Director: Mel Gibson
Starring: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Sean McGinley,
Patrick McGoohan, Brendan Gleeson, Brian Cox,
Plot:
William Wallace is a Scottish rebel who leads an
uprising against the cruel English ruler Edward the
Longshanks, who wishes to inherit the crown of Scotland
for himself. When he was a young boy, William Wallace's
father and brother, along with many others, lost their
lives trying to free Scotland. Once he loses another of
his loved ones, William Wallace begins his long quest to
make Scotland free once and for all, along with the
assistance of Robert the Bruce.
Info:
Mel Gibson was attracted to shoot a large part of
Braveheart in Ireland by the promise of the Irish
government that he would get the use of the reserve army
for the extensive battle scenes, for which he needed fit
and well trained fighters.
So many horses were needed for the battle scenes, that
all horse owners in the Wicklow / Kildare area were
invited to take part with their horses as extras.
Director/producer Mel Gibson was investigated by the
RSPCA, who were convinced that the fake horses used were
real. Only when one of his assistants provided some
videotaped footage of the location shooting were they
convinced otherwise.
Locations:
One of the main locations used in Ireland was Kippure
Holiday Village in the middle of the Wicklow Mountains,
on the Sally Gap road from Roundwood to Blessington.
For the scene in which the French princess meets with
William Wallace, a small cottage was created here. The
remnants are still standing.
