Top 10 Movies Based on a True Story That Left Out the Craziest Part

“The Greatest Showman” (2017)

Among this crowd-pleasing musical’s many artistic liberties, P. T. Barnum actually got his big break by acquiring Joice Heth, an elderly African-American woman, and turning her autopsy into an attraction. The bearded lady, Lettie Lutz, also had her history tweaked. Her real name was Annie Jones and she didn’t join Barnum’s circus as an adult. Jones was merely nine months old, earning her parents $150 a week. Between then and her death at age 37, Jones grew facial hair as a five-year-old, got married twice, and was supposedly kidnapped by a ​​phrenologist posing as her father, resulting in a court case. Whether that last part is true or a publicity stunt, Jones’ story had the potential to be the Greatest Show on Earth.

“The Crucible” (1996)

This adaptation of Arthur Miller’s play captures the paranoia and injustice of the Salem witch trials, but overlooks an especially weird element. There were many nonsensical ways of testing accused “witches,” including throwing them in the water to see if they floated or sank. In the case of Abigail Williams and Betty Parris, their urine was baked into a rye flour cake. A dog then ate the disgusting dessert, which somehow was supposed to lead the witch-hunters to the root of evil. We’ve heard of urinal cakes, but this is ridiculous. When the dog didn’t get sick, Williams and Parris accused an enslaved woman named Tituba and two others of witchcraft. Ironically, Tituba made the cake and she eventually confessed despite the lack of proof.

“Titanic” (1997)

Jack and Rose are fictional characters, but at least one tragic romance actually occurred on the RMS Titanic. We all remember the haunting image of an elderly man and woman embracing in bed, accepting fate as water floods into their room. These two are based on Isidor and Ida Straus, a real-life couple who went down with the ship. Although the Strauses could’ve gotten on a lifeboat with their maid, Ellen Bird, Isidor was unwilling to go since women and children remained in jeopardy. Isidor tried convincing his wife to get to safety, but Ida chose to stay with the man she loved. A deleted scene depicts Ida staying by Isidor’s side, but we gladly would’ve watched an entire movie about this couple.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018)

Whether you love or hate this Queen biopic, it would’ve been interesting to see one of the band’s most controversial concerts recreated. In 1984, Queen took their Works Tour to the Sun City Super Bowl in Bophuthatswana, South Africa. Their decision to play in South Africa was met with an outcry since the country continued to practice Apartheid, a segregation system. The Britain’s Musicians’ Union banned members from putting on a show in Sun City and the United Nations advised against playing in the country altogether. Queen went through with the gig regardless, although a few shows had to be canceled when Freddie Mercury’s voice gave out. Queen argued that they did it for their fans in South Africa, claiming their crowds were integrated.

“I, Tonya” (2017)

Tonya Harding’s rivalry with Nancy Kerrigan remains one of the most shocking scandals ever to rock the sports world. What’s just as crazy, though, is Harding’s life after being banned from competitive skating. While the epilogue briefly touches upon her boxing career and other jobs, there’s a lot more to her story. She made her acting debut in the 1996 indie film “Breakaway,” playing a restaurant manager who gets involved in a stolen money plot. That same year, she revived an eighty-one-year-old woman named Alice Olson after she stopped breathing in a bar. Harding has since broken a land speed record in her 1931 Ford Model A and become a reality TV star. We’d love to see this all explored in a sequel, “II, Tonya.”

“Foxcatcher” (2014)

“Foxcatcher” leaves out some of the most jaw-dropping details about John du Pont, such as a horse-riding accident that cost him two valuable assets. Du Pont nearly shot a twelve-year-old boy by a pond while aiming for geese. He was briefly married to Gale Wenk, who claims du Pont tried shoving her into a fireplace at gunpoint. The mentally ill du Pont allegedly thought Wenk was a Russian spy. He also thought treadmill clocks were sending him back in time and spirits were tunneling into his house. On one hand, part of what makes “Foxcatcher” such a disturbing experience is that du Pont remains clouded in mystery throughout. On the other hand, du Pont’s life before the Schultz brothers could’ve been an equally unsettling film.

“A Beautiful Mind” (2001)

This Best Picture winner ends with mathematician John Nash dedicating his Nobel Prize to his wife, Alicia. Although he did win the Nobel in 1994, Nash and Alicia were divorced for more than 30 years before remarrying in 2001. Where Alicia has a prominent role in the film, it completely ignores Eleanor Stier, a nurse who had an illegitimate child with Nash when he was single. Also absent is their son, John David Stier, who Nash neglected for most of his life. Nash’s sexuality isn’t fully explored either. Although Nash denied being gay, some have recounted his infatuation with various men. His 1954 arrest for indecent exposure is omitted as well. Had these chapters been included, we feel Nash’s portrayal would’ve been even more layered.

“Balto” (1995)

Being a family-friendly animated film, we know to take the “true story” label with a grain of salt. Well, maybe a truckload of salt, as Balto didn’t even run the most dangerous part of the 1925 serum run to Nome. That distinction goes to another dog named Togo, who went through freezing hell to make the delivery. Since Balto led the last leg, he got the glory, the statue, and the movie. To be fair, Togo has received more credit in recent years. He even got his first statue in 1997 and a live-action film in 2019. While that movie delves deeper into Togo’s journey, it overlooks the aftermath where he chased after a reindeer, disappeared, and was eventually returned to his owner, Leonhard Seppala.

“The King and I” (1956)

As seen in this classic musical and its source material, Anna Leonowens accepted a job teaching the King of Siam’s wives and children. Anna’s life leading up to this point isn’t what pop culture has led you to believe, however. For starters, Anna was a mixed-race woman born in India. While the film portrays her as upper class, Anna was left little money after her husband died. She thus moved to Singapore and started a school for British officers’ children. Anna took this time to reinvent herself, claiming that she was originally from Wales, her father was a major, and her late husband was an army officer. She also adopted a polished English accent, lied about her age, and neglected to mention her mother’s heritage.

“Zola” (2020)

Like the Twitter thread it’s based on, this film might’ve exaggerated some elements regarding Aziah “Zola” King’s (asia) crazy Tampa trip. On the whole, though, this unbelievable true story is more fact than fiction. The insanity didn’t end with the road trip. Two women named Breeonna Pellow and Jessica Forgie subsequently got mixed up with Jessica Rae Swiatkowski (swee-at-kovskee), renamed Stefani in the film, and her pimp. Swiatkowski reportedly contacted Zola a few days after the trip, claiming that her pimp got arrested in Vegas for sex trafficking. Given everything that previously transpired, Zola chose not to get involved. He pled guilty to sex trafficking and coercion, receiving a sixteen-year sentence with the possibility of parole after five. This movie needed an epilogue.