Braveheart - Trivia, Questions and Fun Facts

[discussimdb]

Fan of Braveheart or just want to share your movie knowledge? This topic is dedicated to all trivia and questions related to Braveheart

[frances]

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.

[beth]

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.

[terry]

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.

[carla]

Although Mel Gibson was nearly 40, his character was supposed to be in his 20s.

[chad]

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, after Paramount Pictures said they would finance the film only if he played the lead role.

[carla]

Mel Gibson says Wallace's speech would've been better if Wallace just hit an Englishman in the head. "I would've done it that way if I could do it over."

[beth]

That massive wooden gate doesn't just look heavy. It was built by the crew, and weighed seven tons.

[chris]

The castle (King John's castle, Trim, County Meath, Ireland) where a lot of the scenes were shot was also used to film scenes for The Big Red One (1980).

[norma]

Instead of using digital effects, Mel Gibson decided to film real arrows flying through the air.

[carl]

Randall Wallace first had the idea for the film on a vacation to Edinburgh. He saw statues of William Wallace (no relation) and Robert the Bruce adorning Edinburgh Castle and asked a tour guide who they were. The guide proceeded to tell the screenwriter about their story. Wallace was immediately inspired to write a screenplay about the famed warriors.

[aaron]

Up to 1,600 extras were used for the battle scenes. Most were members of the F.C.A., the reserve Irish Army. Different companies usually come from the same area, and rivalries are common. Apparently some of the battle scenes are far more realistic than intended, with rival companies trying to beat the lard out of each other.

[victoria]

Mel Gibson was on location for 105 consecutive days, and it took its toll on his body. He said that this film was more physically taxing than shooting three "Lethal Weapon" movies in a row.

[ivan]

Mel Gibson admits that he borrowed the cinematic techniques for most of the violent shots in the movie, like shooting at different speeds, or using jump cuts to emphasize the violence, from his Mad Max (1979) director George Miller. He also admittedly borrowed ideas and techniques for more atmospheric shots from Peter Weir (who directed Gibson in Gallipoli (1981) and The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)).

[jessie]

Despite winning Best Picture, it is the only Best Picture Oscar nominee that year not to be nominated in any of the acting categories.

[ethel]

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.

[bessie]

The first Best Picture Oscar winner to also win Best Sound Editing.

[bryan]

Several major battle scenes had to be re-shot because extras were wearing sunglasses and wristwatches.

[lena]

Mel Gibson originally wanted Jason Patric to play William Wallace.

[harry]

Aside from a few scenes in the Scottish Highlands, nearly all of the movie was filmed in Ireland.