Based on a true story?

Max Baer
I've never really given thought to Hollywood's use of "Based on a true story" until I saw Cinderella Man for the first time the other day. Cinderella Man was the retelling of a story from the Great Depression era, inspired by the life of light-heavyweight boxer James J. Braddock and his amazing comeback from a floundering career. The depiction of his character, though quite accurate with the historical Braddock, is not the reason for this rant. Instead it is the way in which the character of Max Baer, who was the current heavyweight champ and Braddock's biggest challenge in the movie, was portrayed by hollywood writers and film maker Ron Howard. Max Baer, as depicted in the movie was a heavy hitter which was accurate, but was villified in the portrayal of the outcome of a fight that saw him kill fellow boxer Frankie Campbell in the ring in San Francisco, 1930. Campbell was knocked out and never regained consciousness, later dying at hospital from brain hemorrages from the devastating blows he's received from Baer. The movie depicts Baer as someone who was 'cold blooded' and proud that he had taken the life of another man in the ring, with the character often boasting about what he had done and using it to stir fear in his opponents. This is were the depiction in the film and the historical go in two seperate directions. The movie created a monster. The historical Max Baer was very different. In reality, this event would profoundly affect and haunt Baer for the rest of his life. He was charged with man slaughter but was eventually aquitted of all charges. He gave purses from succeeding bouts to Campbell's family and went on to put Campbell's children through college. Something the character portrayed in the movie wouldn't be capable of. I will most definately be sitting up and taking notice of Hollywood's next installment of their "true stories." Their version of the truth is very interesting. Picture this:

Star Wars

Episode IV: A New Hope

Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away

(loosely based on real events....)

blah blah blah

blah blah blah