The Patriot

[bilder]

What are your views on this movie?

I enjoy it, and the special features on the DVD seem to show their attempt at accuracy with the uniforms, but I am wondering if the weaponry is portrayed in the proper context.

 

[rabjr]

Extremely accurate portrayal especially the part of throwing away ones ramrod after loading!:wink: :bull: All in all not bad, better than most.

 

[Trench]

I loved the movie. It would have been nice to have Tavington look just a little surprised when he dropped that rebel off his horse with his smooth pistol at 50+ yards.

 

[Klaus]

a little bit of " Hollywood Flair" seems be a must in any Movie.
It`s a well made movie and i enjoy each turn to see it again...

Klaus

 

[hunts4deer]

All in all a very enjoyable movie. As a reenactor with lots of knowledge about all the minute details there are lots of thing that one can find fault with concerning accuracy. But it wasn't supposed to be a documentary, so we enjoy it for what it is. There never was any "Fort Wilderness" where Mel Gibson describes committing atrocities against the French. But in the French and Indian war there certainly were many similar things done, but mostly by the savages. The guns he and the boys carry when they go out to ambush the British taking away his son seem very appropriate. Not fine golden age longrifles with fancy patchboxes. Instead plain stocked fowlers I think.

I thought the British dragoon evil dude was just a bit over-the-top Hollywood, though. Just too evil. And he can never miss a shot with his pistol no matter how far...

But my favorite part is when Mel Gibson casts a ball from his son's toy soldier. He pours the molten lead into the mould, then moments later drops it out of the mold and picks it up. They left out the loud scream as his fingers sizzle.

 

[Scharms]

I haven't watched it in a few years, but as I recall it was very entertaining. Of course there will be the typical hollywood :bull: but I appreciated the effort for the subject matter.

 

[CaptainKirk]

What I love about that flick is that it reawakened a lot of interest for that period in history and it's guns...

 

[DoDabber]

Not sure about throwing the tomahawk when he and his sons attacked the Brit coloum. I know my friends and I throw ours in friendly competition when we get togeather and I do have a hawk block at home, but to throw one in battle? A quick side step and your foe now has tow hand weapons while your left with none? From what I can find out the rest of the scene is pretty accurate tomakawk work.

 

[CaptainKirk]

The worst part about 'hawk throwing is that your distance has to be perfect or you catch it on the half-swing. Hard to to in the heat of battle, I'd guess, especially if you were as out of practice as he supposedly was (at least 18 years if you go by his eldest son's age)

 

[brubincam]

-----getting hit with the handle wouldn't do you any good neither-----

 

[Scharms]

Just found it in the $5 bin at wally-world! :grin:

 

[longrifle89]

In October of 2002, I saw this movie for the first time, at the ripe old age of 13. A few weeks later, my dad asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I, having already done research on period firearms due to the curiosity the movie aroused, answered "a Kentucky Rifle." I ended up with a Cabela's .50 caliber left-hand flintlock Hawken. As it turns out, black powder proved to not be just a phase, and I am only a few weeks away from taking delivery of my TVM Early Virginia.

Thank you "The Patriot" for getting me into black powder.

 

[necchi]

Still Hollywood, but alot of neat accuterments in the flick, have had it in my collection for years.

"Aim Small, Miss Small" is an added line Brooks got from the guy that coached him in the use of a Flint Lock.
I forget who that was, but it's a name we've all heard.
Good Advise,,,

 

[sequoia]

That would be Mark Baker.

 

[nchawkeye]

I believe it was Mark Baker that worked with Mel Gibson on using a flintlock...

The biggest problem I have is the inaccuracies of what was really happening...They made Mel part Francis Marion and part Daniel Morgan, both are true American heros but few Americans could tell you anything about them...

The final battle didn't depict either Guilford Courthouse or Cowpens...Both of these battles were masterpieces and the brain child of Daniel Morgan...

But...I do think the film did a decent job of letting us know today what our fore fathers were feeling and thinking during this time...Everone today thinks that all the nation was ready to do battle with Britian when that is simply not so...There were also several period quotes that were made by our leaders back then...One of these is when Mel stands up and says "Which is better, to be governed by one man 1,000 miles away or 1,000 men one mile away?"...I can't remember who said this, I believe it was a Virginian at the first Continential Congress...

It was entertaining and renewed interest in American History, all a positive...

 

[twobarrel]

Wasn't Frank House the behind the scenes expert ?

 

[fort fireman]

Frank House made Gibsons rifle I believe. Mark Baker did the flintlock training.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Waych the scene entitled Gabriel's rescue. First the wagon he is tied to is open, then it has a canvas cover, then it is opn again, and by the time Ben Martin shoots the driver it has the cover again. Also when Ben MArtin fires the first shot from up on the hill, the soldiers commander orders them to the right, however the Martins and all the shots are coming from their left. When ben gets to the back of the wagon with his knife and hawk, the cover is off the wagon again. But the soldier that comes around the creek side of the wagon and fires just as Ben hits the musket with his hawk, shoots one of his fellows n the uphill side of the wagon, yet the soldier who fires ends up falling into the stream with a gun shot.

Earlier, when they show, Ben and the Boys running to cut off the Brits, the burning house has no porch around it, as in the previous scene when the Brits killed the wounded Americans.

The more I watch, the more goofs I see.

 

[twobarrel]

Frank House did make a rifle for Gibson.He was the shooting instructor and adviser for the movie,Mark Baker was the instructor and adviser for LOTM.

 

[Mickc01]

I agree with everyone’s overall sentiments of this being an enjoyable movie. Plus they did do a much better job than most with authenticity of equipment. However, I do have a couple of bones to pick”¦..

1) Exploding cannon shells. Come on movie guys, mortar shells exploded in the Revolution (see “Last of the Mohicans” for a good portrayal of this) but Hollywood just loves the excitement of all those cannon balls blowing up.

2) The HUGE, romantic, columned, Greek revival ruin in the middle of the climactic battle scene”¦.it must have been magically transported to the 1770’s from the 1860’s :idunno:

Just my two cents :grin: