Braveheart questions and answers

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Braveheart (1995) - 10 questions

Directed by Mel Gibson, starring Mel Gibson, Patrick McGoohan, Sophie Marceau

The "questions" section is for any random questions that occurred to you while watching this film, or anything you didn't entirely understand, and which Google or the IMDb can't help with. Submit them as a question, and hopefully someone will answer (the bold comments in brackets) - check back regularly. If the answer is wrong, or missing information, please use the "clarify answer" option. Don't feel limited - want to know what music played in a certain scene? Whether this was the first film to use a certain effect? Here's the place to ask!

Who designed William's warpaint design at Stirling? [Historically speaking Wallace's exploits didn't go much further than causing havoc for garissons about his area. The warpaint was all Hollywood.]

The Irish man uses the "F expletive" in one of his first scenes. Would that word have been in existence then? [It might have as the word is very old. But since it has always been considered very obscene it doesn't appear much in written form (before modern time). The earliest written occurrence known is in a poem from before 1500. But regardless of whether the word existed or not; the dialog in Braveheart is in contemporary English, since 13th century Scottish would be impossible to understand for the average moviegoer. So it's not a mistake for a character to utter the f-word.]

The script was written by Randall Wallace. Any family connections to William Wallace or is it just a coincidence? [According to IMDb Randall Wallace's personal quote reads, "I think he is an ancestor, I feel his blood in my veins. I can't prove it but then no one can disprove it."] Answered by OneHappyHusky

Directly before Wallace is beheaded, he sees his dead wife in the crowd. Is this meant to be her ghost or is he imagining it? [He is imagining it. He is trying focus on the fact he will see his wife again soon, in the after-life, rather than the pain of torture and his impending death.]

During Wallace's execution, he stares at a child in the crowd, who stares back and smiles. What does the child symbolise? [I think the child symbolizes purity. Overall, Wallace is a pure man in the sense that he's uncompromising and fights for his convictions without wavering. He's not tainted with compromise, politics, and other things that other men succomb to. By seeing the child, he's reminded that he has to stick to his pure ideals of freedom, and not crack under the strain of torture.]

When Robert the Bruce is talking to the nobles at the begining of the movie, what is the significance of him seeing his dad up above on the balcony and saying that his dad couldn't be there in person, but sends his regards? [The significance is that his Dad is not away on business he is very sick and hiding. I would imagine both he and his dad think that their position would weakened if the other nobles new his dad was sick and probably going to die soon.] Answered by pross79

How is Wallace being tortured right after they show one of the executioners tear his shirt open? [The little people shown before Wallace's execution give us a clue-they are cutting him open and pulling out his guts, then castrating him.]

What is the name of the song that plays at the beginning of the movie at the funeral when the girl gives William a flower? [It's called "A Gift of a Thistle" and it's on the soundtrack conducted by James Horner. Incidently, the tune is a recurring theme throughout the film's music, and appears in several other songs on the soundtrack as well.]

Can anyone point me to a website or explain what all is involved / symbolism, etc., of the wedding ceremony between Wallace and Murron? [The kneeling is customary for a Catholic wedding ceremony. The only real 'symbolism' is when the priest wraps their hands in a tartan. Today, a groom would put his family's tartan around his bride's shoulders to show she is now part of his family. You can see in the next scene in the town, when Wallace asks to see Murron that night, he pulls the tartan out from under the neck of her dress. The wrapping of the hands is left over from the Celtic culture. Before Christianity came to the Celts, they would be handfasted, literally tied together at the hand and wrist. Usually this was done with a string, but here was shown with Wallace's clan tartan. Once the Scots became Christians, they still kept several old pagan rituals and incorporated them into their new-found religion. So, even though the priest performs this part of the ceremony, it was perfectly acceptable. The priest 'ties' the hands together and performs the rest of the marriage ceremony; once the marriage ceremony was over, he would untie them.]

After Wallace kills the lord that killed his wife, Hemish's father starts chanting something like, "McCoughlick, McCoughlick", then, "Wallace, Wallace", what exactly is the first thing he says? [I believe he starts chanting "MacClannough", which is the family (maiden) name of Wallace's wife.] Answered by Bruce Minnick