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THE FOUNDING OF AMERICA
Review by Mark Wiechman
Stars: Kelsey Grammar,
Aidan Quinn, Jeff Daniels
Director: Various
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Video: Color
Studio: A&E Home Video
Features: See individual program reviews
Length: 1634 minutes total on 14 discs
Release Date: February 24, 2009
“The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New
Englanders, are no more. I am not a Virginian, but an American.”
Patrick Henry
“Indeed, I tremble for my country. When I reflect that God is just, his justice
cannot sleep forever, a revolution of the wheel of fortune and exchange of
situation is among possible events. The Almighty has no attribute which can
take sides in such a contest.”
Thomas Jefferson, reflecting on how history will
judge the slaveholding founding fathers, including himself
Films
***1/2
What country on earth ever
had such a marvelous cast of founders?
With all of the history
classes I have taken and books I have read, I am always impressed with how a
good A&E special can still teach me something completely new and unexpected.
“Founding Fathers” is an excellent introduction to the real story of how our
country was founded. While Patrick Henry may have been the best orator of his
day, Thomas Jefferson actually “prayed for his death” because he saw Henry as
greedy and too ambitious, as well as an incompetent lawyer. This is scathing
considering they were fellow Virginians. But it may have been sour grapes too
since Jefferson was wealthy already and very ambitious and never made much money
as a lawyer. Jefferson was also a poor speaker. Ah, even the founding fathers
had bad days!
And Paul Revere never
actually cried “The British are coming!” because…they were ALL still British.
But he did notify Sam Adams and John Hancock that British soldiers were on their
way to arrest them. John Adams hated Thomas Payne, author of Common Sense,
even though he bought two copies of the book.
We learn quite a bit about
each of the founding fathers in more or less chronological order of their
appearance at the continental congress. We learn about their human
shortcomings, marriages, and accomplishments. They are neither saints nor
sinners, but they were brave and brilliant.
Speaking of good specials based
on good history books I have read, Founding Brothers is based on the
outstanding Pulitzer-Prize winning book of the same name by Joseph Ellis. It
examines six specific relationships between the founders after the war is over
on a more personal level: the secret dinner that determined the site of the
capital and America's financial future; Benjamin Franklin's call for an end to
slavery; George Washington's farewell address to the nation; John Adams's term
as president; Hamilton and Burr's famous and fatal duel, and the final
reconciliation between Adams and Jefferson.
Many viewers assume that just
because George Washington was unanimously chosen to be the first president that
everything would go smoothly, but nothing could be further from the truth. The
ideological fissures that led to the Civil War became even more apparent with
the first cabinet, and cool, calm George Washington had trouble finding his way
as our first leader, much as early Christian leaders had to find ways to work
together for a common cause. Hamilton and Adams were on one side, and Jefferson
and his “disciples” on the other. While Adams became Washington’s successor,
his inability to work well with others and his hatred of Hamilton led the
Federalists to fall, leading to more than a decade of Jeffersonian presidents.
But the story ends on a high note, with Adams and Jefferson becoming close again
years after their electoral wars ended. This is the best portrayal of these
personalities until the John Adams mini-series came to HBO.
Washington the Warrior
provides great insight into the six years Washington spent as our first military
commander-in-chief, wrestling with the demons from military failures past,
climaxing in the British surrender at Yorktown. It successfully strips away his
mythological image and shows us how he came to be a soldier to begin with. The
narration is similarly excellent as in the other specials but the dramatic
re-enactments are better than most. Special features include a making-of
featurette.
The Revolution is a
four-disc portrayal of the state of America before, during, and after the
revolution. It repeats a great deal of information in the other specials, but
is presented in a dramatic reenactment and historians presenting more
information and background detail. It attempts to marry drama with the causes
of events and succeeds. It is much longer than the other specials, and is
certainly not an exemplary drama, but is perfect for viewers who need more
action and faster movement, such as students in school. Special features include
making-of featurette.
The Conflict Ignites
overlaps some of the other specials, but does go into more detail of the very
first day of the war, starting with Paul Revere’s famous ride. The special is
more pedestrian than some of the others and is good for any audience, but
especially students since it focuses more on the actual events rather than just
their causes or effects. Most of it is familiar to anyone who took American
History in school.
1776
is also great for younger audiences or those who want to get more into the
emotions of that year, with a sweeping symphonic soundtrack and plenty of sunset
panoramas of soldiers. Not that these are bad of course, but this predates the
bestselling book of the same name by David McCollough. It is well-done but not
on the same level as the above specials, and again is excellent for younger
viewers or those who have forgotten their history. But interestingly, its
opening portrait of Washington contains yet more new information about him, thus
showing how much there really is to know about these amazing men, not just a
bunch of dead white slaveholders as many modern historians have written them
off. They were only human, but extraordinary humans who overcame severe
military and political restrictions to found the greatest republic in history.
Washington and Arnold
is interesting because many of us have forgotten that Benedict Arnold began as a
hero for the infant republic. It was made in much the same vein of the 1776
special, with minimal dramatizations and plenty of good patriotic music of the
era. It is also better for younger audiences, though the excellent narration is
a goldmine for information for anyone. It goes far beyond just the two title
characters, but also teaches us about Marquis de Lafayette and other players in
the drama. But the tempo is very pedestrian and is really a snoozer compared
with the Founding sets above. Some of the historians are not even
American, which is hardly a crime, but seems odd in this context.
Benedict Arnold: A
Question of Honor is a fully drama
presentation. Kelsey Grammar of all people portrays George Washington, who
considered Arnold one of his finest officers, who bravely attacked Quebec and
was wounded. Arnold was essentially one of the best if not the best generals
in Continental Army, who had enemies in congress, lost his wife while he was
fighting, and like so many other founding fathers had financial difficulties.
Other generals took credit for his accomplishments. He tried to resign, but
General Washington would not let him. Arnold twice saved the revolution
obtained command of West Point, only to surrender it intentionally to the
British and join them. Surprisingly Grammar is very convincing as Washington,
portraying him as something of a lady’s man who likes wine and does not hide the
fact that he served without pay. This disc also contains “Benedict Arnold:
Triumph and Treason” episode of biography as well as cast and crew bios.
While it is only in stereo,
the orchestral soundtrack is excellent and the overall mix is excellent.
“My name will be chiseled
in granite amongst the betrayers…Lucifer, Judas, and Arnold.” I don’t know if
he actually said this, but Aidan Quinn’s portrayal is very believable.
The Crossing
is also a fully dramatic presentation of George Washington’s famous crossing of
the Potomac. It is difficult to exaggerate how bad off the army really was.
Whatever image we may have of a ragged army on its last leg, well, it was even
worse. Many of them were barefoot and only had summer clothes and many of his
enlistees were about to leave since their terms were expiring. There was also
no money to pay them. Yet somehow Washington and Hamilton and their men did
it. Jeff Daniels portrays General Washington, and while he is a fine actor and
does alright in the role, he does not seem to bring the gravitas required for
the role. On the other hand, the production itself is very good and quite
believable.
Ben Franklin
was probably all around the most interesting of the founding fathers considering
he was not ever a president. He was world famous as a scientist and inventor,
probably our first American genius. He founded the first national newspaper,
library, and even the postal service. He published the Poor Richard’s Almanac
and was an ambassador to France, a chief ally. On the other hand, his family
life was a shambles, largely because he was a sensualist. He is the founding
father who “winks” at us, enjoying life very much while still sacrificing much
of his pleasure and time to help his country. John Adams felt he was lazy and
spent far too much time enjoying French pleasures, yet they loved Franklin and
had no use for Adams—Adams was book smart but not shrewd. Franklin saw life as
a masquerade ball, not a political or academic exercise. This is surely one of
the best programs of the set, and shows all sides of his enigmatic personality.
This disc also has some of the best special features, “Declaration of
Independence” episode of “Save our History”, a making-of featurette, timeline,
anecdotes, quotes list of innovations and inventions, all of which are wildly
appropriate for Dr. Franklin.
The World at War
looks at the other causes and implications
of the American Revolution, what it would mean for Britain. For example,
Britain held important assets in Manhattan and the Caribbean Islands, and we
learn which generals lost and won, and since the other specials provide
overwhelming detail of Washington’s plans, this special shows things more
close-up and mostly from a more objective point of view. It is hard to believe
how lucky America really was, but British hubris and lack of allies doomed
them. And they didn’t have George Washington of course, who rode a horse
literally to death up and down the lines at Monmouth, shouting orders and
encouragement, seeming to stop retreats and bullets with only his presence and
steely glance. England’s Last Chance and Birth of the Republic
are parts two and three of this series. The series overall avoids the
romantic music and sentimentality of some of the above discs and is more
no-nonsense history especially for those who already know the outlines of our
country’s founding.
Video
***1/2
Just the normal full screen
television presentation but no artifacts, menus are easy to use, no graininess
or other problems that we sometimes see in television DVD’s.
Audio
***1/2
Only stereo but no
problems, good mixing throughout, no skipping or other problems.
Summary
I only withheld half of one star because none of these excellent specials is quite on the level of the recent HBO John Adams epic, but the set is still a stunning collection of information about our wonderful mother America.