# What real people have been the most inaccurately maligned on film? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2005, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550 "2005-03-28T03:58:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/41 "2005-03-28T19:13:15Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Regarding **Amadeus** , as I’ve said many times on the Board, Schaeffer doesn’t really write historical fiction dramas – he uses historical events as a peg to hang his musings on the relationships between God and Man on. So **Amadeus** isn’t even remotely accurate in depicting the lives of Salieri and Mozart, and Schaeffer knew it, and wasn’t trying to be accurate, any more than **Royal Hunt of the Sun** wasn’t accurately portraying the events between Pizzaro and Atahuallpa, or **Equus** was in the case of the British boy who blinded six horses. Yes, I know, nobody’s arguing that Shaffer’s point wasn’t biography, and _Amadeus_ and _Equus_ are two of my favorite plays of all time. However, he did malign the actual characters. (If it’s possible to malign de Soto, _Royal Hunt_ did a worse number on him than _Amadeus_ did on Salieri, and Atahuallpa pretty much deserved what he god [veddy veddy bad man].) _Equus_ I don’t really count since he doesn’t use any of the actual names, just an event (it would be like writing a play about a school shooting but not using the actual names or details- there’d be really no need for an “inspired by” label.) > [@astorian](#): > > By many accounts, Dewey could be an arrogant, imperious snob, but come one! He fought to put Mafia bosses behind bars, where they belonged. He did so at great risk to his own life. For THIS, he was pilloried in the film. Meanwhile, a bunch of thieves and murderers are portrayed as glamorous young hunks. On a similar note, _Bonnie & Clyde_ tried to make Texas Ranger Frank Hamer (played by Denver “Uncle Jesse” Pyle) as the bad guy. Hamer’s widow and son, who were still alive when the show premiered, actually got hate mail from fans of the movie! In fact killing Bonnie & Clyde was a public service that he had every right to be proud of- they were joy-killing scum. (Hamer has been trashed in the press for “stealing” most of B&C’s [stolen] arsenal, though I think he deserved it.) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/42 "2005-03-28T19:16:09Z")
> [@](#): > > If that’s the case, then why doesn’t he just write about fictional characters? You’d have to ask him. Heck, you could address that same question to anyone in this thread. Or to the guys who made **I, Robot** , after disregarding Asimov’s book. Undoubtedly, they’re assuming the public interest in the topic will drag people in to see the work. And I don’t mean just in a crass, commercial way. If your screenplay is based for the most part on the life of Thomas Edison, you’ll calo the damned thing **edison** , because people will come to see it. If you called it **Smith** , people wouldn’t have the slightest idea what it was about, and you wouldn’t get the audience. I note that, even when the authors deliberately avoid saying it’s about a particular incident, people still characterize it that way. **Inherit the Wind** thus wasn’t about the Scopes Trial in Dayton, it was fictional. They changed all the names. Of course, everything was so similar (right down to the names – Darrow changed to Drummond, etc.) that everyone treats ITW as if it was about the historical incident, and complain about the inaccuracies. Of course, they _wanted_ to comment on the Scopes trial and the attitudes of all involved, but they _did_ fictionalize it, right? ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/43 "2005-03-28T19:26:53Z")
The emperor Nero in _Quo Vadis_. (Yes, I know, the book came first) Granted that as a human being, Nero was not exactly worthy of much praise. He was incredibly vain, had a violent temper, and allowed much of the empire to go straight to hell while he built an astonishingly lavish palace and a colossal statue of himself. But I will defend him on one point. He was not responsible for the burning of Rome. In fact, he went to great pains to have the fire put out, then he opened his own estates to house the newly homeless and artificially lowered the price of grain to keep people from starving. The rumors that implicated Nero for causing the fire started even before the ashes had grown cold, and though few (if any) scholars accept them, they are popularly believed even today. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/44 "2005-03-28T20:19:52Z")
> [@Hail Ants](#): > > George W. Bush, Charlton Heston, Matt Stone, Roger Smith and just about everyone else who’s appeared in a Michael Moore film… 😛 Wow, only three posts in! A new record! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/45 "2005-03-28T20:38:06Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > Pontius Pilate was very inaccuately portrayed in _Monty Python’s The Life of Brian_🙂 But what about his friend, Biggus Dickus? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/46 "2005-03-28T20:45:03Z")
[First Officer William Murdoch of the Titanic.](http://www.dalbeattie.com/titanic/) Unjustly portrayed as a corrupt murderer who took his own life in the film of the same name. None of which was true. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/47 "2005-03-28T21:05:57Z")
**Patch Adams** … the film was so highly fictionalized that to this day Patch himself hates the movie since he feels it gives the completely wrong impression of what he’s all about. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/48 "2005-03-28T21:24:07Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Wow, only three posts in! A new record! 😃 Only fair…the other side can’t ALWAYS be the one to take threads on a political hayride. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/49 "2005-03-28T21:28:21Z")
> [@Eutychus](#): > > **Patch Adams** … the film was so highly fictionalized that to this day Patch himself hates the movie since he feels it gives the completely wrong impression of what he’s all about. He shouldn’t complain too damned much…it was a hagiography when it could have easily been the hatchet job he richly deserves. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/50 "2005-03-28T21:35:00Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > He shouldn’t complain too damned much…it was a hagiography when it could have easily been the hatchet job he richly deserves. Have you ever met the man and actually sat down and talked with him? Or are you just basing this on what’s been written about him by others? ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/51 "2005-03-28T21:57:33Z")
> [@Eutychus](#): > > Have you ever met the man and actually sat down and talked with him? Or are you just basing this on what’s been written about him by others? I am basing it on words I’ve heard from his mouth in interviews as well as what has been written about him by those with whom he worked. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/52 "2005-03-28T22:28:46Z")
[A little perspective on Patch](http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewPrint&articleId=4527). ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/53 "2005-03-28T22:31:43Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > I am basing it on words I’ve heard from his mouth in interviews as well as what has been written about him by those with whom he worked. Fair enough. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/54 "2005-03-28T22:50:29Z")
How about **Marion Davies’** portrayal in _Citizen Kane_? In the movie, she’s a money gubbing, talentless hack. In real life, she was a talented actress who loved Randolph Hearst enough to loan him money when he hit a low patch… ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/55 "2005-03-28T23:09:36Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Whether maligned would be the right word or not I’m not sure, but he was definitely very pissed about the movie; many believed that he and Parker were responsible for the History of Guns in America cartoon that immediately followed his appearance It doesn’t immediately follow his appearance. The cartoon is later in the film – about 20 minutes later, IIRC. Back to the original subject, most of the ones I know have been named already. But I do have an obscure one – although Richard Wagner certainly had his faults, he wasn’t _literally_ a blood-sucking Nazi as portrayed in Ken Russell’s **Lisztomania**. Similarly, Cosima Wagner (nee Liszt) probably didn’t really use a voodoo doll to curse dear ol’ dad. ---
**Author:** ![fruitbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@fruitbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fruitbat)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/56 "2005-03-28T23:13:24Z")
> [@Eutychus](#): > > Have you ever met the man and actually sat down and talked with him? Or are you just basing this on what’s been written about him by others? For what it’s worth, I have, several times. I couldn’t agree more with Rik. The treacly saint in the movie bears no relationship to the man. The movie was far too kind. I do appreciate the work he does, but as a person I found him to be an insufferable ass. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/57 "2005-03-28T23:18:09Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Back to the original subject, most of the ones I know have been named already. But I do have an obscure one – although Richard Wagner certainly had his faults, he wasn’t _literally_ a blood-sucking Nazi as portrayed in Ken Russell’s **Lisztomania**. Haven’t seen _Lisztomania_ so I don’t know how far they streteched the truth. But Wagner _was_ virulently anti-Semitic. He wrote long ranting diatribes (under a pen name) expressing his disgust that Jews were allowed to claim German citizenship. ---
**Author:** ![fruitbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@fruitbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fruitbat)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/58 "2005-03-28T23:23:27Z")
> [@fruitbat](#): > > For what it’s worth, I have, several times. I couldn’t agree more with Rik. The treacly saint in the movie bears no relationship to the man. The movie was far too kind. I do appreciate the work he does, but as a person I found him to be an insufferable ass. Actually I must amend this. I have no idea if he does any actual work, and from the link cited it appears he doesn’t. Furthermore his methods don’t seem to have any evidence that would lead me to believe that they are effective, in short I don’t have much good to say. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/59 "2005-03-28T23:30:06Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > He shouldn’t complain too damned much…it was a hagiography when it could have easily been the hatchet job he richly deserves. 😕 Why does a doctor who founds a free community clinic deserve a “hatchet job”? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2005, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550/60 "2005-03-28T23:37:17Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > 😕 Why does a doctor who founds a free community clinic deserve a “hatchet job”? Just read **Loopydude’s** link, and it says nobody has actually been treated at the Gesundheit Institute. So that answers that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-real-people-have-been-the-most-inaccurately-maligned-on-film/296550.md?page=4)