The Patriot

[oomcurt]

I saw this movie on PBS last night. The Revolutionary War period is not normally my forte, none the less I was impressed. My question is how many others saw it that are interested in that topic and how did they find the movie as far as being authentic?

 

PBS? I think they were showing it on TBS yesterday... you are referring to the one with Mel Gibson playing Benjamin Martin, right?

If so, I don't know how authentic it is, nor do I care. I love that movie, it is one of my all-time favorites. In fact, I watched it on DVD this weekend for about the 50th time. Great movie.

I'm sure, just like every other Hollywood interpretation of history, that liberties were taken. We've even discussed this particular film before... the church-burning scene, Gibson's lack of use of the loading block around his neck, Col. Tavington tossing ramrods across the battlefield like they grew on trees... even with the little things like that, I still think it's a great movie.

 

[MikeChapin]

It's one of my favorites. I remember when the movie first came out and the liberals were horrified. It seems that having his kids kill British soldiers during the ambush scene was completly beyond the pale. I was living in the SF Bay area at the time so the whines were especially loud.

There is quite a bit of hollywood in it but it is better than most that show the period. I always get a kick out of seeing rubber bayonets wiggling in the breeze.

 

actually the British burned Presbyterian churches in South Carolina--not Anglican, you see, hotbeds of the rebels...some preachers were rebel leaders. The Patriot takes liberties, and is fiction, but the war in the south, especially in the Carolinas, was much like the movie. I just read a great little history book on the war in South Carolina which reads alot like the Patriot script in places...called Partisans and Redcoats...good read.

 

[Stumpkiller]

:imo: I think it's a great movie. They did a good job on the dress and weapons. The exception being that Tavington (based on Tarleton?) tossed his pistol rammer aside after he loads, and he seems to hit with every shot with a smoothbore pistol out to 175 yards or so, even from horseback at galloping opponents. Hollywood has to produce flash and bang to get a box-office draw. The battle scenes seem very well done. I've watched live-round cannon fire and you can see just enough of the ball from the rear (and so I assume the front :shocking to spot it when it's too late to react.

And then there's Benjamin's "James Bond indestructabilty", but such things happen in real life (Simon Kenton, Hugh Glass and Audie Murphy, for example).

Would you, as a British General, exchange 18 prisoners without having them be presented in person? :hmm:

 

[Tahquamenon]

And then there's Benjamin's "James Bond indestructabilty", but such things happen in real life (Simon Kenton, Hugh Glass and Audie Murphy, for example).

It was when Ben/Mel was in the "Lethal Weapon" movies when he learned how to be indestructable. Otherwise, he would have never survived to star in the "Patriot".

:crackup:

I also noticed that everyone often "tossed' their ramrods after loading.

Notice that Ben/Mel spent almost the entire movie with a loading block dangling from his neck with one hole open?

I also think the patriot is a really good movie.

:thumbsup:

 

[Stumpkiller]

Notice that Ben/Mel spent almost the entire movie with a loading block dangling from his neck with one hole open?

I did, too. ::

From an earlier discussion.

Benjamin's Ball Block

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/ubbthr...=true#Post77473

Must have been his lucky balls, or emergency spares.

I keep three on a small block attached to my horn strap that have undersize patching for thumb-start, one-push reloads. :front:

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I just saw this movie for the first time this weekend. Seem the Ghost used the same style hawk & knife fighting as in the Last of the Mohicans. Mel seemed not as fluid in movement.

My wife asked my to ask you all. After they came across the one guys red haired boy and wife whom had been kilt. Why did he shoot himself?

 

[Ridge]

I liked the movie as well, I'd say it was more "hollywood history" than factual history. Then again, I liked it enough to shell out 18 bucks for a copy on DVD.

My biggest complaint? How do you stay that clean when you live in a swamp???

 

[mikee51848]

My wife asked my to ask you all. After they came across the one guys red haired boy and wife whom had been kilt. Why did he shoot himself?

Mental anguish? :imo:

 

[mikee51848]

My biggest complaint? How do you stay that clean when you live in a swamp???

By having an extensive wardrobe. :crackup:Remember, the Brits burned his house and all his possessions. Yet every scene, he seemed to be wearing different clothes. :hmm:
(And his son too!)

 

I loved The Patriot! Great flick, Hollywierd and all. What's his name made a good Cornwaliss. It was disturbing to see him in that film afterwards where he plays the husband that gets a sex change. :shocking: :no: :youcrazy:

I wish there were more scenes of the guerilla tactic fighting though, maybe with some Indians involved. I particularly enjoyed the scene when Mel and sons retire the redcoats marching with his condemned son. Mel is good at going medieval on people!

 

[Stumpkiller]

My wife asked my to ask you all. After they came across the one guys red haired boy and wife whom had been kilt. Why did he shoot himself?

Darned if I know. You can always find another wife, and his kid was too young to have been much help in the fields. :hmm:

I no ken figure it out, either :youcrazy: It ain't that much work diggin two holes to go to that extreme to avoid it.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Well I told her, right off the bat, that I thought it was because his family was gone, and he had nothing left.

After seeing it a few times ( the entire movie) I think it was because he failed at proecting them.

 

[oomcurt]

Stumpy,

You are a man after my own heart. Love your humor!

Curt

Ps...he wouldn't have had to dig two holes...put the kid on top of his ma.

 

[Claude Mathis]

My wife asked my to ask you all. After they came across the one guys red haired boy and wife whom had been kilt. Why did he shoot himself?

Perhaps he had nothing left to fight (or live) for?

 

[Stumpkiller]

Actually, I think the reason it happened was because he read something like:

JOHN BILLINGS [Holds pistol to head]

- Scene change - close of of Benjamin Martin.

BENJAMIN MARTIN: "No!"

[Gunshot off camera]

- Martin shows shock/surprise.


Lets not forget, this didn't really happen and General Corwallis was the only historically "factual" character in the movie.

 

[Slamfire]

It was when Ben/Mel was in the "Lethal Weapon" movies when he learned how to be indestructable. Otherwise, he would have never survived to star in the "Patriot".

I don't ken how a couple hundred redcoats were supposed to accomplish somethin' a whole battalion of NVA regulars couldn't do. He were a soldier. :winking:
:front:

 

[gak]

As businessmen, and we all fit that description as we try to maximize our expenditure of our working hours for the maximum return or the best price for our pelts or the greatest accuracy in our weapons, or meat from our hunt, would you cater to the 50 million ticket buyers who are looking for entertainment or the 1 million or so that are concerned with hisorical accuracy?

 

[gak]

My comment above was stupid and I'm sorry I entered it. If possible I would remove it immediately.