Delving into the facts of the matter

These letters are in response to an editorial by Julie Eley asking readers for their thoughts about the blurred lines between fact and fiction in TV dramas. After a random draw, Russel Marsh of Christchurch wins the six-month subscription to TV Guide.

Julie Eley is correct when she raises the issue of fact versus fiction in some TV doco-style programmes. If the facts are important then every effort should be made to show this but if the programme contains more fiction than fact then this also should be made more obvious. In other words, concentrate on one or the other so the viewer is aware that the show is obviously one or the other. Don’t try and do both.

The answer about Hollywood’s versions, should be, when do they actually get it right? The Great Escape (Wrong), The Sound Of Music (Wrong), Cleopatra (Wrong), Bridge On The River Kwai (Wrong) – not to mention other TV series like the one you mentioned including The Other Boleyn Girl. No Americans were involved in the real Great Escape, the time period in The Sound Of Music is wrong, Cleopatra was a complete flop when it was released because it was not based on fact but on guesswork and Bridge On The River Kwai also has factual problems. Let’s stop trying to rewrite history and just accept it for what it was. I write as someone interested in history and someone who has done public speeches on the history of the royal family, the history of war, history of race relations and the story of the real Maria Von Trapp among other historical speeches.

It’s so important that TV dramas are historically accurate as so many young people seem to watch these productions and treat them as though they are a historical record. TV writers and producers need to shoulder this responsibility and get things right.