Morgano opened this issue on Jun 15, 2007 · 64 posts
XENOPHONZ posted Mon, 18 June 2007 at 7:16 PM
The movie that you are thinking of was called The Patriot. I recall the controversy -- at least the controversy which obtained in the British press -- over that movie. The film wasn't particularly controversial over here: at least not from the standpoint of the Brits being depicted as war criminals. But the movie was controversial over here due to the fact that Mel Gibson's character's young sons -- both of them boys -- were shown shooting and killing in time of war........which isn't a politically correct thing to depict these days. Even though boys 12 and under fighting in that war actually happened at the time.........but it's a big no-no in the current politically correct era.
I can't speak in fine detail about other aspects of the movie, due to the fact that I've only seen snatches of it on TV. But I do recall that the English didn't like the movie back when it came out. I also recall that English papers, columnists, etc. pointed out that Mel had a habit of starring in movies which tended to portray the English in a bad light -- such as Braveheart. At the time, The Patriot was considered to be adding insult to injury.
Of course, since that time Mel has successfully managed to portray himself in a bad light --------
The Revolutionary War American general to whom you refer was Francis Marion (Marion was his last name, not his first). He was given the appellation of the Swamp Fox by an English general who was complaining about the effectiveness of Marion's tactics against the British.
Whether or not the real Francis Marion was a hero depends upon which side of the fence you are sitting on, I suppose. 
But he is widely regarded as a hero in my home state. Many places in those localities are proudly named after him.