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undo, though not for implied reason. Film says he's a pagan, but there's no proof to the accusation, & in fact he observed Christian stuff, so Inaccuracy
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*''Braveheart'''s plot includes an affair between William Wallace and the Princess Isabelle, based upon [[Isabella of France]]. The film implies she is pregnant at the time of Wallace's execution, carrying the future [[Edward III of England]]. Historically, the real Isabella was a child of nine still living in France at this time, meaning she never met Wallace, and furthermore, was never a [[Princess of Wales]], as she married Edward II after he became king - four years after Wallace's death. This idea may have been derived from the play ''[[The Wallace]]'' by [[Sydney Goodsir Smith]], or it may be derived from a fictional episode in Blind Harry's poem, where [[Marguerite of France (born 1282)|Marguerite of France]], second wife of Edward I, attempts to seduce Wallace.
*''Braveheart'''s plot includes an affair between William Wallace and the Princess Isabelle, based upon [[Isabella of France]]. The film implies she is pregnant at the time of Wallace's execution, carrying the future [[Edward III of England]]. Historically, the real Isabella was a child of nine still living in France at this time, meaning she never met Wallace, and furthermore, was never a [[Princess of Wales]], as she married Edward II after he became king - four years after Wallace's death. This idea may have been derived from the play ''[[The Wallace]]'' by [[Sydney Goodsir Smith]], or it may be derived from a fictional episode in Blind Harry's poem, where [[Marguerite of France (born 1282)|Marguerite of France]], second wife of Edward I, attempts to seduce Wallace.
*The [[Battle of Stirling Bridge]], the first skirmish in the film, was filmed without a bridge. The actual conflict was more of an ambush of the English as they attempted to cross the [[River Forth]].
*The [[Battle of Stirling Bridge]], the first skirmish in the film, was filmed without a bridge. The actual conflict was more of an ambush on the English as they attempted to cross the [[River Forth]].
*The opening juxtaposition of the line "The King of Scotland had died without a son" and the caption "Scotland, 1280 A.D." is inaccurate: [[Alexander III of Scotland|Alexander III]] did not die until [[1286]], and the country was not immediately taken over.
*The opening juxtaposition of the line "The King of Scotland had died without a son" and the caption "Scotland, 1280 A.D." is inaccurate: [[Alexander III of Scotland|Alexander III]] did not die until [[1286]], and the country was not immediately taken over.
*The opening narration continues "and the King of England... claimed the throne of Scotland for himself". Edward I never claimed the kingship of Scotland: he claimed lordship over it, but after the deposition of [[John Balliol]] in [[1296]] did not recognise its status as a kingdom.
*The opening narration continues "and the King of England... claimed the throne of Scotland for himself". Edward I never claimed the kingship of Scotland: he claimed lordship over it, but after the deposition of [[John Balliol]] in [[1296]] did not recognise its status as a kingdom.

Revision as of 23:05, 24 March 2007

Braveheart
File:Braveheart imp.jpg
Directed byMel Gibson
Written byRandall Wallace
Produced byMel Gibson
Alan Ladd, Jr.
Bruce Davey
Stephen McEveety
StarringMel Gibson
Sophie Marceau
Catherine McCormack
Patrick McGoohan
Angus Macfadyen
Brendan Gleeson
CinematographyJohn Toll
Edited bySteven Rosenblum
Music byJames Horner
Distributed by- USA -
Paramount Pictures
- non-USA -
20th Century Fox
Release dates
May 24, 1995
Running time
177 min.
CountryU.S.
LanguageEnglish
Budget$53,000,000

Braveheart is a five time Academy Award winning historical drama American motion picture released in 1995, produced and directed by Mel Gibson, and adapted from a screenplay by Randall Wallace. The cast includes Gibson in the title role as well as Patrick McGoohan, Sophie Marceau, Brendan Gleeson, Angus MacFadyen, David O'Hara and Catherine McCormack.

The film is loosely based upon the fables and legends surrounding the life of the Scottish national hero William Wallace

Plot synopsis

Template:Spoiler

In 1280 A.D. King Edward I "Longshanks" has annexed Scotland as part of England, and calls for talks of truce, but instead sets a trap for the nobles in attendance. Malcolm Wallace and his two sons, John and William, arrive late, coming upon the bodies of nobles hanged from the rafters. This event haunts young William for the rest of his life. His father and brother are killed themselves shortly thereafter, and William is given a thistle blossom by young Murron. Adopted by his uncle Argyle, he leave Scotland, promised that if he is diligent in first becoming educated, Argyle will in return train him to fight.

Many years later, The Scots continue to live under the harsh thumb of Longshanks cruel laws. Concerned that the French may ally themselves with the still rebellious Scots, he marries off his son, Prince Edward II, depicted as effetely ineffectual, to Princess Isabelle, daughter of the King of France, who is at war with England. Wallace returns to Scotland, intent on living as a farmer and avoiding involvement in the still-simmering Scottish rebellion. After showing her the carefully preserved thistle she gave him as a child, William confesses his long-standing love for Murron. They marry in secret to avoid Longshanks' reinstatement of prima noctae, a practice meant to undermine Scottish claims of title.

After Wallace attacks some English soldiers attempting to rape Murron, she is executed by the local Sheriff. Wallace returns, presumably to surrender but instead ruthlessly attacks the soldiers. Inspired by his defiance, the other Scots join William and easily overrun the garrison. William executes the English Sheriff in the same manner as Murron, and notices Murron's small needlepoint of a thistle on the ground and carries it with him. As the fighting ends, the Scots turn to Wallace to lead them.

News of the rebellion spreads quickly, and hundreds of Scots from the surrounding regions volunteer to join Wallace's militia. Launching successful attacks throughout the Highlands, he draws new recruits with each victory. Amongst these is Stephen of Ireland (O'Hara), who thwarts an assassination attempt on Wallace. The Scottish nobles remain divided about participating in the growing rebellion. Among the nobles is Robert the Bruce, (or simply "the Bruce"), considered the rightful heir to the Scottish throne (though opposed by other nobles). The Bruce's father is thought to be in France, but in reality is in hiding and suffering from leprosy, and continues to counsel his son on the best way to one day rule Scotland. The younger man does not the courage to ignore the self-interested plotting of his father, who advises him to privately support the Highlands rebellion, but to officially oppose it in order to curry English favor.

Though they win further skirmishes, Wallace and his lieutenants realize it is only a matter of time before the English send a fully-equipped army to confront them. Knowing that they will be outnumbered, Wallace makes plans to address the overwhelming strength of the English cavalry. In England, Longshanks departs to attend to the war in France, and instructs Prince Edward to deal with the rebellion. Shortly thereafter, an English army masses near the village of Stirling. News of an impending full-scale war spreads and Scots from the Highlands come to join Wallace by the thousands.

Before the battle, Wallace pointedly ignores Scottish Lords Lochlan, Moray, and Craig insistence that Wallace accept their command over the the Scottish troops. In a meeting of parlance between the English and Scots, Wallace ignores the promise of lands and title and deliberately provokes the English envoy who abruptly leave. The Scottish army is frightened by the disciplined English forces that seemingly outmatch them, but Wallace's speech inspires them. The roused Scottish soldiers taunt and jeer the English army across the battle plain.

Insulted by Wallace's behavior, the English commander sends in his full cavalry in attack, but Wallace's schiltrons utterly decimates them. The panicked English commander then sends his full ground forces in after them, and are destroyed in an utter rout. Following the battle, Wallace is knighted by the nobles, but still refuses to take orders from them, believing that most are only concerned with their wealth and titles. Wallace privately admits his fealty to Robert the Bruce; deeply moved, the Bruce remains conflicted between his desire to join Wallace and his loyalty to his still-scheming father. Wallace's army then invades England to remove the English threat once and for all. The nobles, including the Bruce, refuse to support him, but the Scottish army is loyal to Wallace and they capture the northern English city of York, killing the Duke of York, Longshanks' nephew.

Returning from France, Longshanks confronts his son over the annihilation of the English northern army and the sacking of York. Blithely tossing his son's effeminate minister of war from a high window, he savagely beats his incompetent son. Fearful of a Scottish attack on lower England, Longshanks decides to stall for time by pressing for a truce. As emissary, he sends Princess Isabelle to a peace conference near York. Presenting himself as reasonable, well-educated, and moral, Wallace surprises the English and to Princess Isabelle in particular. She reveals that she knows that Wallace fights in part out of revenge for the killing of Murron, Married to the disinterested Prince Edward, Isabelle is clearly moved by the Wallace's love for his deceased wife, and secures a pledge from Wallace that he will not attack English cities if Longshanks agrees to meet on the field of battle.

Returning to court, Isabelle is horrified to learn that Longshanks has used the truce to set a trap for Wallace and his army, and secretly warns Wallace. Wallace mobilizes his army near Falkirk As the battle ensues, Wallace's clever tactics again neutralize the English numerical advantage; however, at a critical moment both Lochlan and Mornay abandon Wallace and his men, revealed to have been bribed by the English to betray him. Wallace's army is almost wiped out, and Wallace himself is injured. Despite his wounds, he pursues and attacks a helmed English knight protecting Longshanks' retiring train. Removing the knight's helmet to cut his throat, Wallace discovers the knight is the Bruce himself. Shattered by this betrayal, Wallace lays down to die or be captured. Overcome by the look on Wallace's face, he helps to rescue Wallace before English troops can capture him. He later confronts his father and tells him that he will never betray Wallace again.

Wallace goes into hiding, fighting a guerrilla war against England, personally executing Moray and Lochlan for their betrayals. The Bruce and the remaining nobles realize that Wallace has become more powerful than ever before, becoming the most revered man in Scotland and therefore untouchable. After a thwarted assassination attempt set up by Longshanks, again under the premise of a peace conference with the Princess, Wallace gratefully meets with the princess alone and they spend a passionate night together. To break the stalemate, the nobles offer Wallace a chance for them to all unite to fight the English, but Wallace's men suspect a trap, Wallace agrees when the Bruce pledges his personal support and rides out to meet him. Wallace walks into a trap set by the other English lords and the Bruce's father and is roughly taken into custody by the English.

In London, Wallace is tried before the English magistrates and found guilty of treason. He is given the choice of admitting his guilt and being executed quickly or facing horrific torture. Wallace refuses, and is led away. Princess Isabelle visits Wallace in his cell, offering him elixirs to numb his pain, but he refuses, stating that he will need his wits. She appeals for mercy from Longshanks, now dying from a respiratory ailment, but he silently refuses. Realizing that Longshanks can no longer speak, she whispers in his ear to him that she is pregnant with a child not of Prince Edward's. She also swears that she will kill the prince at the first opportunity, and Longshanks will die knowing that his line is extinguished.

Wallace is brutally tortured to death in a London square, being alternately hung and racked and finally eviscerated alive. Despite the agony, he refuses to declare his guilt, cry for mercy, or even cry out in pain. The ordeal is sufficiently brutal for the crowd to call out for mercy on his behalf. Wallace uses every last ounce of strength in his ravaged body to shout the word "freedom." The magistrate resignedly has Wallace beheaded. As he dies, Wallace sees the vision of Murron walking through the crowd, waiting for him to join her.

Some time after Wallace's beheading, Robert the Bruce is standing before the remaining Scottish army, facing a ceremonial line of English troops near Bannockburn. He has arrived to pay tribute to the English, as it becomes clear that he has submitted to their rule and that he will be a puppet ruler. His fellow Scottish nobles looking on worriedly, Robert asks that those troops who once bled for Wallace to now bleed with him. Cheering Wallace's name, the Bruce and the Scots charge the surprised English lines. The movie end with Wallace's voice narrating that the outnumbered Scots defeated the English that day and won their freedom.

Production

Wikiquote has quotations related to Braveheart.
  • The movie was, for a very large part, filmed in Ireland instead of Scotland and one of the castles seen in the movie is actually Trim Castle in Co. Meath. Many of the mountains seen in the movie are actually the Wicklow Mountains in Co. Wicklow. Kilmashogue mountain and Djouce mountain can be regularly seen during the movie. Bective Abbey is also on the movie.
  • Several of the major battle scenes had to be re-shot, as extras were seen wearing sunglasses and wristwatches. In one scene in the actual film, a white van can be seen driving in the background.
  • The battle of Stirling took six weeks to film; roughly half a million feet of film (90+ hours) were shot for the sequence.
  • Mel Gibson, who has a reputation of being a prankster, directed several scenes (including the funeral scene for Wallace's father) while doing an Elmer Fudd impersonation. This caused several actors to break character mid-scene, and burst out laughing on several occasions.

Cast

File:Braveheart4.jpg
Sophie Marceau as Princess Isabelle
File:Brvimg5.gif
Catherine McCormack as Murron MacClannough
File:Hamish.JPG
Brendan Gleeson as Hamish Campbell

Response and awards

The film won numerous awards including the 1995 Academy Award for:

Nominated:

Box office

Braveheart is the 271st largest grossing film worldwide.

  • US: $75,609,945
  • Worldwide: $210,409,945

On opening weekend, Braveheart grossed:

  • US: $9,938,276

Cultural effects

The film is credited by some political commentators as having played a significant role in affecting the Scottish political landscape in the mid to late 1990s.[1]

Despite the film's many historical inaccuracies, its portrayal of the English occupation of Scotland (combined with the unpopularity of Conservative government policy in Scotland in the 1980s and 1990s) contributed to an upsurge in Scottish nationalist sentiment in the years leading up to the General Election of 1997.[citation needed]

Wallace Monument

In 1997 a statue of Gibson as "William Wallace" was placed outside the Wallace Monument near Stirling, Scotland. (See image[2])The statue, which includes the word "Braveheart" on Wallace's shield, was the cause of much controversy and one local resident stated that it was wrong to "desecrate the main memorial to Wallace with a lump of crap".[citation needed] In 1998 the statue was vandalised by someone who smashed the face in with a hammer. After repairs were made, the statue was encased in a cage at night to prevent further vandalism. This has only incited more calls for the statue to be removed as it now appears that the Gibson/Wallace figure is imprisoned; an irony, considering that the statue bears the word "Freedom" on the plinth.[citation needed]

Historical inaccuracy

  • Braveheart's plot includes an affair between William Wallace and the Princess Isabelle, based upon Isabella of France. The film implies she is pregnant at the time of Wallace's execution, carrying the future Edward III of England. Historically, the real Isabella was a child of nine still living in France at this time, meaning she never met Wallace, and furthermore, was never a Princess of Wales, as she married Edward II after he became king - four years after Wallace's death. This idea may have been derived from the play The Wallace by Sydney Goodsir Smith, or it may be derived from a fictional episode in Blind Harry's poem, where Marguerite of France, second wife of Edward I, attempts to seduce Wallace.
  • The Battle of Stirling Bridge, the first skirmish in the film, was filmed without a bridge. The actual conflict was more of an ambush on the English as they attempted to cross the River Forth.
  • The opening juxtaposition of the line "The King of Scotland had died without a son" and the caption "Scotland, 1280 A.D." is inaccurate: Alexander III did not die until 1286, and the country was not immediately taken over.
  • The opening narration continues "and the King of England... claimed the throne of Scotland for himself". Edward I never claimed the kingship of Scotland: he claimed lordship over it, but after the deposition of John Balliol in 1296 did not recognise its status as a kingdom.
File:Brave mel.jpg
Gibson's William Wallace wearing woad
  • Edward III was born in 1312, seven years after Wallace's death; thus it is impossible for Edward III to have been Wallace's son.
  • The film depicts Edward I dying at the same time as Wallace was executed. In fact, Wallace's execution took place in 1305 in Westminster, and King Edward died in 1307, two years later, en route to put down a fresh rebellion of the Scots led by Robert the Bruce.
  • The film depicts Scots going into battle wearing woad, an ancient Pictish practice not thought to have still existed in the thirteenth century. However, in Blind Harry's poem, Wallace does dream that the Virgin Mary paints a saltire on his face, and this is the likely inspiration for the anachronistic use of warpaint in the film.[1]

Trivia

Spoofs and references

You must add a |reason= parameter to this Cleanup template – replace it with {{Cleanup|section|reason=<Fill reason here>}}, or remove the Cleanup template.

  • In the Cleolinda Jones book Movies in fifteen minutes, Braveheart is one of the films spoofed.
  • An episode of Johnny Bravo shows Johnny kidnapped by a planet of women - until they get a glimpse on TV of a unnamed "Braveheart" movie star-Johnny gets the old heave-ho!
  • WWE spoofed Wallace's speech as an advertisement for WrestleMania 21 with Triple H as Wallace. The only person who listened to the speech was Ric Flair.
  • In the Video Game Daxter, there is an unlockable Braveheart dream sequence.
  • A 2006 Drambuie commercial has a "Braveheart" like actor running through the Scottish hills intercut with modern scenes.
  • In the South Park episode of "Starvin' Marvin (South Park episode)", both Chef and the leader of the evil turkeys deliver speeches a la Wallace to their people just before leading the charge into battle.
  • In a 2007 episode of the US version of The Office, boss Michael Scott uses the term "Primae Noctis" inappropriately during preparations for Phyllis Smith's wedding. Character Jim Halpert states that it is used in the movie Braveheart and that this fact is "confirmed on Wikipedia".

Soundtrack

The soundtrack for Braveheart was composed by composer James Horner, who also composed soundtracks for Titanic, Aliens, and Apollo 13. The music was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra. The first soundtrack was noticeably successful, and Horner produced a follow-up soundtrack in 1997 titled More Music from Braveheart. International and French versions of the soundtrack have also been released. [citation needed] The original album contains 77 minutes of background music taken from significant scenes in the film.

Braveheart (1995)

  1. Main Title (2:51)
  2. A Gift of a Thistle (1:37)
  3. Wallace Courts Murron (4:25)
  4. The Secret Wedding (6:33)
  5. Attack on Murron (3:00)
  6. Revenge (6:23)
  7. Murron’s Burial (2:13)
  8. Making Plans/ Gathering the Clans (2:05)
  9. “Sons of Scotland” (6:19)
  10. The Battle of Stirling (6:07)
  11. For the Love of a Princess (4:07)
  12. Falkirk (4:04)
  13. Betrayal & Desolation (7:48)
  14. Mornay’s Dream (1:18)
  15. The Legend Spreads (1:09)
  16. The Princess Pleads for Wallace’s Life (3:38)
  17. “Freedom”/The Execution/ Bannockburn (7:24)
  18. End Credits (7:12)

More Music from Braveheart (1997)

The follow-up soundtrack features much more dialogue taken from the actual film than did the original soundtrack.

  1. Prologue/ "I Shall Tell You of Williams..." (dialogue-Robert the Bruce) (3:35)
  2. Outlawed Tunes on Outlawed Bag Pipes (2:03)
  3. The Royal Wedding (dialogue-Robert the Bruce) (2:12)
  4. "The Trouble with Scotland" (dialogue-King Edward the Longshanks) (0:40)
  5. Scottish Wedding Music (1:14)
  6. Prima Noctes (1:46)
  7. The Proposal (dialogue-Wallace and Murron) (1:35)
  8. "Scotland is Free!" (dialogue-Wallace) (0:17)
  9. Point of War/JonnyCope/Up in the Morning Early (traditional) (2:59)
  10. Conversing with the Almighty (dialogue-various) (1:20)
  11. The Road to the Isles/ Grendaural Highlanders/ The Old Rustic Bridge by the Hill (traditional) (3:52)
  12. "Son of Scotland!" (dialogue-Wallace) (12:09)
  13. Vision of Murron (1:45)
  14. "Unite the Clans!" (dialogue-Wallace) (0:23)
  15. The Legend Spreads (dialogue-Storytellers) (1:07)
  16. "Why Do You Help Me?" (dialogue-Wallace and Princess Isabelle) (0:37)
  17. For the Love of a Princess (previously released score) (4:05)
  18. "Not Every man Really Lives" (dialogue-Wallace and Isabelle)
  19. "The Prisoner wishes to Say a Word (dialogue-The Executioner and Wallace) (3:43)
  20. "After the Beheading" (dialogue-Robert the Bruce) (1:48)
  21. "You Have Bled for Wallace!" (dialogue-Robert the Bruce) (1:22)
  22. Warrior Poets (dialogue-Wallace) (0:29)
  23. Scotland the Brave (traditional) (2:47)
  24. Leaving Glenhurqhart (traditional) (3:32)
  25. Kirkhill (traditional) (4:08)
  1. ^ Elspeth King, introduction to _Blind Harry's Wallace
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