Braveheart: WTF Really Happened to this Movie?

WTF REALLY Happened To This Movie? – The JoBlo series that dives into movies based on TRUE stories, REAL people and ACTUAL historical events to separate FACT from FICTION!

Mel Gibson’s 1995 historical epic Braveheart transformed Scottish warrior William Wallace into a globally-recognized, freedom-fighting icon. The critically acclaimed film was an award winner and box-office smash, and its impact on pop culture still resonates. But how accurate is Gibson’s portrayal of the famous (or infamous) Highland Hero?

Of course, William Wallace is a character that has captured the imaginations of those in Hollywood for decades. Yet, Gibson was the first to turn his saga into a feature, but definitely not the last. 2018 would see the release of Outlaw King, which told the story of Robert the Bruce, a character played by Angus Macfadyen in Gibson’s film. In the movie, Wallace was originally a minor character, with him portrayed as a wild-eyed, half-crazed lunatic that was a far cry from Gibson’s swashbuckling portrayal. However, after a poor reaction from crowds at the Toronto International Film Festival, all scenes depicting Wallace were cut, with only his drawn and quartered remains left in the film. The following year, Macfadyen would make his own quasi-sequel to Braveheart, with him reprising the role in his own Robert the Bruce.

But who exactly was William Wallace? Was he the swashbuckling hero Gibson portrayed or the madman depicted in Outlaw King? Or, perhaps was he somewhere in the middle? And was King Edward “Longshanks” the sadist played by Patrick McGoohan in Gibson’s film, or was he a somewhat more sympathetic character? And finally, what was the real deal with Sophie Marceau’s Princess Isabella of France? Was she actually Wallace’s lover, or was this a Hollywood fantasy? So Slip-on your finest kilt and find out “WTF REALLY Happened to BRAVEHEART!”