Chapter 374: Chapter 98: There’s Always Something Funnier

On the expansive silver screen, the film had reached its final moment, as well as the ultimate climax. With the crowd jeering, William Wallace was bound to a wooden frame and transported out from the city gates, where ordinary spectators hurled various objects at him. Nevertheless, Wallace did not show the slightest sign of weakness; he tightly shut his mouth and retained a resolute expression on his face.

This journey seemed both impossibly long and incredibly brief. The camera alternated between the Lord of Scotland, Bruce, Princess Isabelle, Wallace’s two hidden companions among the crowd, and the dying King Edward Longshanks, before finally refocusing on William Wallace, who was now on the execution platform.

“Aren’t you going to say something?” the executioner, clad in red, asked as he pulled back the cloth on the table, revealing the sinister torture instruments, “Speak. The subjects of His Majesty the King implore you to show mercy.”

However, Wallace said nothing, standing silent as a rock, a rock that, despite being repeatedly thrashed by the waves, maintained its sharp edges. The executioner was somewhat disappointed but didn’t mind too much. In his view, once his instruments were employed, the other party would have to plead for mercy, even if he were truly made of stone.

Finally, the execution began. First, Wallace was hoisted up until he was nearly asphyxiated, then let down, and afterward, he was stretched out on a table as if to be quartered. The people below cheered fervently; this was one of the few entertainments in their lives. Even so, when the executioner approached the barely breathing Wallace, urging him to plead for the King’s mercy–that a single utterance would end his suffering quickly–Wallace remained silent still.

Thus, an even more brutal execution commenced. The executioner employed each instrument on him, and while the gruesome and bloody images couldn’t be fully displayed on the screen, the sheer agony could be imagined from Wallace’s widened eyes and trembling body. Women in the audience even let out involuntary cries of distress.

Yet Wallace remained silent, no matter how terrible the pain, not even emitting a cry of hurt from the beginning to the end. This silent strength gradually calmed the crowd; they couldn’t understand why the man above, who was denounced by the King as a bandit and a traitor, could endure to such an extent.

“Cry out! Ask for mercy!” a woman finally shouted. Quickly, more people called out as well, no longer bearing to watch; they hoped to grant this incredibly stirring man a swift end rather than prolonged torment.

“Cry out, ask for mercy,” whispered Wallace’s two friends, hidden in the crowd. They wouldn’t blame him, and they believed that others wouldn’t either once they learned of this.

The camera panned over the uncomfortable Bruce, the tearful and mournful Princess, and King Edward Longshanks, who seemed to wear a faint smile despite his impending death.

“Stop, the prisoner seems to want to speak,” the executioner halted his hand, leaning in with smug satisfaction, believing he had won, had secured a victory for His Majesty the King.

Due to this brief pause, Wallace, who was in extreme pain and nearly unconscious, finally revived. He opened his eyes somewhat dazedly, his breathing becoming more and more rapid as if something within him was taking form, ready to burst forth at any moment. The audience in the theater unconsciously held their breath; they knew that according to the story, Wallace wasn’t supposed to plead for mercy, but what was he going to shout?

“Freedom!” A thunderous roar burst forth from Wallace’s mouth, filled with persistence, longing, defiance, and fervor, stunning everyone present, including the audience in the theater who, having followed his sorrow, his uprising, his battles, and his betrayal, had become completely engrossed in the story.

The heart-stirring cry spread far and wide, reaching the dying King’s ears, penetrating the tear-stained heart of the Princess, and reaching the Scottish Highlands, to Robert Bruce, standing atop the castle walls gazing southward.

The smile froze on King Edward Longshanks’s face, while silent tears streamed down Isabelle’s face, and Bruce sadly bowed his head. Silence fell upon the scene as people stared dumbly at the man who was near death, while his two friends closed their eyes, praying for him in their hearts. Disappointed, the executioner straightened up; he had ultimately failed. The headsman stepped forward, hoisting the axe high.

Wallace lay there quietly, his wife’s figure appeared in the crowd, a faint smile spreading across his lips. As the axe fell, his tightly clenched hand finally opened, the token of their love slowly falling to the ground.

Following Bruce’s inheritance of Wallace’s legacy, he launched an attack on the English army, and the friends who had fought alongside Wallace threw that symbolically significant claymore as the movie drew to a close. The moment the credits appeared, the mournful sound of the Scottish bagpipes rose again and the theater erupted into enthusiastic applause.

“Congratulations, Ed, the movie is really good, it at least moved me.”

“To be able to modify historical events so boldly and yet make it so heart-stirringly impactful, you really have something, Ed.”

After the screening ended, people both familiar and unfamiliar came up to greet him and offer their praise, some flattering and some genuinely appreciative. However, everyone agreed that the scene of the execution was the most brilliant part. Of course, in Adrian’s view, the two-plus-hour story of Braveheart was all leading up to that final scene, with 90% of the content building towards it.

Constantly highlighting Wallace’s romance, steadfastness, valor, and righteousness led up to that profoundly shocking “freedom.” And so, he had given up the original plot of Isabelle’s pregnancy–impractical and further offensive to the English, not to mention that it greatly undermined the image of Wallace’s romantic devotion. Now, it was much better with neither the critics finding much to nitpick nor the fans having a reduced affection for Wallace.

Having Russell Crowe take on the role of William Wallace was undoubtedly a very correct decision. His raw intensity was not much less than Mel Gibson’s brash character. Moreover, his acting was better, seasoned by long experience, and his slightly melancholic eyes added charm to his rendition of Wallace.

“You did a great job, Russell, I knew you wouldn’t let me down,” Adrian said as he clapped Crowe on the shoulder the moment they met outside the theater door.

“Thank you, Ed,” replied Russell Crowe with sincere gratitude, his demeanor very respectful.

“Don’t mention it; you’ve earned it,” Adrian didn’t mind offering a few more words of praise at that moment, then smiled and pointed at the reporters outside, “Prepare for their ambush.”

Then, thinking of something else, he asked, “Are you free anytime soon?”

“Do you need me for something?” Russell immediately replied, ready to adjust his schedule if needed.

“Nothing in particular, just a role that really suits you. But thinking about it now, the production probably won’t start soon, as the actors I have in mind are all busy with their own projects,” Adrian said with a smile.

“No problem, just give me a call when you’re ready,” Crowe replied decisively, without any hesitation.

After patting his shoulder once more, Adrian walked out of the theater. As expected, many journalists surrounded Crowe, bombarding him with questions about Braveheart, but even more gathered around Adrian. After all, the controversy over the film had been ongoing for over a month, and even though he had made public statements, the official release was bound to ignite another verbal fray. The Miracle Director certainly had more news to offer.

“Up to now, although some people in the United Kingdom think the film is very good, the majority still accuse you of distorting history. What is your view on this?”

“I’ve said that this is just a movie, and it’s foolish to take the story as historical fact. If someone thinks that Britain’s history is just like it’s portrayed in this film, then they really need to go back to school and take a good lesson,” Adrian remarked.

“Don’t you think such a portrayal is somewhat biased?”

“Any novel or movie involving real-life figures is bound to be biased. Roosevelt was great, wasn’t he? He led the United States to victory in World War II. But if you look at him from another angle, well, let’s not mention his younger days of heavy drinking, once he became president while he appeared loving with his wife yet kept a constant affair with his mistress, and allowed the Japanese to sneak attack Pearl Harbor, and so on. So a movie is just a movie, it always shows just one side of the story, and to understand the specifics you need to do your own research.”

“Aren’t you worried that this movie might cause political turbulence between England and Scotland?”

“If a movie can lead England and Scotland towards division, then those politicians must be straight out of a joke. How does it go again? Oh, a parliamentarian’s head is the most expensive piece, because it’s brand new, never been used.”

“As your fifth ‘Miracle Girl’, how do you see Ms. Sophie Marceau?”

This question made Adrian pause, then he saw Sophie not far away, surrounded by journalists, wearing a light blue high V-neck evening gown, covered with a dark thin overcoat, a graceful smile on her face, and an air of elegant poise.

“Sophie is a very good actress; we enjoyed working together,” Adrian immediately walked over. Noticing his approach, Sophie turned her head, her expression unchanged, yet a mysterious gleam flashed through her brown eyes. She had been avoiding Adrian all evening and had not expected to be caught up with here.

“She has all the qualities French actresses are known for, beautiful, elegant, generous, but also impresses with traits they don’t possess, such as an indescribable melancholy. It was because of this that I invited her for the role, and it has proven to be the right choice,” Adrian continued with a smile.

“I am glad to have worked with Mr. Adrian; he is an excellent director, and it was a great movie,” Sophie’s response was more formulaic.

Such answers obviously did not satisfy the journalists, who were about to press on with their questions when Adrian’s car arrived. He immediately gestured to Sophie, “Let me take you home, Sophie.”

Before she could respond, he quickly whispered audible only to them, “Trust me, this will take care of things for now.”

Sophie frowned slightly but followed his advice and got into the car with his protection. This undoubtedly excited the reporters even more, and they hurried to their cars to follow. There were even a few on motorcycles, pure paparazzi, who boldly approached and banged on the windows when the car stopped at a red light.

“Alright, guys, these windows are specially treated, flashes won’t penetrate them, so please take care of your safety and don’t obstruct traffic,” Adrian kindly reminded them as he rolled down the window. However, after hearing this, the paparazzi exchanged glances and continued to position themselves in front of the car and press their shutters until the car started moving again and had no intention of moving aside.

“These guys are really annoying,” Sophie couldn’t help expressing her irritation after they hit the road again.

“Tabloid journalists always use this trick; you should be used to it by now,” Adrian said, shrugging his shoulders reassuringly.

“French journalists would never be this insane,” Sophie said, still with a hint of complaint in her voice.

“This is nothing; if they were British tabloids, they wouldn’t move even if I floored the gas pedal earlier. They would do anything to provoke you,” Adrian laughed. “Alright, Sophie, don’t take it to heart. After I drop you off at the hotel, I’ll head home alone. They’ll definitely choose to follow me.”

“So, that’s your plan,” Sophie glanced at him.

“Yes, I know you don’t like that title, and… well, let’s not talk about that,” Adrian sighed, “Anyway, they won’t bother you.”

Soon, they arrived at the hotel where Sophie was staying. Adrian waved off the valet and opened the car door for Sophie. He said goodnight and quickly left. Watching the journalists follow him away through the revolving glass doors of the hotel, Sophie finally breathed a sigh of relief. But then, a sense of loss welled up in her heart and lingered, refusing to be dismissed.

As “Braveheart” officially premiered, just as everyone had anticipated, the entertainment media in both the UK and US became abuzz again. Although numerous tabloids began to sensationalize the rumored affair between Adrian and Sophie, dubbing her the “fifth Miracle Girl,” that evening Adrian had publicly escorted Sophie to the hotel then drove home alone with perfect decorum, giving the newspapers no fodder for scandal. In fact, some papers even described him as very gentlemanly and considerate, so the rumors didn’t attract much attention. What people were most concerned about was the media’s verbal sparring.

“Oh, freedom, such a pretty word. Adrian cobbled together a story from history, then ladled on the sentimentality, and thus we have this ‘Braveheart’ fresh off the Hollywood production line,” scoffed the English media, relentless in its critical stance.

“Freedom is something everyone yearns for, and it is this yearning that compels countless people to strive for it! The William Wallace in the movie has little to do with the historical William Wallace. The Miracle Director is keener on showing the longing for freedom, the struggle, and the sacrifice, not just the history of a nation’s rebellion. The representative could be William Wallace, or it could be Che Guevara. There’s absolutely no need for the British to get worked up,” the American media sang its usual praises, with the final scene’s cry of “freedom” scratching a mainstream societal itch.

“While it strays from history, it doesn’t detract from the film’s excellence,” commented the Scottish media, sometimes it’s beneficial to be an observer.

“Sophie Marceau’s performance is commendable, portraying a gentle and sentimental Isabelle with an inner strength just like the historical Princess. As for the history, oh well, you must understand, Hollywood films need history to bend to their will, not the other way around–even for the Miracle Director. But then again, if it were as Mr. Johnny Stanley said, that the Princess and Wallace had a one-night stand and she conceived their child, perhaps the movie would’ve been even more interesting,” chimed in the French media, revealing their vanity, disdain for Hollywood productions, and clueless romantic nature all in a few short sentences.

However, while the media continued their verbal spats, the box office for “Braveheart” soared both in North America and the United Kingdom. North America’s New Year’s opening week grossed $24 million US dollars, easily topping the charts. In the UK, not only the Scots but also the English took a liking to it. It was said that many English youths even joined in with the film’s Wallace to shout “freedom” at the end.

Ridiculous, isn’t it? But also quite normal. To a person with a sound set of values, they can distinguish between films and life. They watch movies for the stories; as long as they are moved, pleased, or relaxed, they don’t care about the genre, nor do they believe the events in movies are realities.

But then, there are always more ridiculous things in the world. For instance, soon after the film’s release, a member of the Scottish Parliament boldly announced their intention to submit a bill for independence.

Idiots! That was the first thought that crossed the minds of anyone with a bit of sense. Scotland and England had been united for so long, basking in the glory of the Sun Never Sets Empire for such a lengthy period, yet now they were toying with the idea of independence–what kind of fantastical nonsense was that? Even if the Scottish Parliament actually passed this ludicrous bill, it’s not just the UK that would disagree, but the US and Europe as well.

Although the furore was caused by “Braveheart,” the British media completely ignored Adrian and instead focused their firepower on that particular MP. One critic even quoted Adrian’s words: “As the Miracle Director said, these politicians’ brains have probably never been used. If there ever was a brain transplant surgery, they’d surely fetch a good price–this is the first time in a while I have agreed with him.” (To be continued. If you like this work, we welcome you to vote and support on . Your support is my greatest motivator.)