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Braveheart (1995) Poster 
Braveheart  (1995) 
 
Trivia



Showing all 58 items
Jump to: Spoilers (4)


"Braveheart" was actually the nickname of Robert the Bruce, not William Wallace.
 22 of 22 found this interesting  | Share this


The extras used for the battle scenes were mostly members of the F.C.A., the Irish version of the territorial army. As they were drawn from many different army companies, and the members of these are usually drawn from the same locality, local rivalry between such companies is common. Apparently, some of the battle scenes seen in the movie are far more realistic than you might imagine, with rival companies actually using the occasion to try the beat the lard out of each other.
 19 of 19 found this interesting  | Share this


One of the film's weary extras reportedly mistook one of Gibson's children on the set for an errand boy, and asked him to bring a cup of tea. Gibson was within earshot, and nodded and whispered to his son, "Go get it."
 17 of 17 found this interesting  | Share this


Primae noctis has never been used in the entire history of the British Isles.
 17 of 18 found this interesting  | Share this


The film correctly depicts the father of Robert the Bruce suffering from leprosy in his later years; Robert the Bruce himself would be overcome by the disease in the late 1320s.
 9 of 9 found this interesting  | Share this


There is an in-joke in the film that William Wallace's private time with Isabella led to the conception of Edward III. This could not have been the case, since Edward III was born almost ten years after Wallace died.
 9 of 9 found this interesting  | Share this


Randall Wallace had very little historical evidence to work with in regard to William Wallace's life; he has noted that even Churchill's definitive work "A History of the English Speaking Peoples" observed in only a single line that virtually no factual material survives about the Scottish leader. Because of this, Randall Wallace relied heavily on a 15th-century romantic poem by the Scottish writer Henry the Minstrel ("Blind Harry") in constructing his story.
 7 of 7 found this interesting  | Share this


Several of the major battle scenes had to be re-shot, as extras were seen wearing sunglasses and wristwatches.
 6 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


Screenwriter Randall Wallace had been visiting Edinburgh in 1983 to learn about his heritage when he came across a statue of William Wallace outside Edinburgh Castle; he had never heard of the 14th-century figure who shared his name but was intrigued enough by the stories told to him about "Scotland's greatest hero" to research the story as much as possible.
 6 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


The only way Gibson could get the film made was if he agreed with Paramount studios that he would star in the film as well.
 6 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


William Wallace gives a speech in which he says the famous quote "Every man dies - Not every man really lives." This famous quote commonly attributed to the "Braveheart" character was actually authored by a 19th Century American Poet whose name was William Ross Wallace, famous for writing the poem "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Is The Hand That Rules The World", who is of no relation to the William Wallace in the film.
 6 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


Although the majority of the characters in the film are Scottish, the actors portraying them were mostly drawn from non-Scottish parts of the UK (exceptions to this rule include Angus Macfadyen (Robert the Bruce) and Brian Cox (Argyle)). Ironically, the one Irish character in the film (Stephen), is played by Scots-born David O'Hara.
 6 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


Shortly after Wallace is knighted, an elderly member of Clan Balliol (portrayed by Bernard Horsfall) asks Wallace about the Balliol claim to the throne of Scotland. In real life, John Balliol became King of Scotland in 1292, but was deposed by King Edward I of England in 1296. The real William Wallace swore his loyalty to King John Balliol, even after Balliol was imprisoned in England.
 6 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


Blue body paint (Woad) for battles had stopped being used around the end of the Roman era - roughly 800 years before the events of the film.
 9 of 10 found this interesting  | Share this


When asked by a local why the Battle of Stirling Bridge was filmed on an open plain, Gibson answered that "the bridge got in the way". "Aye," the local answered. "That's what the English found."
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Writer Randall Wallace initially planned to start the story with William Wallace as an adult and added the prologue of his childhood only as an afterthought. As the sequence was first written, Murran gave William a rose (rather than a thistle) at his father's burial; however, someone who read the script helpfully pointed out that the rose, being a traditional symbol of England, would be (to say the least) somewhat inappropriate as a prominent feature in the story.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Prince Edward (later King Edward II) was indeed the first English prince to carry the title Prince of Wales, although he did not marry Princess Isabella until 1308, after both Wallace (1305) and Edward I (1307) had died.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


English soldiers had no uniform during the Scots Wars of Independence.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Gibson, a notorious jokester, directed some scenes in an Elmer Fudd voice and even yelled, "CUT!" during Murron's funeral scene by putting his arm around the actress playing her mother and hollering, "Will you put a sock in it!" This caused the actress to go from crying in character to break character and laugh. Gibson also intentionally started a false rumor that Sophie Marceau was the daughter of noted French mime Marcel Marceau.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Mel Gibson was on the set of Ransom (1996) when both Braveheart (1995) and Apollo 13 (1995) were nominated for Best Picture. He pulled a prank on Apollo director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer by giving them an ad in which Braveheart (1995) was considered for 'Best Moon Shot'. The accompanying picture was a shot of the Scottish army mooning the English.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


While the movie took great care to depict several groups all dressed alike in their representative tartans (the plaid pattern on the kilts), the use of clan tartans and any organized rules for kilts and patterns was a Victorian invention, much later than the time of the movie.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Mel Gibson has said he would give five dollars to anyone who could spot the fake horses in the final film. Reportedly he has not had to make good on the wager.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Many Scots were offended by the film's portrayal of Robert the Bruce, who is considered a National Hero of Scotland (along with Wallace).
 10 of 12 found this interesting  | Share this


Wallace's real wife was named Marian. However, it is believed that the name was changed to 'Murron' to avoid confusion with the Robin Hood character of the same name.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


Glen Nevis, the Scottish valley which served as the location for Wallace's childhood village, also enjoys the heaviest rainfall in Europe. During the six weeks spent filming in the area, only three days of sunshine occurred, during which the wedding scene was finished. The filmmakers resigned themselves to the fact that constant rain was inevitable, and opted to film scenes regardless of weather conditions.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


The mechanical horses designed for the battle sequences weighed 200 pounds and were fueled by nitrogen cylinders propelling them at 30 mph on 20-foot tracks.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


Single frames of film were removed at strategic points in the battles in order to produce a jarring, startling effect.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


Mel Gibson, who had been heavily criticized for a December 1991 interview with a Spanish magazine, was accused of homophobia for the film's portrayal of the Prince of Wales (and future King Edward II) as an effeminate homosexual. It is strongly disputed whether Edward II, who fathered at least five children, was either homosexual or even bisexual at all. The scene where Edward I threw his son's lover out of a castle window was particularly criticized for inciting homophobia. The lover was based on Piers Gaveston, who was allegedly Edward II's lover although he was also married and many historians believe these were just rumours invented by the King's enemies in order to discredit him. Gibson refused to apologize for the controversy in a 1995 interview with "Playboy" magazine while promoting the movie. However, in January 1997 he did agree to host a summit for representatives of gay rights organization GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) on the set of Conspiracy Theory (1997). Although the leaders of GLAAD noted they were disappointed that he did not apologize to them for the film's alleged homophobia, Gibson did acknowledge "regret" over his controversial 1991 interview, claiming he had been drinking at the time and that his words had frequently been used to criticize him.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


The rough cut of the film initially contained much more violence than the final product. Fearing an NC-17 from the MPAA after negative test reaction, Mel Gibson went back and personally edited some of the film's most graphic scenes to show the brutality more off-screen, rather than on.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


In an October 2009 interview with "The Daily Mail", Mel Gibson admitted that the film was heavily fictitious but claimed the changes had been made for dramatic purposes. He also admitted he had always felt he was at least a decade too old to play Wallace.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


Director/producer Mel Gibson was investigated by an animal welfare organization, who were convinced that the fake horses used were real. Only when one of his assistants provided some videotaped footage of the location shooting were they convinced otherwise.
 3 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this


The battle of Stirling took six weeks to film; roughly half a million feet of film (90+ hours) were shot for the sequence.
 3 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this


The movie has been accused of promoting Anglophobia.
 3 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this


When the members of Clan MacGregor attempt to join Wallace's rebellion against the English, the MacGregor chieftain mildly insults Wallace and his men by calling them "Amadans". "Amadan" is both Scots Gaelic and Irish Gaelic for "fool" or "idiot". Thus, the MacGregor chieftain is calling Wallace and his men fools, both for resisting the English and for not inviting the MacGregors to participate in the rebellion.
 3 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this


Among the films Gibson watched in order to prepare to direct "Braveheart" were Polanski's "Macbeth," "Spartacus," "Chimes at Midnight," "Alexander Nevsky," "A Man for All Seasons," "The Lion in Winter," "Seven Samurai," "Throne of Blood," and NFL films.
 3 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this


James Horner's score was also used in several of the trailers for Cast Away (2000); some parts of his score appear in both Apollo 13 (1995) as well as in Braveheart (1995) which were released only a month apart.
 4 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Real life Wallaces are extras in the movie. Mel Gibson also stayed with them during the course of the film to learn history.
 4 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Mel Gibson originally wanted Jason Patric to play William Wallace.
 4 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


King Edward I was called "The Longshanks" (long legs) since he was uncommonly tall for a man of the time. Edward I was at least 6 feet, 2 inches.
 4 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Thin layers of latex were used to attach set elements to the ruins of Trim Castle in Ireland to give it an appearance more befitting its medieval origins while allowing the stone to be unharmed when the additions were removed.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


Brian Cox who plays Argyle Wallace was first offered a larger role but took the role of Argyle because he felt it was a better role.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


Princess Isabella did not set foot in England until 1308, therefore she could not have been in England to warn Wallace about the upcoming Battle of Falkirk.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


Despite the film being set in Scotland, and based on the life of a Scottish folk hero, the primary instrument heard throughout the soundtrack (most notably at William's father's funeral) are the Uilleann pipes, which are a smaller traditionally Irish version of bagpipes rather than the ubiquitous Great Highland Bagpipe.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


The Gaelic chant is "Alba gu brath", which means Scotland forever. Although Wallace was a Lowlander, many of his troops were Highlanders, and a large part of the Lowlands were still Gaelic speaking at this time in history.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


The first day of shooting was June 6th, 1994, which was the 50th anniversary of D-Day.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


Although playing father and son, James Cosmo and Brendan Gleeson are only seven years apart in age.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


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).
 3 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


Sean Connery turned down the role of King Edward I because he was filming Just Cause (1995).
 3 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


At the Battle of Falkirk (July 22, 1298), the English army was personally led by King Edward I, who decisively defeated the Scots. The real-life King Edward I was a military genius who learned combat tactics while fighting the Mamelukes during the Eighth and Ninth Crusades.
 4 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


The castle (King John's castle, Trim, Co. Meath, Ireland) where a lot of the scenes were shot, was also used to film scenes for The Big Red One (1980).
 2 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this


Mel Gibson was supposed to star in Terry Gilliam's (never made) film "A Tale of Two Cities" but turned it down to star in this movie which he then offered to Gilliam to direct, but Gilliam declined.
 2 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this


A majority of the actors and extras in this film were actually Irish - members of the Irish Army - although they are supposed to be Scottish or English. As many as 1600 were used on a given day.
 1 of 1 found this interesting  | Share this


Two weeks before he picked up two Oscars for Best Film and Best Director, Mel Gibson was in hospital undergoing an emergency appendectomy.
 2 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Mel Gibson initially turned down the role of William Wallace, when MGM executive Alan Ladd, Jr., gave him the script, because he felt he was too old for the part. A year later he changed his mind.
 1 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this

 Spoilers 
The trivia items below may give away important plot points.


William Wallace's disembowelment was filmed in graphic detail, but was cut so that it's implied to occur out of frame, due to negative test audience reaction.
 8 of 8 found this interesting  | Share this


In the movie Wallace is jumped, beaten down, and captured at Edinburgh Castle, betrayed by Robert Bruce the Elder; in real-life, Wallace was betrayed by a Scottish nobleman loyal to King Edward, Sir John Menteith. Wallace was captured at what is now Rob Royston (named for another legendary Scottish hero, Rob Roy MacGregor), a suburb of Glasgow.
 6 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


Elder Campbell is wounded in every battle he is seen participating in. He takes an arrow in the chest during the initial uprising against the local magistrate, his hand is cut off during the Battle of Stirling Bridge, and finally he takes an axe to the gut during the battle of Falkirk.
 3 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this


Paul Tucker:  The film's accountant is the English soldier at the end who says "I hope you washed your arse this morning. It's about to be kissed by a king."
 2 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this
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IMDbPro Menu 


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Go to IMDbPro













|
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|
Help

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Edit 
Braveheart (1995) Poster 
Braveheart  (1995) 
 
Trivia



Showing all 58 items
Jump to: Spoilers (4)


"Braveheart" was actually the nickname of Robert the Bruce, not William Wallace.
 22 of 22 found this interesting  | Share this


The extras used for the battle scenes were mostly members of the F.C.A., the Irish version of the territorial army. As they were drawn from many different army companies, and the members of these are usually drawn from the same locality, local rivalry between such companies is common. Apparently, some of the battle scenes seen in the movie are far more realistic than you might imagine, with rival companies actually using the occasion to try the beat the lard out of each other.
 19 of 19 found this interesting  | Share this


One of the film's weary extras reportedly mistook one of Gibson's children on the set for an errand boy, and asked him to bring a cup of tea. Gibson was within earshot, and nodded and whispered to his son, "Go get it."
 17 of 17 found this interesting  | Share this


Primae noctis has never been used in the entire history of the British Isles.
 17 of 18 found this interesting  | Share this


The film correctly depicts the father of Robert the Bruce suffering from leprosy in his later years; Robert the Bruce himself would be overcome by the disease in the late 1320s.
 9 of 9 found this interesting  | Share this


There is an in-joke in the film that William Wallace's private time with Isabella led to the conception of Edward III. This could not have been the case, since Edward III was born almost ten years after Wallace died.
 9 of 9 found this interesting  | Share this


Randall Wallace had very little historical evidence to work with in regard to William Wallace's life; he has noted that even Churchill's definitive work "A History of the English Speaking Peoples" observed in only a single line that virtually no factual material survives about the Scottish leader. Because of this, Randall Wallace relied heavily on a 15th-century romantic poem by the Scottish writer Henry the Minstrel ("Blind Harry") in constructing his story.
 7 of 7 found this interesting  | Share this


Several of the major battle scenes had to be re-shot, as extras were seen wearing sunglasses and wristwatches.
 6 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


Screenwriter Randall Wallace had been visiting Edinburgh in 1983 to learn about his heritage when he came across a statue of William Wallace outside Edinburgh Castle; he had never heard of the 14th-century figure who shared his name but was intrigued enough by the stories told to him about "Scotland's greatest hero" to research the story as much as possible.
 6 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


The only way Gibson could get the film made was if he agreed with Paramount studios that he would star in the film as well.
 6 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


William Wallace gives a speech in which he says the famous quote "Every man dies - Not every man really lives." This famous quote commonly attributed to the "Braveheart" character was actually authored by a 19th Century American Poet whose name was William Ross Wallace, famous for writing the poem "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Is The Hand That Rules The World", who is of no relation to the William Wallace in the film.
 6 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


Although the majority of the characters in the film are Scottish, the actors portraying them were mostly drawn from non-Scottish parts of the UK (exceptions to this rule include Angus Macfadyen (Robert the Bruce) and Brian Cox (Argyle)). Ironically, the one Irish character in the film (Stephen), is played by Scots-born David O'Hara.
 6 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


Shortly after Wallace is knighted, an elderly member of Clan Balliol (portrayed by Bernard Horsfall) asks Wallace about the Balliol claim to the throne of Scotland. In real life, John Balliol became King of Scotland in 1292, but was deposed by King Edward I of England in 1296. The real William Wallace swore his loyalty to King John Balliol, even after Balliol was imprisoned in England.
 6 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


Blue body paint (Woad) for battles had stopped being used around the end of the Roman era - roughly 800 years before the events of the film.
 9 of 10 found this interesting  | Share this


When asked by a local why the Battle of Stirling Bridge was filmed on an open plain, Gibson answered that "the bridge got in the way". "Aye," the local answered. "That's what the English found."
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Writer Randall Wallace initially planned to start the story with William Wallace as an adult and added the prologue of his childhood only as an afterthought. As the sequence was first written, Murran gave William a rose (rather than a thistle) at his father's burial; however, someone who read the script helpfully pointed out that the rose, being a traditional symbol of England, would be (to say the least) somewhat inappropriate as a prominent feature in the story.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Prince Edward (later King Edward II) was indeed the first English prince to carry the title Prince of Wales, although he did not marry Princess Isabella until 1308, after both Wallace (1305) and Edward I (1307) had died.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


English soldiers had no uniform during the Scots Wars of Independence.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Gibson, a notorious jokester, directed some scenes in an Elmer Fudd voice and even yelled, "CUT!" during Murron's funeral scene by putting his arm around the actress playing her mother and hollering, "Will you put a sock in it!" This caused the actress to go from crying in character to break character and laugh. Gibson also intentionally started a false rumor that Sophie Marceau was the daughter of noted French mime Marcel Marceau.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Mel Gibson was on the set of Ransom (1996) when both Braveheart (1995) and Apollo 13 (1995) were nominated for Best Picture. He pulled a prank on Apollo director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer by giving them an ad in which Braveheart (1995) was considered for 'Best Moon Shot'. The accompanying picture was a shot of the Scottish army mooning the English.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


While the movie took great care to depict several groups all dressed alike in their representative tartans (the plaid pattern on the kilts), the use of clan tartans and any organized rules for kilts and patterns was a Victorian invention, much later than the time of the movie.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Mel Gibson has said he would give five dollars to anyone who could spot the fake horses in the final film. Reportedly he has not had to make good on the wager.
 5 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Many Scots were offended by the film's portrayal of Robert the Bruce, who is considered a National Hero of Scotland (along with Wallace).
 10 of 12 found this interesting  | Share this


Wallace's real wife was named Marian. However, it is believed that the name was changed to 'Murron' to avoid confusion with the Robin Hood character of the same name.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


Glen Nevis, the Scottish valley which served as the location for Wallace's childhood village, also enjoys the heaviest rainfall in Europe. During the six weeks spent filming in the area, only three days of sunshine occurred, during which the wedding scene was finished. The filmmakers resigned themselves to the fact that constant rain was inevitable, and opted to film scenes regardless of weather conditions.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


The mechanical horses designed for the battle sequences weighed 200 pounds and were fueled by nitrogen cylinders propelling them at 30 mph on 20-foot tracks.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


Single frames of film were removed at strategic points in the battles in order to produce a jarring, startling effect.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


Mel Gibson, who had been heavily criticized for a December 1991 interview with a Spanish magazine, was accused of homophobia for the film's portrayal of the Prince of Wales (and future King Edward II) as an effeminate homosexual. It is strongly disputed whether Edward II, who fathered at least five children, was either homosexual or even bisexual at all. The scene where Edward I threw his son's lover out of a castle window was particularly criticized for inciting homophobia. The lover was based on Piers Gaveston, who was allegedly Edward II's lover although he was also married and many historians believe these were just rumours invented by the King's enemies in order to discredit him. Gibson refused to apologize for the controversy in a 1995 interview with "Playboy" magazine while promoting the movie. However, in January 1997 he did agree to host a summit for representatives of gay rights organization GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) on the set of Conspiracy Theory (1997). Although the leaders of GLAAD noted they were disappointed that he did not apologize to them for the film's alleged homophobia, Gibson did acknowledge "regret" over his controversial 1991 interview, claiming he had been drinking at the time and that his words had frequently been used to criticize him.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


The rough cut of the film initially contained much more violence than the final product. Fearing an NC-17 from the MPAA after negative test reaction, Mel Gibson went back and personally edited some of the film's most graphic scenes to show the brutality more off-screen, rather than on.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


In an October 2009 interview with "The Daily Mail", Mel Gibson admitted that the film was heavily fictitious but claimed the changes had been made for dramatic purposes. He also admitted he had always felt he was at least a decade too old to play Wallace.
 4 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


Director/producer Mel Gibson was investigated by an animal welfare organization, who were convinced that the fake horses used were real. Only when one of his assistants provided some videotaped footage of the location shooting were they convinced otherwise.
 3 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this


The battle of Stirling took six weeks to film; roughly half a million feet of film (90+ hours) were shot for the sequence.
 3 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this


The movie has been accused of promoting Anglophobia.
 3 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this


When the members of Clan MacGregor attempt to join Wallace's rebellion against the English, the MacGregor chieftain mildly insults Wallace and his men by calling them "Amadans". "Amadan" is both Scots Gaelic and Irish Gaelic for "fool" or "idiot". Thus, the MacGregor chieftain is calling Wallace and his men fools, both for resisting the English and for not inviting the MacGregors to participate in the rebellion.
 3 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this


Among the films Gibson watched in order to prepare to direct "Braveheart" were Polanski's "Macbeth," "Spartacus," "Chimes at Midnight," "Alexander Nevsky," "A Man for All Seasons," "The Lion in Winter," "Seven Samurai," "Throne of Blood," and NFL films.
 3 of 3 found this interesting  | Share this


James Horner's score was also used in several of the trailers for Cast Away (2000); some parts of his score appear in both Apollo 13 (1995) as well as in Braveheart (1995) which were released only a month apart.
 4 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Real life Wallaces are extras in the movie. Mel Gibson also stayed with them during the course of the film to learn history.
 4 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Mel Gibson originally wanted Jason Patric to play William Wallace.
 4 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


King Edward I was called "The Longshanks" (long legs) since he was uncommonly tall for a man of the time. Edward I was at least 6 feet, 2 inches.
 4 of 5 found this interesting  | Share this


Thin layers of latex were used to attach set elements to the ruins of Trim Castle in Ireland to give it an appearance more befitting its medieval origins while allowing the stone to be unharmed when the additions were removed.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


Brian Cox who plays Argyle Wallace was first offered a larger role but took the role of Argyle because he felt it was a better role.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


Princess Isabella did not set foot in England until 1308, therefore she could not have been in England to warn Wallace about the upcoming Battle of Falkirk.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


Despite the film being set in Scotland, and based on the life of a Scottish folk hero, the primary instrument heard throughout the soundtrack (most notably at William's father's funeral) are the Uilleann pipes, which are a smaller traditionally Irish version of bagpipes rather than the ubiquitous Great Highland Bagpipe.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


The Gaelic chant is "Alba gu brath", which means Scotland forever. Although Wallace was a Lowlander, many of his troops were Highlanders, and a large part of the Lowlands were still Gaelic speaking at this time in history.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


The first day of shooting was June 6th, 1994, which was the 50th anniversary of D-Day.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


Although playing father and son, James Cosmo and Brendan Gleeson are only seven years apart in age.
 2 of 2 found this interesting  | Share this


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).
 3 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


Sean Connery turned down the role of King Edward I because he was filming Just Cause (1995).
 3 of 4 found this interesting  | Share this


At the Battle of Falkirk (July 22, 1298), the English army was personally led by King Edward I, who decisively defeated the Scots. The real-life King Edward I was a military genius who learned combat tactics while fighting the Mamelukes during the Eighth and Ninth Crusades.
 4 of 6 found this interesting  | Share this


The castle (King John's castle, Trim, Co. Meath, Ireland) where a lot of the scenes were shot, was also used to film scenes for The Big Red One (1980).
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Mel Gibson was supposed to star in Terry Gilliam's (never made) film "A Tale of Two Cities" but turned it down to star in this movie which he then offered to Gilliam to direct, but Gilliam declined.
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A majority of the actors and extras in this film were actually Irish - members of the Irish Army - although they are supposed to be Scottish or English. As many as 1600 were used on a given day.
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Two weeks before he picked up two Oscars for Best Film and Best Director, Mel Gibson was in hospital undergoing an emergency appendectomy.
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Mel Gibson initially turned down the role of William Wallace, when MGM executive Alan Ladd, Jr., gave him the script, because he felt he was too old for the part. A year later he changed his mind.
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 Spoilers 
The trivia items below may give away important plot points.


William Wallace's disembowelment was filmed in graphic detail, but was cut so that it's implied to occur out of frame, due to negative test audience reaction.
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In the movie Wallace is jumped, beaten down, and captured at Edinburgh Castle, betrayed by Robert Bruce the Elder; in real-life, Wallace was betrayed by a Scottish nobleman loyal to King Edward, Sir John Menteith. Wallace was captured at what is now Rob Royston (named for another legendary Scottish hero, Rob Roy MacGregor), a suburb of Glasgow.
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Elder Campbell is wounded in every battle he is seen participating in. He takes an arrow in the chest during the initial uprising against the local magistrate, his hand is cut off during the Battle of Stirling Bridge, and finally he takes an axe to the gut during the battle of Falkirk.
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Paul Tucker:  The film's accountant is the English soldier at the end who says "I hope you washed your arse this morning. It's about to be kissed by a king."
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