Do the Movies Flunk History?

Make a movie about a historic event or person and someone will inevitably denounce its accuracy. The is happening now with "Selma," "American Sniper," and "The Theory of Everything." Los Angeles Times movie critic Kenneth Turan explores why there will never be a movie about a historical event that is universally hailed as accurate and fair.

Questions...

•Name some movies about historic events and people. Can you tell what parts are factual and what parts are not? How are you able to tell the difference?

•Why do historians and scientists have to call press conferences to correct the historical portrayals or science in a movie?

•How true to life should a movie about a historical event be? What is a reasonable level of truthfulness, and what is asking for too much?

•Why might two movies about the same event turn out differently, even if the moviemakers are trying to tell the truth?

•What could happen in this class on final exam day that is so big that a movie will be made about it? What would be fair storytelling? What would be unfair?