Braveheart (1995)

User Rating:

8.4/10   

Director:

Mel Gibson

Writer (WGA):

Randall Wallace (written by)

Release Date:

24 May 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Biography | Drama | War

Tagline:

The courage to face fear

Plot:

William Wallace, a commoner, unites the 13th Century Scots in their battle to overthrow English rule.

Plot Keywords:

English | Scotland | Fight | 13th Century | Scot

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	William Wallace
James Robinson	...	Young William Wallace
Sean Lawlor	...	Malcolm Wallace
Sandy Nelson	...	John Wallace
James Cosmo	...	Campbell
Sean McGinley	...	MacClannough
Alan Tall	...	Elder Stewart
Andrew Weir	...	Young Hamish Campbell
Gerda Stevenson	...	Mother MacClannough
Ralph Riach	...	Priest #1
Mhairi Calvey	...	Young Murron MacClannough
Brian Cox	...	Argyle Wallace
Patrick McGoohan	...	Longshanks, King Edward I
Peter Hanly	...	Edward, Prince of Wales
Sophie Marceau	...	Princess Isabelle

MPAA:

Rated R for brutal medieval warfare.

Runtime:

177 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Latin | Scottish Gaelic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Philippines:R-18 | Malaysia:18SG | Brazil:16 | France:U (with warning) | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Belgium:KT | Canada:18A (DVD rating) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Iceland:16 | Ireland:15 (cut) | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG (cut) | South Korea:15 (original rating) | South Korea:18 (DVD rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (cut) | USA:R (certificate #33700) | Greece:K-13 | Canada:R (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Aonach Eagach, Highland, Scotland, UK

Company:

Icon Entertainment International

Trivia:

Its Oscar win was the only award it won for "Best Picture" (no other award or critic group named it the best film of the year).

Goofs:

Continuity: During the battle of Stirling, you can clearly see that the stuntman (playing the English negotiating officer) that Wallace beheads after cutting down him from his horse changes in different shots before as he approaches on horseback.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: I shall tell you of William Wallace. Historians from England will say I am a liar, but history is written by those who have hanged heroes. The king of Scotland had died without a son, and the king of England, a cruel pagan known as Edward the Longshanks...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Angel: Hero (#1.9)" (1999)

One of the best films ever made

In this spectacular, historic movie a young Scotsman becomes the hero of his country, after his wife gets killed by the members of the English occupying force. In the beginning of the movie young William Wallace experience the death of his father and brother. They get killed by the English Kings Soldiers. After this he grows up with his uncle. Years later Wallace (Mel Gibson) returns back to the farm of his father to fall in love Murron (Catherine McCormack), the same girl who gave him a flower after the burial of his father and brother years ago. Because the English noblemen have the right to deflower every new married girl, Wallace marries Murron in secret. But the young luck won't last forlong. A few English soldiers try to rape Murron at a marketplace. Wallace tries to rescue her but the agressors can catch her and kill her right on the marketplace. When Wallace finds out about it, he takes revenge. He executes the murderers of his beloved. This ation is like a wake-up call for his fellow countrymen. They see him as their Leader to defeat the English occupying power. In their first battle the highlanders accomplish to defeat a numeral superior English Force. Wallace becomes an inspiration and more and more Scottish people follow him into war. Meanwhile in England the tyrannic King Edward the Longshankes (Patrick Mc Goohan) takes notice of the triumphs of Wallace. But this is not his only problem: His and heir apparent is a mollycoddled coward, who doesn't behave like his father would like to see it from a Prince. At least Edward the Longshakes arrange the marriage between his son and the lovely Princess Isabelle of France (Sophie Marceau). Besides this the Kings health is not the best anymore. But not only the English have their problems: The Scottish Landlords betray each other for more land and try to get more land for themselves from the English King. During the movie you'll see a lot of great filmed battles, two heart breaking love storys (first between Wallace and Murron, later in the movie young princess Isabelle falls in love with Wallace) and an exciting story about love, hate, patriotism, deception and heroism all in front of a wonderful landscape (the movie was actually set in Ireland). When you watch this movie, you'll be carried away by this powerful and always haunting epic and unterstand why there was no other chance than giving this movie 5 Oscars (including the award for the best film). It is a film who has it all: A great story, perfect filmed battles, one of the best soundtracks ever made (it is a shame, that the score didn't win an Oscar) and a hell of a cast. The role of William Wallace fits Mel Gibson perfect: heroic, romantic but always in a down to earth kind of way. Sophie Marceau and Catherine McCormack are lovely from their first appearance until the end of the film and Patrick McGoohan gives the most despicable (this is meant as a compliment) interpretation of an English King ever seen. This movie you can see over and over again and it never looses his magic and it is a movie you can watch with men and women as well: Men will love the great staged battles and women will love the lovestory.