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)

Chapters

0:00 Intro to The Terror

2:12 Two Truths and a Lie

4:08 Meet Rich Napolitano

7:22 The Real Franklin Expedition

20:06 Stuck in the Arctic Ice

33:42 Food, Disease, and Survival

47:41 The Terror’s Supernatural Twist

59:18 How the Expedition Ended

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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, The Arcadian.

Guest Links

• The Legend of Bagger Vance by Steven Pressfield
• The Arcadian by Steven Pressfield
• Steven Pressfield's Website

Chapters

0:00 Intro and movie synopsis

2:43 Meet Steven Pressfield

5:35 Is Bagger Vance based on history?

11:32 Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen, and real golf history

18:07 The missing 10 years after World War I

27:18 What the movie changed from the book

40:02 Writing historical fiction with Steven Pressfield

52:06 The Arcadian and final thoughts

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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 movies, how much of it works, and more.

More from All the Right Movies

• Find all the episodes: https://alltherightmovies.com/
• All the Right Movies episode for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: https://www.patreon.com/posts/atrm-classic-111-152929056
• Facts about the movie: https://alltherightmovies.com/feature/45-interesting-and-golden-age-facts-about-once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood/

Mentioned in the Episode

• John Neal Phillips on 1967's Bonnie and Clyde: https://links.boatspodcast.com/195

Chapters

0:00 Intro and historical accuracy

4:15 Tarantino’s fairy-tale approach

11:25 Rick, Cliff, and Sharon Tate

18:40 Hollywood in the late 1960s

28:30 Steve McQueen and The Great Escape

36:20 Bruce Lee, Sharon Tate, and Spahn Ranch

49:10 The Manson Family and Cielo Drive

58:45 The film’s alternate ending

1:04:20 Final thoughts and ATRM

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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 join us today to unravel the true story behind the Manhattan Project in the movie.

Find more of Alice's work

• Army Film and the Avant Garde
• Remapping Cold War Media
• Visit Alice's website
• Follow Alice on Bluesky
• Follow Alice on Instagram

Listen to the other BOATS episode on Oppenheimer

Chapters

00:00 Manhattan Project Overview

04:50 Uranium vs. Plutonium Bombs

09:45 Scale of the Project

15:28 Einstein's Role

20:42 Trinity Test Depiction

25:04 Radiation Concerns

30:51 Project's End & Legacy

33:52 Post-War Impacts

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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 Truths and a Lie

3:30 Prometheus myth and poisoned apple story

10:15 Oppenheimer’s education in Europe and early career

18:40 Relationships with Jean Tatlock and Kitty Oppenheimer

28:20 FBI surveillance, communism fears, and the Manhattan Project scale

39:10 Trinity Test, “I am become Death,” and bombing Japan

51:00 Meeting President Truman and the Strauss feud

1:01:30 Oppenheimer’s fall, later life, and modern reevaluation

1:08:00 Two Truths and a Lie answers & closing

Resources

• American Prometheus
• Tales of Militant Chemistry
• 109 East Palace
• Robert Oppenheimer: A Life Inside the Center
• J. Robert Oppenheimer: A Life
• An Atomic Love Story: The Extraordinary Women in Robert Oppenheimer's Life
• The Ruin of J. Robert Oppenheimer

If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, you can also find all the links at https://links.boatspodcast.com/382

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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.

Chapters

0:00 Intro

2:30 Movie's Historical Claims

5:10 Sarmatians and Lancelot

10:45 Merlin's Real History

15:20 Woads, Picts, and Round Table

22:00 Christianity and Pelagius

28:15 Final Mission and Freedom

34:50 Guinevere and Ice Battle

40:30 Battle of Badon Hill

45:15 Sword in the Stone

49:00 Legend Surprises

53:30 BOATS Update for 2026 and Outro

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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.

Lessons from Leaders with Brian Beckcom

Find where to watch the movie

Chapters

0:00 Intro

3:38 Today's Movie: Captain Phillips

5:19 The True Context of Somali Piracy

12:17 Why Captain Phillips Made His Fateful Decision

15:46 Security Protocols vs. Hollywood Drama

19:42 The First Pirate Attack

24:43 Pirates Board the Maersk Alabama

30:18 The Crew's True Heroism in the Engine Room

34:29 Captain Phillips' Role in the Crisis

40:35 The Navy Enters the Picture

43:22 The Truth Behind the Rescue Operation

49:47 Captain Phillips' Escape Attempt (Fact vs. Fiction)

54:51 The Final Navy Seal Operation

57:31 About Brian Beckcom's Podcast

59:03 Two Truths and a Lie Answer

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Note: If your podcast app doesn't support clickable links, copy/paste this in your browser to find all the links: https://links.boatspodcast.com/380

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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 Japan's ambitious assault, we separate fact from fiction across multiple Pearl Harbor films.

Josh's Latest Work

• Embattled Marines at Air Station Ewa

Chapters

0:00 Intro & Two Truths and a Lie Game

3:16 From Here to Eternity: Life Before the Attack

10:20 The Global Scope of Japan's Offensive

12:40 Wake Island Under Siege

20:04 Oahu's Airfields and Widespread Attacks

28:23 American Aircraft in the Air During the Attack

43:20 Civilian Casualties and Friendly Fire

58:23 American Morale and the Movies' Coverage

1:05:02 Pilots Beyond Pearl Harbor

1:11:13 The Final Countdown: What If Scenario

1:22:32 Two Truths and a Lie Answer Reveal

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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

• Jack El-Hai Official Website
• Nuremberg (2025 Film)
• 22 Cells in Nuremberg by Douglas Kelley
• Howie Trieste's Book on Nuremberg Experiences
• Stars and Stripes Military Newspaper

Chapters

0:00 Intro

2:35 Movie Overview - Nuremberg and Main Characters

5:45 Historical Grade and Book Comparison

9:10 Goering's Capture by Allied Forces

14:20 Douglas Kelley's Role as Psychiatrist

18:55 Goering and Rudolf Hess Relationship

23:45 Goering's Narcissism and Motivations

29:00 Concentration Camp Films and Kelley's Turning Point

33:15 Reporter Character and Kelley's Departure

37:00 Howie Trieste's Story as German-Jewish Translator

41:45 Kelley Handing Over Research to Prosecutors

45:15 Goering's Cyanide Pill and Suicide

48:00 Final Lessons and Democracy Warnings

50:30 Behind-the-Scenes Film Production Story

52:15 Two Truths and a Lie Answer Reveal

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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, whose new biography Joan Crawford: A Woman’s Face reveals Crawford’s journey from orphan to screen legend using thorough research from personal papers, studio records, and the Robert Aldrich archives at UCLA.

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:39 TV series synopsis

00:03:16 Two truths and a lie

00:04:07 Interview

01:19:11 Two truths and a lie answer

Also mentioned in this episode

• Joan Crawford: A Woman's Face by Scott Eyman

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