"Film's Representation of Historical Persons" Topic

Based on a thread I was reading here on TMP (Link Below) concerning the "Free State of Jones" movie where Newton Knight (a historical character apparently in his mid twenties during the ACW) The actor playing him, Matthew McConaughey, is 46 yrs old and this has caused some annoyance with certain viewers.

In the same thread I mentioned a 55 year old John Wayne playing a man 28 year his younger Lt Colonel Vandervoort in the Longest Day. (Should I mention Wayne also played the role of Genghis Khan in "The Conqueror" :0)

It's pretty obvious that Hollywood (unsurprisingly) doesn't really give primary importance to the accuracy of its portrayal of historical characters but is there an actor representation that is so bad that it seems unforgivable to you?

And are there ones that you feel that the industry got spot on?

TMP link

Not historical but I thought Russell Crowe was a pretty spot on Jack Aubrey.

George C Scott was a pretty good Patton.

A lot of the guys in A Bridge too Far weren't too bad. Especially Anthony Hopkins.

I always thought that Gary Cole as Custer was good.
Jeff Daniels as Chamberlin was good, as was his Washington.
Stephen Lang as both Jackson and Pickett I enjoyed as well.
John Wayne as Davy Crockett always bothered me, I liked Billy Bob Thornton in the role though.

Not historical but I thought Russell Crowe was a pretty spot on Jack Aubrey.

And I thought Paul Bettany did a good job as Stephen Maturin.

Portraying fictional heroes is easier than real people:)

Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison, the film was crap mostly but Kilmer was spot on with Jim

The guy who plays Benedict Arnold in Turn is much better than Aidan Quinn in that made for TC series about Arnold.

Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday.

From the 1968 movie "Charge of the Light Brigade." John Gielgud as Lord Rawdon, Trevor Howard as Lord Cardigan and Harry Andrews as Lord Lucan. All brilliantly done and how I would picture them.

Lord Cardigan: Paymaster? Paymaster Duberley? That ain't a rank, it's a trade!

The movie imho that began the trend of reflecting people was the Longest Day. Prior to that, there never was much said about it. Sadly politics has often affected representation.

George Washington is usually well served, no matter who plays him.
Which is remarkable consider how many of those actors' most famous roles are buffoons.

I assume Audey Murphy was reasonably accurate…

"Lincoln"!

Jane Fonda as Barbarella

Good one Garrison

Actually, Hollywood taught Murphy how to walk like other folks. His normal pace was a hunting stalk.

But yes, Daniel-Day Lewis was uncanny as Lincoln.

In Gettysburg Martin Sheen was an absolute joke as R. E. Lee. They couldn't find someone taller? Now the actor who played Joshua Chamberlain, what a great performance.

Both of the main movies made about Babe Ruth rank pretty poorly.

Any of the earlier movies featuring Al Capone. Capone was still in his 20s when he was at his height of control in Chicago. Almost always they have actors in their 50s playing him.

Matthew Broderick in Glory. Spitting image of Robert Gould Shaw and almost the same age.

At least the movie came close unlike these past clangers

John Wayne as Genghis Khan was a stretch

Paul Muni and Luis Rainer as Chinese

Marlon Brando as a Japanese house boy

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