Narrator: I shall tell you of William Wallace. Historians from England will say I am a liar, but history is written by those who have hanged heroes. The king of Scotland had died without a son, and the king of England, a cruel pagan known as Edward the Longshanks, claimed the throne of Scotland for himself. Scotland's nobles fought him, and fought each other, over the crown. So Longshanks invited them to talks of truce - no weapons, one page only. Among the farmers of that shire was Malcolm Wallace, a commoner with his own lands; he had two sons, John and William.
Malcolm Wallace: I told ye to stay.
Young William: Well, I finished my work. Where're we goin'?
Malcolm Wallace: McAndrews'. He was supposed to visit when the gatherin' was over.
Young William: Can I come?
Malcolm Wallace: No! Go home, boy.
Young William: But I want to go.
Malcolm Wallace: Go home, William, or you'll feel the back o' my hand.
Robert's Father: At last, you know what it means to hate. Now you're ready to be a king.
Robert the Bruce: My hate will die with you.
Robert the Bruce: Lands, titles, men, power... nothing.
Robert's Father: Nothing?
Robert the Bruce: I have nothing. Men fight for me because if they do not, I throw them off my land and I starve their wives and children. Those men who bled the ground red at Falkirk fought for William Wallace. He fights for something that I never had. And I took it from him, when I betrayed him. I saw it in his face on the battlefield and it's tearing me apart.
William Wallace: It's all for nothing if you don't have freedom.
Longshanks: Not the archers. My scouts tell me their archers are miles away and no threat to us. Arrows cost money. Use up the Irish. Their dead cost nothing.
William Wallace: Lower your flags and march straight back to England, stopping at every home to beg forgiveness for a hundred years of theft, rape, and murder. Do this and your men shall live. Do it not, and every one of you will die today.
Princess Isabelle: I understand you have suffered. I know... about your woman.
William Wallace: [pauses, then sighs sadly] She was my wife. We married in secret because I would not share her with an English lord. They killed her to get to me. I've never spoken of it, I don't know why I tell you now, except... I see her strength in you. One day, you will be a queen. And you must open your eyes.
[regains composure, speaks firmly]
William Wallace: You tell your king that William Wallace will NOT be ruled... and nor will any Scot while I live.
William Wallace: And if this is your army, why does it go?
Soldier: We didn't come here to fight for them.
Second Soldier: Home, the English are too many!
William Wallace: Sons of Scotland! I am William Wallace.
Second Soldier: William Wallace is seven feet tall!
William Wallace: Yes, I've heard. Kills men by the hundreds. And if HE were here, he'd consume the English with fireballs from his eyes, and bolts of lightning from his arse.
[Scottish army laughs]
William Wallace: I AM William Wallace! And I see a whole army of my country men, here, in defiance of tyranny. You've come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight?
Soldier: Against that? No, we will run, and we will live.
William Wallace: Aye, fight and you may die, run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!
[crowd cheers]
Longshanks: [to Prince Edward] One day you will be a king. At least try to act like one.
William Wallace: Before we let you leave, your commander must cross that field, present himself before this army, put his head between his legs, and kiss his own arse.
Stephen: [speaking heavenward] Him? That can't be William Wallace. I'm prettier than this man. All right Father, I'll ask him.
Stephen: [to William] If I risk my neck for you, will I get a chance to kill Englishmen?
Hamish: Is your father a ghost, or do you converse with the Almighty?
Stephen: In order to find his equal, an Irishman is forced to talk to God.
Stephen: [heavenward] Yes, Father.
Stephen: [to William and the others] The Almighty says don't change the subject; just answer the fucking question.
Hamish: Mind your tongue.
Campbell: Insane Irish!
Stephen: [draws a dagger and holds it to Campbell's throat] Smart enough to get a dagger past your guards, old man.
William Wallace: [holding a spear at Stephen's chest] That's my friend, Irishman. And the answer to your question is yes - if you fight for me, you get to kill the English.
Stephen: Excellent!
English Commander: I hope you washed your ass this morning, it's about to be kissed by a king.
William Wallace: Go back to England and tell them there that Scotland's daughters and sons are yours no more. Tell them Scotland is free.
Princess Isabelle: You see? Death comes to us all. But before it comes to you, know this: your blood dies with you. A child who is not of your line grows in my belly. Your son will not sit long on the throne. I swear it.
William Wallace: Every man dies, not every man really lives.
Stephen: Stephen is my name. I'm the most wanted man on my island. Except I'm not on my island, of course. More's the pity.
Hamish: Your island? You mean Ireland.
Stephen: Yeah. It's MINE.
Hamish: You're a madman.
Stephen: [Laughs] I've come to the right place then.
Longshanks: Archers.
English Commander: Beg your pardon sire, but won't we hit our own troops ?
Longshanks: Yes... but we'll hit theirs as well. We have reserves... attack .
Royal Magistrate: The prisoner wishes to say a word.
William Wallace: [last line he is able to speak before he dies - and in spite of agonizing pain under torture, he shouts this:] FREEEEE-DOMMMMMM.
Princess Isabelle: I understand you have recently been given the rank of knight.
William Wallace: I have been given nothing. God makes men what they are.
“You have come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight? Aye, fight and you may die, run and you'll live. At least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!”
William Wallace (Mel Gibson)
