I just watched a re-run of Mel Gibson’s ‘Braveheart’ on TV the other night and it tweaked my interest to catch up on movies about other historical characters.
I found a movie about Kennedy and the Mafia, wow what a movie! In the movie John F Kenndy is given bogus information by the FBI which leads to Al Capone being arrested and charged in connection with the murder of the Rev. Martin Luther King. Capone’s lawyer Al Sharpton, helps him beat the rap, but Capone is so enraged that he orders a hit on the Kennedy’s. He has JFK whacked and a week later has his brother Bobby Kennedy whacked also. I won’t spoil the end of the movie for you all, but those of you who know your American history will know what happens in the end.
I didn’t realise history could be so entertaining!!
Braveheart has very little to do with history.
Wasn’t that the one with all the Scottish music played on Irish bagpipes?
djm
Scottish music? Transplanted Irish isn’t it? 
Braveheart was a nice movie based on historical figures. Nearly every single fact was wrong though.
I can’t get into Mel Gibson’s testosterone-fueled, raging gorefests.
I kind of liked his humor and edge in the early Lethal Weapon movies, but lately his aesthetic is too raw-meat for me.
As for historically questionable Scottish rebellion flicks–I loved Rob Roy.
A nice balance of music, landscape, family story, violence and catharsis, and Liam Neeson. Actually,
you can go as heavy on the Liam Neeson as you want to.
Great little boats too.
A lot of Mel Gibson’s latest works show a particular focus on (and perhaps fascination with?) torture.
I worry about that old boy.
–James
My sentiments exactly!
“Playing outlawed tunes, on outlawed pipes”… 
Sorry but being an uilleann piper myself, I still get a chuckle out of that one. Though during one of the behind the scenes footage pieces, Mel said he thought the uilleann pipes were “more melodical” then the loud cat-strangling highland pipes. Good man that Mel. 
what can I say, I’m loyal to my instrument
Yes, I’m loyal to my instrument, too. And to my uilleann pipes.
djm
Illwinds blow.
Loved the movie, but the book was better;
“Wallace had behind him the spirit of a race as stern and as resolute as any bred among men. He added military gifts of a high order. Out of an unorganized mass of valiant fighting men he forged, in spite of cruel poverty and primitive administration, a stubborn, indomitable army, ready to fight at any odds and mock defeat.”
Sir Winston Churchill…A History of the English-Speaking Peoples
Wasn’t “Braveheart” another one of those movies where everyone had really great looking teeth?
or am I confusing it with other semi-historical movies?
Gawd, yes! I really miss Monty Python portrayals. It really felt like I was in medieval times in those. Especially the line in Jabberwocky when they exclaimed the person in the tale was so frightened of the monster it turned his teeth white, and all the listeners gag in revulsion.
djm
I’m not sure Scots were an English-speaking people at the time though. And that we are now is a bit of a pity in my opinion.
If you say Anglish speaking, rather than English, then he is likely correct Cofaidh.
David
Well, there’s only one thing to do Cofaidh, “invade England”.
I really loved the movie, after that read many history books on Wallace. Sure, many things in the movie weren’t fact, but the movie wasn’t meant to be historically correct either. Nonetheless, the dates were correct, 1297 Stirling, 1298 Falkirk, 1314 Bannockburn. Being nominated as Guardian of Scotland (with Andrew Murray). William Heselrig, the Sheriff of Lanark, killing his wife, Marion Braidfoot, spurring Wallace into action by taking his revenge and killing Heselrig, thus becoming an outlaw. To name just a few details.