With Patriot’s Day week coming up, it’s a good time to watch some movies and documentaries about the founding of our country. Unfortunately, the American Revolution hasn’t inspired nearly as many film adaptations as the Civil War or World War II, so the pickings are somewhat slim.
Nevertheless, there are a few gems out there that are not only entertaining, they’re also historically accurate for the most part. (Hence the omission of “The Patriot” from this list.) So break out the Samuel Adams beer, get cozy on the couch, and use Patriot’s Day for something other than putting those winter coats into storage for the season.
• “America: The Story of US”: This 12-part History Channel mini-series provides the most comprehensive visual history of our nation that I’ve ever seen, beginning with the settlement of Jamestown in 1607 up to the present day. Not only are the visuals stunning, the storytelling takes pains to make everything relevant to the modern era by emphasizing how the actions of one generation influenced another. (Did you know that binary codes used in home computers can be traced to the cotton gin? Me neither.) Here’s a fun drinking game: Take a swig every time the same British commander gets shot off his horse by a Colonial’s musket ball.
• “Washington the Warrior”: George Washington lost more battles than he won during the Revolution, married for social status and land, and screwed up so badly during the French and Indian War that he resigned his commission. He was also a master of espionage, a brilliant tactician and a cunning politician. By being willing to go beyond the myth to get to the man, this 2006 doc provides a fascinating look at the father of our country.
• “John Adams”: Before David McCullough’s best-selling 2001 biography, Adams had always been overshadowed by Washington and Thomas Jefferson, underscored by the fact that he was the only one-term president until 1829. (Ironically, his son, John Quincy Adams, was the second.) A 2008 mini-series was adapted from McCullough’s book, and not only did it show just how crucial Adams was during the Revolution and the country’s formative years, it allowed lead Paul Giamatti to prove that he had serious acting chops. Winner of four Golden Globes.
• “Drums Along the Mohawk”: I include this 1939 epic not because it’s historically accurate — it’s a work of fiction — but because it’s a darn good movie from Hollywood’s golden age, and was directed by Maine native John Ford to boot. Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert star as a frontier couple struggling to eke out a living during the Revolution. As if that wasn’t hard enough, they’re beset by the British, Tories and Indians before peace is restored. A box-office smash in its day, “Drums” was nominated for two Academy Awards.
Deputy Managing Editor Rod Harmon may be contacted at 791-6450 or at rharmon@pressherald.com
Twitter: RHarmonPPH
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