Movies you didn’t know were based on true stories

Trap

Like most M. Night Shyamalan movies, Trap has a set-up that is too ridiculous to be believed: Josh Harnett plays a psychotic serial killer who is also a father and really cares about his daughter, so he takes her to a concert by her favourite pop-artist, Lady Raven. Unbeknown to him, he has walked directly into a trap as the police knew he would attend the concert and are trying to find him and arrest him there.

Police putting together an event to lure wanted criminals in and thus risking the lives of innocent people sounds insane but as it turns out, it actually happened. In 1985, the US Marshals Service Investigative Strike Team needed to find more than 5,000 fugitives in Washington and they came up with a brilliant idea. They sent letters to the last known addresses of over 5,000 people informing them that they had been selected to be given Superbowl tickets and that they needed to collect them personally from the stadium during a football game between the Washington Commanders (then Redskins) and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Police officers were disguised as cheerleaders, fans and stadium staff and they were waiting for the fugitives to stupidly wander into their trap. And wander they did. Police arrested over 100 wanted fugitives in an operation that was hailed as a colossal success.

Jaws

The 1975 Spielberg classic has been striking fear into beachgoers’ hearts ever since: don’t go into the water, a shark will eat you.

The widespread panic had devastating effects on shark populations, which is the exact opposite of what author Peter Benchley was going for with his 1974 novel, which Spielberg adapted into the movie.

The novel tells the story of a great white shark who preys upon beachgoers in a small seaside town and the efforts made by the town sheriff, a scientist and a famed shark hunter to locate and exterminate the threat.

Surprisingly, actual events (that are even mentioned in the book) served as an inspiration for the story.

In the summer of 1916, near New Jersey, a great white shark wreaked havoc for 12 days leaving one gravely injured. One of the attacks actually happened in a creek miles inland, sparking further panic among people. In the end, a group of fishermen killed a juvenile great white shark and when they opened its stomach they found human remains.

The 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks sparked a panic and forever altered human perception of sharks, who were then seen as keeping to themselves and not attacking humans.

Chicago

Break out those jazz moves boys, we are going all in on the musical! Chicago, tells the story of two women, Roxie (Renee Zellweger) and Velma (Catherine Zeta-Jones), who find themselves accused of murdering their lovers. Chicago in the 1920s is the perfect stage for the film, as the town was notorious for its corruption, crime and bursting jazz scene. The two are acquitted and end up working together in a show.

Turns out, the story is shockingly close to reality! Beulah May Annan was a woman from Chicago who in 1924 was married to a mechanic and had an ongoing affair with another man. For reasons unknown, Beaulah ends up shooting her lover and is arrested. When appearing in court, her defence was that there was a gun in the house and that they both reached for the gun and she just happened to get there first. If you watched the movie, you know that this is a major plot point and there is a whole catchy song about it!

Beaulah is found innocent and after the trial she divorces her husband, who had spent all his money on getting the best defence lawyer for his wife. In a statement to the newspapers, Beaulah simply said “I have left my husband. He is too slow”. Again, both these elements are present in the film.

Belva Gaertner was a cabaret singer who was accused of killing her lover, who was found in a car and shot in the head. Belva, a quite famous singer, was arrested in her home drenched in blood. She claimed that they were partying together and she didn’t remember anything else. A ridiculous defence but one that was held in court. Belva was found innocent, despite the fact that she was clearly guilty. A multitude of friends of the couple testified that she was possessive and had threatened her lover a number of times but in the end, celebrity culture won.