10 “True” Movies That Glossed Over Major Controversies

10. The King's Speech

The Lie: Contrary to the film, Winston Churchill was actually firmly on the side of Edward VIII and opposed his abdication. It's pretty safe to say that Winston Churchill is a hero to millions of British people. He is the historical figurehead of modern education around World War Two and is widely regarded as one of the greatest Prime Ministers in the history of the United Kingdom. As a result, the portrayal of him in 2010 Oscar juggernaut The King's Speech is pretty straightforward. Timothy Spall portrays Churchill as a supportive friend of Colin Firth's stammering King George VI. In reality, according to Christopher Hitchens, Churchill was staunchly loyal to King George's older brother, King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in order to marry American socialite Wallis Simpson and is widely believed to have been sympathetic to Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. In fact, Churchill is reported to have encouraged Edward to resist the pressure to abdicate the throne. It's easy to see why the filmmakers avoided including this particular detail in their film, given that the image of Churchill is so firmly ingrained in the British historical narrative. Painting the political powerhouse as a more flawed character may well have disrupted the uplifting story and put a roadblock on the route to Oscar glory. And when you have Harvey Weinstein behind your film, Oscar roadblocks are intolerable.