Mel Gibson’s pep talk to hundreds of Scottish patriots is one of the most memorable parts of his 1995 Academy award winning film Braveheart.
Playing the lead role of Scottish warrior William Wallace, a blue-faced Gibson does a fine job in delivering his lines while mounted on a horse just before the film’s depiction of the battle of Stirling Bridge, 1297.
So, press the top left play button on the above feature image to watch Gibson’s speech.
Such motivational speeches have been seen in many pre-battle depictions before – most notably Shakespeare’s St. Crispins Day speech in 1989’s Henry V delivered by Kenneth Branagh which you can watch following the text from the Braveheart speech.
Wallace: Sons of Scotland, I am William Wallace.
Young Scottish soldier: William Wallace is seven feet tall.
Wallace: Yes, I’ve heard. Kills men by the hundreds, and if he were here he’d consume the English with fireballs from his eyes and bolts of lightning from his arse. I am William Wallace! And I see a whole army of my countrymen here in defiance of tyranny. You have come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What would you do without freedom? Will you fight?
Older Scottish soldier: Fight? Against that? No, we will run; and we will live.
Wallace: Aye, fight and you may die. Run and you’ll live — at least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!
Wallace and soldiers: Alba gu bra! (Scotland forever!)
Watch St. Crispins Day speech in 1989’s Henry V: