The movie “I Want To Live” tells the story of how an executed convict named Barbara Graham was actually innocent and tries to indict the justice system. However, after reading the facts on other websites, I really don’t see why anyone would think that she was innocent of murdering an elderly woman during a robbery with several other thugs. So WHY did Hollywood feel the need to basically LIE and present her story as an innocent caught up in a set of bad circumstances and lies? Is there a particular reason for this? I don’t understand. Any thoughts on the SDMB?
Hollywood is in the business of telling stories. Truth does not always make the most entertaining stories. Therefore, Hollywood does not always use the truth.
(Caveat: I have no knowledge of either the case or the film in question.)
It wasn’t a documentary, their goal is entertainment not fighting ignorance. The truth makes bad movies. Do you feel like Hollywood lied to you in The Hobbit?
Clearly Hollywood is a nest of thug-loving anarchists. I mean, this movie in 1958 and then The Hurricane in 1999? Case closed! 
As Paul “Dr Science” Wunder would oft’ say “IT’S NOT A FUCKING DOCUMENTARY!”
CMC
Hollywood made Robert Stroud out to be a mild-mannered bird lover, rather than the (diagnosed) psychopath he was in The Birdman Of Alcatraz. Hollywood made out that Americans captured an Enigma machine from a German U-boat in WWII, when it was in fact a British operation half a year before the U.S. was even in the war.
It certainly whitewashed the Shire as some kind of idyllic pastoral landscape filled with debonaire, homely and comfortable little people. When of course it really was a hell hole torn apart by vicious turf wars over who controlled the pipe weed trade.
It also furthers very negative and questionable stereotypes regarding the dwarven community.
And as for its portrayal of Lobelia Baggins, well, let’s just say the directors and screenwriters seemed determined to only provide one side of the story. One wonders why.
Maybe. It said “the greatest adventure is what lies ahead,” and 36 years later I’m still waiting.
The Wikipedia entry for Barbara Graham has a quote that may explain part of the why of it.
So you’re completely comfortable with Birth of a Nation?
I think we all understand this. But it’s annoying when Hollywood blurs the line between fiction and non-fiction. If a filmmaker wants to make up a story, go ahead. But don’t base your made-up story on real people.
The current example of this problem is Zero Dark Thirty. I haven’t seen it, but the story is that shows torture as a means of obtaining information leading to the assasination of Osama bin Laden. This appears to be contrary to the facts. Unlike I Want to Live, this is a depiction of a major event in history, and I have no doubt years from now people will believe that torture was used to obtain that critical information. Still, it’s just a movie, and it will continue to happen. But I doubt all the movies ever made have disseminated as much misinformation as the internet has so far.
Why not? People have been attaching their stories to real people ever since Og got a reputation for being a good hunter.
What do you mean comfortable? I am comfortable with it existing, what problem should I have with it?
Agreed. Like the movie Fargo that had a tag line at the beginning saying that it was based on a true story but only the names had been changed. So, silly me, actually thought it was based on a true story.
When I found out it wasn’t and complained people said, “It’s only a movie! They lie in movies!” I understand the concept of fiction, but when you try to pass of that fiction as truth it misleads the audience. If a person had never heard of Barbara Graham, by watching the movie, you would think that a horrible injustice occurred.
Man, now I want to watch *Breaking Bag End *so bad…
Based on a true story does not in any way mean they are trying to pass it off as truth, your misunderstanding of the phrase does not mean the audience was mislead. Return of the living dead was based on a true story.
No it’s NOT A FUCKING DOCUMENTARY HOWEVER it IS a serious attempt to say that an innocent woman was put to death by an unsavory justice system!
The Hobbit is billed as a classic fantasy FICTION tale from writer J.R.R. Tolkien. I Want To Live is billed as a TRUE STORY! Hence anybody who would mistake the two genres probably isn’t all there to begin with. (And let’s not try to cop out with that “Based on a true story” crap because ULTIMATELY the goal of that movie is to portray Barbara Graham as innocent). The Hobbit has no root in reality whatsoever, so I really don’t see the comparison that you’re attempting to make.
EXACTLY my point! It appears that some people here on the message board aren’t getting that.