Questions tagged [historical-accuracy]
Questions about the precise conformity of events or characters portrayed in films or TV shows to real figures/events.
105
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1answer
42 views
Why was the Hollywood sign destroyed?
Why was the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles destroyed in the movie "Argo"? Was the sign also destroyed in real life during 1980?
6
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0answers
137 views
Does isolation in Moana reflect a real island?
I know polynesians went through a period where they generally didn't discover new islands. I've heard the movie Moana was meant to reflect the period when they stopped exploring. But this is a lot ...
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0answers
66 views
Is the scene where Schindler discusses miscalibrating machines taken from true events?
I realize that the movie has many inaccuracies, but is this bit one of them? Is there any evidence that the Oskar Schindler wanted Germany to lose the war?
6
votes
1answer
300 views
How real is the ending of the movie Ford v Ferrari?
The movie Ford v Ferrari (2019) starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale shows how Ford Motors built a car that beat Ferrari in Le Mans 24 hour race.
In the end of the movie, the three Ford cars cross ...
2
votes
0answers
58 views
Was Prince Bertie actually known to do this?
I'm rewatching the British historical series, Victoria about the life of Queen Victoria.
During the third season we jump ahead in time to a point where Victoria already has sever children, including ...
3
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0answers
45 views
How true to reality is the film Queen of the Desert?
Queen of the Desert is a 2015 biographical film about Gertrude Bell, an Englishwoman who spent most of her life in the Middle East and played a part in the establishment of some Arab states in the ...
6
votes
1answer
327 views
Why do cars in movies set in earlier eras always look brand new?
Whenever I watch a movie or TV show set in an earlier era, all the cars look brand new. In fact, better than brand new; the paint is rich and deep, highly polished. They all look as though they ...
4
votes
1answer
230 views
Why does Brigitte Mohnhaupt deliberately destroy the execution myth and how accurate is her closing dialogue?
At the very end of The Baader Meinhof Complex, after the efforts for pressing the RAF leaders free have failed and they thus commited suicide in Stammheim prison, Brigitte Mohnhaupt speaks to the next ...
23
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1answer
3k views
Why is Havana covered in 5-digit numbers in Our Man in Havana?
In the 1959 film version of Our Man in Havana, the streets of Havana are littered in signs with 4- and 5-digit numbers on them.
Here's an example:
Notice the "00260", "19072", and "42857" left of ...
22
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2answers
2k views
Is HBO's Chernobyl accurate about the sequence of instructions causing reactor stall?
In the series finale of Chernobyl on HBO, Dyatlov orders Akimov and Toptenov to bring the reactor power down to 700 MW, as per the written test instructions, and then leaves the room without giving a ...
2
votes
2answers
109 views
Did the movie Trumbo change the director of Spartacus?
Shortly after Trumbo writes the script for Spartacus, he meets Otto Preminger, who says that he is "the director". It sounds like he is claiming to be the director of Spartacus, and this is why he has ...
8
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1answer
766 views
How accurate was the use of the slogan “Wer hat uns verraten? Sozialdemokraten!”?
In Babylon Berlin S01E07 Gereon Rath attends a party at Bruno's appartment which includes many veterans from the Great War, including Major General Seegers. It seems to be a commemoration of the war ...
3
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0answers
225 views
Was the character of Nicol based on a real person?
In Welcome to Marwen, Mark Hogancamp meets Nicol. Eventually, he chooses to rename the fictional town of "Marwen" to "Marwencol", named after himself, his rescuer Wendy, and now Nicol.
According to ...
16
votes
1answer
47k views
Did Queen's performance really cause Live Aid to clear $1,000,000 in donations?
In Bohemian Rhapsody, Bob Geldof is shown pleading with viewers to donate money. The phone bank operators are waiting for their phones to ring. Then, Queen gets on stage, the phone banks are busy, and ...
5
votes
1answer
23k views
Is Mirzapur based on a real story?
Is the TV-series Mirzapur based on a real story?
Mirzapur is an actual city in Uttar Pradesh. Also, Wikipedia says this place is famous for carpet business and this was aptly shown in the series with ...
5
votes
1answer
195 views
Impact of Wonder Woman's action on the end of World War I?
In the 2017 film Wonder Woman, Diana finally kills Ares and we learn that World War I is over, but how does the killing of Ares impact World War I? Is there any parallel to this with the real events ...
14
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2answers
2k views
What is the historic origin of these Indian burial grounds?
I've recently watched two movies that feature the Indian burial ground as a plot point, however in these two films they both actually show a physical burial ground, which appears to be made up of ...
50
votes
4answers
23k views
Did Neil Armstrong really do this on the Moon?
The film First Man (2018) is about Neil Armstrong and the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon. In the movie, one scene shows
Did he actually do this in real life or was this a fictional plot device added ...
39
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2answers
10k views
Is the bird killing in The Prestige based on historical reality?
In The Prestige (2006), there is a magic trick in which a bird is made to disappear and it is revealed that the bird is secretly killed by crushing it flat to make it "disappear". Is this trick from ...
4
votes
2answers
203 views
When is Shane (1953) set?
The movie Shane (1953) is based on the novel Shane (1949) by Jack Shaefer.
It is obvious that the novel Shane (1949) could have a precise setting date or a vague possible date range, and the movie ...
2
votes
1answer
179 views
Does Captain Tracey (Star Trek “The Omega Glory”) resemble a figure from American history?
In the Star Trek episode "Whom Gods Destroy" (1969), I consider the character Garth a George Washington figure (whether consciously intended or not). He was a great military leader; also, his "...
6
votes
1answer
429 views
Why do the Vikings warriors train with real weapons?
In the Vikings TV show we often see warriors training with each others using real weapons. This can be seen both for vikings' and other kingdoms' warriors.
As far I know warriors used to train with ...
2
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1answer
480 views
Did people in Elizabethan London really speak like they do in “Upstart Crow”?
Did people in Elizabethan London really speak like they do in "Upstart Crow"?
I'm specifically thinking of the way Greene says Sirra instead of Sir.
25
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2answers
7k views
Is Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk historically inaccurate in portraying absence of the Indian army?
Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk has been accused of ignoring Indian soldiers' presence in Dunkirk. But is there any proof that there were Indian soldiers stuck there too in the first place? The British ...
20
votes
1answer
74k views
Did Churchill really talk to people on the London Underground?
In the pivotal scene of "Darkest Hour" Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman), on his way to Parliament, ditches his car and takes the Tube. On the train he talks with some regular Londoners and this ...
3
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1answer
178 views
In what time period the series Arang and the Magistrate set?
Based on the costumes and the setting, which dynasty or time period served as an inspiration for the historical drama series Arang?
5
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1answer
389 views
Was there already birthday cake in Roman empire?
In the TV show, Rome, during the battle of Philippi, there is a conversation between two rebel Roman commanders. It goes something like, is today your birthday? Oh yes, I want a birthday cake.
Please ...
18
votes
1answer
8k views
Did Oskar Schindler really lament not having saved more Jews?
At the end of Schindler's List, there is a scene where Oskar Schindler realises, almost breaking down in tears in front of all of his workers, that each of the extravagances/luxuries he still has ...
3
votes
2answers
623 views
In The Color Purple how is it a black person can have so much wealth in the south?
The film The Color Purple takes place between 1910 and 1940. So how can an African American (Mr. or Albert Johnson) have a huge house, a plantation, a farm/ranch (animals as well), prosperity, and a ...
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3answers
8k views
What is the painting J. Paul Getty buys in 'All the Money in the World'?
In Ridley Scott's "All the Money in the World", J. Paul Getty forks a sizable chunk of money for a painting instead of paying his grandson's ransom. To me, the painting looked like Raphael's Madonna ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Is “Anonymous” based on a true story?
I watched Anonymous (2011). The movie shows that Shakespeare was fraud and all his writing originally belongs to some nobleman.
Is it true? If yes, then what is the source of the story and what is ...
4
votes
0answers
503 views
Did these events in 7th episode 2nd season of Netflix 'El Chapo' actually happen?
At the end of the 7th episode of the 2nd season of Netflix's El Chapo two events happen:
Firstly Los Emes massacred multiple civilians and burned down a remote village leaving the message for El ...
10
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1answer
2k views
Does the village of Motunui as depicted in “Moana” accurately depict a Polynesian village?
Moana lives in a village called Motunui (which appears to be an actual place?). We get a fairly in-depth view of how the village works during the song "Where you Are" - there's a chief, he answers ...
5
votes
1answer
836 views
How many of the events in The Death of Stalin are based on historical fact?
The Death of Stalin is a dark black comedy based on the events happening after the Soviet leader's death.
Clearly we don't have records about who said or did what during that period. And there appear ...
2
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0answers
3k views
How realistic are the dogfight scenes in Dunkirk [closed]
I saw the film Dunkirk yesterday with some friends and thoroughly enjoyed it. One of my friends had some quibbles with the dogfight scenes, however. How realistic are they? Any reliable sources ...
3
votes
1answer
175 views
Is the shadow organization in Munich real?
This group sells information to Mossad agents. I am wondering if this organization has its real world counterpart or just a convenient way to advance movie plot?
2
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1answer
51k views
Why is there an iPhone in “All Eyez On Me”?
In the new 2pac movie, All Eyez On Me, there is a scene where Faith is taking a picture with 2pac and there is an iPhone.
This is chronologically impossible since the iPhone was released in 2007 and ...
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0answers
3k views
Why did Spielberg use fictional characters (informants Louis and Papa) in Munich
Background to the Movie
Steven Spielberg has said, that the Munich is about vengeance, regret and dilemmas one faces when making hard personal decisions, while visualising empathy and human ...
8
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1answer
1k views
Did the Battle of Iwo Jima really happen on black soil?
In Flags of Our Fathers, there are whole war scenes shot on black soil near some sea.
Did the Battle of Iwo Jima really happen on black soil or was this added by the movie production crew?
4
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1answer
531 views
Did Mark Zuckerberg answer a question in similar circumstances to this?
In the Social Network, Mark Zuckerberg (played by Jesse Eisenberg) answers a question in a lecture:
Now I know this most likely is just the clique scene to make ...
2
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0answers
252 views
Did they really make ice cream/cake in shape of “Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima” as shown in the movie?
In Flags of our Fathers, after the completion of the war, the soldiers get an invitation for celebrations.
In one scene the soldiers get an ice cream cake in the shape of "Raising the Flag on Iwo ...
8
votes
2answers
7k views
Is Billy Breckenridge gay?
In Tombstone, there are certain implications that Billy Breckenridge (portrayed by Jason Priestley) is gay.
This is especially noticeable in a particular scene at the theater when a cowboy is ...
8
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0answers
251 views
In A Man For All Seasons, which lines are historical?
In the film version of A Man For All Seasons, Thomas More (the character) gives several magnificent speeches. The real More was in fact a prolific writer, so I wonder whether the character’s lines are ...
17
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1answer
2k views
Did John Glenn really ask for that?
In Hidden Figures when John Glenn's rocket was about to be launched into space there was some uncertainty regarding the calculation results provided by IBM 7090. Al Harrison was discussing this with ...
5
votes
1answer
243 views
What is Morgan smoking?
In the episode The Battle of Bardon Pass of the TV show Camelot, Morgan Pendragon is shown smoking a pipe:
What is she smoking? Since the show is taking place in Post-Roman Britain, it can't be ...
10
votes
1answer
1k views
Which King Henry were Bill and Ted referring to?
In Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Bill and Ted land in what we are told is "Medieval England." Bill mentions that they are at the castle of King Henry and that they are in 15th century England:
...
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375 views
Was “The Princess Bride” popular enough to have been birthday party theme? (as seen in 'This is Us') [closed]
In Season 1, episode 13 of "This is Us", Kevin asks for a "Princess Bride" theme birthday party. Of course in hindsight, given the cult status the film has now attained and it's immediate recognition ...
8
votes
1answer
993 views
Is the misquotation “politics is war by other means” by Lyndon B. Johnson authentic?
In the 2016 TV movie All the Way, the character President Lyndon B. Johnson prominently explains (in a voice-over to the audience):
Clausewitz said “Politics is war by other means.” … Bullshit. ...
9
votes
1answer
30k views
Did Julius Caesar really get raped by the son of Crassus?
In Spartacus: War of the Damned Episode 8, Tiberius Licinius Crassus raped Julius Caesar to show him his place. Is this event really based on history or was it only done to achieve dramatical effect?
10
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1answer
3k views
How accurate is the portrayal of vikings in the TV series Vikings
I'm not too worried about the historical accuracy of the events in the tv series, but my question is specific to the portrayal of the viking's way of life, their appearance etc.
I know that we don't ...
