Fact VS. Fiction

The movie Pearl Harbor has sent a collective shiver down the backs of historical purists. "This wasn't The History (TV) Channel," says star Ben Affleck in Pearl's defense. "There's a lot of interesting stuff that, if the movie turns you on to it, you can follow up on." Adds director Michael Bay: "It's about getting the essence of what it felt like." For those who want to separate fact from fiction we consulted a few experts.

REEL STORY Not only is Affleck's Rafe a nimble aviator, but he's skilled in the ancient art of origami as...