BRAVEHEART TURNS 25

THE EPIC 1995 MOVIE DIDN’T LET FACTS GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY

- Emma Babbington

With his career at its peak thanks to the huge success of the Lethal Weapon franchise, Mel Gibson was ready for a new challenge when he was presented with the script for Braveheart in the early ’90s.

It took a while for Mel to agree to direct the movie about a Scottish freedom fighter, but he remained reluctant to take on its lead role. After he suggested younger actors such as Brad Pitt and Jason Patric, who Mel thought would be more suitable, pressure from the studio funding the project meant the then-38-year-old soon agreed to star in it too.

The film became Mel’s passion project and a huge box-office success upon its release. Also starring Sophie Marceau, Angus Macfadyen and Catherine McCormack, the movie was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won five including Best Director for Mel’s work and Best Picture, as well as making more than $315 million at the box office.

It also became one of the first films to successfully combine high-octane action adventure with historical storytelling and paved the way for movies such as Gladiator and Troy. But it’s probably best remembered for its brutal and raw battle scenes, which are now considered some of the best in cinematic history.

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