Braveheart

Braveheart is a 1995 historical drama directed by and starring Mel Gibson. The film was written for the screen and then novelized by Randall Wallace. Gibson portrays William Wallace, a 13th century Scottish warrior who gained recognition when he came to the forefront of the First War of Scottish Independence by opposing King Edward I of England (portrayed by Patrick McGoohan) who was also known by the nickname "Longshanks".
The film won five Academy Awards at the 68th Academy Awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director, and was nominated for an additional five.


Plot

In the 13th century, after several years of political unrest, Scotland is invaded and conquered by King Edward I of England (known as "Longshanks") (Patrick McGoohan). Longshanks summons the defeated Scottish nobles to a meeting, but instead of discussing terms as they were led to expect, he simply hangs them en masse.
Young William Wallace witnesses the treachery of Longshanks, survives the death of his father and brother, and is taken abroad by his uncle where he is educated. Many years later, Longshanks grants his noblemen land and privileges in Scotland, including Primae Noctis, the right of the lord to take a newly married Scottish woman into his bed on the wedding night. When he returns home, Wallace (Mel Gibson), intending to live peacefully, falls in love with his childhood sweetheart Murron MacClannough (Catherine McCormack), and they marry in secret so that she does not have to spend a night in the bed of the English lord.
Their marriage is eventually discovered and when an English soldier tries to rape Murron, Wallace fights off several soldiers and the two attempt to flee. But Murron is captured and publicly executed by the village sheriff, who proclaims "an assault on the King's soldiers is the same as an assault on the King himself." In retribution, Wallace and several villagers slaughter the English garrison and execute the sheriff.
Now compelled to rebel against the English, Wallace's legend spreads and hundreds of Scots from the surrounding clans join him. Wallace leads his army to victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, as well as the sacking of the city of York. All the while, He seeks the assistance of Robert the Bruce (Angus Macfadyen), son of nobleman Robert the Elder, and chief contender for the Scottish crown. Despite his growing admiration for Wallace and his cause, however, Robert is dominated by his father who wishes to secure the throne for his son by submitting to the English.
Worried by the threat of the rebellion, Longshanks sends the wife of his son Edward, the French princess Isabelle (Sophie Marceau) to negotiate with Wallace. In doing this, Longshanks hopes Wallace will kill her, as the French king will declare war on him in revenge. Though Wallace refuses the bribe sent with Isabelle by Longshanks, she becomes enamored with him after meeting him in person.
Meanwhile, Longshanks prepares an army to invade Scotland. Warned of the coming invasion by Isabelle, Wallace implores the Scottish nobility, who are more concerned with their own welfare, that immediate action is needed to counter the threat and take back the country. Personally leading the English army, Longshanks confronts the Scots at the bloody Battle of Falkirk, where noblemen Lochlan and Mornay betray Wallace. The Scots lose the battle, and Wallace is nearly killed when, in a last desperate act, he charges toward the departing Longshanks on horseback to personally kill him. However, he is intercepted by one of the king's lancers, who turns out to be Robert the Bruce. Realizing the Bruce has betrayed him, Wallace simply gives up and is nearly captured by the English. Robert, however, immediately remorseful of his betrayal takes him to safety before he is captured.
Over the next seven years, Wallace goes into hiding, waging a protracted guerilla war on the English. In retribution for their betrayal of him at Falkirk, Wallace brutally murders Mornay and Lochlan. Robert the Bruce, intending to join Wallace and commit troops to the war, sets up a meeting with him in Edinburgh. Unknown to either man, however, Robert's father has conspired with other nobles to capture Wallace and hand him over to the English. Learning of his treachery, the Bruce disowns his father.
In London, Wallace is brought before an English magistrate, tried for high treason and after refusing to acknowledge Longshanks as his king, condemned to public torture and beheading. Following a tryst with Wallace, Isabelle exacts her own revenge on the now terminally ill Longshanks by telling him she is pregnant with another man's child, intent on ending Longshank's line and ruling in his son's place.
Meanwhile, Wallace is taken to the Tower of London, where a crowd has gathered to witness his execution. Despite being half hanged, racked and disemboweled alive, Wallace refuses to submit to the king and beg for mercy. Awed by his courage, the watching Londoners begin to yell for mercy and the magistrate offers him one final chance. Instead, the defiant Wallace uses the last amount of strength in his body to shout, "Freedom!" Just before the axe falls, Wallace sees a vision of Murron in the crowd smiling at him.
In 1314, (nine years after Wallace's death), Robert the Bruce, now Scotland's king and still guilt-ridden over his involvement in Wallace's betrayal, leads a Scottish army before a ceremonial line of English troops on the fields of Bannockburn where he is to formally accept English rule. As he begins to ride toward the English, the Bruce stops and turns back to his troops. Invoking Wallace's memory, he implores them to fight with him as they did with Wallace. He then leads his army into battle against the English, with him and his men chanting Wallace's name as they charge. This surprises the English soldiers, who were not expecting to fight.
The film ends with a voiceover from Gibson, which intones that Scotland won their freedom in this battle.