A Reel 30: BRAVEHEART and APOLLO 13

Thirty years ago this month, there were two historical dramas in theatres competing for box office glory and Oscar gold: Mel Gibson’s BRAVEHEART and Ron Howard’s APOLLO 13. 

 

The first to arrive (in May), was BRAVEHEART. 

Mel Gibson directed and starred in this epic which recounted the legendary Scottish warrior William Wallace in the First War of Scottish Independence. Written by Randal Wallace (no relation), the 178-minute epic would also star Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan, Catherine McCormak, Angus McFadyen, David O’Hara, and Brendan Gleeson. It would finish as the 19^th highest earner at the worldwide box office. 

 

In June, Ron Howard’s APOLLO 13 blasted off. 

It was a dramatization of the aborted Apollo 13 mission to the Moon, and was an adaptation of the book Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 by astronaut Jim Lovell (who crewed the mission), and Jeffrey Kluger. The ensemble cast included Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Ed Harris, Gary Sinise, and Kathleen Quinlan. It would finish as the third-highest earner of the year worldwide, behind TOY STORY and SE7EN. 

 

At the 68^th Academy Awards, BRAVEHEART led all nominees with ten nominations, and APOLLO 13 came in second with nine. The late great James Horner, who composed music for both films, would be nominated for both. BRAVEHEART would be the big winner, taking home five Oscars including Best Picture. APOLLO 13 would win two (Best Sound and Film Editing). 

 

Today, debate still rages over BRAVEHEART’s win over APOLLO 13. BRAVEHEART gets criticized for its historical inaccuracies (although APOLLO 13 took liberties too), and also for the much-later bad behavior of Mel Gibson. Despite this, both films are remembered as two of the best of 1995 and of the 1990’s. Both films pack an emotional punch, and provide some of the most memorable big-screen moments. Both Gibson and Howard are at the top of their game, and both films deliver iconic characters and quotes. The two could not be further apart in form, style, and timeframe, but share a kinship in telling stories of human resilience. If you happen to have 318 minutes to spare, this will make for a great double-feature.