Braveheart (1995) is an American historical epic directed by Mel Gibson, who also stars as Scottish rebel leader William Wallace. The film follows Wallace from his childhood in occupied Scotland to his role in leading a violent uprising against English rule during the First War of Scottish Independence. Sophie Marceau plays Princess Isabelle, Patrick McGoohan plays King Edward I, Catherine McCormack plays Murron, and Angus Macfadyen appears as Robert the Bruce. The film takes major liberties with historical events, but presents Wallace as a romantic and national symbol of resistance, sacrifice and freedom. With large battle scenes, Highland landscapes, James Horner’s score and a strong heroic-myth structure, Braveheart became one of the most famous historical films of the 1990s and won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Braveheart is set in Scotland and England, but was filmed mainly in Scotland and Ireland, with studio work at Ardmore Studios near Dublin. In Scotland, Glen Nevis near Fort William was used for Wallace’s home village of Lanark, with the Highland landscape around Ben Nevis giving the film much of its early visual identity. Glen Coe, Loch Leven and Aonach Eagach also appear in the Scottish material, especially in the mountain and opening landscape sequences. Edinburgh Council Chamber was used for the interior of Mornay’s castle. Many of the larger medieval and battle scenes were filmed in Ireland, where the production used locations within reach of Dublin. Trim Castle in County Meath doubled for both York and London, including the execution setting, while the Curragh Plains in County Kildare were used for the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Other Irish locations connected to the film include Bective Abbey, Dunsoghly Castle and the Wicklow Mountains. This gives Braveheart a location identity split between Scottish atmosphere and Irish scale: the Highlands provide the emotional image of Wallace’s homeland, while Irish castles, plains and studio facilities supply much of the film’s medieval city, battle and fortress material.
Trim Castle
Trim Castle has appeared in The Big Red One (1980) and Braveheart (1995). In both films, the castle is used to represent places outside Ireland.