380: Captain Phillips with Brian Beckcom
BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 380) — Today we dive into the 2013 film Captain Phillips directed by Paul Greengrass and starring Tom Hanks, and discover how much of Hollywood’s version actually matches the true story of the Maersk Alabama hijacking. Trial attorney Brian Beckcom, who represented the crew of the container ship […]
379: Beyond Pearl Harbor with Joshua Donohue
BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 379) — Most movies focus on the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor, but the true story of December 7th, 1941, involves a coordinated global offensive across the Pacific. In this episode, history professor Joshua Donohue returns to explore what the movies miss—including attacks on Wake Island, the Philippines, […]
374: Young Guns II with Josh from The Wild West Extravaganza
BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 374) — Today we’ll rejoin Billy the Kid’s outlaw gang as they continue their attempts to escape the law following the events in Young Guns (BOATS EP. 146). Was Brushy Bill Roberts a real person? Was he Billy the Kid? What other creative liberties did the filmmakers take […]
373: Amelia with Chris Williamson
BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 373) — Learn about legendary aviator Amelia Earhart as she was portrayed onscreen by Hilary Swank in the 2009 biopic. To uncover the true story, today we’ll talk with author, documentarian, and host of Chasing Earhart , the only podcast dedicated entirely to Amelia Earhart: Chris Williamson. Get […]
371: Classic: Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story with Matthew Polly
BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 371) — How well do you know about the real Bruce Lee? There are a lot of myths that came out of the movie Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, so today we’ll pull another classic episode from the Based on a True Story vault. Get Matthew’s Book Bruce […]
369: Classic: Saving Private Ryan with Marty Morgan
BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 369) — This Friday marks the 81st anniversary of the D-Day landings. Arguably the most popular movie depicting the fighting on the beaches of Normandy is 1998’s Saving Private Ryan. a True Story, we’ll compare the movie with what really happened with historian Marty Morgan. What did Saving […]
368: Behind the True Story: Not a Real Enemy with Robert Wolf
BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 368) — Go behind the true stories shown in Holocaust movies through the experiences of Robert Wolf’s family. Since we’ll be talking about the Holocaust, listener discretion is advised. Get Robert’s Book Not a Real Enemy Find Robert on Social robertjwolfmd.com Disclaimer: Dan LeFebvre and/or Based on a […]
367: John McClane in Die Hard with Patrick O’Donnell
(BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 367) — Is John McClane a realistic cop or just an action hero with a badge? Yippee-ki-yay, history lovers, let’s see if McClane would survive an Internal Affairs review. Get Patrick’s Book The Good Collar Also mentioned in this episode Patrick’s Podcast Hire Patrick Disclaimer: Dan LeFebvre and/or […]
366: Troy with Neil Laird
BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 366) — Homer’s “The Iliad” tells the story of the Trojan War, a tale brought to the big screen in the 2004 film “Troy.” But with an ancient epic as its foundation—and Hollywood’s creative liberties—how much of the story is real? Get Neil’s Latest Book Prime Time Pompeii […]
365: Black Hawk Down with Joshua Donohue
BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 365) — Discover the behind-the-scenes story of Black Hawk Down, as historian Josh Donohue shares insights on the chaotic 1993 mission in Mogadishu. Learn what truly happened versus what Hollywood depicted. Follow Josh on YouTube The Freelance Historian on YouTube Also mentioned in this episode Embattled Marines At […]
364: The Bridge on the River Kwai with Jon Parshall
BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 364) — Acclaimed historian Jon Parshall separates fact from fiction in the classic film “The Bridge on the River Kwai” and the brutal realities of the Thai-Burma Railway during World War II, also known as the Death Railway. We’ll contrast the film’s fictional Colonel Nicholson with his real-life […]