Historical figures wrongly portrayed in movies.

[Svengoolie 3]

Some real historical figures have been pretty misrepresented in movies. Time to set some records straight.

In "cleopatra" Octavius was portrayed in a very negative light. (Note: roddy McDowell could have been nominated for an Oscar for his protrayel of Octavius but a paperwork error kept him from being able to be nominated.)

Historically Octavius was regarded as one of times better emperors. He was appalled at the decadence of Rome and undertook a campaign to restore some decency  to roman  culture. The famous story of him,  his friend, a slave,  a broken wine glass and an eel pit shows he was a man of some humanity and decency.

"Quo vadis" didn't portray Nero in a positive light and I wonct deny he was a hot mess in a lot of ways but he had and did some good. First off there's zero evidence he started the fire thast burned much of Rome. He certainly didn't play a fiddle which didn't  exist back at thst time while it burned.

After the fire Nero opened the palace grounds for the homeless to camps on and had them fed at his own expense. The movie kinda leaves that out. It also ignored the fact he instituted histories first fire codes after consulting with various peolle about the firre.  Rome was an inferno wating  to happen. It didn't take an emperor to start it. It did take an emperor to keep it from happening again. Nero created a set of fire codes based on advice from architects and firefighters. No two building could share a wall,  creating fire breaks between them. Any building higher than 3 floors had to have a balcony at the second or third floor to help firefighters reach fires on higher floors.

Albert Speer got  fairly positive review in the media based on his book and some movies,  one starring rutger hauer as him. More recent  historical data takes some of the shine off his halo tho. He almost certainly was aware of the holocaust. He knew slave labor was being used to build his projects.

While his claims to have tried killing hitler are un verifiable and open to doubt,  but his courageous role in refusing to carry out hitler's scorched earth policy, the "Nero decree" , is a matter of fact. He risked death dong thast. His acts no doubt saved thousands of lives later on.  Still had the whole truth been known he likely would have  gotten at least a life sentence instead of 20 years.

So if there's a historical figure you think got an unfair protrayel in a movie why not say what you think was the real story?

[indianasmith]

While I greatly enjoyed HBO's ROME series, I do think Ciaron Hinds did NOT do justice to Julius Caesar.  He simply did not have Caesar's charisma or charm, and there is no evidence that Caesar paid to have political rivals assassinated.  The portrayal of Octavian was also somewhat questionable, and there's zero evidence that Caesar's niece Atia ever had an affair with Mark Antony.

John Wayne as David Crockett in his 1962 THE ALAMO was downright laughable, IMO.  Of course, the entire movie had hardly one moment of historical accuracy from start to finish, but Crockett was definitely done an injustice.

President Martin Van Buren's portrayal in AMISTAD as a bumbling idiot manipulated by his advisors bears little resemblance to the real Van Buren, a smooth and consummate political operator who definitely ran the show as President.


Also, the guy who played Alexander Hamilton on the final SHARKNADO movie was . . . well, for one thing, about 40 years older than Hamilton, and for another . . . well, it was a SHARKNADO movie!

[Svengoolie 3]

While I greatly enjoyed HBO's ROME series, I do think Ciaron Hinds did NOT do justice to Julius Caesar.  He simply did not have Caesar's charisma or charm, and there is no evidence that Caesar paid to have political rivals assassinated.  The portrayal of Octavian was also somewhat questionable, and there's zero evidence that Caesar's niece Atia ever had an affair with Mark Antony.

John Wayne as David Crockett in his 1962 THE ALAMO was downright laughable, IMO.  Of course, the entire movie had hardly one moment of historical accuracy from start to finish, but Crockett was definitely done an injustice.

Damn. I can't wait to hear what you have oo to say about john Wayne as genghis khan...

Personally I think that movie belongs in the comedy section.

[indianasmith]

I can't comment on that one because I've never seen it, but I've heard it was AWFUL.

[Svengoolie 3]

I can't comment on that one because I've never seen it, but I've heard it was AWFUL.

You have nooooo idea.

http://youtu.be/sbfPuyHDopQ
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Yes he's quoting the movie.

[Archivist]

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. Nuff said.

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[Svengoolie 3]

Well in all fairness I don't think that movie even pretended to be historical in any way.

[Gabriel Knight]

Not a figure but a whole country and its people.

I remember many years ago I watched a series called BONES which was pretty good, it was about a cop and a forensic doctor who solved crimes by analizing the skeletons. Anyways, in one episode they come to Argentina, and it's simply hilarious how they portrayed our culture: not only everyone talked perfect english, but also people spend most of its time having drinks with little umbrellas, work when they feel like it, they all look like Puerto-Rican, there's detectives running around all the time, and Buenos Aires is actually a huge beach with very few buildings.

The historical facts about the Dictadura and Desaparecidos were pretty accurate, but the rest was simply ridiculous. In a time in which Internet can provide with every single detail you need, this was quite sad.

[Alex]

Braveheart plays pretty fast and loose with history. I can't remember all the inaccuracies, but Edward if memory serves lived for several years after Wallace's death, his daughter in law I think was only married to his son after the execution. Part of the way through the movie all the locals suddenly have Irish accents. The most glaring inconsistancy for me was a place rather than a person when they missed out the bridge from the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

[ER]

I can't even begin to list the inaccuracies in Mel Brooks' History of the World Part Two.

[Svengoolie 3]

 I won't ding 300 for it historical inaccuracies, as it was not  based on the real battle of thermopylae but the comic inspired by it.