New star-studded movie is based on a chilling true story

Robert De Niro, Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington lead the star-studded cast of a killer new film.

'A lot of this actually happened' are the words reeled off as writer/director David O. Russell's murder mystery Amsterdam begins.

It's clearly a film that blurs fact and fiction, but many will not be aware of the chilling true story behind it.

The film was released last Friday, 7 October, and is set in the 1930s. It follows three friends, Burt Berendsen (Christian Bale), Valerie Voze (Margot Robbie) and Harold Woodsman (John David Washington) as they work to solve the mystery surrounding the murder of US General Bill Meekins (Ed Begley Jr).

As the story unravels, the gang realises that the general's death is part of a larger plot to overthrow the US government.

The film even sees Burt and Harold accused of killing the general – and if that doesn't scream conspiracy cover-up, we're not sure what does.

Eventually, the team is led to General Gil Dillenbeck (Robert De Niro), who is unwittingly at the centre of the plot and wants no part of it.

20th Century Fox

He agrees to help the team with their investigations, and pretends to be on the side of the conspiracists (who are mostly wealthy businessmen), positioning himself as their figurehead.

So, exactly what part of the new hit film happened? Well, you might not believe it, but it's the plot to overthrow the US government.

For those not familiar – and we really don't blame you because enough is going on in contemporary politics as it is – the attempt took place in 1933.

The Business Plot, as it's known by historians, was an attempted coup to overthrow the 32nd President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt.

And, like in the film, the man at the centre of the attempt didn't want to be there.

His name was Major General Smedley Butler, and he was the inspiration for De Niro's character.

20th Century Fox

Butler testified under oath that he was approached about the plot in 1933 by a group of businessmen that wanted to install him as dictator.

No one was prosecuted in relation to the plot, but it was reviewed by a special committee of the US House of Representatives, which said: "There is no question that these attempts were discussed, were planned, and might have been placed in execution when and if the financial backers deemed it expedient."

So, there you have it, the seemingly most far-fetched part of the new film is actually the bit that rings true – go figure.

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