movies, and many other categories, but when it comes to the history movies, people do not think if the story of the history movie is a truly based on our real history or it is just filled with bunch of fiction. One situation that people were particularly angry about was the part when a whole bunch of people were locked in a building and then the building was burned. For three hours the patriot dodged around, skirted about or completely ignored slavery, lee wrote in a letter to the hollywood reporter. The recent furor raised by the release of mel gibsons revolutionary war epic, the patriot, gives currency to such questions. In fact, the patriot turns a blind eye to slavery altogether, a decision that received much attention from critics including director spike lee. The most historically inaccurate movies ever readers digest. Although the movie has done reasonably well at the box office, it has been attacked for its historical inaccuracies, particularly as they relate to race relations during the revolution. Jan 26, 2011 truth is the first casualty in hollywoods war, read the headline of the london telegraphs take on the patriot. The british are portrayed as pretentious and effeminate fascists. To be more descriptive, based on my research i found that cornwallis was born in london on december 31.
In the broad strokes, yeson other levels, it is sheer fantasy. Everything that was left out in the film makes it one of the most historically inaccurate movies. Jun 28, 2000 the patriot is a fable arguing the futility of pacifism, set against the backdrop of the revolutionary war. Truth is the first casualty in hollywoods war, read the headline of the london telegraphs take on the patriot. There were also other details in the film that were not accurately shown. Other than taking place during the war for independence its largely dramatized. While there is a slight bit of confusion over relationships in the movie, it is an extremely accurate portrayal of the time and situation the saint thomas more found himself in. The patriot is a movie that seems to have been made as historically correct as possible while adding a personal and emotional side behind it. In conclusion, the patriot is a very entertaining film that uses the american revolution in south carolina as a backdrop to tell a story about the way the war affected a fictional family. Top 10 revolutionary war movies journal of the american. Apr 08, 2018 hollywood loves to put history up on screen.
Francis marion was known as the swamp fox and he helped. But as an amateur wannabe history buff, there were some significant historical inaccuracies of the patriot that stood out while the costumes worn in the film, as well as the firearms used, are very accurate, many aspects of. In the movie s version of events, the revolution is nearly lost because general george washington and the main patriot army are being pursued by a much larger british army in the north, while cornwallis has destroyed the rebel army in the south. The clothes in this movie are accurate for the time period. A scene early in the movie where martin wipes out twenty redcoats on his own is undeniably incredible but unlike the nameless extras. The statement history has shown that cavalry charges are decisive by a major in the british cavalry early in the film captures the thinking at the beginning of the war, and the cavalry soon learn the hard way about the deadly nature. In the movie, lord cornwallis is portrayed as very old man, which is incorrect because during the time frame of this movie in 1780, general charles lord cornwallis was in his forties. He likes to present his view of history whether it is accurate or. Although it is primarily a movie about a horse and his human, there are several superb battlefield scenes. It was very accurate in terms of the politics portrayed within the film, particularly the reactions of the citizens in 1776 when voting to go to war. In answering the question, how accurate is the post movie.
Is the landscape in the film the patriot historically. This is also the battle in which general cornwallis is pushed back and the french arrive which ventually leads to an american victory in the revolution. Historical accuracy of the mel gibson movie the patriot. Whether certain liberties need to be taken with the truth in order to tell a certain story or there was just an unfortunate lack of accurate historical information at the time the film was shot, there have been plenty of valid reasons over the years why a movie might need to change parts of history. At the beginning of the movie when benjamin is taking the children to aunt charlottes house in charleston, there is a woman on the street that does not move, and wearing a big hoop dress. How john smith is saved in the movie closely resembles. Although the movie has done reasonably well at the box office, it has been attacked for its historical inaccuracies, particularly as they relate to race relations during. To capture the essence of the time through a personal story that captivates movie executives who regularly make movies with steven seagall and bruce willis seems an almost insurmountable task. Historical inaccuracies of the patriot by roberto loya on prezi. The patriot, directed by roland emmerich for centropolis. The patriot please like comment and subscribe for new videos and let us know which movie you would like us to look at next follow me on twit.
Germans did this as well in ww2, if a soldier turned up dead with no real suspect other than the local population, it was common to kill multiple civi. Benjamin martin is a composite character made up of thomas sumter, daniel morgan, andrew pickens, and francis marion all whom were real people. She is there to hide the fire hydrant on the street underneath her dress. Killing civilians in this way is was fairly standard procedure for an army occupying a country. Real characters are portrayed by amazing actors, and reallife events are correctly brought to life, however, most of the problems lie in the final scene. Historical accuracy of the mel gibson movie the patriot 2000. The film mainly takes place in rural berkeley county, south carolina, and depicts the story of an american colonist, nominally loyal to the british crown. Chapter 2 mistakes criminal minds mistakes deepwater horizon questions armageddon quotes the green mile ending ghosts trivia 15 biggest mistakes in titanic the andy griffith show. Nevertheless, the film did not portray british soldiers, the way people saluted one another and the protagonist benjamin martin accurately. The patriot, 2000 top 10 historically misleading films. Essay about historical accuracy of the patriot 950 words. But, to say this movie distorts history would be an understatement. Dec 03, 2015 killing civilians in this way is was fairly standard procedure for an army occupying a country.
The leonardo dicaprio adventure takes the basic facts of reallife frontiersman hugh glasss ordeal and adds extra characters, extra ultraviolence and. Historical inaccuracies of the patriot by roberto loya on. Benjamin martin is a composite character made up of thomas sumter. Theres no such thing as an entirely historically accurate film. The price of its shares would surely drop if the company was hit with an injunction or. Nicely made with good characters, good acting, a strong storyline and fabulous cinematography. All the time is tediously spent between shopping, eating, being fettered upon, and a sexual liaison with count axel fersen one which is historically disputed.
I love the movie itself its massively entertaining, and heath ledger just kills his role in the film. If you been to charleston in fact many of those scenes were filmed at middleton plantation which still exist today so yes i would say overall it is historically accurate. In fact, it is doubtful if the purpose of the film was to be historically accurate. It is rousing and entertaining, and you get your moneys worth, but there isnt an idea in it that will stand up to thoughtful scrutiny. A great deal of that movie was filmed on location in charleston south carolina. The popular film the patriot is loosely based on the exploits of several real life historical figures including a british. However, much of the patriot is not historically accurate in the interpretation of broad themes or in specific details of the campaign in the south and of warfare in. The patriot is pure, blatant american hollywood propaganda. But as an amateur wannabe history buff, there were some significant historical inaccuracies of the patriot that stood out. The persecution of martin by cornwallis army was real and based on francis marion. Historical accuracy of the patriot the patriot by patrick. The first thing i would say about the movie is that almost everyone watches the movie. So as i write this, the movie the patriot is on tv, and i always wondered how accurate were the depictions of atrocities committed against the colonists. The patriot is a fable arguing the futility of pacifism, set against the backdrop of the revolutionary war.
The patriot is more or less accurate about the frontier violence in the. Martin, who is a widower with six children and a veteran of. But as you can see it is more inaccurate than it is accurate. Factchecking the patriots day movie the boston globe. This is not historically accurate, said mel gibson. Is the movie the patriot historically accurate answers. The patriot is a 2000 american epic historical fiction war film directed by roland emmerich, written by robert rodat, and starring mel gibson, chris cooper, heath ledger, and jason isaacs. Martin is based on a sanitised composite of several historical militiamen, most obviously the swamp fox, francis marion. As part of his education, he was sent to rome for a time before returning to scotland, and this is referenced in the movie. And that is extremely sad in a movie that sells itself as an accurate portrayal of events during the revolution. Historical accuracy in films essay 1871 words bartleby. Though many of these films have been out for years, massive spoilers lie ahead.
Although the historical advisor for the film is the smithsonian institute it does not seem to have noticed that the toy soldiers used in the film some in superb closeup are all dressed in uniforms of the mid to late 19th cent. The many historical facts the movie braveheart got wrong and one it got right. The reallife inspiration for gibsons character francis marion was less of a principled, moral man and more of a psychopath with a reputation for raping his slaves and killing indians for fun, but as its not explicitly stated that martin is based on marion we can let that pass. The patriot is a 2000 american epic historical fiction war film directed by roland emmerich, written by robert rodat, and starring mel gibson, chris cooper, heath. Movie at the new york film festival premiere of the favourite, director yorgos lanthimos told the hollywood reporter, some of the things in the film are accurate and a lot arent. Braveheart was a popular movie released in 1995 that won 5 oscars and featured mel gibson as william wallace. Since, as a historian, i often speak to audiences about lincolns life and his murder, i have been receiving a lot of questions about the film. Jan 20, 2016 how historically accurate is the revenant. What do you think about the historical accuracy of the movie. The four battles depicted in this movie were taken from five original battles that really happened. Mark wahlberg filmed a scene for patriots day in april 2016. The patriot the movie, the patriot, is the story of a south carolina plantation owner, benjamin martin, who leads a local militia against british troops in the south during the beginning of the american revolutionary war. Mel gibson blots his copybook yet again with this account of the american war of.
Sep 18, 2019 the other night, i rewatched the patriot, starring mel gibson. The patriot historical critique of accuracies benjamin martin is a composite character made up of thomas sumter, daniel morgan, andrew pickens, and francis marion all whom are real people. The other night, i rewatched the patriot, starring mel gibson. Benjamin martin seems to be a man of many morals and principles in the movie but the character he was portrayed as francis marion was a fanatic of indian killing for fun.
Some of the most memorable movies of all time are those that explore some element of history. What do you think about the historical accuracy of the movie the. The many historical facts the movie braveheart got wrong. One of the patriot producers mark gordon said in making the film while we were telling a fictional story, the backdrop was serious history. A few key deviations from revolutionary war history deflate the impact of what.
351 1221 742 854 1357 576 1358 1000 147 348 213 920 542 1154 1522 96 146 744 545 871 392 205 165 1290 659 585 45 398 1223 1079 1353 1495 1425 1511 899 582 786 303 288 47 764 1386 221 1109 555 1229 1333 874 194 171 1308