Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 384) — Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood tells a tale of alternative history. In this episode, we'll separate the film’s fairy-tale storytelling from the real history behind the Manson murders, Sharon Tate, Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen, and the Hollywood of 1969.

John's podcast breaks down the history of Hollywood, one film at a time. Check out All the Right Movies to learn all about the work that went into making movies, how much of it works, and more.

**More from All the Right Movies**
- Find all the episodes: alltherightmovies.com
- All the Right Movies episode for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: patreon.com/posts/atrm-classic-111-152929056
- Facts about the movie: alltherightmovies.com/feature/45-interesting-and-golden-age-facts-about-once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood

**Mentioned in the Episode**
- John Neal Phillips on 1967's Bonnie and Clyde: links.boatspodcast.com/195

**Chapters**
0:00 Intro and historical accuracy
4:15 Tarantino’s fairy-tale approach
11:25 Rick, Cliff, and Sharon Tate
18:40 Hollywood in the late 1960s
28:30 Steve McQueen and The Great Escape
36:20 Bruce Lee, Sharon Tate, and Spahn Ranch
49:10 The Manson Family and Cielo Drive
58:45 The film’s alternate ending
1:04:20 Final thoughts and ATRM

**Support my work**
- Support my sponsors: links.boatspodcast.com/advertisers
- Become a BOATS Producer: links.boatspodcast.com/producers
- Email me: dan@basedonatruestorypodcast.com