Having read this entire thread, I think everything that needed to be said about Hollywood, rampant disregard for truth, fictionalised accounts, and the basic issue of this movie (which I haven't seen and don't intend to) has been said. However, I wouldn't mind responding just briefly to Aldus's comment, way up there at the top... just what do you mean by "a country who has manufactured huge chunks of its own history, sees nothing wrong with stealing someone elses."? From whence cometh this assumption, firstly, that the US is the only country that propagandises, and has "altered" its history? All the winning countries have - all of them. Most of them more frequently and a good deal more successfully than the US. We've made out mistakes, and as Kendall said, we criticise ourselves for them. Secondly, whatever was manufactured has usually been brought to light. Of course, only having 230 years of history helps... This viscious attitude about America, which lumps all of us in with those who seek to decieve or make mistakes, and doesn't even try to be charitable towards us, is, as Aine said, small minded and stupid.

Regarding your question, McGrath, I've often wondered that myself. There are frequently two versions of books, even! (Sacrilege!) the American, and the British. This is invariably, of course, because Americans are too stupid and not nearly culturally minded enough to understand the different spellings, colloquialisms, and vocabulary.... :P Unfortunately, this is all done by American publishers... so we obviously think of ourselves as not nearly clever enough for it. *sigh* I always like the explanatory notes in Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's Good Omens, (a marvelous book) which make this treatment unnecessary - addressed to 'Americans and other aliens'.

I had a Scottish friend, however, who apparently thought the same thing... that anyone who wasn't Scottish couldn't read the book Sunset Song (written in a mixture of English and the Scots dialect), because they wouldn't understand the Scots. This is, of course, what context is for, but we always underestimate each other. It's an excellent book, btw.

-Jessica