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Cast: Mel Gibson, Patrick McGoohan, Sophie Marceau, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine McCormack, Angus Macfadyen
Director: Mel Gibson
Producers: Mel Gibson, Alan Ladd Jr., and Bruce Davey
Screenplay: Randall Wallace
Cinematography: John Toll
Music: James Horner
UK Distributor: Paramount Pictures
When Mel Gibson announced that he was to make Braveheart, a drama based on the life of the Scots hero William Wallace, the movie world scratched their head in disbelief.
Was this the same Mel Gibson who, up to that point, had directed The Man Without A Face and little else? The same actor who made a string of hit and miss Lethal Weapon movies? Admittedly, he gave a fine turn in Hamlet (1990) but the thought of him in a kilt with a Scottish accent left many of us wondering if he was setting himself up for a huge fall.
But Mel is no fool.
With a polished script by Randal Wallace, he donned a mullet wig - looking suspiciously like the scalp of one hit wonder Billy Ray Cyrus - and proved the critics wrong by delivering one of the greatest historical epics ever committed to celluloid.
You want impressive battle scenes? Braveheart has them in abundance - the recreated battle of Stirling Bridge was recently in the top 100 of classic movie scenes according to one Sunday broadsheet poll.
What about a wealth of acting talent? How does Patrick McGoohan, Bond babe Sophie Marceau and the late Ian Bannen sound?
A rousing soundtrack? Titanic's James Horner takes a bow with his stirring orchestral work. In case your history is a little rusty, here's the lowdown:
William Wallace (Gibson) was a hero who fought for Scotland's freedom in the late 13th century, intent on defeating the forces of King Edward I (Patrick McGoohan), the British monarch who had declared himself king of Scotland upon the former ruler's death.
Much of the early film concentrates on Wallace's love for Murron (Catherine McCormack). That creates a likeable hero whose eventual loss gives him motive for the carnage that ensues.
As Scotland's noble folk clash over land and riches, William Wallace stands for the individual, and earns much kudos for being ready to die for what he believes in.
While Gibson supplies his usual dose of charisma by the cartload, an aged Patrick McGoohan, best known from The Prisoner, is barely recognisable under a white beard.
His Edward the Longshanks is one of the greatest screen villains in history; intelligent, equally as charming as Wallace and more ruthless than a dozen Bond villains.
Pity the poor fool who crosses him - or even makes a passing comment - as they soon manage to find the fastest route from the top of his castle to the courtyard floor.
Sophie Marceau, the French actress from The World is Not Enough, plays Princess Isabelle, while Blighty's own Catherine McCormack is attractive and credible as Wallace's beloved Murron. Braveheart is littered with fine points and Hollywood wasn't too slow in recognising Gibson's achievements, awarding him and his crew five Oscars.
The movie's success left box office tills ringing around the world and it wasn't long before the $72million budget was justified with a $202million worldwide gross.
Braveheart inspired a host of imitators in the five years since its release, including a robotic version of the battle scene in last summer's The Phantom Menace and a hilarious take off in South Park, with Chef standing in as the blue-faced hero.
Amid the blood and carnage here, star spotters should keep an eye out for Alun Armstrong - seen recently in the Yorkshire Ripper drama, This is Personal; ex-Coronation Street bad guy Steven Billington (Greg Kelly) as the ill-fated Phillip and Peter Mullan from acclaimed Ken Loach drama, My Name is Joe.
It's a long film so you'll need plenty of cushions and the humble old telly just can't compete with those glorious landscapes. But with that taken as red, forget about what's missing from the movie and revel in that dialogue.
If you can only see one scene, make sure it's the moment with William Wallace riding back and forth in front of his troops waxing lyrical in an attempt to inspire his forces.
Watch, listen and feel the hairs rise on the back of your neck as he makes his plea: "Ay, fight and you may die, run and you'll live. At least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom."
© 2000 Roger Crow
