The patriot act is a more than 300page document passed by the u. In fact, the patriot turns a blind eye to slavery altogether, a decision that received much attention from critics including director spike lee. The patriot the movie, the patriot, is the story of a south carolina plantation owner, benjamin martin, who leads a local militia against british troops in the south during the beginning of the american revolutionary war. Francis marion was known as the swamp fox and he helped train soldiers in guerilla warfare.
The patriot is a movie which affects many people in different ways. Did the events in the patriot really happen in the. A significant segment of the population of the carolinas and georgia. It may very well be one of the most exciting and moving wardrama movies of all time. At the beginning of the movie when benjamin is taking the children to aunt charlottes. Even so, many will claim its merely an action movie. This program is appropriate for middle school and high school students.
Historical inaccuracies of the patriot by roberto loya on prezi. It is only to be expected that mel gibson takes on and defeats the entire british army, virtually singlehandedly, in the patriot, but you would have thought that at least the film would have had something to say about what, from the point of view of the. The patriot is a 2000 american epic historical fiction war film directed by roland emmerich, written by robert rodat, and starring mel gibson, chris cooper. Jun 28, 2000 the patriot is a fable arguing the futility of pacifism, set against the backdrop of the revolutionary war. The patriot is a magnificent and compelling revolutionary war epic. As the czar behaves erratically and goes after his mistress vera voronina, count pahlen lewis stone. The battles that were shown in the movie were actual battles of the american revolution. The patriot, 2000 top 10 historically misleading films. The patriot essay the patriot is a movie which included several differences and similarities to the actual history of the american revolution, including a bias against the british. The patriot movie compared to real history free essays. Hollywood has a long history of bringing american wars to the big screen.
In the reenactment community, the patriot is a joke or also known as lethal hatchet, the prequel to lethal weapon. In britain at the time, the word patriot had a negative connotation and was used as a negative epithet for a factious disturber of the government, according to samuel johnson. The four battles depicted in this movie were taken from five original battles that really happened. Colonel tavington is based on the historical figure. The patriot never explicitly asks us to turn off our brains, and in fact portrays itself as a moving and serious movie. Principal among the movies gross inaccuracies is the portrayal of british soldiers as evil, bloodthirsty sadists.
The patriot, directed by roland emmerich for centropolis. Truth is the first casualty in hollywoods war, read the headline of the london telegraphs take on the patriot. The film mainly takes place in rural berkeley county, south carolina, and depicts the story of an american colonist, nominally loyal to the british crown. Gary wray hist 111 29 july, 2012 the patriot is a movie that takes place during the american revolution in 1776. In the movies version of events, the revolution is nearly lost because general george washington and the main patriot army are being pursued by a much larger british army in the north, while cornwallis has destroyed the rebel army in the south. This movie was absolute brilliance from start to finish.
Similarly, the antagonists villains in the movie are exaggerated orhave a melodramatic appearance in the movie. No one ever said that movieseven those about historical eventswere obligated to reflect fact. In the movie, martin had many more kids than, francis marion did in real life. Jan 26, 2011 truth is the first casualty in hollywoods war, read the headline of the london telegraphs take on the patriot.
It explains the difficulties that he had to go through so as to achieve his revenge subject to the difficulties of. Historical accuracy of the patriot the patriot by patrick. But, to say this movie distorts history would be an understatement. The movie glosses over the reality and portrays the character as a hero when he was much less of one. The patriot is a 2000 american epic historical fiction war film directed by roland emmerich. The impact of the american revolutionary war on one family is examined in this film chockfull of battle re enactments. For three hours the patriot dodged around, skirted about or completely ignored slavery, lee wrote in a letter to the hollywood reporter. Nickelodeons helped the movie industry move into the 1920s by increasing the public appeal of film and generate more money for filmmakers, alongside the widespread use of theaters to screen world war i propaganda. A veteran of the french and indian war, the hero of the fictional fort wilderness, and widowed. The patriot is one of the few hollywood blockbusters of recent years to have received an enormous amount of criticism. Like many historical films, the patriot involves a mixture of fact and fiction. Adding a pure villain in a movie makes it more appealing as people get interested in the movie to find out what will happen at the end. The picture works, however, and features some spectacular set pieces and gorgeous cinematography, all of it perfectly realized in 4k with breathtaking splendor.
In the movie, hollywood twisted history, and made the movie more interesting in the movie martins son ran at the british soldiers, and in real life fracass son didnt run at the officer. Congress with bipartisan support and signed into law by president george w. The patriot is a movie that seems to have been made as historically correct as possible while adding a personal and emotional side behind it. When it comes to guys in threecorner hats shooting muskets, shannon knows what hes talking. The film industry has long offered its version of historic events, with. Historical inacuracies continued historical inaccuracies much of the patriot is not historically accurate. The movie follows the life of an america patriot named benjamin martin. A few key deviations from revolutionary war history deflate the impact of. It was a painted version of the war machine armor mark ii and had a unique color scheme and armor design compared to its predecessors. Francis marion was known as the swamp fox and he helped. The patriot is a film whose storyline is based on the war between the british army men and the americans who were backed up by the french soldiers. If you want a historical account, read about it or watch the history channel.
What is the setting of this movie where and when is it taking place. Peaceful farmer benjamin martin is driven to lead the colonial militia during the american revolution when a sadistic british officer murders his son. Another effect of the tumultuous times was the development of a derogatory use of patriot. The popular film the patriot is loosely based on the exploits of several real life. The patriot historical critique of accuracies benjamin martin is a composite character made up of thomas sumter, daniel morgan, andrew pickens, and francis marion all whom are real people. His early war experience was mostly destroying native american homes, burning their crops and generally starving th. Benjamin martin is a composite character made up of thomas sumter, daniel morgan, andrew pickens, and francis marion all whom were real people. The critics of british rule called themselves whigs after 1768, identifying with members of the british whig party who favored similar colonial policies. The movie was originally supposed to be about francis marion, the best guerrilla leader of the american revolutionary war, but british historian christopher hibbert had stated that marion should not be presented as a hero, since there were strong rumors that he had had sex with his slaves. The impact of the american revolutionary war on one family is examined in this film chockfull of battle reenactments and excellent period scenery.
The audio commentaries and dvd extras further emphasize the idea that it is a historically accurate film. Patriot cultural assignment the patriot is an excellent movie. The patriot is a bloody depiction of americas revolutionary war with mel gibson doing a road show knockoff of william wallace whom he played in braveheart. Directed by ronald emmerich, the movie was a depiction of the american revolution, with benjamin martin as. The patriot is one of two emmerich films to ever be given a fresh rating from that website the other is independence day. The final days of the mad, tyrannical czar paul i of russia emil jannings are recounted. The patriot, directed by roland emmerich for centropolis entertainment, columbia pictures, and sony pictures entertainment, is a stirring account of a littleknown campaign of a war that has been largely ignored by hollywood. Compare the movie the patriot with historical reality.
Directed by ronald emmerich, the movie was a depiction of the american revolution, with benjamin martin as our strong and fierce main character. A scene early in the movie where martin wipes out twenty redcoats on his own is undeniably incredible but unlike the nameless extras, british regulars were. The popular film the patriot is loosely based on the exploits of several real life historical figures including a british officer, lt. Oct 27, 2003 patriot cultural assignment the patriot is an excellent movie. The patriot is pure, blatant american hollywood propaganda. With mel gibson, heath ledger, joely richardson, jason isaacs. She is the owner of a plantation that is burned down by the. Jun 01, 2000 it is only to be expected that mel gibson takes on and defeats the entire british army, virtually singlehandedly, in the patriot, but you would have thought that at least the film would have had something to say about what, from the point of view of the historian, the revolutionary war was actually fought about. According to the movie, general cornwallis fled the battlefield and went north. The movie does a good job in depicting 18thcentury tactics. The british are seen as gentlemanly fops or sadistic monsters. The guns used in the movie were accurately chosen for the time period.
He is the father of seven children and is a widower. Around 1905, nickelodeons, or 5cent movie theaters, began to offer an easy and inexpensive way for the public to watch movies. The clothes in this movie are accurate for the time period. Tarleton first made a name for himself in december 1776, when he was part of a patrol that captured former continental southern commander maj. The term was assumed by people who claimed devotion to ones country and government but whose actions or beliefs belied. The film follows the story of benjamin martin, who reluctantly joins the american revolution in order to save his family. There are very few films today that even come close to touching upon the american revolution, which is why the patriot is of such importance. Having a red, blue and white color scheme and a more slim and versatile body armor than before. There is no question that the patriot takes liberties with the historical record, but so does another recent epic, glory, which was not attacked for serving up bad history. At the very end of the movie, after the battle where benjamin martin gets his revenge on colonel tavington, we hear mel gibsons voiceover that explains the rest of the war. The patriot is a fable arguing the futility of pacifism, set against the backdrop of the revolutionary war. The most serious deficiency of the patriot is its almost complete omission of the loyalists. Cast edit mel gibson as captaincolonel benjamin martin.
The french helped the continental army just like in the movie. Regardless of the medium, historical fiction delivers a message. Throughout the history of filmmaking, hundreds of movies have been produced illustrating the art of war. Marion was originally the lead character in the script, but because of controversy and to allow for more. And that is extremely sad in a movie that sells itself as an accurate portrayal of events during. Bernstein called a truth truer than the literal truth and were therefore willing to forgive.
Bernstein called a truth truer than the literal truth and were therefore willing to. Watch the patriot streaming online hulu free trial. It is a revenge story where a father seeks to revenge the cruel murder of his son. There were also other details in the film that were not accurately shown. The patriot is a 2000 american epic historical fiction war film directed by roland emmerich, written by robert rodat, and starring mel gibson, chris cooper, heath ledger, and jason isaacs. It is rousing and entertaining, and you get your moneys worth, but there isnt an idea in it that will stand up to thoughtful scrutiny. Period and historical films reel history mel gibson features.
The patriot teachers guide for many americans, hollywood serves as the producer of history. When it comes to guys in threecorner hats shooting muskets, shannon. The film was a tearjerker, an action movie and a war film all rolled into one, with just enough comedy to keep it uplifting. Benjamin and the other americans followed until cornwallis holed up in yorktown, virginia. Nicely made with good characters, good acting, a strong storyline and fabulous cinematography. Mel gibson blots his copybook yet again with this account of the american war of. In the case of glory, critics recognized that there was what mr. If you keep in mind that this is a hollywierd movie and take it at that, its watchable.
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