Blog #2

The film "The Brothers Grimm" was very interesting and entertaining. However, it was absolutely riddled with historical inaccuracies. One of the most obvious and most important things the move got wrong was the relationship between the brothers themselves. In real life, Jacob was the wise and caring older brother while Wilhelm was the ill but outgoing younger brother. In the movie, however, the brothers' ages were reversed and the deep, passionate love that Zipes discussed the brothers having for one another was nowhere to be seen. The brothers in the movie were portrayed to bicker and fight constantly while taking part in activities the quiet, scholarly brothers would never do in real life. Another falsity in the movie is the fact that Wilhelm, who was constantly struggling with his failing health, was portrayed as very athletic and healthy. The only things about the brothers that the movie got slightly correct were their names, the fact that they were brothers, that they came from a poor family, that Jacob was the more introverted brother, and that Wilhelm was the more outgoing brother.

Another interesting choice the movie made was to disregard the brothers' actual profession and beliefs and instead make up a story about the brothers being dishonest con men. In real life the brothers were honest, hardworking literary scholars who toiled away working day and night in order to support their struggling family. Their Christian faith kept them motivated to educate Germany through traditional language and grammar. In the movie, however, the brothers were portrayed and conniving con men intent on becoming rich, drinking, sleeping with lots of women, and partying (things their Christian faith would have never supported). Also, in the movie the unification of Germany was no longer their top concern, instead fairy tales were their primary focus. The movie even supported the idea of the supernatural tales being real, something the real brothers would have never believed.

The movie correctly illustrated the French occupation of Germany, but decided to fabricate almost all the details. Although the brothers did work as librarians for the French government for a very short time, they never worked directly for a French general like they did in the movie. The brothers also rarely traveled in order to collect their tales, instead inviting young educated women to their home to tell stories. Therefore, the brothers would never have encountered the situation they did in the movie. Furthermore, the concept of the brothers fighting over a girl they met on their travels is highly unlikely, because Wilhelm was happily married and Jacob seemed to have little interest in marriage. Overall, the movie strayed very far from the real history of the Brothers Grimm.

Sources; https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi-rffQiL_kAhUNwlkKHfUuDdQQjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.imdb.com%2Ftitle%2Ftt0355295%2F&psig=AOvVaw2P99Ky76ItG61u98yQHqXw&ust=1567957896747735

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