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The Forum > General Discussion > Writing off fiction for fact

Writing off fiction for fact

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"the Rabbit-Proof Fence film was very effective. But was there a single element of truth in it ? Is there any evidence whatever that the events occurred?"

Hi Joe, to answer your question, and this in a subjective opinion. I believe, yes there was some truth in it, but to what degree I can't say. With films based on a true event, to what extent the film depicts the actual truth it cannot be judged or quantified, To say RPF was 90% truth, or to say no, it was only 10% truth, we cannot say anything like that. The makers do not expect that of the audience. Movies first and foremost have to entertain, then for the investors they have to be a financial success, and unless you are a David Attenborough, that is hard to achieve with a doco.

A good example of truth verses cinematic licence, is movies and documentaries on 'Titanic' both types have been done, both concern a true event in history, that is not in dispute, and I must say, well done at that. It would be wrong to take the movie versions and believe that is how it was, just as it would be wrong to watch the documentaries and looking for the entertainment value only, where is the love story.

Imagine if you were asked to write an historical assignment on the 'Titanic', and all the knowledge you had was from watching Kennith More in the 1950's 'A Night to Remember', (excellent film for what it is), I think you might score an "F" on that one. But if asked to write an essay on a popular 'Titanic' movie and chose that film, you could score an "A".

How about 'The Sapphires', very good movie.

https://www.creativespirits.info/resources/movies/the-sapphires
Posted by Paul1405, Tuesday, 28 February 2017 5:23:09 AM
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Hi Paul,

So how do we distinguish between truth (backed up by evidence) and propaganda (backed up by no evidence at all, but obviously geared to support a Narrative) ?

Joe
Posted by Loudmouth, Tuesday, 28 February 2017 7:38:39 AM
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"When a myth is shared by large numbers of people, it becomes a reality."
~Lawrence Blair
Posted by leoj, Tuesday, 28 February 2017 8:19:44 AM
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Hi Paul,

In the interests of objectivity and truth, let's explore the RBF story a bit further. You suggest that, "I believe, yes there was some truth in it, but to what degree I can't say."

It's intriguing to know why you do believe the story - do you have any factual evidence, anything else besides an unquestioning belief in a story told by someone fifty or more years after the story was supposed to have happened ?

In this case, let's imagine what would have happened IF the story were true. Police pursuing the girls up the fence ? Then, there would be police reports, police wage sheets documenting overtime and accommodation allowances, etc; there would be hotel records up the line at nearby towns. And of course, there would be local newspaper reports, sold on to the West Australian. The Superintendent at Moore River Institution would have had to report on it. Mrs Bennett would have quickly got wind of it all, and used it publicly and vocally against Neville. But nothing.

With respect, you do seem to try a sleight of hand next: "With films based on a true event, to what extent the film depicts the actual truth it cannot be judged or quantified."

Says who it is true ? Isn't that what they call begging the question, assuming precisely what needs to be demonstrated ?

Then you suggest that: "To say RPF was 90% truth, or to say no, it was only 10% truth, we cannot say anything like that."

Well no, not if there is no evidence whatever. But what we can say (provisionally, until evidence is found) is that it didn't happen.

'No evidence' is always a pretty strong case. It beats all the righteous chest-thumping in the world.

By the way, I'm not suggesting that a poor old lady lied - the mind does funny things over a few short years, let alone fifty. My grandfather, Ithink, incorporated the war exploits of another soldier of the same name who he probably knew in Palestine. Sometimes 'belief' doesn't count for much.

Cheers,

Joe
Posted by Loudmouth, Tuesday, 28 February 2017 9:22:19 AM
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Dear loudmouth,

I have no problem with you wanting documentary evidence before fully embracing something but to say “Well no, not if there is no evidence whatever. But what we can say (provisionally, until evidence is found) is that it didn't happen.” is crazy. Even if there were no other evidence available oral history is of itself evidentiary. How much weight is placed upon it can be debated but the default should not be that nothing happened.

An old friend of my father confessed to him in tears to having eaten human flesh to stay alive on the Kokoda Track. Both men have passed away and there are no records to substantiate any of it plus it was delivered to me third hand. Under your rules it didn't happen.

From the Age;

“Some time later, Doris was invited to give a speech at an Aboriginal family history event in Perth. There she repeated the story her aunt had told her. "After the speech, one of the lads in the audience came up and said, 'You know that story you told, about the girls running away - that's really well documented'. Then he sent me all these files." The clippings and reports he sent to Doris provided the factual backbone for the story that would eventually become the book Follow The Rabbit-Proof Fence. She wrote the first draft in 1985 and sent it off to a publisher. The publisher wrote back saying the work read a little like an academic treatise, and suggested she try her hand at fiction instead.”
http://www.kooriweb.org/foley/resources/film/sunage17feb02.html

So it would seem there was further evidence.

I recently watched the movie Hacksaw Ridge. Desmond Doss's story has elements in it that were not depicted in the film because Gibson felt they would not be believed even though they were in Doss's citation for the Medal of Honour.

Films are designed primarily to entertain otherwise why bother. Just as with Gibson there were probably aspects that were left out of this film because of the medium. To completely write the thing off as unsubstantiated is just churlish.
Posted by SteeleRedux, Tuesday, 28 February 2017 10:29:02 AM
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Here's a link that may be of interest:

http://www.kooriweb.org/foley/resources/film/sunage17feb02.html

BTW: Oral histories are so important in our quest to
learn about the past. I still recall my time working
at the State Library of Victoria when I catalogued
collections of oral histories on tape. It was fascinating
work and I learned so much. Oral histories whether in the
form of diaries, tapes, et cetera play an important role.
Think of "The Diary of Anne Frank," "Bitter Harvest,"
(Ukrainian famine), and other works. "Rabbit-Proof Fence,"
certainly had its affect on me - despite what Andrew Bolt,
or Keith Windschuttle may have us believe.
Posted by Foxy, Tuesday, 28 February 2017 11:27:18 AM
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