TASMINA Ahmed-Sheikh was brave enough to criticise the furious critics of the blockbuster movie Braveheart (The real reasons why the Tories detest Braveheart, May 27). The continuing hysterical venomous attacks of the last quarter of a century, not just in the Torygraph, continue from endless angry comments from Britnat journalists, historians, political hacks, and social media.

It was not just the costumes, make-up, and composite history of Scotland alluding to Picts and Jacobites that still infuriates them, or the choice of Ozzie actor, but the fact that it was made at all and they dared mention the unspeakable words, “The Wallace!”

Some “historians” claimed Oor Wullie Wallace did not exist and that he was a robber and a murderer. Whom did he rob and whom did he murder and why? Was it innocent philanderers, tourists, and passers-by who happened to be holidaying and dispensing charity in Scotland, or was it mass imperial perjurers, robbers, rapists, and arsonists?

READ MORE: This is the REAL reason the Tories can't stand Braveheart

Soaras Wallace of the Clann Wallace re-enactment society and stuntmaister telt me himself that two Hollywood companies consulted him. They asked him to recommend a Scottish actor. Soaras prompted for an actor of international box office appeal. Being a biker, he thought the Mad Max-style would do the trick.

Not one of these critics mentioned the endless films whitewashing England’s imperial history. Or the dashing portrayal by another Australian actor, Errol Flynn, of Elizabeth I of England’s many imperialist cutthroat pirates, mass murderers, robbers and slavers to boot.

As a kid I remember how we all loved Errol Flynn’s inaccurate portrayals, from General Custer invading Indian territory, capturing Crazy Hoarse, or prancing aboot Hollywood sets in tights, robbing rich landowners and fat merchants and giving to the peasants etc. Oh how we re-enacted these scenes efter Seturday efternins, watching the weekly “chapters” in Maryhill cinemas, later in Ruchill Park and infuriating “Nosy Norrie, the Nazi Parkie”, who was merely doing his duty in a smart uniform and flattened peak cap, whilst we fought for the honour of Maryhill against Possil posses.

Wallace did exist and Robin Hood did not. Braveheart author Randall Wallace produced a magazine in conjunction with STV and The Big Issue. Like the Legend of Arthur, English nationalists reinvented and claimed Robbin’ Robin. The magazine compared and sourced him to the accurate legends of Wallace, who was an archer, according to his crest, and wore Selkirk Green, whilst outlawed in the forest. His wife was (Maid) Marion Braidfute and he did kill the wicked Sheriff of Lanark. His Friar Tuck was his mentor and educator, Bishop Wishart, who fought the English King Edward for King Robert. His right-hand man was John Little, or Liddell, a Border name. Other characters are too numerous to relate here.

Nottingham has a statue to a hero that did not exist. Glasgow Cooncil refused to have a statue to Wallace at Cathedral Square, where he and Bishop Wishart chased the English to Bothwell Castle and gave them another doing, after defending the Bishop’s Cathedral Castle in the Battle of the Bell of the Braes. MSP Tommy Sheridan, at the time, proposed naming Glasgow Airport to the Knight of Elderslie, second son of an obscure knight. The Holyrood Labour government refused, declaring that airports cannot be named after individuals, despite Nottingham Airport being renamed after a Robin Hood that did not exist.

Finally, I remember reading of someone in Fife being fined for punching an English polis after watching the film. The sheriff reminded him that it was 700 years ago. “I know,” he said, “I’ve only just fun’ oot aboot it”.

Donald Anderson
Glasgow