# Most historically accurate/inaccurate movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2002, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079 "2002-07-02T18:39:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/21 "2002-07-03T00:59:36Z")
> [@](#): > > _I was very impressed with Gettysburgh_ Meant, of course, _Gettysburg_; I don’t know why I’m always putting an h at the end. _The Scarlett Empress_, with Marlene Dietrich as a version of Catherine the Great, is a good example of Hollywood making inaccurate but entertaining movies. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/22 "2002-07-03T01:06:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lissener \* > \*\* > I don’t know where the fashion of protesting the accuracy of a film’s historical setting started; anyone have any thoughts on that? \*\* I imagine it started with history professors, teachers, and majors and for the most part that’s where it ends. Marc ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/23 "2002-07-03T02:40:20Z")
Not to mention anal retentives. The silly trend of listing “film flubs” has exacerbated the problem – there is no reason why a film portraying a historical event _has_ to be accurate. The film is an entertainment, not a history lesson, and if you have to jettison historical accuracy to make a better story, then drop it like a hot boulder. For instance, there’s a marvelous scene in a film about Johann Strauss showing him listening to the sounds of the birds, etc. in the Vienna woods and it turning into “Tales from the Vienna Woods.” Completely bogus, and no one thought otherwise, yet it’s an effective scene. Only if a film **claims** accuracy (i.e., “based on a true story”) should its accuracy be criticized. Most of those mentioned here do not make that claim, and only a fool would think they have any historical validity – and a greater fool would complain about it. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/24 "2002-07-03T03:06:19Z")
_Anastasia_, the cartoon is extremely inaccurate. On the other hand, it got me interested in the Romanovs, and it’s a really good movie. Hmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![carlotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/25 "2002-07-03T03:06:20Z")
Pocahontas was extremely inaccurate. Not just the story–yeah, yeah, Pocahontas was only 12, not Native American Barbie, when she saved John Smith’s life, assuming he didn’t make the whole thing up. The thing that really drove me nuts was the scenery. I lived about five miles from Jamestown when the movie came out, and you would be hard pressed to find a flatter landscape. No 3000 foot waterfalls there. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/26 "2002-07-03T03:18:28Z")
If you’re looking for inaccuracy, it’s hard to beat the movie version of _Wild Wild West_. At least, my American history textbook never mentioned anything about a giant mechanical spider. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/27 "2002-07-03T03:20:57Z")
My sister has a copy of _Pocahontas_ and she won’t let me watch it with her. She got tired of comments about the historical inaccuracy. 😉 “How did the tree learn to speak English?” ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/28 "2002-07-03T06:12:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carlotta \* > \*\*Pocahontas was extremely inaccurate. Not just the story–yeah, yeah, Pocahontas was only 12, not Native American Barbie, when she saved John Smith’s life, assuming he didn’t make the whole thing up. > > The thing that really drove me nuts was the scenery. I lived about five miles from Jamestown when the movie came out, and you would be hard pressed to find a flatter landscape. No 3000 foot waterfalls there. \*\* That and there were 3 ships, not just one. The Discovery, Godspeed and Susan Constant(sp?). ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/29 "2002-07-03T06:18:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carlotta \* > \*\*Pocahontas was extremely inaccurate. Not just the story–yeah, yeah, Pocahontas was only 12, not Native American Barbie, when she saved John Smith’s life, assuming he didn’t make the whole thing up. > > The thing that really drove me nuts was the scenery. I lived about five miles from Jamestown when the movie came out, and you would be hard pressed to find a flatter landscape. No 3000 foot waterfalls there. \*\* That and there were 3 ships, not just one. The Discovery, Godspeed and Susan Constant(sp?). ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/30 "2002-07-03T06:37:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by carlotta \* > \*\*Pocahontas was extremely inaccurate. Not just the story–yeah, yeah, Pocahontas was only 12, not Native American Barbie, when she saved John Smith’s life, assuming he didn’t make the whole thing up. > > The thing that really drove me nuts was the scenery. I lived about five miles from Jamestown when the movie came out, and you would be hard pressed to find a flatter landscape. No 3000 foot waterfalls there. \*\* That and there were 3 ships, not just one. The Discovery, Godspeed and Susan Constant(sp?). ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/31 "2002-07-03T07:45:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*Not to mention anal retentives. The silly trend of listing “film flubs” has exacerbated the problem – there is no reason why a film portraying a historical event _has_ to be accurate. The film is an entertainment, not a history lesson, and if you have to jettison historical accuracy to make a better story, then drop it like a hot boulder. \*\* There is a reason the film should be historically accurate. Given the sorry state of history education in grade school the movies are, sadly, often a source for historical education. As I said I’m not to anal about these things and if there are some minor changes then I’m ok with it. When it comes to gross inaccuracy I do get a bit peeved. Movies are a form of art and art can have a powerful impact on public perception. Birth of a Nation was a big lie about the origins of the KKK and what they were all about. That movie did more to boost the popularity of the KKK then anything else in the early part of the 20th century. > [@](#): > > \*\* > Only if a film **claims** accuracy (i.e., “based on a true story”) should its accuracy be criticized. Most of those mentioned here do not make that claim, and only a fool would think they have any historical validity – and a greater fool would complain about it. \*\* Well, aren’t most movies based on historical figures “based on a true story?” Marc ---
**Author:** ![ShadowWarrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7993a0/32.png) [@ShadowWarrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowWarrior)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/32 "2002-07-03T10:28:05Z")
Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood film contains some staggering anomalies (i’m aware it’s not a historical film). For Example: Robin returns home to England, and lands at Dover (famous white cliffs clearly visible). He says ‘Tonight we will dine with my faher in nottingham’ - uh, that’s several hundred (3 or 4, i think) miles from Dover - and they don’t even have a horse. The very next scene, they are walking along the top of hadrian’s wall, which is up near the scottish border. Apparently, they have covered nearly 800/1000 miles that day, and have managed to walk straight past nottingham! ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/33 "2002-07-03T10:30:53Z")
If we’re going for both accuracy and inaccuracy, I guess _Stalingrad_ would feature in the former category, and both _The Battle Of The Bulge_ and the more recent film about the capture of an Enigma machine would definitely feature in the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/34 "2002-07-03T11:11:03Z")
Crusoe: you mean _U-571_? I get miffed about certain WW2 pictures that downplay Canadian involvement, particularly ones that portray D-Day, but that’s more of a patriotic quibble. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/35 "2002-07-03T11:14:20Z")
I’m buggered if I can remember the title. It could be that one; I’m thinking of the film that credits the capture of the first Enigma machine to US sailors rather than the Royal Navy. It’s also a patriotic quibble, but when men died I think it’s not unreasonable to at least attempt some accuracy. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/36 "2002-07-03T12:14:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crusoe \* > \*\*I’m buggered if I can remember the title. It could be that one; I’m thinking of the film that credits the capture of the first Enigma machine to US sailors rather than the Royal Navy. It’s also a patriotic quibble, but when men died I think it’s not unreasonable to at least attempt some accuracy. \*\* I 'spose you’re right, but it’s hard to find a major historic event where men DIDN’T die. ---
**Author:** ![KXL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@KXL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KXL)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/37 "2002-07-03T12:53:07Z")
**1776** (which was just released on DVD!) is a musical about the writing of the Declaration of Independence. Of course they didn’t sing and dance in Philadelphia, but nearly every spoken line is, if not what the historical figures actually said or wrote (though not necessarily at that time), so close as to not warrant noting. Highly accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/38 "2002-07-03T14:46:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ShibbOleth \* > \*\*Also, didn’t both _Braveheart_ and _Platoon_ win Academy awards for Best Picture? Interesting that those are both noted here as inaccurate… \*\* “Best Picture” refers to the craft of film making and has nothing to do with historical accuracy. (Think _Titanic_.) It’s based on the direction, performances by the principals, and the development of the “story” as it was fabricated or interpreted by the writers directors et al. _Bravehart_ and _Platoon_ did not win as documentaries, they were competing against other cinematic works of fiction. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/39 "2002-07-03T14:59:41Z")
Here in San Antonio, there’s a lot of concern over how Ron Howard is going to depict the battle at the Alamo. Given that the true historical record is virtually nonexistent, I’m not sure that it can be all that accurate, at least in terms of history. On the other hand, there are some things that are known, so what is known should at least be reasonably accurate. Robin, who knows she is going to hell for blaspheming the Alamo. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2002, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079/40 "2002-07-03T15:11:40Z")
Wjen it comes to nit-picking about historical accuracy… > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MGibson \* > \*\* > I imagine it started with history professors, teachers, and majors and for the most part that’s where it ends. \*\* You’re probably right. Though I can understand their aggravation. There are still people who insist that _The Blair Witch Project_ really happened. I know a frighteningly large number of people whose knowledge of history comes from movies like _Gladiator_. Anyone know how _1492_ rates as far as accuracy? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-historically-accurate-inaccurate-movies/117079.md?page=3)