Braveheart

Mel Gibson is the protagonist and director of a film that tells the long, brave battles fought by the Scottish people, between the end of 1200 and the beginning of 1300, to gain independence from England.

When English soldiers kill his wife, William Wallace decides to give shape to his desire for personal revenge by leading the Scottish Clans and restoring freedom to his country.

In an authentic crusade against the ruthless Edward I the Plantagenetus and his army, “Braveheart” succeeds with loyalty, passion and personal sacrifice to change the course of history.

However, he will also have to deal with the greed of the nobles, who are eager to become richer taking a little personal risk; they will make his life extremely difficult for their tendency to accept the offerings of the King of England.

An epic film that in 1995 earned 5 Oscars.

Want to know more? Now watch the trailer, then I’ll tell you why the movie is worth your time.

The crucial points of the movie

The film exemplifies the “good and fearless” leader, just as the management literature portrays it.

With no interest in wealth or personal power, after the death of his wife William Wallace put his life at the disposal of his country: he fights for the independence from England, which considers Scotland a source of taxes and a danger to be defused quickly.

The “Braveheart” has all the characteristics that can come to mind in a leader: he is brave without the fear of being afraid, generous, intelligent.

I find the movie interesting also and above all for the application of 36 stratagems: you will find excellent examples of use of stratagems such as “Kill with a borrowed knife”, “Wait at leisure while the enemy labours”, “Stomp the grass to scare the snake”, ” Borrow a corpse to resurrect the soul” and many others.

I propose you an exercise: why don’t you read here the 36 stratagems and try to identify them in the movie?

Cast

Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Catherine Mccormack, Patrick McGoohan, Brendan Gleeson, Alun Armstrong, James Cosmo, Peter Hanly, Sean Lawlor, Angus Macfadyen