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''Braveheart'' is a 1995 American
historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
drama film directed and produced by, and starring Mel Gibson. Gibson portrays Sir William Wallace, a late-13th century Scottish warrior who led the Scots in the First War of Scottish Independence against
King Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassal o ...
. The film also stars
Sophie Marceau Sophie Marceau (; born Sophie Danièle Sylvie Maupu, 17 November 1966) is a French actress. As a teenager, she achieved popularity with her debut films ''La Boum'' (1980) and ''La Boum 2'' (1982), receiving a César Award for Most Promising Act ...
,
Patrick McGoohan Patrick Joseph McGoohan (; March 19, 1928 – January 13, 2009) was an Irish-American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer of film and television. Born in the United States to Irish emigrant parents, he was raised in Ireland and Engla ...
and Catherine McCormack. The story is inspired by Blind Harry's 15th century epic poem '' The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace'' and was adapted for the screen by Randall Wallace. Development on the film initially started at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) when producer
Alan Ladd Jr. Alan Walbridge Ladd Jr. (October 22, 1937 – March 2, 2022) was an American film industry executive and producer. He served as president of 20th Century Fox from 1976 to 1979, during which he approved the production of ''Star Wars''. He later es ...
picked up the project from Wallace, but when MGM was going through new management, Ladd left the studio and took the project with him. Despite initially declining, Gibson eventually decided to direct the film, as well as star as Wallace. ''Braveheart'' was filmed in Scotland and Ireland from June to October 1994 with a budget around $65–70 million. The film, which was produced by Gibson's Icon Productions and
The Ladd Company The Ladd Company was an American film production company founded by Alan Ladd Jr., Jay Kanter, and Gareth Wigan in 1979. In 1979, the three founders were executives with 20th Century Fox; Ladd was the president. They announced their intention t ...
, was distributed by
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
in North America and by
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
internationally. Released on May 24, 1995, ''Braveheart'' was praised for its action, drama, and romance, though it was criticized for its numerous historical deviations. Nonetheless, the film was successful both critically and commercially. A
legacy sequel A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the sam ...
, '' Robert the Bruce'', was released on June 28, 2019, with Angus Macfadyen reprising his role.


Plot

In 1280, King Edward "Longshanks" invades and conquers Scotland following the death of Alexander III of Scotland, who left no heir to the throne. Young William Wallace witnesses Longshanks' execution of several Scottish nobles, suffers the deaths of his father and brother fighting against the English, and is taken abroad on a pilgrimage throughout Europe by his paternal uncle Argyle, who has Wallace educated. Years later, Longshanks grants his noblemen land and privileges in Scotland, including ''jus primae noctis''. Meanwhile, a grown Wallace returns to Scotland and falls in love with his childhood friend Murron MacClannough, and the two marry in secret. Wallace rescues Murron from being raped by English soldiers, but as Wallace fights off the soldiers Murron is captured and publicly executed. In retribution, Wallace leads his clan to fight the English garrison in his hometown and sends the surviving garrison back to England with a message of rebellion for Longshanks. Longshanks orders his son Prince Edward to stop Wallace by any means necessary while he visits the French King to secure England's alliance with France. Alongside his friend Hamish, Wallace rebels against the English, and as his legend spreads, hundreds of Scots from the surrounding clans join him. Wallace leads his army to victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge where he decapitates the English commander Cheltham, and sacks York after Prince Edward fails to send reinforcements there, killing Longshanks' nephew whose severed head is sent to the king. Wallace seeks the assistance of Robert the Bruce, the son of nobleman Robert the Elder, a contender for the Scottish crown. Robert is dominated by his leper father, who wishes to secure the Scottish throne for his son by submitting to the English. Worried by the threat of the rebellion, Longshanks sends his son's wife Isabella of France to try to negotiate with Wallace as a distraction for the landing of another invasion force in Scotland. After meeting him in person, Isabella becomes enamored of Wallace. She warns him of the coming invasion, and Wallace implores the Scottish nobility to take immediate action to counter the threat and take back their country, asking Robert the Bruce to lead. Leading the English army himself, Longshanks confronts the Scots at
Falkirk Falkirk ( gd, An Eaglais Bhreac, sco, Fawkirk) is a large town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland, historically within the county of Stirlingshire. It lies in the Forth Valley, northwest of Edinburgh and northeast of Glasgow. Falkirk had a ...
. During the battle, Scottish noblemen Mornay and Lochlan, having been bribed by Longshanks, withdraw their men, resulting in Wallace's army being routed and the death of Hamish's father, Campbell. Wallace is further betrayed when he discovers Robert the Bruce was fighting alongside Longshanks; after the battle, seeing the damage he helped do to his countrymen, Robert reprimands his father and vows never to be on the wrong side again. Wallace kills Lochlan and Mornay for their betrayal and wages a guerrilla war against the English assisted by Isabella, with whom he eventually has an affair. Robert sets up a meeting with Wallace in Edinburgh, but Robert's father conspires with other nobles to capture and hand over Wallace to the English. Learning of his treachery, Robert disowns and banishes his father. Isabella exacts revenge on the now terminally ill Longshanks, who can no longer speak, by telling him that his bloodline will be destroyed upon his death as she is pregnant with Wallace's child and will ensure that Prince Edward spends as short a time as possible on the throne before Wallace's child replaces him. In London, Wallace is brought before an English magistrate, tried for high treason, and condemned to public torture and beheading. Even whilst being
hanged, drawn and quartered To be hanged, drawn and quartered became a statutory penalty for men convicted of high treason in the Kingdom of England from 1352 under Edward III of England, King Edward III (1327–1377), although similar rituals are recorded during the rei ...
, Wallace refuses to submit to the king. The watching crowd, deeply moved by the Scotsman's valor, begin crying for mercy on Wallace's behalf. The magistrate offers him one final chance, asking him only to utter the word, "Mercy", and be granted a quick death. Wallace instead shouts, "Freedom!", and his cry rings through the square, the dying Longshanks hearing it. Before being beheaded, Wallace sees a vision of Murron in the crowd, smiling at him. In 1314, Robert, now Scotland's king, leads a Scottish army before a ceremonial line of English troops on the fields of Bannockburn, where he is supposed to formally accept English rule. Instead, he invokes Wallace's memory, imploring his men to fight with him as they did with Wallace. Hamish throws Wallace's sword point-down in front of the English army, and he and the Scots chant Wallace's name as Robert leads them into battle against the English, winning the Scots their freedom.


Cast

* Mel Gibson as William Wallace ** James Robinson as young William Wallace *
Sophie Marceau Sophie Marceau (; born Sophie Danièle Sylvie Maupu, 17 November 1966) is a French actress. As a teenager, she achieved popularity with her debut films ''La Boum'' (1980) and ''La Boum 2'' (1982), receiving a César Award for Most Promising Act ...
as Princess Isabella of France * Angus Macfadyen as Robert the Bruce *
Patrick McGoohan Patrick Joseph McGoohan (; March 19, 1928 – January 13, 2009) was an Irish-American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer of film and television. Born in the United States to Irish emigrant parents, he was raised in Ireland and Engla ...
as King Edward "Longshanks" * Catherine McCormack as Murron MacClannough ** Mhairi Calvey as young Murron MacClannough * Brendan Gleeson as Hamish ** Andrew Weir as young Hamish * Peter Hanly as Prince Edward * James Cosmo as Campbell *
David O'Hara David Patrick O'Hara (born 9 July 1965) is a Scottish stage and character actor. A graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, he is best known to audiences for his numerous supporting roles in high-profile films; includi ...
as Stephen of Ireland * Ian Bannen as Bruce's father *
Seán McGinley Seán McGinley (born c. 1956) is an Irish actor. He has appeared in about 80 films and television series. Early life McGinley was born in Pettigo, County Donegal, in Ulster, Ireland, where his father was a customs officer, and raised in near ...
as MacClannough * Brian Cox as Argyle Wallace *
Sean Lawlor Sean Lawlor (25 January 1954 – 10 October 2009) was an Irish character actor and playwright. He was best known for his portrayal of Malcolm Wallace in '' Braveheart''. He also appeared in ''Titanic'', ''In the Name of the Father'' and '' On ...
as Malcolm Wallace * Sandy Nelson as John Wallace * Stephen Billington as Phillip * John Kavanagh as Craig * Alun Armstrong as Mornay * John Murtagh as Lochlan * Tommy Flanagan as Morrison *
Donal Gibson Donal Gibson is an American actor and the younger brother of award-winning actor/director Mel Gibson. Biography Gibson was born in Peekskill, New York. He has done voice acting in television shows such as ''ReBoot'' and ''Justice League Unli ...
as Stewart * Jeanne Marine as Nicolette * Michael Byrne as Smythe * Malcolm Tierney as Magistrate *
Bernard Horsfall Bernard Arthur Gordon Horsfall (20 November 1930 – 28 January 2013) was an English actor of stage and screen. Early life Horsfall was born in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, and educated at Rugby School. He trained as an actor at the Webb ...
as Balliol * Peter Mullan as Veteran * Gerard McSorley as Cheltham *
Richard Leaf Richard Leaf (born 1 January 1967) is an English actor. He has had several small parts in television and stage productions. Leaf met actress Tamsin Greig at a wrap party after Neil Gaiman's 1996 miniseries ''Neverwhere'' finished recording. Th ...
as Governor of York * Mark Lees as Old Crippled Scotsman *
Tam White Tam White (12 July 1942 – 21 June 2010) was a Scottish musician, stonemason and actor. Biography Born Thomas Bennett Sim White in Edinburgh, Scotland, White was primarily known as a blues vocalist with a trademark gravelly voice. In the 1960 ...
as MacGregor *
Jimmy Chisholm Jimmy Chisholm (born 16 September 1956 in Inverness) is a Scottish actor in film, theatre and television. He trained as an actor at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. He currently plays the part of Sonny Caplan in the BBC Scotland productio ...
as Faudron *
David Gant David Gant (born 1943) is a Scottish actor and model. Formerly a banker, Gant changed careers at age 30 to study dramatic art at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Scotland. Graduating in 1974, he has found roles in ...
as the Royal Magistrate


Production

Producer
Alan Ladd Jr. Alan Walbridge Ladd Jr. (October 22, 1937 – March 2, 2022) was an American film industry executive and producer. He served as president of 20th Century Fox from 1976 to 1979, during which he approved the production of ''Star Wars''. He later es ...
initially had the project at
MGM-Pathé Communications MGM-Pathé Communications was an American film production company that operated in Los Angeles County, California from 1990 to 1992. The company was founded and controlled by Italian financier Giancarlo Parretti through his purchase and merger of ...
when he picked up the script from Wallace. When MGM was going through new management in 1993, Ladd left the studio and took some of its top properties, including ''Braveheart''. Gibson came across the script and even though he liked it, he initially passed on it. However, the thought of it kept coming back to him and he ultimately decided to take on the project. Terry Gilliam was offered to direct the film but he declined. Gibson was initially interested in directing only and considered
Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...
in the role of Sir William Wallace, but Gibson reluctantly agreed to play Wallace as well. Gibson and his production company, Icon Productions, had difficulty raising enough money for the film. Warner Bros. was willing to fund the project on the condition that Gibson sign for another '' Lethal Weapon'' sequel, which he refused. Gibson eventually gained enough financing for the film, with
Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
financing a third of the budget in exchange for North American distribution rights to the film, and
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
putting up two-thirds of the budget in exchange for international distribution rights. Principal photography on the film began on June 6, 1994. While the crew spent three weeks shooting on location in Scotland, the major battle scenes were shot in Ireland using members of the Irish Army Reserve as extras. To lower costs, Gibson had the same extras, up to 1,600 in some scenes, portray both armies. The reservists had been given permission to grow beards and swapped their military uniforms for medieval garb. Principal photography ended on October 28, 1994. The film was shot in the anamorphic format with Panavision C- and E-Series lenses. Gibson had to tone down the film's battle scenes to avoid an NC-17 rating from the MPAA; the final version was rated R for "brutal medieval warfare". Gibson and editor Steven Rosenblum initially had a film at 195 minutes, but Sherry Lansing, who was the head of Paramount at the time, requested Gibson and Rosenblum to cut the film down to 177 minutes. According to Gibson in a 2016 interview with ''Collider'', there is a four-hour version of the film and he would be interested in reassembling it if both Paramount and Fox are interested.


Soundtrack

The score was composed and conducted by James Horner and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. It is Horner's second of three collaborations with Mel Gibson as director. The score has gone on to be one of the most commercially successful soundtracks of all time. It received considerable acclaim from film critics and audiences and was nominated for a number of awards, including the Academy Award,
Saturn Award The Saturn Awards are American awards presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. The awards were created to honor science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, but have since grown to reward other films be ...
, BAFTA Award, and
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
.


Release and reception

''Braveheart'' premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival on May 18, 1995, and received its wide release in U.S. cinemas six days later.


Box office

On its opening weekend, ''Braveheart'' grossed $9,938,276 in the United States and $75.6 million in its box office run in the U.S. and Canada. Worldwide, the film grossed $210,409,945 and was the thirteenth-highest-grossing film of 1995.


Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 75% and an average score of 7.20/10 based on 125 reviews. The site's consensus states: "Distractingly violent and historically dodgy, Mel Gibson's ''Braveheart'' justifies its epic length by delivering enough sweeping action, drama, and romance to match its ambition." On Metacritic the film has a score of 68 out of 100 based on 20 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences surveyed by
CinemaScore CinemaScore is a market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts based on the data. Background Ed Mintz founded Ci ...
gave the film a grade A- on scale of A to F. Caryn James of '' The New York Times'' praised the film, calling it "one of the most spectacular entertainments in years."
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
gave the film 3.5 stars out of four, calling it "An action epic with the spirit of the Hollywood swordplay classics and the grungy ferocity of ''The Road Warrior''." In a positive review,
Gene Siskel Eugene Kal Siskel (January 26, 1946 – February 20, 1999) was an American film critic and journalist for the ''Chicago Tribune''. Along with colleague Roger Ebert, he hosted a series of movie review programs on television from 1975 until his d ...
wrote that "in addition to staging battle scenes well, Gibson also manages to recreate the filth and mood of 700 years ago." Peter Travers of '' Rolling Stone'' felt that "though the film dawdles a bit with the shimmery, dappled love stuff involving Wallace with a Scottish peasant and a French princess, the action will pin you to your seat." The depiction of the Battle of Stirling Bridge was listed by CNN as one of the best battles in cinema history. Not all reviews were positive,
Richard Schickel Richard Warren Schickel (February 10, 1933 – February 18, 2017) was an American film historian, journalist, author, documentarian, and film and literary critic. He was a film critic for ''Time'' magazine from 1965–2010, and also wro ...
of '' Time'' magazine argued that "everybody knows that a non-blubbering clause is standard in all movie stars' contracts. Too bad there isn't one banning self-indulgence when they direct." Peter Stack of '' San Francisco Chronicle'' felt "at times the film seems an obsessive ode to Mel Gibson machismo." In a 2005 poll by British film magazine '' Empire'', ''Braveheart'' was No. 1 on their list of "The Top 10 Worst Pictures to Win Best Picture Oscar". ''Empire'' readers had previously voted ''Braveheart'' the best film of 1995.


Effect on tourism

The European premiere was on September 3, 1995, in Stirling. In 1996, the year after the film was released, the annual three-day "Braveheart Conference" at
Stirling Castle Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological ...
attracted fans of ''Braveheart'', increasing the conference's attendance to 167,000 from 66,000 in the previous year. In the following year, research on visitors to the Stirling area indicated that 55% of the visitors had seen ''Braveheart''. Of visitors from outside Scotland, 15% of those who saw ''Braveheart'' said it influenced their decision to visit the country. Of all visitors who saw ''Braveheart'', 39% said the film influenced in part their decision to visit Stirling, and 19% said the film was one of the main reasons for their visit. In the same year, a tourism report said that the "''Braveheart'' effect" earned Scotland £7 million to £15 million in tourist revenue, and the report led to various national organizations encouraging international film productions to take place in Scotland. The film generated huge interest in Scotland and in
Scottish history The recorded begins with the arrival of the Roman Empire in the 1st century, when the province of Britannia reached as far north as the Antonine Wall. North of this was Caledonia, inhabited by the ''Picti'', whose uprisings forced Rom ...
, not only around the world, but also in Scotland itself. At a ''Braveheart'' Convention in 1997, held in Stirling the day after the Scottish Devolution vote and attended by 200 delegates from around the world, ''Braveheart'' author Randall Wallace, Seoras Wallace of the Wallace Clan, Scottish historian David Ross and Bláithín FitzGerald from Ireland gave lectures on various aspects of the film. Several of the actors also attended including James Robinson (Young William), Andrew Weir (Young Hamish), Julie Austin (the young bride) and Mhairi Calvey (Young Murron).


Awards and honors

''Braveheart'' was nominated for many awards during the 1995 Oscar season, though it was not viewed by many as a major contender such as ''
Apollo 13 Apollo 13 (April 1117, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the third meant to land on the Moon. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the lunar landing was aborted aft ...
'', '' Il Postino: The Postman'', ''
Leaving Las Vegas ''Leaving Las Vegas'' is a 1995 American drama film written and directed by Mike Figgis, and based on the semi-autobiographical 1990 novel of the same name by John O'Brien. Nicolas Cage stars as a suicidal alcoholic in Los Angeles who, having ...
'', '' Sense and Sensibility'', and '' The Usual Suspects''. It wasn't until after the film won the
Golden Globe Award for Best Director The Golden Globe Award for Best Director – Motion Picture is a Golden Globe Award that has been presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, an organization composed of journalists who cover the United States film industry fo ...
at the
53rd Golden Globe Awards The 53rd Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television for 1995, were held on January 21, 1996 at The Beverly Hilton and were televised on NBC in the United States. The nominations were announced on December 21, 1995. Winners and ...
that it was viewed as a serious Oscar contender. When the nominations were announced for the 68th Academy Awards, ''Braveheart'' received ten Academy Award nominations, and a month later, won five including Best Picture,
Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * BA ...
for Gibson,
Best Cinematography This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Makeup. ''Braveheart'' became the ninth film to win Best Picture with no acting nominations and is one of only three films to win Best Picture without being nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, the other being ''
The Shape of Water ''The Shape of Water'' is a 2017 romantic fantasy film directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by del Toro and Vanessa Taylor. It stars Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Octavia Spencer. Se ...
'' in 2017 and followed by ''Green Book'' the following year. The film also won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay. In 2010, the
Independent Film & Television Alliance The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) is the trade association that represents companies that finance, produce and license independent film and television programming worldwide. The association is headquartered in Los Angeles, but has ...
selected the film as one of the 30 Most Significant Independent Films of the last 30 years ;
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...
lists * AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Movies – Nominated * AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Thrills – No. 91 * AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains: ** William Wallace – Nominated Hero * AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Movie Quotes: ** "They may take away our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!" – Nominated * AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores – Nominated * AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers – No. 62 * AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) – Nominated *
AFI's 10 Top 10 ''AFI's 10 Top 10'' honors the ten greatest American films in ten classic film genres. Presented by the American Film Institute (AFI), the lists were unveiled on a television special broadcast by CBS on June 17, 2008. In the special, various acto ...
– Nominated Epic Film


Cultural effects and accusations of Anglophobia

Lin Anderson Lin (Linda) Anderson (born in Greenock, Scotland) is a Tartan Noir crime novelist and screenwriter, best known as the creator of forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod. the Rhona MacLeod books are being developed for ITV. Life and career An ...
, author of ''Braveheart: From Hollywood To Holyrood'', credits the film with playing a significant role in affecting the
Scottish political landscape The politics of Scotland operate within the constitution of the United Kingdom, of which Scotland is a home nation. Scotland is a democracy, being represented in both the Scottish Parliament and the Parliament of the United Kingdom since the S ...
in the mid-to-late 1990s.
Peter Jackson Sir Peter Robert Jackson (born 31 October 1961) is a New Zealand film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known as the director, writer and producer of the ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003) and the ''Hobbit'' trilogy ( ...
cited ''Braveheart'' as influence in making the ''Lord of the Ring''s film trilogy. Sections of the English media accused the film of harbouring Anti-English sentiment. '' The Economist'' called it " xenophobic", and
John Sutherland John Sutherland may refer to: Politicians * John Sutherland (New South Wales politician) (1816–1889), member of the NSW Legislative Assembly and Council * John Sutherland (Canadian senator) (1821–1899), Canadian Senator from Manitoba * John S ...
writing in '' The Guardian'' stated that: "''Braveheart'' gave full rein to a toxic Anglophobia". In '' The Times'', Colin McArthur said "the political effects are truly pernicious. It's a xenophobic film." Ian Burrell of '' The Independent'' has said, "The ''Braveheart'' phenomenon, a Hollywood-inspired rise in Scottish nationalism, has been linked to a rise in anti-English prejudice".


Wallace Monument

In 1997, a , sandstone statue depicting Mel Gibson as William Wallace in ''Braveheart'' was placed in the car park of the Wallace Monument near Stirling, Scotland. The statue, which was the work of Tom Church, a
monumental mason Monumental masonry (also known as memorial masonry) is a kind of stonemasonry focused on the creation, installation and repairs of headstones (also known as gravestones and tombstones) and other memorials. Cultural significance In Christian cu ...
from Brechin, included the word 'Braveheart' on Wallace's shield. The installation became the cause of much controversy; one local resident stated that it was wrong to "desecrate the main memorial to Wallace with a lump of crap". In 1998, someone wielding a hammer vandalized the statue's face. After repairs were made, the statue was encased in a cage every night to prevent further vandalism. This only incited more calls for the statue to be removed, as it then appeared that the Gibson/Wallace figure was imprisoned. The statue was described as "among the most loathed pieces of public art in Scotland". In 2008, the statue was returned to its sculptor to make room for a new visitor centre being built at the foot of the Wallace Monument.


Historical inaccuracy

Randall Wallace, who wrote the screenplay, has acknowledged Blind Harry's 15th-century epic poem '' The Acts and Deeds of Sir William Wallace, Knight of Elderslie'' as a major inspiration for the film. In defending his script, Randall Wallace has said, "Is Blind Harry true? I don't know. I know that it spoke to my heart and that's what matters to me, that it spoke to my heart." Blind Harry's poem is not regarded as historically accurate, and although some incidents in the film that are not historically accurate are taken from Blind Harry (e.g. the hanging of Scottish nobles at the start),''Unmapping the Territory: Blind Hary's Wallace'', Felicity Riddy's chapter in Edward Cowan's ''The Wallace Book'' (2007, ) there are large parts that are based neither on history nor Blind Harry (e.g. Wallace's affair with Princess Isabella). Elizabeth Ewan describes ''Braveheart'' as a film that "almost totally sacrifices historical accuracy for epic adventure". It has been described as one of the most historically inaccurate modern films. Sharon Krossa noted that the film contains numerous historical inaccuracies, beginning with the wearing of belted plaid by Wallace and his men. In that period "no Scots ..wore belted plaids (let alone kilts of any kind)." Moreover, when Highlanders finally did begin wearing the belted plaid, it was not "in the rather bizarre style depicted in the film". She compares the inaccuracy to "a film about Colonial America showing the colonial men wearing 20th century business suits, but with the jackets worn back-to-front instead of the right way around." In a previous essay about the film, she wrote, "The events aren't accurate, the dates aren't accurate, the characters aren't accurate, the names aren't accurate, the clothes aren't accurate—in short, just about nothing is accurate." The belted plaid (''feileadh mór léine'') was not introduced until the 16th century. Peter Traquair has referred to Wallace's "farcical representation as a wild and hairy highlander painted with woad (1,000 years too late) running amok in a tartan kilt (500 years too early)." p. 62 Caroline White of The Times described the film as being made up of a "litany of fibs." Irish historian Seán Duffy remarked that "the battle of Stirling Bridge could have done with a bridge." In 2009, the film was second on a list of "most historically inaccurate movies" in '' The Times''. In the humorous non-fictional historiography ''An Utterly Impartial History of Britain'' (2007), author John O'Farrell claims that ''Braveheart'' could not have been more historically inaccurate, even if a Plasticine dog had been inserted in the film and the title changed to "''William Wallace and Gromit''". In the DVD audio commentary of ''Braveheart'', Mel Gibson acknowledges the historical inaccuracies but defends his choices as director, noting that the way events were portrayed in the film was much more "cinematically compelling" than the historical fact or conventional mythos.


''Jus primae noctis''

Edward Longshanks Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassal ...
is shown invoking '' Jus primae noctis'' in the film, allowing the lord of a medieval estate to take the virginity of his serfs' maiden daughters on their wedding nights. Critical medieval scholarship regards this supposed right as a myth: "the simple reason why we are dealing with a myth here rests in the surprising fact that practically all writers who make any such claims have never been able or willing to cite any trustworthy source, if they have any."


Occupation and independence

The film suggests Scotland had been under English occupation for some time, at least during Wallace's childhood, and in the run-up to the
Battle of Falkirk The Battle of Falkirk (''Blàr na h-Eaglaise Brice'' in Gaelic), on 22 July 1298, was one of the major battles in the First War of Scottish Independence. Led by King Edward I of England, the English army defeated the Scots, led by William Wal ...
Wallace says to the younger Bruce, " 'll have what none of us have ever had before, a country of our own." In fact, Scotland had been invaded by England only the year before Wallace's rebellion; prior to the death of
King Alexander III Alexander III (Medieval ; Modern Gaelic: ; 4 September 1241 – 19 March 1286) was King of Scots from 1249 until his death. He concluded the Treaty of Perth, by which Scotland acquired sovereignty over the Western Isles and the Isle of Man. His ...
it had been a fully separate kingdom.


Portrayal of William Wallace

As John Shelton Lawrence and Robert Jewett writes, "Because illiamWallace is one of Scotland's most important national heroes and because he lived in the very distant past, much that is believed about him is probably the stuff of legend. But there is a factual strand that historians agree to", summarized from Scots scholar Matt Ewart: A. E. Christa Canitz writes about the historical William Wallace further: " ewas a younger son of the Scottish gentry, usually accompanied by his own chaplain, well-educated, and eventually, having been appointed Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland, engaged in diplomatic correspondence with the Hanseatic cities of Lübeck and Hamburg". She finds that in ''Braveheart'', "any hint of his descent from the lowland gentry (i.e., the lesser nobility) is erased, and he is presented as an economically and politically marginalized Highlander and 'a farmer'—as one with the common peasant, and with a strong spiritual connection to the land which he is destined to liberate." Colin McArthur writes that ''Braveheart'' "constructs Wallace as a kind of modern, nationalist guerrilla leader in a period half a millennium before the appearance of nationalism on the historical stage as a concept under which disparate classes and interests might be mobilised within a nation state." Writing about ''Braveheart''s "omissions of verified historical facts", McArthur notes that Wallace made "overtures to
Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassal o ...
seeking less severe treatment after his defeat at Falkirk", as well as "the well-documented fact of Wallace's having resorted to
conscription Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...
and his willingness to hang those who refused to serve." Canitz posits that depicting "such lack of class solidarity" as the conscriptions and related hangings "would contaminate the movie's image of Wallace as the morally irreproachable ''
primus inter pares ''Primus inter pares'' is a Latin phrase meaning first among equals. It is typically used as an honorary title for someone who is formally equal to other members of their group but is accorded unofficial respect, traditionally owing to their sen ...
'' among his peasant fighters."


Portrayal of Isabella of France

Isabella of France is shown having an affair with Wallace after the
Battle of Falkirk The Battle of Falkirk (''Blàr na h-Eaglaise Brice'' in Gaelic), on 22 July 1298, was one of the major battles in the First War of Scottish Independence. Led by King Edward I of England, the English army defeated the Scots, led by William Wal ...
. She later tells Edward I she is pregnant, implying that her son,
Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...
, was a product of the affair. In reality, Isabella was around three years old and living in France at the time of the Battle of Falkirk, was not married to Edward II until he was already king, and Edward III was born seven years after Wallace died. The breakdown of the couple's relationship over his liaisons, and the menacing suggestion to a dying Longshanks that she would overthrow and destroy Edward II mirror and foreshadow actual facts; although not until 1326, over 20 years after Wallace's death, Isabella, her son Edward, and her lover Roger Mortimer would invade England to depose - and later murder - Edward II.


Portrayal of Robert the Bruce

Robert the Bruce did change sides between the Scots loyalists and the English more than once in the earlier stages of the Wars of Scottish Independence, but he probably did not fight on the English side at the
Battle of Falkirk The Battle of Falkirk (''Blàr na h-Eaglaise Brice'' in Gaelic), on 22 July 1298, was one of the major battles in the First War of Scottish Independence. Led by King Edward I of England, the English army defeated the Scots, led by William Wal ...
(although this claim does appear in a few medieval sources). Later, the
Battle of Bannockburn The Battle of Bannockburn ( gd, Blàr Allt nam Bànag or ) fought on June 23–24, 1314, was a victory of the army of King of Scots Robert the Bruce over the army of King Edward II of England in the First War of Scottish Independence. It was ...
was not a spontaneous battle; he had already been fighting a guerrilla campaign against the English for eight years. His title before becoming king was Earl of Carrick, not Earl of Bruce. Bruce's father is portrayed as an infirm leper, although it was Bruce himself who allegedly suffered from leprosy in later life. The actual Bruce's machinations around Wallace, rather than the meek idealist in the film, suggests the father-son relationship represent different aspects of the historical Bruce's character. In the film, Bruce's father betrays Wallace to his son's disgust, acknowledging it as the price of his crown, although in real life Wallace was betrayed by the nobleman
John de Menteith Sir John Menteith of Ruskie and Knapdale (c. 1275 – c. 1329) was a Scottish nobleman during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He is known for his capture of Sir William Wallace in 1305 and later joined with King Robert I of Scotland and rec ...
and delivered to the English.


Portrayal of Longshanks and Prince Edward

The actual
Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassal o ...
was ruthless and temperamental, but the film exaggerates his negative aspects for effect. Edward enjoyed poetry and harp music, was a devoted and loving husband to his wife
Eleanor of Castile Eleanor of Castile (1241 – 28 November 1290) was Queen of England as the first wife of Edward I, whom she married as part of a political deal to affirm English sovereignty over Gascony. The marriage was known to be particularly close, and ...
, and as a religious man, he gave generously to charity. The film's scene where he scoffs cynically at Isabella for distributing gold to the poor after Wallace refuses it as a bribe would have been unlikely. Furthermore, Edward died on campaign two years after Wallace's execution, not in bed at his home. The depiction of the future
Edward II Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir apparent to t ...
as an effeminate homosexual drew accusations of
homophobia Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitude (psychology), attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, h ...
against Gibson. Gibson defended his depiction of Prince Edward as weak and ineffectual, saying: In response to Longshanks' murder of the Prince's male lover Phillip, Gibson replied: "The fact that King Edward throws this character out a window has nothing to do with him being gay ... He's terrible to his son, to everybody." Gibson asserted that the reason Longshanks kills his son's lover is that the king is a " psychopath".


Wallace's military campaign

"MacGregors from the next
glen A glen is a valley, typically one that is long and bounded by gently sloped concave sides, unlike a ravine, which is deep and bounded by steep slopes. Whittow defines it as a "Scottish term for a deep valley in the Highlands" that is "narrower ...
" joining Wallace shortly after the
action at Lanark The action at Lanark was an attack at Lanark, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence in May 1297. The Scotsman William Wallace led an uprising against the English and killed the Sheriff of Lanark, William Heselrig. The attack wa ...
is dubious, since it is questionable whether Clan Gregor existed at that stage, and when they did emerge their traditional home was Glen Orchy, some distance from Lanark. Wallace did win an important victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, but the version in ''Braveheart'' is highly inaccurate, as it was filmed without a bridge (and without Andrew Moray, joint commander of the Scots army, who was fatally injured in the battle). Later, Wallace did carry out a large-scale raid into the north of England, but he did not get as far south as York, nor did he kill Longshanks' nephew. The "Irish conscripts" at the
Battle of Falkirk The Battle of Falkirk (''Blàr na h-Eaglaise Brice'' in Gaelic), on 22 July 1298, was one of the major battles in the First War of Scottish Independence. Led by King Edward I of England, the English army defeated the Scots, led by William Wal ...
are unhistorical; there were no Irish troops at Falkirk (although many of the English army were actually
Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
). The two-handed long swords used by Gibson in the film were not in wide use in the period. A one-handed sword and shield would have been more accurate. The depiction of English cavalry and infantry soldiers using uniform dress and armor is historically inaccurate. In the feudal armies of the late 13th and early 14th century, cavalry would have been made up of nobility and knights all in their self-purchased armour and displaying their coat of arms on surcoats and shields. Also the armour shown in the movie, i.e. small metal plates sewn on a fabric did not exist and would have been ineffective since it could have been easily pierced by swords, spears, arrows etc. Indeed, knights of that time period would have worn mail chausses to protect their legs, a mail hauberk over a patted gambeson to protect the upper body and arms as well as a mail coif and a great helm to protect the head. Another layer of protection, the coat-of-plates would have been worn over the hauberk, but under the surcoat. Infantry would have looked very diverse utilizing any kind of armor they could obtain and afford. The Scottish fighters would have been dressed and armed in the same way as their English opponents. Kilts appeared only in the 16th century, so two centuries after the events in the movie. However, the cavalry charge depicted at the battle of Stirling bridge (which did not take place at this battle) is a rare example where a movie maker correctly depicts the knights charging towards their enemies with laid in lances rather than drawn swords.


Home media

''Braveheart'' was released on DVD on August 29, 2000. It was released on Blu-ray as part of the ''Paramount Sapphire Series'' on September 1, 2009. It was released on 4K UHD Blu-ray as part of the 4K upgrade of the ''Paramount Sapphire Series'' on May 15, 2018.


Sequel

A sequel, titled ''Robert the Bruce'', was released in 2019. The film continues directly on from ''Braveheart'' and follows the widow Moira, portrayed by Anna Hutchison, and her family (portrayed by
Gabriel Bateman Gabriel Michael Bateman (born September 10, 2004) is an American actor. He is best known for starring in numerous horror films, including as Robert in '' Annabelle'' (2014), Martin Wells in '' Lights Out'' (2016), Andy Barclay in '' Child's Play' ...
and
Talitha Bateman Talitha Eliana Bateman (; born September 4, 2001) is an American actress. After making her acting debut in a 2013 episode of the sitcom '' The Middle'', she has starred in the independent drama film '' So B. It'' (2016), the science fiction fil ...
), who save Robert the Bruce, with Angus Macfadyen reprising his role from ''Braveheart''. The cast includes Jared Harris, Patrick Fugit, Zach McGowan, Emma Kenney,
Diarmaid Murtagh Diarmaid Murtagh (born 28 July 1982) is an Irish actor. He portrayed Leif in the 2013 historical drama television series ''Vikings'', Dimitri in ''Dracula Untold'' (2014) and Captain Harpen in ''The Monuments Men'' (2014). Biography Murtagh was b ...
, Seoras Wallace,
Shane Coffey Shane Coffey is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Holden Strauss in Freeform's ''Pretty Little Liars''. Early life Coffey was born in Houston, Texas and raised in nearby Spring. He studied theater at the University of Souther ...
, Kevin McNally, and Melora Walters. Richard Gray directed the film, with Macfadyen and Eric Belgau writing the script. Helmer Gray, Macfadyen, Hutchison, Kim Barnard, Nick Farnell, Cameron Nuggent, and Andrew Curry produced the film. Filming took place in 2019 and was completed with a limited cinematic release the same year.


See also

*'' Outlaw King''; although not a sequel, it depicts events that occurred immediately after the events in ''Braveheart'' *'' Rob Roy''; historical action drama film featuring Robert Roy MacGregor, an 18th-century Scottish clan chief.


References


Notes


External links

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