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Braveheart (1995): As the legendary Scottish hero Sir William Wallace, Gibson leads an uprising against the English. After allegations in the police report last week that he was surly and abusive toward the arresting officers, the actor might wish to heed the words of Wallace, who gave this lesson on the abuse of power to his nemesis, King Edward the Longshanks:

"There's a difference between us. You think the people of this land exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom. And I go to make sure that they have it."

If Gibson ever thought he was above the law in Malibu, Calif., he is now humbled. And as he turns to his arraignment on Sept. 28, he might keep in mind something else Wallace proclaimed: "It's all for nothing if you don't have freedom."

Lethal Weapon (1987): As "Lethal Weapon's" Sgt. Riggs, Gibson plays a cop with a death wish, and while he's a fearless drug-busting cop, his partner, Sgt. Murtaugh (Danny Glover), has to constantly remind him there are some things he shouldn't do, as we see in this little exchange.

Riggs: You want me to drive?
Murtaugh: No, you're supposed to be suicidal, remember? I'LL drive.
Riggs: Anybody who drives around in this town IS suicidal.

The moral: Sometimes you're a bigger hero if you don't drive.

The Patriot (2000): Gibson apologized for his "despicable" behavior on Saturday, a day after his arrest, without going into detail. He then apologized again on Tuesday, offering to meet directly with Jewish leaders, after an account of his anti-Semitic tirade was recorded in a police report that reached the Internet.

If Gibson is wracked with guilt and unsure what his next move should be, he bears a lot in common with Benjamin Martin, his character from "The Patriot," a French-Indian war hero haunted by his past, who is reluctant to take sides in the American Revolution because of what he has done on the battlefield.

"I have long feared that my sins would return to visit me, and the cost would be more than I could bear."