MovieChat Forums > The Scarlet and the Black (1983) Discussion > Lose with the facts???

Lose with the facts???

posted 9 years ago by chrissso
2 replies | jump to latest

The Story of Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty is a story that should be told. According to many sources he is responsible for saving over 6,000 allied soldiers and Jews. He is the embodiment of the good the Catholic Church can do. I am glad they made this movie so that future generations can know this man ... but it sure appears they have played lose with the facts. For instance ...

1. It is not plausible that an Irish Catholic priest ... with a brogue as thick as a peat bog ... could make his way into the bowels of an SS prison. Pure Fantasy!

2. It is unbelievable that O'Flaherty was summoned to meet with Gestapo chief Herbert Kappler ... so that Kappler can ask for O'Flaherty's help in getting his wife and children out of Italy.

3. I can find no indication that HO played any role in getting Kappler's wife and children out of the country

4. There is no discussion of the Jews this man helped.

I have not read "The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican" or any of the other books about O'Flaherty so I am not up to speed on all he did ... yet it sure seems this film plays lose with the facts. Are there other significant deviations from the truth we should know about?

[–] mikeyg24 8 years ago

You're correct. Even Nuremberg defendant's families were not persecuted and even visited them in prison during the trials. But show me a movie 'based' on fact that doesn't sprinkle in a few chunks of drama and I'll show you a documentary.

If you dip your foot into a pool of piranhas don't cry when you lose a toe!😞🐟

[–] 8 years ago

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