“Films about the American War of Independence” is a captivating topic that explores the historical events and significant figures surrounding the birth of the United States. This period in American history, also known as the Revolutionary War, marks a crucial turning point in the fight for independence from British rule.
Here are some existing films that delve into the American War of Independence:
“1776”, 1972
Director: Peter H. Hunt
This musical film follows the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, showcasing the struggles and debates that took place amongst the Founding Fathers.
Starring: William Daniels, Howard Da Silva, Ken Howard, Donald Madden, John Cullum, Roy Poole, David Ford, Ron Holgate, Ray Middleton, William Hansen, Blythe Danner, Virginia Vestoff, Emory Bass, Ralston Hill, Howard Caine, Patrick Hines, William Duell, Daniel Keyes, Leo Leyden, Stephen Nathan, Jonathan Moore, James Noble, John Myhers, Rex Robbins, Charles Rule, Andy Albin, William Bassett, Nicolas Coster, Jack De Mave, Gordon De Vol, Frederic Downs, Peter Forster, John Holland, Heber Jentzsch, Richard McMurray, Mark Montgomery, Barry O'Hara, Dick O'Shea, Jordan Rhodes, Fred Slyter;
Production year: 1972;
Genre: musical, history, drama;
MPAA rating: g;
Duration: 141 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,6;
More information about the film “1776” on the website imdb.com
“The Patriot”, 2000
Director: Roland Emmerich
Set during the Revolutionary War, this film tells the story of a farmer turned militia leader, played by Mel Gibson, who fights against the British forces in South Carolina.
Starring: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson, Jason Isaacs, Chris Cooper, Tchéky Karyo, Rene Auberjonois, Lisa Brenner, Tom Wilkinson, Donal Logue, Leon Rippy, Adam Baldwin, Jay Arlen Jones, Joey D. Vieira, Gregory Smith, Mika Boorem, Skye McCole Bartusiak, Trevor Morgan, Bryan Chafin, Logan Lerman, Mary Jo Deschanel, Jamieson Price, Peter Woodward, Grahame Wood, Beatrice Bush, Shan Omar Huey, Hank Stone, Kirk Fox, Jack Moore, Mark Twogood, Colt Romberger, Terry Layman, Shannon Eubanks, Bill Roberson, Charles Black, Andy Stahl, Kristian Truelsen, Kanin Howell, Mark Jeffrey Miller, Zach Hanner, Dara Coleman, Randell Haynes, John Storey, Greg Good, John F. Dzencelowcz II, John Curran, Kyle Richard Engels, John Bennes, Roy McCrerey, P. Dion Moore;
Production year: 2000;
Genre: action, drama, war, history;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 165 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,2;
More information about the film “The Patriot” on the website imdb.com
“Johnny Tremain”, 1957
Director: Robert Stevenson
Based on the novel by Esther Forbes, this film follows the journey of a young silversmith apprentice who becomes involved in the fight for independence.
Starring: Hal Stalmaster, Luana Patten, Jeff York, Sebastian Cabot, Richard Beymer, Rusty Lane, Walter Sande, Whit Bissell, Walter Coy, Will Wright, Virginia Christine, Ralph Clanton, Lumsden Hare, Gavin Gordon, Geoffrey Toone, Walter Bacon, Paul Bradley, John Breen, Dick Cherney, Jack Clinton, John Close, Cyril Delevanti, George DeNormand, Sharon Disney, Robert Foulk, David Frankham, Anthony Ghazlo Sr., James Gonzalez, Dabbs Greer, Chuck Hamilton, Steve Hayes, Robin Hughes, Whitey Hughes, Michael Jeffers, William F. Kraemer, Frank McLure, Maurice Millard, William H. O'Brien, Paul Palmer, House Peters Jr., Dick Rich, John Roy, George Russell, Charles Smith, Robert Stevenson;
Production year: 1957;
Genre: adventure, family, war;
Duration: 80 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,4;
More information about the film “Johnny Tremain” on the website imdb.com
“The Crossing”, 2014
Director: John Woo
This made-for-TV movie focuses on the daring crossing of the Delaware River by General George Washington and his troops, which ultimately led to a pivotal victory for the Continental Army.
Starring: Zhang Ziyi, Song Hye-gyo, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Masami Nagasawa, Johnny Kou , Huang Xiaoming, Lin Meihsiu, Yang Kueimei, Tony Yang, Tong Dawei, Qin Hailu, Faye Yu, Denny Huang, Angeles Woo, Wang Qianyuan, Hitomi Kuroki, Qian Bo, Jack Kao, Lan Wang, Chia-Jui Kou, Vins Yi-Zheng, Tang Jingmei, Hou Yong, Xudong Du, You Yong, Bamboo Chen, Bowie Lam, Yu Zhen, Zhai Tianlin, Cong Shan, Aaron C. Shang, Liu Yiwei, Huanhuan Xu, Hu Xiaoguang, Wei Bai, Li Wenbo, Bonnie Xian, Shu Yaoxuan, Lee Wei, Yaqin Wang, Shen Huifen, Li Guangfu, Fang Qingzhuo, Feng Yan, Zhi Qi, Zhang Guoqing, Anne Sofie Adelsparre;
Production year: 2014;
Genre: history, drama, melodrama, war;
Age: 18+;
Duration: 128 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,1;
More information about the film “The Crossing” on the website imdb.com
“Revolution”, 2012
Director: Charles Beeson, Steve Boyum, Frederick E.O. Toye, Helen Shaver
Starring Al Pacino, this film explores the personal journey of a fur trapper caught in the midst of the American Revolution, as he navigates the complexities of war and loyalty.
Starring: Billy Burke, Tracy Spiridakos, David Lyons, Elizabeth Mitchell, Zak Orth, Giancarlo Esposito, J.D. Pardo, Stephen Collins, Daniella Alonso, Graham Rogers, Steven Culp, Mat Vairo, Jessica Ann Collins, Maureen Sebastian, Cotter Smith, Colm Feore, Maria Howell, Tim Guinee, David Meunier, Anna Lise Phillips, Morgan Hinkleman, Jade Pettyjohn, Cameron Morrison, MacEwen Morrison, Derek Webster, Kim Raver, Trish Unzicker, Nicole Ari Parker, Christopher Cousins, Billy Lush, Zeljko Ivanek, Jason Douglas, Julius Gregory, Shane Callahan, Reiko Aylesworth, David Aaron Baker, Leslie Hope, Mark Pellegrino, Anthony Ruivivar, Glenn Morshower, Malik Yoba, Waleed Zuaiter, Matt Ross, Barry Tubb, Leland Orser, Patrick Heusinger, Daniel Henney, Richard T. Jones, Patrick St. Esprit, Ramon Fernandez;
Production year: 2012;
Genre: science fiction, action, thriller, drama, melodrama, adventure;
Age: 16+;
Rating: IMDB: 6,6;
More information about the film “Revolution” on the website imdb.com
“April Morning”, 1988
Director: Delbert Mann
Set in Lexington, Massachusetts, this film centers around a young boy who witnesses the Battle of Lexington and experiences the harsh realities of war for the first time.
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Susan Blakely, Chad Lowe, Robert Urich, Meredith Salenger, Rip Torn, Joan Heney, Nicholas Kilbertus, Griffith Brewer, Thor Bishopric, Joel Miller, Brian Furlong, Anthony Ulc, Philip Spensley, Peter Colver, Alan Mozes, Jeannie Walker, Gary Plaxton, Jon Baggaley, Vlasta Vrana, Burke Lawrence, Paul Rutledge, Ken Siegel, David Gow, Tedd Dillon, James Coull, Timothy Hine, Vincent Glorioso, Eric Bruno Borgman, Lincoln Clark, Carson Hovey, Michael Kaplan, Joseph Madden, Steven Ricci, Jerry Robbins, Mark Allen Sepanski, George Souza, Mark Vander Berg;
Production year: 1988;
Genre: drama, war, history;
Duration: 100 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,4;
More information about the film “April Morning” on the website imdb.com
“Drums Along the Mohawk”, 1939
Director: John Ford
This historical drama follows a newlywed couple living on the frontier during the Revolutionary War, as they face hardships and battles against Native American tribes and British soldiers.
Starring: Claudette Colbert, Henry Fonda, Edna May Oliver, Eddie Collins, John Carradine, Dorris Bowdon, Jessie Ralph, Arthur Shields, Robert Lowery, Roger Imhof, Francis Ford, Ward Bond, Kay Linaker, Russell Simpson, Spencer Charters, Si Jenks, Jack Pennick, Arthur Aylesworth, Chief John Big Tree, Charles Tannen, Paul McVey, Tiny Jones, Beulah Hall Jones, Edwin Maxwell, Robert Greig, Clara Blandick, Frank Baker, Ruth Clifford, George Huggins, Noble Johnson, Payne B. Johnson, Mae Marsh, Lionel Pape, Tom Tyler, Clarence Wilson;
Production year: 1939;
Genre: drama, melodrama, western, war, history;
Age: 12+;
Duration: 104 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7;
More information about the film “Drums Along the Mohawk” on the website imdb.com
“Sons of Liberty”, 2015
Director: Kari Skogland
This miniseries depicts the events leading up to the American Revolution, focusing on the influential figures who played a role in the fight for independence, including Samuel Adams and John Hancock.
Starring: Ben Barnes, Marton Csokas, Henry Thomas, Ryan Eggold, Michael Raymond-James, Rafe Spall, Jason O'Mara, Dean Norris, Shane Taylor, Emily Berrington, Kevin J. Ryan, Diarmaid Murtagh, David Lipper, John Heffernan, Andrew Pleavin, Denis Stefan, Darren Connolly, Radu Iacoban, Cristian Tanase, Sean Gilder, Lex Shrapnel, Daisy Lewis, Christopher Sciueref, Hadley Fraser, Ionut Grama, Steve Guttenberg, Samuel Bottomley, Jimmy Akingbola, Nigel Whitmey, Sam Redford, Olivia Nita, Michael Jenn, Dan Fredenburgh, Grahame Fox, Radu Andrei Micu, Billy Carter, Claudiu Trandafir, Matthew Clancy, Richard Sherwood, Edith Dandenault, Daniel Visan, Claudiu Olteanu, Alexandra Marinescu;
Production year: 2015;
Genre: drama, history;
Age: 6+;
Rating: IMDB: 7,4;
More information about the film “Sons of Liberty” on the website imdb.com
“Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor”, 2003
Director: Mikael Salomon
This TV movie explores the complex character of Benedict Arnold, a general in the Continental Army who ultimately betrayed the American cause.
Starring: Aidan Quinn, Kelsey Grammer, Flora Montgomery, John Light, John Kavanagh, Tom Murphy, Jane Brennan, Anthony Brophy, Frank Coughlan, Ingrid Craigie, Donncha Crowley, Mark Davis, Ned Dennehy, Nick Dunning, James Flynn, Michael Ford, Adam Goodwin, Stephen Hogan, Rory Keenan, Mark Lambert, Allen Leech, Demien McAdam, Cal Mulcahy, Finn Mulcahy, Lochlann O'Mearáin, Eamonn Owens, Ben Palmer, Robert Price, Dylan Quinn;
Production year: 2003;
Genre: drama, history;
Age: 12+;
Duration: 100 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,5;
More information about the film “Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor” on the website imdb.com
These films provide viewers with a glimpse into the struggles, sacrifices, and triumphs of the American War of Independence, shedding light on the historical significance of this pivotal moment in American history. Enjoy the journey as you explore these captivating stories on screen.
The selection of films about the American War of Independence offers a captivating and diverse portrayal of one of the most pivotal moments in American history. From epic battle scenes to intimate character-driven narratives, these films transport viewers back in time, immersing them in the struggles and triumphs of the brave individuals who fought for liberty. Each film brings a unique perspective, shedding light on different aspects of the war, be it the political intrigues, the personal sacrifices, or the resilience of the American people. Through powerful storytelling and stunning visuals, these films not only entertain but also educate, reminding us of the courage and determination that shaped a nation.
