Movies Based on “True Events” That Ended Up Being Lies

Unlike fictional movies, the general assumption is that none of the scenes were invented or falsified. The story as a whole may be intact, still true to a point, but many of these films have been altered for dramatization purposes. The filmmakers are lying, in a way, by creating Hollywoodized plots that appeal to our thirst for drama, intrigue, and neatly tied up stories. Let’s take a look at some of the worst offenders.

In an interview with The Huffington Post, writer Joel Coen revealed that it was based on a mashing together of two real incidents: a guy defrauding GM Motors in the ‘60s and a man who murdered his wife in Connecticut. The stories were blended and heavily fictionalized.

However, the extent of Canada’s role in their escape was diminished in the film, giving more credit to the CIA. The events happened during President Jimmy Carter’s term, and the former president himself didn’t hesitate to comment that 90% of the ingenious plans were devised by the Canadians.

Even this biographical story has some stretched scenes, specifically in the part where Rudy’s teammates convinced their coach to let him play by laying down their jerseys on his table. Another fictitious moment comes in the climactic scene where the crowd keeps chanting Rudy’s name before he enters the field.

The story focuses on Du Pont’s enthusiasm for supporting (wrestling) Team Foxcatcher and skips the period where he announced that he was terminating his annual financial contribution worth $400,000. Also, Mark (Dave’s brother) didn’t really quit wrestling after he left Foxcatcher, as the movie implied, but actually coached for years at Brigham Young University.

Kyle’s famous 2,100-yard shot wasn’t actually targeted at Mustafa but at another terrorist wielding a rocket launcher. Also, Kyle’s friend Biggles didn’t die soon after his surgical operation. He actually lived for several years after his ordeal. On top of these inaccuracies, it has been revealed that Kyle himself embellished his military record, so American Sniper is fiction piled on top of fiction.

But Oher contests the narrative that he was taught how to play the game by his adoptive parent Leigh Ann. He had learned football in his younger years and has been studying it since. This pushed Oher to write an autobiography in 2011 to set things straight.

Nash was never involved with the Department of Defense, and to accept his Nobel Prize, he never went up the stage to give a speech. These elements were all added to the movie for dramatic effect.

Hunt and Lauda were buddies and used to go out partying together regularly. Contrary to the movie, Hunt didn’t beat up a reporter. The hostility certainly adds to the film’s flavor and intensity, but none of it was real.

The real crew members describe the story portrayed in the film as a huge lie. The movie showed that they were attacked by pirates once, when in fact, there were two incursions. If there was a real hero aboard, the ship’s crew attest that it was Chief Engineer Mike Perry, who secured them below the ship during the raid.

The movie failed to show that he once fell and injured himself while practicing at a circus. It was also shared with the audience that he only went to New York once to prepare for his Twin Tower walk, but Petit actually took three trips there with his team.

The massive killing spree and the background of Leatherface’s family were mere figments of the imagination. In reality, Gein was more of a body snatcher who collected gruesome articles from the dead. He did indeed make masks out of real human skin and containers out of skulls.

It is true that he sold medical supplies at one point, but he didn’t fall rock bottom selling DEXA scanners. The final inaccuracy surrounds his son’s age – the kid was only two years old when his dad was struggling, not five (as shown in the movie).