"George Washington" (1984)TV mini-series

Regisseur:

Buzz Kulik

Drehbuchautoren:

Jon Boothe (writer)
Richard Fielder (writer)

Premierendatum:

8. April 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Biographie | Drama | Kriegsfilm

Plot:

The early life and career of the American General and President through his participation in the Revolutionary War.

Plot Keywords:

George Washington | John Adams | American Revolution | General | 1770s

Filmpreise:

Nominated for 6 Primetime Emmys.

Nutzerkommentare:

First In War, First In Peace, First In The Hearts Of His Countrymen

Besetzung

Barry Bostwick	...	Gen. George Washington
Jaclyn Smith	...	Sally Fairfax
Lloyd Bridges	...	Caleb Quinn
Patty Duke	...	Martha Washington
David Dukes	...	George William 'Will' Fairfax
José Ferrer	...	Lt. Gov. Robert Dinwiddie
Hal Holbrook	...	John Adams
Trevor Howard	...	Lord Fairfax
Jeremy Kemp	...	Gen. Horatio Gates
Richard Kiley	...	George Mason
Stephen Macht	...	Gen. Benedict Arnold
James Mason	...	Gen. Edward Braddock
Rosemary Murphy	...	Mary Ball Washington
Clive Revill	...	Lord Loudoun
Robert Stack	...	Gen. John Stark

Länge:

480 Min

Produktionsland:

USA

Sprache:

Englisch

Farbe:

Farbe

Tonverfahren:

Mono

Drehorte:

Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

Firma:

David Gerber Productions

Dialogzitate:

[addressing a meeting of mutiny-minded soldiers]
Gen. George Washington: Gentlemen, you'll permit me to put on my spectacles, as I have grown not only grey but also blind in the service of my country.

Bezüge zu anderen Titeln:

Gefolgt von George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation (1986) (TV)

First In War, First In Peace, First In The Hearts Of His Countrymen

To take that imposing figure come down to us from Gilbert Stuart's famous portrait and turn George Washington into a flesh and blood human being was quite the achievement. I watched this and the succeeding mini-series about Washington and came away thinking I actually knew the man.

I think the credit goes to two people. First the source of this mini- series is James Thomas Flexner's authoritative biography on Washington. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know about our first president and what went into the shaping of his character. The book is eminently readable and Flexner writes so that even a non-historian can appreciate Washington.

The second is Barry Bostwick's performance as Washington. It's not easy to make someone who's attained near mythological status into a flesh and blood human being, but Bostwick succeeds brilliantly. His life and loves are told from early manhood through to the end of the American Revolution. Martha Washington is ably played by Patty Duke.

During our revolution at any number of given points the colonial army could have been snuffed out if British commanders had made different and better choices. Washington endured a few victories, some defeats, but he kept his army intact and in being until the advantage that made that final victory at Yorktown in 1781 presented themselves. He also had to endure a lot of criticism of his leadership from some elements of the Continental Congress.

In fact one should see this together with 1776 and get an idea about the American Revolution from both the military and civilian leadership perspectives.

In the supporting cast I enjoyed James Mason in one of his final roles as British General Braddock who Washington served under during the French and Indian War. It's there where Washington got his baptism of fire in the woods of western Pennsylvania. This is the 18th century equivalent of what the Indians did to General Custer. Washington was lucky to escape that day and Mason does in good job in portraying a very brave, but incredibly stupid general.

I would also single out Jaclyn Smith as Washington's first love, Lady Fairfax and Jose Ferrer as Virginia colonial Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie who gave Washington his first military command in the French and Indian War.

George Washington is good drama and good history. Anything you want to know about the first American president can be learned here.