Here is the "Note on Historical Accuracy": This play is not history in the sense in which the word is used by the academic historian. After returning to his best friend, Danny, and girlfriend, who are stationed in Hawaii's Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the Japanese attack. Article Archives. The studio saw marketing gold there, but it all started with me and a lifetime fascination with the history. The movie centers on the famous expedition of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who were sent by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Territory for the United States. Washington Times .March 21, 2008. As he continues his revolt, he also has a love affair with Isabella, Edward's daughter-in-law. This happened in 1995, when Disney released its own version of the Pocahontas story. Following the game’s reveal trailer and confirmation that it will include women, some fragile fans have confirmed they’ve never read a book by protesting what they see as "historical inaccuracy." History sells, but “real history is less fun than reel history.”. Professional film reviewers are tame compared to the wrath of nit-picking historians. Although his name wasn't Nicholson, Lt. Col. Philip Toosey was the senior British officer who commanded operations for building the Thai-Burma Railway, the inspiration for the movie. Blackwell Publishing, 2004. "Pearls of Wisdom." When "Braveheart" came out in 1995, it was an instant success. Simon & Schuster, 2005. Commodus himself was younger and more physically fit than depicted, married and (not to mention) didn't commit patricide [source: Ward]. We've gathered 10 movies that many historians find insufferable and others just find laughable. Three U.S. battleships are hit from the air during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Iâm not a historian, Iâm not a documentarian. D01. "Oliver Stone's Defense of JFK." July 31, 2008. Bryan Cranston has been on a hell of an acting journey. But, if we're to trust the accepted beliefs of most historians, "JFK" is pure fiction. Something about this formula must carry some resonance with American audiences. Many of the movies we cover in this list share a common theme: They try to infuse sexual tension and a love story between historical people where no romance really existed. The story follows U.S. military pilot Rafe McCawley, who leaves behind his country to fight Hitler with the British. And that fantasy happens to include that Black citizens and people of color can live their lives and succeed without question or … Toosey's obsession was not building the bridge, but rather keeping his men alive. Lincoln biographer Ronald White critiques the accuracy of Stephen Spielberg's new film about the Great Emancipator. (Feb. 16, 2009) http://books.google.com/books?id=np5TA-0215sC. (Feb. 16, 2009) http://books.google.com/books?id=C-AS7fkHqJ8C, Niemi, Robert. The theory in question poses that many parties, including the military, FBI and CIA, were involved in a conspiracy to kill Kennedy (perhaps to stop him from pulling out of Vietnam). Nevertheless, when a filmmaker inaccurately portrays a beloved historical person or an emotional event, experts are always quick to point it out. Frustrated by the lack of information, some writers have chosen to indulge in conjecture by weaving tales of historical fiction into the knowledge gaps. Genesis Is Historically True First of all, the film exaggerates Custer's war record. (Feb. 16, 2009) http://books.google.com/books?id=_Mmy8wYWI3EC, Summers, Julie. But although Disney has a reputation for putting its own spin on those tales, the company fueled the ire of critics when it rewrote history. "Pocahontas. Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. No list of this kind would be complete without "They Died with Their Boots On" (1941), which film historians cite as the quintessential historically inaccurate film. It has been subjected to the minutest scientific textual analysis possible to humanity and has been proven to be authentic in every way. "JFK." After the English soldiers kill Wallace's bride, he becomes enraged and driven to lead the Scottish in a revolt to expel the English. In addition to that, critics of Stone like Patricia Lambert argue that the filmmaker fabricated events that contradict known facts [source: Normey]. "Braveheart: dancing peasants, gleaming teeth and a cameo from Fabio." Historical Analysis and Interpretation One of the most common problems in helping students to become thoughtful readers of historical narrative is the compulsion students feel to find the one right… Turner Classic Movies. In the movie, Cranston is reviving a role from the stage play of the same name â one that earned him a Tony award â that covers LBJ's first year in office. There has never been a historical recording of any act of this kind during the war Many British reviewers were offended by the way the British were portrayed as ruthless killers. Tora! A photograph of the real Battle of the Bulge, complete with a very snowy Belgian forest. Even those who wrote the Bible made it clear it was not a secular history, even though secular events are referred to. For more interesting lists, look over the links on the next page. That's the lack of a Robert Kennedy, who was a major player at the time. Sharpe, 2007. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. And we're not talking about Roger Ebert. The Battle of the Bulge was primarily a tank battle, and historians find the tanks in the movie laughably inaccurate. Of all the texts, the one that perpetuates the most untruths about the American Revolution— I found a whopping seventeen — is Joy Hakim’s immensely popular, A History of US. The explorers hired Charbonneau, a French-Canadian trader, as an interpreter and agreed to let his pregnant wife tag along. On a related note of inaccuracy, some take issue that the movie features no black characters in a time when London had a significant black population [source: Monk]. Modern viewers take issue with the movie's stereotypical, one-dimensional depiction of Native Americans as well, particularly Chief Crazy Horse, the Lakota Sioux war chief. Not until the dramatic end does the obsessive Nicholson recognize the folly of assisting the enemy in war and destroy the bridge. (Feb. 16, 2009) http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=4562. May 31, 2001. In World War II, the Battle of the Bulge was a decisive encounter occurring in 1944 between the Allied troops and the Germans in the Ardennes Forest in Belgium. The only problem is, the movie failed to mention an important historical point: Sacagawea was married to Charbonneau. I’m calling it the war on poverty. In fact, Shakespeare adapted the play's plot from other sources, so the idea that he developed the story gradually and hadn't figured out the tragic ending by the time he was writing the middle (as the film depicts) is highly unlikely. "'Gladiator' in Historical Perspective." Nominated for the Best Picture Oscar at the 2003 Academy Awards, director Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York brings to … Tora!" Mel Gibson says Apocalypto, his new movie set during the collapse of the Maya Empire, should not be seen as a historical document.. At least one expert couldn't agree more. "In the play, Robert Schenkkan made the choice to keep Robert Kennedy off-stage to serve as a sort of exaggerated figure of fear for LBJâa combination of real and imagined threat," director Jay Roach told Mother Jones. Using the gas that English-speaking German spies are hoarding, the Allies set the enemy's tanks ablaze when they come to collect their fuel supplies. Johnson wants King to wait. “Let’s not start another battle when we haven’t even won the first,” he says, referring to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which he signed into law with King standing right behind him. Curiosity Project: 10 Memorable TV Moments, "Full Synopsis for Gladiator (2000)." It also chalks up his military promotion to an administrative mistake, which it wasn't. She eventually did marry a British man, but it was John Rolfe, not Smith. Barta, Tony. "10 Historically Inaccurate Movies" After all, historical events and people aren't known for being simple, clear-cut or morally unambiguous. The guide erases the distinction between fact and fiction, urging students, for example, to study black abolitionism through the film’s invented character, Theodore Joadson, rather than real historical figures. The film’s historical problems are compounded by the study guide now being distributed to schools, which encourages educators to use Amistad to teach about slavery. The film titled "Battle of the Bulge" (1965) is set after the invasion of Normandy when the Allied forces have moved through France and into Belgium. Although filming only 20 years after the actual battle, the filmmakers managed to forget a lot of important details. The explorers hired Charbonneau, a French-Canadian trader, as an interpreter and agreed to let his pregnant wife tag along. But controversy really ignited in 1991 when Oliver Stone released the film "JFK," which posits that one fringe theory surrounding the murder is fact and follows New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison as he investigates it. If we've learned anything after perusing this list, it's probably that we should watch even seemingly realistic historical movies with a skeptical eye. ", So it seems like, as with lots of historical dramas, All the Way changes details while staying true to its own themes. "The Far Horizons" is set about 200 years after "Pocahontas," but it's just as inaccurate. The respect given to women, to the king, and to Achilles’ elite warrior group, the Myrmidons, all are historically accurate because it is very similar to the respect given in … In addition to that, the movie compresses Commodus' 13-year reign into what can't be more than two years. History is full of noteworthy people and events that are just ripe for the screenwriter's picking and often result in hugely successful movies. (Feb. 16, 2009) http://www.articlearchives.com/humanities-social-science/visual-performing-arts-visual/1606312-1.html. Another word often used to characterize the Bible is "infallible". The Allies are losing and everything seems dismal until Lt. Col. Kiley realizes that the Germans are running out of gas. It whitewashes Custer's motivations for entering into the battle, showing him as extremely sympathetic to the Native Americans and writing an emotional letter that pleads their case. Using fictional main characters, "Pearl Harbor" (2001) depicts the dramatic Japanese attack on the United States that triggered the nation's entry into World War II. But what you cannot do is have anybody in the play say or do something that is intrinsically antithetical to who they were.". The history in the film is based on Harper Lee’s observations growing up in a small town in Alabama, as well as events that had recently occurred within the United States right before the film was being made. When a series that isn't set in the 21st-century comes to live, everyone involved should do their best to make sure it respects the period the show is set in. "Gangs of New York": Fact vs. Fiction. Copyright 2001. But as it portrays real historical figures, critics complain that "Pocahontas" easily misleads children and interferes with the events they'll later learn about. The story follows U.S. Civil War hero George Armstrong Custer through his life and military exploits, culminating in the controversial battle that took his life along with the 200 soldiers he led. They shot what's supposed to be a bitterly cold Belgian winter in the temperate climate of Spain and made a half-hearted attempt to recreate the cold weather. (Feb. 16, 2009) http://books.google.com/books?id=AK9bmadu-AUC, Monk, Claire, Amy Sargeant. Pg. All rights reserved. Hence, critics question why the filmmakers didn't instead focus on this more likely romance. "Genre Studies in Mass Media." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.âs inner circle â even though, in 1964, it was John Lewis who played that role," the same New York Times article notes. Conspiracy theories abound regarding the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. "Screening the Past." The reviewers say … This was done to better compare bracketologists with the most recent set of data, to drop the early years when brackets consisted of 65 teams instead of 68, and to match a real committee member's term of 5 years. Much to the surprise of his fellow officers and to the delight of the Japanese commander, Nicholson seeks to improve his men's morale by forcing them to build a solid, well-constructed bridge. "British Historical Cinema." If viewers catch on to these subtle in-jokes, they're probably less likely to take the rest of it seriously and walk away with mistaken ideas about Shakespeare. Disney's brazen disregard for the truth immediately irked those familiar with the well-known story in U.S. history. All of this enveloped in the talented of an all-star cast, stunning scenery, and a unique soundtrack. Contrary to what the film portrays, the two countries had enjoyed a general period of peace for about a century beforehand, and the Scottish wouldn't have claimed that the country had never been free [source: Silverblatt]. The story reaches its climax when Pocahontas throws herself on Smith to save his life. “The locals see all these rich foreigners digging away,” Saunders adds wryly, “on our hands and knees all day in the hot sun, and they think to themselves, ‘No way. If you're at all familiar with the story, you know that along the way, they encountered a very helpful woman from the Shoshone tribe named Sacagawea. (Feb. 16, 2009) http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=341478&category=Full%20Synopsis, "Overview for Battle of the Bulge." The movie centers around the character of British commander Col. Nicholson, a role that earned actor Alec Guinness a Best Actor Oscar. Were this film not directed toward children (who are less likely to know the real story), it could perhaps be dismissed as harmless historical fiction. In this steamy romance, Shakespeare finds his inspiration for the play "Romeo and Juliet" after falling in love with a young lady who aspires to be an actress. Filmmakers frequently admit their lapses in historical correctness but claim to have captured the spirit of the truth. Historian Alvin Josephy Jr. writes that the movie "runs completely amok" with history [source: Carnes]. The filmmakers completely fabricated the idea that love blossomed between them, and historians dismiss this idea out of hand. The word inerrancy is formed from the word inerrant, from the Latin inerrantem, (being in- + errantem the present participle of errāre to err or wander).It is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "That does not err; free from error; unerring." Of course, there are those who subscribe to this particular theory or others like it. (Feb. 16, 2009) http://books.google.com/books?id=q3Hfhdv_o0kC, Top 10 Heads That Rolled during the Reign of Henry VIII, Top 10 Bungled Attempts at One-person Flight, Information about the device's operating system, Information about other identifiers assigned to the device, The IP address from which the device accesses a client's website or mobile application, Information about the user's activity on that device, including web pages and mobile apps visited or used, Information about the geographic location of the device when it accesses a website or mobile application. Turner Classic Movies. For Real." Benoit, William L. Dawn M. Nill. I mean, look at this: It's a pretty striking resemblance, don't you think? Cranston isn't the only on-screen LBJ in recent times, so it'll be interesting to see how his portrayal differs from the one we saw in, say Selma. ", Another historical difference isn't really a change, per se, as much as it is an omission. In real-life, Pocahontas and Powhatan were told he died on his way to England, which was not true. Those who knew the real story objected that it tainted Toosey's honorable reputation. History professor Edward Countryman isn't so sure the materials do a good job. But it's worth noting that differences between All the Way and the historical record aren't exactly errors. Just as in the movie, the police killed the streetlights to thwart the onlooking reporters, and all hell broke loose. People are often surprised to learn how little historians know about the most celebrated playwright of the English language, William Shakespeare. "American History and Contemporary Hollywood." Unlike the good professors who take historical accuracy as sacrosanct, I allow artists to interpret the history and try to tell a story, tell a perspective, without having to be 100% accurate. Though it … However, try as they might, filmmakers who attempt to portray anything about the past very seldom satisfy their harshest critics. (Feb. 16, 2009) http://books.google.com/books?id=EOavGxnbh6UC, Davies, Peter N. "The Man Behind the Bridge." That cannot be proven or dis-proven logically. Macmillan, 1996. Historians find this conjecture about Wallace and Isabella a little hard to swallow given that, at the time the film is set, Isabella was a baby. This table only looks at the last 5 years of data rather than all years of the Bracket Matrix. He solemnly marches into battle knowing it's hopeless and makes a sacrifice out of himself. Others are quicker to forgive the inaccuracy of this film because it's also replete with winking anachronisms. (Feb. 16, 2009) http://books.google.com/books?id=WVFhcBcv_X8C, Normey, Robert. Portrays a beloved historical person or an emotional event, experts are always quick point! 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