By Shawn Smith
Movies are replete with Christ-like figures, like Aslan from THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA and THE LORD OF THE RINGS’ Gandalf the Grey (who after his death, “resurrects” as Gandalf the White) and Frodo Baggins.
BRAVEHEART’s William Wallace, who sacrifices himself to a brutal execution in defiance of King Edward I’s oppressive regime, is also a Messiah-figure, says the movie’s writer Randall Wallace.
“[T]he prayer in prison when [William Wallace] says, ‘Every man dies’ …is right out of the Garden of Gethsemane,” Wallace told Greg Laurie in an interview.
Wallace is referring to the verse where Jesus is praying in the Garden of Gethsemane where He prays, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:42).
Just as Christ accepts his fate, William Wallace accepts that for his people to obtain freedom, he would have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
“[He’s] praying to die well and and prays before battle, and even his dreams and and the temptations to just fight for vengeance, rather than to transcend all of that,” the WE WERE SOLDIERS writer said. “Like, ‘I may have to lay down my life to convince the people that I’m fighting, that we actually deserve the right to win, that we deserve to be free.’”
This theme of courage and sacrifice brings to mind the scripture when Jesus, foreshadowing his crucifixion, told His disciples, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).
While the Oscar-nominated writer said that there was scant information on the Scottish warrior, leaving him “no outline” to go by when penning the script, he knew enough about William Wallace to know that his story would leave indelible mark on audiences.
“Winston Churchill talks about him in his A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, and he says, virtually nothing is historically established, and yet his legends have inspired his people for centuries,” Wallace said.
For the 30-year anniversary of Teddy Bear Award® winner BRAVEHEART, Wallace shared about the impact the movie has decades later.
“I never imagined it would touch so many souls across the world. What began as a story about one man’s courage became a symbol of something far greater: the power of love to conquer fear…” Wallace posted. “Freedom is still worth fighting for. Always.”
With timeless and biblical themes of sacrifice and bravery, it is no surprise that over 30 years later BRAVEHEART stands the test of time.
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