Oliver’s Twists
Your article on Oliver Stone’s latest Vietnam adventure states that prior criticism of his playing fast and loose with history is making him so much more conscientious with his new film.
What’s with these critics? Why should Stone be expected to be a better historian than William Shakespeare? How well-known would the Bard of Avon be if he had told the truth about Henry IV and the Battle of Agincourt? At Agincourt, Henry and his barbarians slaughtered the rear guard of the retreating army. Not exactly the height of bravery.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. Feb. 7, 1993 For the Record
Los Angeles Times Sunday February 7, 1993 Home Edition Calendar Page 87 Calendar Desk 1 inches; 32 words Type of Material: Correction
In response to other readers who wrote to complain about her error, Elinor Defibaugh reports that she did mean Henry V, and not Henry IV, in her letter last week comparing the historical truth of works by Shakespeare and Oliver Stone.
Another historically incorrect piece of drama is the movie “Spartacus.” Spartacus was one of three leaders of the insurrection of the gladiators. When he led some of his men into a final battle with the Roman general Marcus Crassus, his troops deserted him, and he was cut to pieces.
Tony Curtis was nowhere around to help him.
ELINOR DEFIBAUGH
Los Angeles
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