Episodes

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 390) — Captain Michael "Mak" Makatura joins us to break down the historical accuracy of Top Gun (1986). Drawing from his own experience in Central Europe during the Cold War, Mak explains what the movie gets right about fighter pilot culture, competition, and danger — including a real-world parallel to Goose's tragic death. The conversation also covers his book The Fightin' Tenth: Cold War to Desert Storm, chronicling the experiences of the 10th Tactical Fighter ...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 389) — Are you a baseball fan? Today we're digging into some baseball history as it was depicted in the 1976 movie "The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings." Learn about the history of barnstorming baseball teams with Ben Railton, Professor of American Studies at Fitchburg State University. We'll discuss how the movie's characters mirror real legends like Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and Jackie Robinson. Ben is the host of the podcast Baseball, Bigotry an...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 388) — Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey (2026) brings Homer’s epic journey to the screen as we follow Matt Damon’s Odysseus from the Trojan War through monsters, sirens, and a long road home. In this episode, we'll learn from author and former documentary filmmaker Neil Laird about the historical accuracy of the movie and how well it ties into Homer’s Odyssey. Guest Links Prime Time Troy: https://links.boatspodcast.com/388troy Prime Time Pompeii: https://links.bo...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 387) — How accurate is the 1990 movie Memphis Belle? Military historian Joshua Donohue returns to Based on a True Story to break down what the movie gets right, where Hollywood takes liberties, and what the real crew of the Memphis Belle actually experienced during World War II. Guest Links Josh's YouTube = https://links.boatspodcast.com/387guest Josh's Wake Island Article = https://links.boatspodcast.com/387wakearticle Josh's Pearl Harbor Article = https://link...

What really happened to Sir John Franklin’s doomed Arctic expedition, and how much of AMC’s The Terror is grounded in the historical record? Today we're joined by Rich Napolitano, host of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, to compare the TV series with the real story of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, from the search for the Northwest Passage to the evidence historians have uncovered about the crew’s fate. Links Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs Lost Franklin Expedition w/NEW UPDATES Dr. John Rae The Terror (TV Series)...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 385) — Have you ever wondered how much of The Legend of Bagger Vance is rooted in history? Steven Pressfield, author of the 1995 novel that inspired the 2000 film, joins Based on a True Story to unpack the story’s connections to the Bhagavad Gita, the real-life golfing legends Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen, and the choices Hollywood made when bringing the book to the screen. They also explore Steven’s approach to writing historical fiction and his latest novel, Th...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 384) — Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood tells a tale of alternative history. In this episode, we'll separate the film’s fairy-tale storytelling from the real history behind the Manson murders, Sharon Tate, Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen, and the Hollywood of 1969. Listen to All the Right Movies John's podcast breaks down the history of Hollywood, one film at a time. Check out All the Right Movies to learn all about the work that went into making movie...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 383) — Did the Oppenheimer movie get the Manhattan Project right? Today, we'll dig into the film's portrayal of the project. From the Los Alamos we see in the movie to what we don't see in the movie such as Oak Ridge's massive factories, Hanford's plutonium production, and more that you don't ever see in the movie. Get Alice's book Alice Lovejoy is the author of Tales of Militant Chemistry, film scholar, and a professor at the University of Minnesota. She'll joi...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 382) — Join me in this throwback style BOATS episode without any guests. It'll just be you and I learning about the true story behind 2023's Oppenheimer. Was the poisoned apple scene real? How well was the Trinity Test portrayed on screen? What does the movie leave out from Oppenheimer's life? If you've seen the movie and wondered what really happened, this episode is your guided tour through the history behind the film. Chapters 0:00 Intro, synopsis & Two Truth...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 381) — My love of history started with the legend of King Arthur. While there are many King Arthur movies to pick from, today we'll learn about the one that marketed itself as being more historically accurate than the others. Dorsey Armstrong on The Great Courses Plus Historian Dorsey Armstrong breaks down the historical accuracy of the 2004 film King Arthur. Learn the true story behind the legends of Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, the Round Table, and more. Chapte...

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 after the Somali pirate attack, shares accounts of what really happened during this dramatic rescue operation and reveals the major inaccuracies that made it to the screen....

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, and military installations across Oahu that extended far beyond the harbor itself. From civilian casualties to pilot heroics to the international scope of Japa...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 378) — Discover the historical accuracy behind the 2025 film "Nuremberg" which is adapted from Jack El-Hai's book "The Nazi and the Psychiatrist." Get Jack's Book: The Nazi and the Psychiatrist Learn about the real Dr. Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) and his complex relationship with Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe) during the historic Nuremberg trials. What did the filmmakers get right and what did they change from the true story? Tune in to find out! Also Mentioned...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 377) — The first season of FX’s “Feud” chronicles the turbulent making of the 1962 thriller “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” Over eight episodes set against Hollywood's fading Golden Age, “Feud” focuses on a simmering resentment between aging stars Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, on-set clashes over performances and camera work, and the film’s premiere. Get Scott's book Where to watch Feud To help us separate fact from fiction in the series today is Scott Eyman,...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 376) — This special three-in-one episode is a thorough exploration of the true story behind the U.S. government's top secret program investigating UFOs called Project Blue Book. In 2019, the History Channel released a dramatized version of Project Blue Book's reports starring Aidan Gillen as Dr. J. Allen Hynek. Ufologist Rob Kristoffersen will help us uncover the true story behind each episode of the twenty episodes in the TV series. Then, the third part of our ...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 375) — Donald Rumsfeld served as the U.S. Secretary of Defense twice in his career, including during the 9/11 attacks. Today, we'll learn how the movies "Vice", "W." bring a fictional portrayal of Rumsfeld. We'll also look into the accuracy of the documentary "The Unknown Known" which interviews Rumsfeld himself. ⁠Get William's book⁠ Separating fact from fiction for us today is William Cooper, whose new historical fiction novel "The Trial of Donald H. Rumsfeld" ...

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 in telling the true story of Billy the Kid? Where to watch Young Guns II Follow Josh's podcast To help us unravel the historical accuracy of Young Guns II, we'll be joined by Josh, the host of Th...

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. Where to watch Amelia Get Chris's book Chris Williamson has an array of work with the Chasing Earhart Project, including the book "Rabbit Hole: The Vanishing of Amelia Earha...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 372) — Travel back to the Old West for a tale of revenge, Pinkerton agents, and frontier justice in the wake of the Civil War. One of those former Pinkerton agents in the movie is John Scobell (Gbenga Akinnagbe), making 2025's Trail of Vengeance the first movie to feature John Scobell as one of its main characters. Where to watch Trail of Vengeance Get Rob's book To help us separate fact from fiction in the movie today is author Rob Hilliard, whose book "In Free...

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. Where to watch Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story ⁠Get Matthew's book⁠ Matthew Polly authored "Bruce Lee: A Life," called the definitive biography by The New York Times. His research revealed Lee's more complex humanity, debunking decades of Hollywood myt...

BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 370) — Twentieth Century-Fox's "Titanic" starring Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb claims to draw facts from 1912 congressional inquiries, so how well does it do when we compare it to history? Where to watch Titanic (1953) ⁠Get Mark's book Mark B. Perry is the author of the novel "And Introducing Dexter Gaines: A Novel of Old Hollywood", a tale that transports you back to the time when during the film's production. is a Golden Globe and Emmy-winning screenwrite...

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. Where to watch Saving Private Ryan In this remastered edition of Based on a True Story, we'll compare the movie with what really happened with historian Marty Morgan. What did Saving Private Ryan get right, where did it miss the mark, and hear how the movie has influenced Marty's ex...

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 Where to watch today's movies The Sound of Music (1965) Life is Beautiful (1997) Schindler's List (1993) Walking with the Enemy (2013) Sunshine (1999) Did you enjoy this episode? Support our sponsors Unlock ad-free episodes Get the BOATS email newsletter Join th...

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 a real Internal Affairs review. Where to watch "Die Hard" now Helping us conduct a review of McClane from the entire Die Hard franchise is retired U.S. police sergeant Patrick O'Donnell, who is now a technical consultant and author of "The Good Collar." Get Patrick's book Also mentioned in this episode Hire Patrick for y...