50 Movies That Left Out the Real Horrific Ending

Top 50 Movies That Left Out the Real Horrific Ending

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at movie adaptations that conveniently leave out the stories’ most appalling details.

#50: Based on the Gainesville Ripper

"Scream" (1996)


In 1996, "Scream" slashed its way into theaters, revitalizing the horror genre. But did you know this cult classic was inspired by a real-life nightmare? In 1994, Kevin Williamson was a struggling writer and actor. One day while watching TV, he was fascinated by a program detailing the case of a serial killer dubbed "The Gainesville Ripper." Danny Rolling was a drifter who wandered into the town of Gainesville, Florida. There, he terrorized the city with the brutal murder of five college students. Like the killers in Scream, Rolling was filled with a twisted desire for notoriety. Williamson converted a true story of fear, terror, and sorrow into a script that brought a humorous twist to the slasher genre.

#49: Chris Kyle’s Lack of Regret

“American Sniper” (2014)


Chris Kyle wasn't just a SEAL sniper. He was the SEAL sniper. The U.S. Navy credits Kyle with a staggering 160 confirmed kills in Iraq. In 2014, his story was adapted into the film "American Sniper" starring Bradley Cooper. Cooper's performance was masterful, portraying a reluctant killer determined to protect his family, his brothers, and his country. He is a trained killer for whom killing is a job, not a calling. The real Chris Kyle was a little different. He enjoyed his reputation as a seasoned killer, even taking credit for stateside murders that never happened. He said that the government sent him to New Orleans during Katrina where he murdered 30 alleged looters. He also claimed to have murdered carjackers in Texas.

#48: The Tuohy Family Wasn’t So Kind

“The Blind Side” (2009)


Hollywood tends to whitewash true stories to create consumable, enjoyable stories. There are few examples more egregious than the Oscar-winning film "The Blind Side." The movie is a beautiful story about a troubled young Black man named Michael Oher. Thanks to the guidance of a benevolent white family, the Tuohys, Oher rises out of poverty to become a star lineman in the NFL. The truth isn't so cut and dry. Oher was a determined man with natural talent who deserved more credit for his own success. No white savior was necessary. Worse, according to Oher, the Tuohys exploited his success. They put him in a lucrative conservatorship, one that took him two decades to eliminate in court.

#47: Desmond Doss’ Long-Term Trauma

“Hacksaw Ridge” (2016)


"Hacksaw Ridge" is a World War II epic inspired by the incredible true story of Desmond Doss. Doss was a conscientious objector and combat medic who saved 75 men at Okinawa without firing a single shot. While the film captures his bravery, it leaves out the years of suffering he endured after the war. Doss was severely wounded by a grenade, losing partial function in his arm. A year after the war, he contracted tuberculosis and went through more than five years of treatment. By 1951, he'd lost five ribs and a lung to surgery. He would spend the rest of his life battling pain and illness.

#46: The Nazi Sympathizing Almost King

“The King's Speech” (2010)


Hollywood cannot resist an uplifting story. "The King’s Speech" was no exception. The movie tells the story of how King George VI overcame his stutter to rally Britain during World War II. It fails to mention that his older brother, Edward VIII - the guy he replaced - was cozying up to the Nazis. Edward had abdicated the throne to marry an American socialite. He was also a well-known Nazi sympathizer. Edward even met with Hitler in 1937. There is even evidence to suggest that he encouraged the Nazis to bomb Britain. The British government had to send him off to govern the Bahamas just to keep him from causing trouble. Had Edward VIII remained king, World War II might have looked very different.

#45: False Hope

"Changeling" (2008)


Clint Eastwood’s "Changeling" tells the heartbreaking true story of Christine Collins, whose son Walter vanished in 1928. The film portrays the LAPD as both corrupt and inept, trying to pass off a random boy as her son. On that score, it was depressingly accurate. "Changeling" unfortunately leaves out one of the most gut-wrenching details: Christine Collins died without any closure. While the film suggests that Walter was likely a victim of the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders, his fate was never confirmed. Christine spent the rest of her life searching, hoping against hope that Walter was still alive. She died in 1964, never knowing the truth. Hollywood loves a dramatic ending, but real life doesn’t always tie things up so neatly.

#44: Erasing an Entire Brother

“The Iron Claw” (2023)


The story of the Von Erich wrestling dynasty is one of abject sorrow. "The Iron Claw" does a great job of capturing the emotional truth of the family's tragic tale. It does, however, remove an entire brother: Chris Von Erich. The youngest of the Von Erich brothers, Chris idolized his family, following in their wrestling footsteps. Unfortunately, he lived with asthma. His treatments left him with brittle bones. Chris constantly suffered injuries, hampering his career. His exclusion from the film is glaring, especially considering that he was yet another victim of the so-called “Von Erich curse.” In 1991, Chris was devastated by his failed wrestling dreams and the loss of his brothers, taking his own life.

#43: Glossing Over the Cholula Massacre

“Captain from Castile” (1947)


The Spanish conquest of Mexico has been romanticized for centuries, including by Hollywood in the film “Captain from Castile.” The truth was much uglier, savage, and more duplicitous. In the film, a young conquistador heroically follows Hernan Cortes, navigating a twisted web of internal Spanish politics. The movie climaxes with a glorious march on the city of Cholula as they make their way to Tenochtitlan. It doesn't go into any real detail as to the events that unfolded there. In real life, the city was decimated. Cortes and his Tlaxcalan allies captured Cholula's leaders, accused them of treachery, and murdered them. What followed was a brutal sacking known as the "Cholula Massacre." In under two hours, more than 6,000 civilians were killed.

#42: A Scottish Cannibal & His Murderous Clan

"The Hills Have Eyes" (1977)


Wes Craven's 1977 horror classic is an utterly insane story about a family of murderous cannibals in the Nevada desert. What you may not know is that Craven drew his inspiration from a real legend. While historians debate the truth of Scottish cannibal Sawney Bean, his story has terrified Europeans for centuries. According to legend, Alexander "Sawney" Bean led a clan in 15th or 16th-century Scotland. They were a clan of brigands, preying upon unwary travelers. According to the legends, though, their crimes didn't end at highway robbery. For a quarter century, they allegedly ate over 1,000 victims before being captured and executed by King James VI.

#41: Flaying the Enemy

“Braveheart” (1995)


Mel Gibson's "Braveheart," while a hit with American audiences, was a miss with historians. The movie portrays William Wallace as a well-traveled and educated man. Most of the details of the real Wallace's early years are actually lost to history. The film also takes liberties with the facts surrounding Wallace's military campaign. In the film, Wallace achieves a brilliant tactical victory at the Battle of Stirling. In truth, no brilliant tactics were required. The English bottlenecked themselves onto a narrow bridge and were easily defeated. The legends around that battle include a darker detail omitted from the film. Multiple accounts claim that Wallace didn't just kill the English general. He allegedly flayed the Englishman, turning his skin into a sword belt.

#40: Thousands Frozen to Death

“Battle of the Bulge” (1965)


Hollywood, in particular, has a long and sordid history of using movies to gloss over nasty, inconvenient facts of war. There are few examples more absurd than the movie “Battle of the Bulge.” The film gets so many details wrong it's almost near parody. The film often forgets the most important detail of the Battle of the Bulge: it happened during winter. Despite some snowy locales, the film's sunny lush green locations gloss over the battle's horror. The freezing rain and snow cut off most soldier's visibility, leading to hundreds of cases of frostbite and trench foot. Tanks had to literally be chiseled out of blocks of ice. Hundreds of wounded soldiers froze to death long before any help arrived.

#39: Exaggerated Nobility

“Captain Phillips” (2013)


When you want your film to star an older white man of unshakable moral fiber, you cast Tom Hanks. That's at least what the producers of the film "Captain Phillips" believed. Tom Hanks stars as Captain Richard Phillips, the 'hero' of the 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking. In real life, Phillips was surrounded by controversies. Several crew members alleged that Phillips ignored maritime warnings to steer at least 600 miles off the Somali. It was well-known pirate territory, but Phillips chose a closer route to save time and fuel. This decision, they claimed, led to the hijacking. The crew filed lawsuits against the shipping company, asserting that Phillips' negligence endangered their lives. The lawsuits were reportedly settled before trial.

#38: Civilians Were Slaughtered During the Land Invasion

“Okinawa” (1952)


Hollywood can't help but propagandize the nobility and righteousness of U.S. forces during World War II. This 1952 naval epic is a shining example. The movie follows the crew of a U.S. destroyer as it engages in the naval half of the Battle of Okinawa. It hyper-fixates on the terror and moral atrocity of kamikaze pilots while failing to address the abject horror of the land invasion, later dubbed "The Typhoon of Steel." Following the war, reports detailed the atrocities committed there by both America and Japan. Each side approached the battle without regard for the lives of native Okinawans. Women were assaulted. Children were kidnapped and died. By some estimates, the battle killed half of the island's pre-war population of 300,000.

#37: The Exact Opposite of the Truth

“Artemisia” (1997)


When real-life stories are adapted to film, it's often understandable when details are changed in order to tell a good story. The changes made in the 1997 film "Artemisia," however, are repulsive. Artemisia Gentileschi was one of the most renowned female painters of the Baroque era. The film falsely presents her relationship with Agostino Tassi as a consensual romance. In reality, Tassi assaulted her. In the film, Artemisia denies the allegations. In reality, she testified under oath to confirm the assault, leading to Tassi’s conviction. The movie also inaccurately portrays Tassi as her artistic mentor, shaping her style with his supposed expertise in landscapes and male nudes. However, Artemisia’s work focused on powerful biblical heroines. Tassi had no influence over her work whatsoever.

#36: Two Families’ Unanswered Questions

“Open Water” (2003)


Tom and Eileen Lonergan were an American couple who vanished during a 1998 diving expedition on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Their disappearance was dramatized in "Open Water," a harrowing film about their final hours. In both life and cinema, the dive boat crew inadvertently left the couple behind. It took days for them to realize their mistake, and by then it was too late. Despite extensive search efforts, the Lonergans were never found. Unsettling theories emerged post-disappearance. Some speculated that the Lonergans had faked their own deaths. These claims were never substantiated and were dismissed by the coroner. The rumors compounded the anguish of their loved ones. Two families were left grappling with both their loss and the cloud of speculation surrounding their tragedy.

#35: Japanese Reprisals for the Doolittle Raid

“Pearl Harbor” (2001)


Director Michael Bay's filmography is known for one thing and one thing only: spectacle. While "Pearl Harbor" delivered on that score, it faced significant criticism for its historical inaccuracies and melodramatic narrative. Perhaps the most glaring omission from the film was the repercussions of the daring Doolittle Raid on Japan. Although the movie showcases the bravery of the raiders, it neglects the brutal consequences faced by Chinese civilians who assisted the downed American airmen. After the raid, most of the B-25 bombers crash-landed in Japanese-occupied China. In retaliation, the Japanese military launched the Zhejiang-Jiangxi campaign. Tens of thousands of Chinese civilians were killed. Villages suspected of aiding the Americans were utterly destroyed and residents suffered horrific atrocities at the hands of the Japanese.

#34: Eliot Ness' Lonely Final Years

“The Untouchables” (1987)


Cinephiles know that Treasury Agent Eliot Ness took down notorious gangster Al Capone - the Chicago way. His hunt for Capone was gloriously captured in the 1987 classic "The Untouchables." Most fans, though, are unaware of the tragic circumstances of Ness' life after Prohibition. His reputation as the man who took down Capone earned him a job as Cleveland's Safety Director. There, he failed to apprehend the "Torso Murderer," a serial killer who terrorized the city in the 1930s. His reputation took another hit after a drunk driving incident and subsequent cover-up. Ness was forced to resign. His next two decades were marred by failed business ventures and financial difficulties. He died in 1957, nearly destitute and alone, with his earlier heroics overshadowed by personal misfortune.

#33: Haunted by a Horror Series

"The Amityville Horror" franchise (1979-)


When the Lutz family moved into their new Long Island home in 1975, they couldn't imagine the horrible future they had in store. While "The Amityville Horror" franchise depicts the Lutz family's alleged supernatural experiences, their true horror would come after fleeing the house in 1976. George and Kathy Lutz became entangled in numerous legal battles, with George involved in at least fourteen Amityville-related lawsuits by 2005. These legal disputes, along with public skepticism and media scrutiny, took a significant toll on the family. Critics accused them of fabricating their story for financial gain. Their children suffered long-lasting psychological trauma from their experiences both at the Ocean Avenue house and subsequent controversies.

#32: Physical & Emotional Abuse

“Yours, Mine and Ours” (1968 & 2005)


Blended families can be tough to navigate. The two versions of the film "Yours, Mine and Ours" play those difficulties up for laughs. Each depicts the heartwarming story of Helen North and Frank Beardsley - two single parents whose love blends two large families into a single massive one full of hijinx and chaos. However, Tom North, one of Helen's sons, reveals a starkly different reality in his memoir. He alleges that his stepfather, Frank Beardsley, subjected the children to severe physical and emotional abuse. This abuse led Tom into depression and substance use as he struggled to cope with the trauma.

#31: Alan Turing's Tragic Fate

“The Imitation Game” (2014)


Alan Turing was an absolutely brilliant mathematician. In "The Imitation Game," Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Turing in his role as codebreaker, playing a pivotal role in deciphering the Nazi Enigma code. His life post-war is glossed over, for understandable reasons. Despite his monumental contributions, Turing faced persecution due to his sexuality. In 1952, he was charged with "gross indecency" under British law after his homosexuality was revealed. Rather than face imprisonment, Turing accepted hormone therapy, a form of chemical castration, which severely impacted his health and well-being. Two years later, in 1954, Turing died from cyanide poisoning, with many believing that his death was intentional. During his lifetime, achievements were thus largely overshadowed by his prosecution thanks to his wartime work remaining classified.

#30: The Aftermath

“Alive” (1993)


The true story that inspired this movie is chilling, and its representation on the screen stops short of the full picture. “Alive” is an account of the aftermath of the Andes flight disaster, involving Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571. The crash survivors spent 72 days in the harsh Andes mountains before they were rescued. This point marks the end of the 1993 dramatization. After returning home, the survivors were heavily criticized when it was revealed that they had resorted to eating their dead friends for sustenance. Even with such a great loss to bear, the father of one of the dead victims was arrested for grave robbing when he went up to the mountains himself to retrieve his son’s remains after they were buried.

#29: The Abandoned Bus

“Into the Wild” (2007)


“Into the Wild” details the life of Christopher McCandless who hitchhiked across North America and ended up in the Alaska wilderness. McCandless camped out in an abandoned green bus, where he eventually passed on, reportedly due to starvation. After being documented in the biographical book of the same title, McCandless’ story became a cultural phenomenon and inspired quite a lot of people to tread the same path as him. In the years following the book’s publication, many hikers journeyed to McCandless’ abandoned bus, with two people losing their lives in the process and multiple others needing to be rescued. To prevent further harm, the bus was removed from its original location. It currently sits in a museum at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

#28: Mulan Ends Her Life

“Mulan” (1998)


Mulan is badass in this movie, and she is just as cool in the legends that the film was based on. Mulan did join the army according to Chinese legends, and she kicked ass throughout her military career. Disney said that she was cast aside when her identity was discovered but proved herself when she saved the Emperor from Huns. This reveal plays out differently in the legends, but there’s a version of her in the 1695 story “Sui Tang Romance” that sees a very sad conclusion. After returning from the war, she discovers her father has passed. Instead of being forced into service as a concubine, she ends her life at her father’s grave. She didn’t deserve that.

#27: Anastasia Didn’t Survive

“Anastasia” (1997)


Fox’s animated movie about a lost Russian princess has more of a historical basis than other entries on this list. In the early 1910s, Russia was ruled by the Imperial Romanov family. In the movie, former advisor and sorcerer Grigori Rasputin sparks the Russian Revolution, causing Anastasia to be separated from her family while being evacuated from danger. But that is an alternate history retelling. In the real world, Rasputin was assassinated in 1916 before the execution of the Romanovs in 1918 by Bolshevik revolutionaries. This film was based on the rumors that Duchess Anastasia escaped due to a number of imposters who had come forward in the years since. Her remains were eventually found confirming her horrible fate.

#26: Sleeping Beauty’s Problematic Origin

“Sleeping Beauty” (1959)


“Sleeping Beauty” is another Charles Perrault-inspired story that leaves out shocking moments from its source material. Perrault’s story plays out similarly, albeit with some later troubles after the prince awakens the princess. But Perrault simply adapted another version of the folktale published by Italian author Giambattista Basile. In his version, the sleeping beauty, named Talia, is beset upon by a wandering King. He brings her to bed, leaves and she gives birth to twins all while asleep! Once the King comes back, his Queen tries to remove Talia and the children from the equation, but the King instead turns on his wife so he can now commit to his new family. This one is both weird and disturbing!

#25: ALS Diagnosis

“Rescue Dawn” (2006)


Dieter Dengler was a pilot for the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War who was captured and held prisoner for six months. Dengler managed to escape and spent the next 23 days in the jungle before he was found and rescued by an American pilot. His harrowing ordeal was first reconstructed in the documentary “Little Dieter Needs to Fly” before it was dramatized in this 2006 film starring Christian Bale. The movie gets its happy ending in Dengler’s rescue, but the real-life events take a sad turn afterwards. While he regained his physical self, Dengler never fully recovered from his traumatic experience. The decorated pilot was diagnosed with ALS years later, and ended up taking his own life.

#24: Thousands of POWs & Civilians Died Building the Burma Railway

“The Bridge on the River Kwai” (1957)


Many British World War II veterans took umbrage with the Oscar-winning film “The Bridge on the River Kwai.” It portrays a British commander, played by Alec Guinness, who takes pride in ordering his imprisoned men to build a bridge for the Japanese. In actuality, when forced to build the Burma Railway, British officers encouraged sabotage. In a BBC interview, a former prisoner said that an officer like the movie's Nicholson would have been killed. Conditions, too, were far worse than the movie depicts. Tens of thousands of laborers from Thailand, Burma, and Malaysia were conscripted to aid in construction. By the end of the war, 13,000 POWs died from exhaustion, thirst, starvation, and disease. Between eighty and one hundred thousand civilians also died.

#23: The KKK Were Terrorists, Not Heroes

“The Birth of a Nation” (1915)

“The Birth of a Nation” was the first blockbuster ever produced. It was also replete with lies from beginning to end. Covering both the end of the Civil War and the Reconstruction Era, the movie doesn’t just spin history; it inverts it. The film shows Black militias roaming the hillside, murdering southern families. The KKK, however, are just honest white folk defending their homes. Black politicians steal elections, and corrupt the government thanks to Reconstruction. History reveals that the opposite was true. The KKK and similar groups attacked communities all over the American south, stamping out Black voting whenever possible. In Opelousas, Louisiana, a sister organization to the KKK murdered 200 Black people to stop their votes. Corruption and murder killed Reconstruction in its infancy.

#22: The Killings

“My Friend Dahmer” (2017)


“My Friend Dahmer” doesn't delve into the outright horror that serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer would become known for, but that doesn’t mean it’s without its tenser moments. Adapted from the graphic novel of the same name by John “Derf” Backderf, the film recounts Derf’s relationship with the young Jeffrey during their high school years. Throughout the film, a series of red flags regarding Jeffrey’s behavior goes largely unnoticed, and the film ends with him picking up a hitchhiker named Steven Hicks, who was Dahmer’s first victim in real life. Obviously, the film never purported to be about the murders, instead opting for a fascinating look at nascent psychopathy. Plus, there are other biopics that do get into the nitty gritty of it all.

#21: 67 Exorcisms

“The Exorcism of Emily Rose” (2005)


Part demonic possession movie, part courtroom drama, “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” tells the story of a college girl who dies sometime after a failed exorcism and the subsequent trial of the priest for negligent homicide. Though alleging to be about a real person named Emily Rose, the film actually took inspiration from the story of German woman Anneliese Michel. Whereas Emily has a single exorcism performed on her in the movie - hence the singularity in its title - Michel reportedly underwent a whopping sixty-seven over the course of ten months before succumbing to malnutrition. We can understand why the movie would want to streamline things, but truth really is stranger than fiction.

#20: Career Struggles

“Ed Wood” (1994)


If you know anything about the real Ed Wood, you know his whole career was filled with ups and downs. Mostly downs, come to think of it. But his real life post “Plan 9 from Outer Space” doesn’t exactly match the tone of the final scene. After the premiere of the aforementioned flick, Ed and Kathy go off to get hitched. The on-screen text at the end alludes to his descent into alcoholism and “nudie films,” but that barely even scratches the surface. In addition to adult movies, Wood wrote upwards of eighty sex novels just to get by, often spending the money immediately on booze. Though he and Kathy stayed together until his death, their home life wasn’t exactly swell, to say the least.

#19: Hindered Acceptance Speech

“A Beautiful Mind” (2001)


Ron Howard’s “A Beautiful Mind” is an emotionally wrought exploration into a psyche that is both brilliant and damaged, showing the toll schizophrenia had on mathematician John Nash. Though the depiction of the disease wasn’t entirely accurate to Nash’s experiences, they work in a narrative sense. After a heavy two-plus hours of runtime, Nash accepts the Nobel Prize and dedicates it to his wife Alicia in a speech. As cathartic as this moment is, Nash’s disease prevented him from making any such speech in real life. Though the movie came out fourteen years prior, it should be at least mentioned that Nash’s story would end in tragedy as he and Alicia were killed in a car accident in 2015.

#18: Failed Businesses

“Schindler’s List” (1993)

As if “Schindler’s List” isn’t horrific enough. And no, what we’re about to describe is nothing compared to the actual horrors of WWII, but it is interesting nonetheless. After the war, Oskar Schindler found himself financially reeling, proving no good deed goes unpunished. He moved to Argentina and raised chickens for a while, but this venture eventually went belly up and he returned to Germany. His subsequent business ventures were even less successful, forcing him to declare bankruptcy in 1963. On-screen text acknowledges this, but not long after, Schindler suffered a heart attack and from then on was sustained on donations from the families he helped save. Though there’s some heartwarming humanity there, it’s still saddening to hear he didn’t prosper as much as he deserved.

#17: Divorce & Allegations of Mistreatment

“The Theory of Everything” (2014)


“The Theory of Everything” definitely depicts the fraught ending to Stephen Hawking’s marriage to Jane Wilde. But while the punctuating on-screen text is right in that they eventually stayed friends, it leaves out a good portion during which they decidedly were not. During their marriage, Hawking became close to one of his nurses, Elaine Mason. Hawking actually left Wilde for Mason in 1995, but his second marriage may not have been so peachy, either. In the early 2000s, police started an investigation on concerns Hawking was being physically abused, but it was quickly closed when Hawking refused to make a statement. Hawking and Mason divorced in 2006 before his passing in 2018.

#16: No Revenge

“The Revenant” (2015)


It’s a little weird to call an ending horrific because it didn’t actually have a violent confrontation, but such is the nature of “The Revenant.” In the movie, frontiersman Hugh Glass goes through hell after his son is murdered and he’s left for dead, ultimately tracking down then getting revenge on the man responsible. In reality, Glass got no such revenge. Of the two men who left him for dead, Glass tracked down a man named “Bridges,” but ultimately spared him on account of his youth and inexperience. The other - the John Fitzgerald depicted in the film - was virtually untouchable having enlisted in the army, Glass telling him he would kill him should he ever leave. The intent was there, but it’s definitely less climactic.

#15: The Davies Boys’ Unhappy Endings

“Finding Neverland” (2004)


If you need evidence that real life is far from a fairy tale, look no further than the Davies boys, the inspirations for Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. “Finding Neverland” ends sadly enough, with “Peter Pan” author J. M. Barrie adopting the Davies boys after the tragic death of their mother, Sylvia. The final scene has a sadly uplifting undertone, but tragedy would follow the family in real life. Eldest son George was killed in a WWI battle in 1915, and in 1921 second-youngest Michael drowned alongside a friend, with some questioning if it was wholly accidental. Mere months after Jack succumbed to lung disease in 1959, Peter himself took his own life, having struggled greatly being the namesake for Peter Pan.

#14: Whales’ Ambiguous Fates

“Big Miracle” (2012)


Everyone loves an uplifting story about humanity banding together to save animals in need. So it’s not surprising that “Big Miracle” ends with the trapped gray whales escaping their icy prison to freedom. Though Operation Breakthrough - the real life rescue mission on which the film is based - ended in a similar manner, there wasn’t nearly as much optimism to be had. Though the baby whale did indeed die while the parents were freed from the section of ice they were trapped in, their physical states after such an ordeal meant little hope they’d survive much farther past the very similar terrain. No evidence was ever found either way, but many experts believe the whales didn’t get nearly as big of a miracle.

#13: An Unhappy Marriage

“My Left Foot” (1989)


Christy Brown was a man who endured many hardships in his life. While the biopic “My Left Foot” doesn’t shy away from that fact, it did leave out a dark chapter of his story: his relationship with his wife Mary Carr. The film depicts Christy meeting Carr at a charity event, and the film ends with them celebrating with a bottle of champagne. Unfortunately, their happily-ever-after may not have been so happy after all. When Christy Brown died at the age of forty-nine, a postmortem analysis showed bruising on his body. Many suspected the bruises were from neglect or someone physically harming him. A biography was also eventually published that depicted Carr as being unfaithful.

#12: PTSD & Alcohol Issues

“Unbroken” (2014)


“Unbroken” tells the riveting true story of Louis Zamperini, an American soldier who survived a bomber crash over the Pacific, and endured a series of POW camps before the end of WWII. Sadly, as is the case with many veterans, Zamperini was plagued with post-traumatic stress disorder in the years following his return home. He had nightmares of confronting his captors that were so intense that he once attacked his wife at night, before regaining his senses. When Zamperini turned to alcohol as a way to sleep better, he only further damaged his psyche. Thankfully, Zamperini found closure with his ordeal and did improve. This was further covered in a faith-based sequel, “Unbroken: Path to Redemption.”

#11: Nazi Headquarters

“The Sound of Music” (1965)


When you’re singing along to the happy “Sound of Music” track, you’re probably not thinking about Nazis living in the hills. But that’s the sad reality. Sometime after the von Trapp family vacated their Salzburg home in 1938, the house was seized and used as a headquarters for Nazi operations. It specifically served as the summer home for Heinrich Himmler, who was a major architect of many war crimes. The von Trapp home was even visited by Adolf Hitler himself. Thankfully, the estate was turned back over to missionaries after WWII. We’re not surprised the von Trapps left out a song about the house’s regrettable history.

#10: Dark Final Years

“The Aviator” (2004)


While Martin Scorsese’s “The Aviator” gave us a pretty solid preview of what Howard Hughes’s life would ultimately become, it didn’t portray every detail. The movie depicted how he would sequester himself from the outside world for months on end. In real life, his isolationist tendencies only continued. His germaphobia also prevented him from seeing his own wife for several years before they divorced. By the time that Hughes died in 1976, he was so unkempt that his body was almost unrecognizable. Although Hughes had a stature of 6’4”, he weighed a paltry ninety pounds by the end of his life. While we can’t list all the crazy details here, we encourage you to look them up. They’re as fascinating as they are disheartening.

#9: The Bearded Lady’s Life

“The Greatest Showman” (2017)


Most audiences knew that “The Greatest Showman” wasn’t entirely factually accurate, especially since P. T. Barnum had a notorious history. But it turns out the movie was omitting more than just the uglier parts of his story. Lettie Lutz, the bearded lady, was based on Annie Jones. She was surrendered to his custody when she was still an infant. Not one to despair, Jones was an advocate for the rights of so-called “freaks”' and even broke away from Barnum to promote her cause. But her dire financial straits forced her to return to work with him. Jones would succumb to tuberculosis at just thirty-seven years of age. It’s definitely not the “big happy family” ending the movie implied.

#8: A Firing

“Remember the Titans” (2000)


“Remember the Titans” is an inspiring true tale of uniting in the face of cultural and racial divides. But not every person involved was infallible. Eight years after leading T. C. Williams’s first racially integrated football team to a state championship, Coach Herman Boone was fired. The main reason he lost his position was because he was accused of harming his own players. Although the firing was something of a shock to the city of Alexandria, three assistant coaches had threatened to walk if Boone was not relieved of his duties. Ironically, a movie called “Remember the Titans” forgot to talk about the unceremonious end to Coach Boone’s career.

#7: Billing the Family of a Musician Who Lost His Life

“Titanic” (1997)


We know this epic disaster drama couldn’t cover every tragic story involved - even at over three hours - but this one is particularly interesting. After the RMS Titanic sank, over 1,500 people lost their lives. One of the bodies recovered was Jock Hume, a violinist who valiantly played amongst his compatriots as the ship sank. But his brave final actions were dishonored. The company that employed Hume had the audacity to bill his father for the damage done to the uniform Hume was renting. And how did it get damaged? We have a feeling it had something to do with the tragic sinking of the Titanic. Thankfully, Hume’s father chose not to pay the bill.

#6: Death After Release

“Conviction” (2010)


Starring Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell, “Conviction” is a fairly underseen legal drama about a woman who works to become a lawyer so she can personally get her incarcerated brother exonerated for a murder he didn’t commit. A lot of grueling work later, the conviction is indeed overturned eighteen years later, much like in real life, and the film ends with Swank’s Betty Anne Waters sharing a tender moment with Rockwell’s Kenny. Curiously, the ensuing on-screen text omits the fact that the real Kenneth Waters tragically died in an accidental fall only six months after his release. This information would certainly put a damper on the story, though it does feel somewhat crucial to getting the whole picture.

#5: Ostracization & Death

“The Accused” (1988)


This really is a depressing list, isn’t it? A powerful film, “The Accused” follows Jodie Foster’s Sarah Tobias, a woman who is assaulted and ultimately able to have abettors convicted in addition to her attackers. While Tobias herself is fictional, she and the movie are based on the story of Cheryl Araujo, who in 1983 went through much the same experience. However, only four of the six charged with the crime were convicted, serving at most six-and-a-half years. The trial itself exhibited suggestions of victim blaming, and Araujo was subsequently ostracized in the town of New Bedford, Massachusetts. She then moved to Miami, but tragically died at twenty-five in a car accident while reportedly being heavily intoxicated.

#4: What Really Happened to Pocahontas

“Pocahontas” (1995)


This animated Disney movie is notorious for its factual inaccuracies, especially when it comes to the ending. Although the film concludes with John Smith’s departure from the Americas, it doesn’t show that the real Pocahontas was subjected to a number of atrocities. She was captured by the English and used as a pawn in negotiations with her father, the Chief of the Powhatans, for a full year. In 1614, she got married to tobacco planter John Rolfe. But it's unknown whether Pocahontas had a choice in their union. She was subsequently taken to England and used primarily as a propaganda symbol. Unfortunately, she passed away from an unconfirmed illness at just twenty-one years of age.

#3: The Town’s Continued Decline

“Erin Brockovich” (2000)


While the real Erin Brockovich deemed the film to be about “98% accurate,” this fascinating people’s interest story doesn’t exactly address what happened after David slayed Goliath. Brokovich’s class-action lawsuit was indeed successful, in that the business PG&E was mandated to compensate the families affected by the company’s tainted water a whopping $333 million. In real life, many found that their cut was less than they expected. The law firm took roughly 40% of that cut, which is shown, but what’s not shown is how unsatisfied many were with where the chips fell. From there, the town of Hinkley, California turned into a proverbial ghost town. The fears of the water’s furthered contamination drove away many residents.

#2: Tate Murders

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (2019)

Much like “Inglourious Basterds,” Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is pretty upfront about changing historical details, specifically in regards to the Sharon Tate murders. Most everyone knows that pregnant actor Sharon Tate and four others were brutally murdered by members of the Manson family in 1969, so those watching this movie were probably expecting to see it. However, in an awesome display of cinematic justice, Tarantino has the Mansonites taken out themselves by fictional actor Rick Dalton and his stuntman Cliff Booth while Tate and the others are safe and sound. While some of the other entries probably could’ve included the real endings, this is a historical retconning we can totally get behind.

#1: Disappearance After Freedom

“12 Years a Slave” (2013)


Solomon Northup was a free black man living in New York when he was kidnapped in 1841 and sold into slavery in the Southern United States. As the title suggests, he endured twelve grueling years before eventually regaining his freedom and reuniting with his family. Afterwards he wrote the memoir of the same name and became an abolitionist. But four years after returning home, he disappeared again without a trace. It’s possible he was resold into slavery or that someone took his life. But his final fate is a sad mystery. Although the film acknowledges the uncertainty regarding his death, it omits just how bleak the end of his life might have been.


Do you approach movies “based on a true story” with a healthy dose of skepticism? Do your favorite Disney movies gloss over some ugly details? Let us know your favorite cinematic lies in the comments below!