I'm surprised at the surprise about Hollywood's  less than truthful version of the American War of Independence (Truth is first casualty in Hollywood's war, 19 June 2000). For Hollywood truth is a commodity like any other, to be manufactured and adapted to suit the market, and thus rake in the money. 

Has Hollywood ever made a film of any cultural or historical value? I'm sure it has, if you can find it amongst all the junk and box-office successes.

On the other hand, perhaps it will do us British good to see ourselves depicted as we like to depict the Germans or Japs. We are not too fussy about historical truth ourselves when it comes to painting our own heroic picture.