Based on a True Story

Rami Malek stars in the blockbuster film about Freddie Mercury's life. Since it's release, there have been many reviews who have dinged the film for its historical accuracy. Are they right? Let's compare history with …

Going from Major League Baseball player to spy isn't your average change in jobs. But then, Moe Berg wasn't your average baseball player. Let's dig into Moe's life as we compare The Catcher Was a Spy with history.

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As a special treat, you'll get access to one of the minisodes that are normally exclusive to Based on a True Story patrons on the weeks between …

A couple years ago, we covered The Greatest Showman as a pre-release episode. In other words, the podcast episode came out before the movie did. In that episode, we learned about the life of P.T. Barnum. In this …

President Nixon's resignation in 1974 was the first time for a U.S. president. That same year, Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein released their book that went into detail how they broke the …

Last week on the podcast, we learned all about the life of Charles Dickens as it was told in the movie The Man Who Invented Christmas. While that’s …

It's time to get in the Christmas spirit! The subject of our episode today is the 2017 movie about Charles Dickens and his writing of A Christmas …

The 2004 film Finding Neverland stars Johnny Depp as J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan. How much of the movie was true and how much was changed? Let's find out...

Find sources, resources, and more to dive deeper into …

In his first movie after Lord of the Rings, Viggo Mortensen portrays Frank T. Hopkins as he rides on his horse, Hidalgo, in The Ocean of Fire long-distance race. How much of the movie really happened? Let's find out...

Called the Scottish Robin Hood, Rob Roy's story has been the subject of books and movies. Today, one of the most popular renditions of that is the …

After inventing the lie detector test, William Moulton Marston came up with the character of Wonder Woman. His inspiration was his wife Elizabeth, …

Today marks the 51st anniversary of revolutionary Che Guevara's capture that led to his death. How much do you know of his story?

Let's find out as …

Author J.G. Ballard wrote the novel Empire of the Sun based on his own childhood. That's the first level of creative difference between truth and fiction. By the time it was adapted for the big screen, there were bound …

The world changed on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001. Today, we'll honor the memory of those who lost their lives that day as we look at the historical accuracy of the movie United 93.

Learn more about this story with …

On episode 106, we learned about the movie Elizabeth. That's the first of two movies in a series, so we're heading back to the time of Queen …

Producer Melissa requested we cover the movie Elizabeth, so pack your bags and travel back in time to the days just after King Henry VIII as we compare the movie with history.

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When Hollywood covers the Battle of Mogadishu, how much of what we see is accurate? That's what Based on a True Story Producer Brian wanted to know …

The term "housekeeping" in a podcast refers to the parts at the beginning or end of a show where the host makes announcements and updates. With the podcast coming back, I'll outline some of the changes as we peel back …

One month ago today, my father passed away unexpectedly. As this podcast is something I do in my spare time, there are more important things going to eat up that time. For now, it's time to take a step back from the …

When President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, a family was left without a father. A wife without her husband. That's the scenario behind the 2016 Jackie, and the subject of this week's episode.

Help me keep the …

For generations, James Fenimore Cooper's classic American novel has been recreated in various forms for the big and small screen. As a novel, it's not entirely factual and yet it's a film many consider to be true by its …

To celebrate the show's anniversary and episode 100, we'll be looking at a story that's special to me...that of King Arthur. We can't hope to cover everything about Arthur that's been written for thousands of years in a …

Surprise! Enjoy April Fools Day with this special bonus episode as we continue our look at The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Find books, articles and …

Mac vs PC. It's a flame war that's fueled by people on both sides who love to hate the other side. How did it all start? We'll find out as we dig into the true story behind Pirates of Silicon Valley.

Find books, …

The 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde was one of the films that many consider to be the starting point for the taming of violence in mainstream Hollywood. …

Today is the 55th anniversary of the surprise death of country music legend Patsy Cline. In honor of her life, let's learn more about it as we compare history with the 1985 biopic, Sweet Dreams.

Learn more about the …

The 1997 animated film Anastasia tells a beautifully touching tale of the Grand Duchess trying to find her family...but how much of the story we see …

This week we learned about Jack the Ripper's brutal murders. After you listen to the regular episode, this bonus episode will help us get a little …

Jack the Ripper was a serial killer before the term was coined. Be warned, today's episode contains some very disturbing content about the murders...check it out before listening with kids.

Learn more about the true …

2008's The Other Boleyn Girl gives us a peek into what it could've been like roaming the English court during King Henry VIII's reign. But how much …

It was an event that was compared to the sinking of the Titanic, except when the Hindenburg crashed it was caught on film...ending the promising industry of commercial airship travel. This week we're comparing history …

In a highly requested episode, this week we're focusing on the film starring a young Leonardo DiCaprio heading up an all-star cast in this classic interpretation of the Alexandre Dumas classic.

Learn more about the true …

Ever heard of the U.S. Cavalry's attempts at replacing horses with camels? Historian, author and podcaster Scott Rank joins me on this episode to learn more about this little-known event in U.S. history.

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Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! With today being Christmas, I wanted to do something a little different and share a few classic holiday tales to …

Just in time for Christmas day, a new film being released tells the story of a young P.T. Barnum's rise to riches. But who was the real P.T. Barnum and how did he really begin the "greatest show on earth"?

Learn more …

Jane Austen's relationship with Tom Lefroy was something we saw on screen during the 2007 film Becoming Jane. But was it real, or just a fictional story? Let's find out.

Learn more about the true story, read the …

December 7th is Pearl Harbor Day, and the perfect day to watch a movie in remembrance of that day. Which one should you watch? This week I'm joined …

Today is the 922nd anniversary of Pope Urban II preaching the Crusades. That's why we're going back to the 12th century this week to learn the true …

Even today, Das Boot is seen as one of the defining films to showcase what World War II was like for German submariners. But was it true? That's what we'll aim to find out in this episode.

Learn more about the true …

In a couple of weeks, the movie Darkest Hour will dive into the life of Winston Churchill. With that in mind, let's do our own dive into the life of …

Nicole Kidman stars as actress Grace Kelly in a film that tells the story of her transition from Hollywood royalty to actual royalty as the Princess …

Loving was released in 2016 and depicts the story of Richard and Mildred Loving as they struggled against racial barriers. Their case, Loving v …

The 1983 film The Right Stuff is considered by many to be an epic masterpiece. Before the Apollo program, The Right Stuff tells the story of the …

We're diving into the classics this week as we compare history with Mata Hari. Released in 1931, Mata Hari tells the story of the woman who many considered to be one of the most dangerous spies during World War I.

Get …

If you're a fan of history, 2008's Flash of Genius tells the story about something that probably never even crossed your mind. One man's journey to inventing the intermittent windshield wiper and how the huge car …

Get a look at a different angle of World War II as we compare the 2001 film Enemy at the Gates with history.

Get the transcript and full show notes …

If you're a fan of Kung Fu movies, Ip Man is one you've already seen. If you think everything you saw on the screen actually happened, you might be …

Formula One racing in the 1970s was about more than just fast cars. This week we'll compare history with the 2013 Ron Howard movie Rush.

Get the …

Spies and espionage between Russia and the USA. It almost seems like it could be a subject in today's headlines, but on this week's episode we'll …

Matt Bondurant joins us on this week's episode as we compare what really happened with the movie Lawless. Matt's grandfather, Jack, and two grand-uncles that were the inspiration for his book that the movie is based on, …

This week we'll conclude our look into the historical accuracy of Cecil B. DeMille's classic film, The Ten Commandments. 

Get the transcript and full …

With almost four hours of movie and plenty of religious subject matter to cover, we'll have to split this movie up into two parts to do it justice. On this episode we'll cover all the way up until the movie's …

2016's Genius tells the story of book editor Max Perkins and the authors he discovered, including Thomas Wolfe, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest …

Jamaica we have a bobsled team! Every sports fan loves the story of an underdog's rise to success. Disney's Cool Runnings is that and more. But is it …

Political mutiny and clandestine plots against Adolf Hitler are the subject of this week's episode as we compare history with 2008's Valkyrie.

Get …

Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk comes out on July 21st, but before it does let's take a moment to learn the true story so you can judge the film's …

July 4th is America's birthday, and this week we'll honor that as we compare history with Mel Gibson's epic Hollywood blockbuster, The Patriot.

Get …

Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday have earned quite a reputation thanks to numerous Hollywood incarnations over the years. Arguably one of the most popular …

It was one of the darkest hours in the world and amidst the horrors, Oskar Schindler managed to help save many lives from certain death. This week we'll find out how much of it was actually true as we compare history …

In a first for Based on a True Story, we'll get an exclusive peek behind the true story of Bitter Harvest from the film's writer, Richard …

Adrien Brody and Forest Whitaker put on a great performance in The Experiment in a story that's based on what most consider the most controversial …

May 30th, 1943 was opening day for a new league. Did women really replace the men in baseball during World War II? This week on the podcast we'll learn more about the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League as …

Carl Brashear was the first to do many things. This week we'll compare history with Cuba Gooding Jr and Robert DeNiro's film Men of Honor.

Get the …

In a special listener request, we'll cover Cadillac Records and learn the true story behind the history of blues in Chicago.

Get the transcript and …

Special guest Cody Wheat from the Shots of History podcast joins me this week as we compare history with The Untouchables.

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Today, Citizen Kane is considered by many to be one of the greatest films of all time. However, when the movie Citizen Kane was released, the man who's life inspired the film was outraged. He tried his best to keep the …

No one expects Disney's Mulan to be very historically accurate, but let's take a few moments to learn more about the real story behind the movie.

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Very few classic films from Hollywood have shaped how people in the U.S. see the Middle East more than Lawrence of Arabia...but is the movie …

It was the single worst sea disaster in the U.S. Navy, and it was covered up by the U.S. government at the end of World War II. Learn the true story …

Newsies tells the story of the little guys (quite literally, the young newsboys) against "the man". In this case, "the man" being newspaper barons …

You know the story. Frodo and his band of companions start the journey to take the One Ring to Mordor. But is the story we saw on the big screen true …

William Wallace is still considered to be an incredibly important person in Scottish history. But is Mel Gibson's version accurate to the real …

Who doesn't love a good conspiracy theory? We've got a doozy this week as we compare history with The Men Who Stare at Goats.

Get the full show …

Are you a Disney fan? Then you'll love this deep dive into the remarkable early life of Walt Disney as we compare history with the movie Walt Before …

There's outdoor sports, then there's extreme outdoors activities. In this week's episode we'll compare history with Hollywood's version of Everest.

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Did you watch the Oscars last night? What a crazy turn of events with the whole Best Picture scandal. While most of the media will be covering Warren …

Florence Foster Jenkins is up for a couple Academy Awards. Let's find out how accurate the movie is by comparing Hollywood with history.

Full show …

You've seen the movie. But how much of Titanic was true, and how much of it was made up for the film? Let's compare history with Hollywood's …

He lived through unthinkable measures. At a time when millions were slaughtered, including his family and friends, Wladyslaw Szpilman managed to …

This week we'll do something a bit different as we look ahead. Instead of learning about a movie that's already been released, we'll look ahead to a movie coming out this next weekend.

Hidden Figures tells the …

On October 11th, 1994, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced their Nobel prize winners. Three brilliant scientists jointly won the coveted award. They were Professor John C. Harsanyi from the University of …

With the Christmas season upon us, I wanted to cover a film that'd help represent the Christmas spirit.

In 2005, French filmmaker Christian Carion …

Tom McCarthy started his acting career with a short movie in 1989 called Roast Suckling. Although that's probably not something most have seen, he's one of those actors that you'd recognize when you see him. Probably …

There are few movies that stand near the top of the all-time list for income. One of those movies is The Sound of Music.

With a budget of about $8 million when it was produced in the 1960s, it was one of the bigger …

Between 2004 and 2016, Paul Greengrass directed a total of six movies. Four of those have Matt Damon in them. Three of them are about the fictitious …

With the Thanksgiving season upon us, I thought it'd be a great opportunity to travel back in time to the days of Colonial America. Then I realized …

Nechama Tec was born in Lublin, Poland in 1931. When she was eight years old, her life would forever change as Nazis invaded her hometown. As a …

The latest in the line of collaborations between actor Leonardo DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese is 2013's The Wolf of Wall Street. It received …

Happy Halloween! I wanted to do something special this week. I thought it'd be fun to cover the true story behind something scary. But after starting to look for some movies to fit the bill, I quickly realized most of …

Few can debate the huge impact Steve Jobs had on the world. So it's no wonder that after Steve Jobs passed away in 2011, there was in influx of news and media surrounding the life of the outspoken Apple co-founder and …

Whether or not you're even religious, you've probably heard of the song Amazing Grace. It's one of those Christian hymns that just about everyone has heard, or at least heard of, at some point. It was first published in …

In a retelling of one of the greatest moments in U.S. Coast Guard's history, The Finest Hours is a feel-good movie of true heroism. When sitting down …

Elizabeth Short's murder was considered to be the crime of the century. And it's a mystery that many are still fascinated by, decades later. So when Brian De Palma directed a 2006 movie of the same name, many moviegoers …

The movie Deepwater Horizon comes out on this Friday. So again we're going to take some time to look ahead at a movie. Before you go see the movie in theaters, let's take a few minutes to learn what happened before, …

Despite having an all-star cast and being based on a true story, most of the characters in the film didn't actually exist. Instead, Hollywood opted …

Even though Argo starts off with text that says it's based on a true story, the movie was actually based primarily on two sources: a book by Tony Mendez, the CIA agent Ben Affleck plays, and a 2007 article on Wired by …

Pawn Sacrifice tells the story of one of the greatest chess players of all time—Bobby Fischer. How do you make the game of chess into an interesting story? With Bobby Fischer's life, you don't need to stretch it too far.

Ron Howard and Tom Hanks teamed up for their second of now four movies the duo have worked on together in 1995 with Apollo 13.

Links from this …

Lili Isle Elvenes, better known as Lili Elbe, was one of the first known recipients of a gender reassignment surgery. In 2015, her life was brought to the forefront of many people's minds when Alicia Vikander won an …

The Social Network tells the story behind one of the world's most popular websites, Facebook. It's got everything that makes for a great …

Anthropoid hits theaters on Friday. It's the story of how the Czechoslovakian government, forced into exile after the Germans occupied their homeland in 1938, tried to fight back and take down Reinhard Heydrich at the …

Will Smith would say Ali was the film he was most proud of as an actor. And it tells a very important story of a true legend: Muhammad Ali.

Although …

Pain & Gain is the first comedy we've covered here on the show. It was also the first comedy for Michael Bay since another Miami-based story, Bad Boys II in 2003. Another first for Pain & Gain is that, unlike …

In 2007, director David Fincher helmed the movie simply entitled, Zodiac, which tells the thrilling story of a rash of killings in the 1960s and 70s.

Despite the film's failure at the box office, the subject is one that …

In 2002, Steven Spielberg started filming the life of Frank Abagnale. Fortunately it only took about four months of filming for Spielberg to get the shots he needed. On Christmas Day of 2002, Spielberg's DreamWorks …

Tom Clancy is known for his captivating military stories with stunningly accurate technical details. Clancy's career started with a fascinating novel: The Hunt for Red October.

The Hunt for Red October is based on the …

Next Friday, on June 24th, director Gary Ross, the three-time Academy Award nominated writer and director behind Seabiscuit, The Hunger Games and Pleasantville, has taken his place behind the camera once again in a …

This year, Zack Snyder directed the epic Batman v Superman superhero movie, but it wasn't his first foray into comics. In fact, that came in 2006 …

Eight years ago, in 2008, Ron Howard directed the Oscar-nominated retelling of what are still the most popular political interviews to ever air on …

Benedict Cumberbatch and Kiera Knightley starred in 2014's The Imitation Game. Set in the midst of World War II, The Imitation Game tells the story of British mathematician Alan Turing and his quest to conquer the …

On April 15th, Major League Baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson Day, in honor of the man who broke down racial barriers by becoming the first black player in the MLB. A few years ago, a movie named after Jackie's jersey …

When a movie says it's based on a true story, how much of that is actually real? In our first episode we'll look at the true story behind 2015's blockbuster hit The Revenant.

Music credits and more show notes can be …