Picture 68: Braveheart (1995)

It’s 1995 and time to visit 13^th century Scotland. Mel Gibson stars, directs and produces this epic historical war drama. Winner of 5 academy awards, it grossed $209 million worldwide but does it still gain traction with audiences over 700 years after the Battle of Stirling Bridge?

King Edward “Longshanks” the First of England (Patrick McGoohan) holds a tyrannical grip on the Scottish Kingdom. William Wallace (Mel Gibson) is descended from a line of Scottish warriors but a man of peace. He hopes to raise crops and a family in the countryside and keep out of the way of the English. These dreams soon die however when his wife Murron (Catherine McCormack) is brutally killed by the English. Incensed, Wallace takes on the English hegemony with vengeful passion, blue war paint and a large sword.

This is medieval mythology at its best. Those that focus on the historical inaccuracies miss the point, this is the Scottish answer to Beowulf and it’s quite something. The war scenes are as brutal as you would expect. The love and loss that befalls Wallace is well depicted. The Scottish landscape and James Horner’s soundtrack combine to create one of the most memorable cinematic environs of the 1990s. Hollywood doesn’t hold back, it dramatizes the First War of Scottish Independence to the max.

It doesn’t matter if you’re Scottish, English or Moldovan, you march with the Scots every yard as they descend on the English army. Will they keep their clans together? Will the Scottish nobles be paid off and betray their brethren? Will Mel Gibson, axe in hand, march on Westminster?

This epic has many strengths though it’s just a little too melodramatic and lacking in nuance and complexity to make the top 20. Mel Gibson’s inexplicable rants in Latin and French also confuse the viewer. Nonetheless, this is an excellent effort and a credit to Mel Gibson and his team. It’s hugely entertaining and earns a well-deserved 8/10.

Rating: 8/10

Oscar Best Picture Rankings:

1. The Godfather (1972)

2. Schindler’s List (1993)

3. Casablanca (1943)

4. The Apartment (1960)

5. Rebecca (1940)

6. The Godfather: Part II (1974)

7. The Sound of Music (1965)

8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

9. Ordinary People (1980)

10. A Man for All Seasons (1966)

11. Gandhi (1982)

12. The Deer Hunter (1978)

13. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

14. Ben-Hur (1959)

15. The Last Emperor (1987)

16. Unforgiven (1992)

17. Lost Weekend (1945)

18. Platoon (1986)

19. Gone With the Wind (1939)

20. Rocky (1976)

21. Annie Hall (1977)

22. Amadeus (1984)

23. All About Eve (1950)

24. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

25. Hamlet (1948)

26. How Green Was My Valley (1941)

27. Braveheart (1995)

28. Out of Africa (1985)

29. West Side Story (1961)

30. Mrs. Miniver (1942)

31. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

32. Wings (1928)

33. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

34. You can’t take it with you (1938)

35. Patton (1970)

36. Terms of Endearment (1983)

37. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

38. On the Waterfront (1954)

39. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

40. Midnight Cowboy (1969)

41. Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

42. Rain Man (1988)

43. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

44. Forrest Gump (1994)

45. Dances with Wolves (1990)

46. Marty (1955)

47. Oliver! (1968)

48. Cimarron (1931)

49. Grand Hotel (1932)

50. The French Connection (1971)

51. An American in Paris (1951)

52. From Here to Eternity (1953)

53. It Happened One Night (1934)

54. My Fair Lady (1964)

55. Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)

56. Cavalcade (1933)

57. The Sting (1973)

58. The Life of Emile Zola (1937)

59. Going My Way (1944)

60. The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

61. Chariots of Fire (1981)

62. All the King’s Men (1949)

63. In the Heat of the Night (1967)

64. Gigi (1958)

65. Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

66. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

67. The Broadway Melody (1929)

68. Tom Jones (1963)

Previous or current ranking leaders are in bold.

With credit and thanks to the patrons of the Best Picture Film Club:

Dr Sophie Bloomfield – Fashion Correspondent

Dr Caspar Briault – Head of Cynicism

Dr Conrad Charlton

Dr Sophie Clarke

Dr Kate Diomede

Dr Fionnuala Durrant

Dr Josh Fisher

Dr Joseph Gallaher – CEO and Founder

Dr Joseph Hamilton

Dr Adam Holland – Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Dr Sid Mohan - Divisional Lead for the 1980s

Dr Hannah Morrison

Dr Meera Radia