Bohemian Rhapsody: let’s sort out the truth from the fiction in the Freddie Mercury biopic

Faithful to the singer’s personality, the biopic nevertheless multiplies the inaccuracies.

Warning, spoilers! This article reveals some key moments from the film Bohemian Rhapsody, to be seen again on television as part of a special Freddy Mercury evening. Nothing too bad for the group’s most ardent fans. The others are warned.

At the exit of Bohemian Rhapsodyend of 2018, First proposed to disentangle the true from the false in this biopic on Freddie Mercury And Queen. We are republishing this article, interspersed with others on this feature film which created the event at the 2019 Oscarson the occasion of rebroadcast on M6 (followed by a documentary on the singer). The film recounts the life of Freddie Mercury from his beginnings in the group Queen, in 1970, to the famous Live Aid concert in 1985. Faithful to the personality of the singer, the biopic nevertheless multiplies the inaccuracies. Some of these errors are much more than simple hair or musical anachronisms.

Queen and cinema: video clips in homage to the 7th art (1/3)

Queen: her career and her music

Queen is an overeducated group. TRUE

Queen is probably the most qualified group in the history of rock! Freddie Mercury was an art graduate (Ealing Art College), Roger Taylor in odontology (London Hospital Medical School), John Deacon in electronics (King’s College) and Brian May in astrophysics. The latter finally completed his thesis in 2007, thirty years after having started it.

Freddie Mercury designed the Queen logo. TRUE

It was Freddie Mercury who designed the group’s logo. The musician, a graduate of a London fine arts school, imagined it based on the zodiac signs of the members of the group. We see two lions (John Deacon and Roger Taylor), a crab symbolizing cancer (Brian May) and two fairies symbolizing the virgin (Freddie Mercury).

Freddie Mercury was the first member of Queen to record a solo album. FAKE

According to the film, Freddie Mercury left Queen to devote himself to his solo career. Not only did he never “leave” Queen, but he also isn’t the first member of the group to release a solo album. Roger Taylor publishes Fun in spacehis first solo album, in 1981. Brian May followed suit in 1983 with the album Star Fleet Projectrecorded with guitarist Eddie Van Halen. Mr Bad GuyFreddie Mercury’s first album, was not released until 1985.

Queen and the cinema: Flash Gordon and Highlander, two original soundtracks by Queen (2/3)

All the members of the group were composing. TRUE

Queen is one of the few rock bands that consisted of all four members. Everyone has signed at least one hit. We owe “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “We Are The Champions” to Freddie Mercury; “We Will Rock You”, “Now I’m Here” and “I Want It All” to Brian May; “You’re My Best Friend”, “Another One Bites The Dust” and “I Want To Break Free” to John Deacon; “I’m In Love With My Car”, “Radio Ga Ga” and “A Kind Of Magic” to Roger Taylor.

The group’s compositions were signed “Queen” from 1985. FALSE

The group’s compositions were not signed Queen from 1985, as stated in the film, but from the album The Miraclepublished in 1989. To illustrate this creative and financial symbiosis – since the royalties are now shared equally – the cover of the record represents the heads of the four members forming a single figure.

Queen reformed to take part in Live Aid. FAKE

Queen never officially broke up. However, the film suggests that the members of the group had not played together for several years at the time of Live Aid. The famous charity concert organized by Bob Geldof then seemed like the ideal moment to return to the forefront. What the film forgets to point out is that Queen had recorded a record the previous year (The Worksin 1984) and were touring the world just a few months before Live Aid.

Queen and cinema: Star Wars, Marx Brothers, Marlene Dietrich… discover some “fun facts” about Queen (3/3)

The private life of Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury had a passionate love affair with Mary Austin. TRUE

Before coming out, the Queen singer had a great love affair with a woman: Mary Austinperformed by Lucy Boynton in the movie. Freddie and Mary lived together in the early seventies, until Mercury announced his homosexuality. The two lovers remained on very good terms, with Mary visiting him regularly during his illness.

Jim Hutton, the singer’s last companion, was a waiter. FAKE

In the film, Freddie Mercury meets Jim Huttoninterpreted by Aaron McCusker, during a party he organizes at his home, while the latter is employed as a waiter. According to the group’s biographers, Jim Hutton was not a waiter but a hairdresser/barber. Jim Hutton spent the last six years of Freddie by his side, until the singer’s death on November 24, 1991.

Freddie Mercury had a conflicting relationship with the press. TRUE

The press has not always been kind to Queen, nor to Freddie Mercury. The British tabloids did not miss an opportunity to report the singer’s supposed romantic and/or sexual escapades. Bohemian Rhapsody show by the way Paul PrenterFreddie’s assistant played by Allen Leechsell photos to the press and make revelations about the singer’s private life.

Bohemian Rhapsody: boredom at the Opera (review)

Here is the trailer for Bohemian Rhapsody :

Queen seeks ideas for Bohemian Rhapsody sequel