I was just a kid that last time I saw The Patriot at Williamsburg thirty some years ago. I recently revisited and saw the film again with my kids. It's well made, but its 50s cinematic style is a little difficult to take. Nicely shot, the acting plays a little pretentious and pious by today's standards-- the patriot's son's stiff performance draws laughs from the audience. No doubt this is a remarkable story about people in and an extraordinary situation. I'd love to see a updated version where it isn't presented quite so piously -- a story about regular people rising to the challenges of extraordinary circumstances and succeeding. Now that truly would be inspiring-- something we could all identify with. Having said that however, the costume work and actual settings definately makes The Patriot worth watching.
7 Reviews
This is a wonderful and moving movie...that everyone should see.
vznevada547 August 2005
My husband and I have season passes to Colonial Williamsburg for the second consecutive year. You may want to know why we would want to spend so much time viewing something that won't and can't change...but it does. It continues to add flavor to our heritage, with ever-changing new additions to view and to participate in...including the award winning movie...The Story Of A Patriot.
This is the story of John Fry, starring Jack Lord who played on Hawaii Five-O for several years. John Fry is a fictional character, but his acquaintances and the things that happened during his time, are right out of our history books.
John and his family are part of the Revolutionary War. This is the war that freed America and made us what and who we are today. It's a very moving story and the end will bring tears to your eyes...tears of joy.
If you get a chance to visit Colonial Williamsburg, see this movie. It's short and it's located in the Visitor's Center.
You can also purchase it in VHS or DVD wide screen. I personally had to settle for the VHS, since I don't care for the wide screen borders that cut the screen on the top and bottom. But if you have a wide screen TV it will do fine :-)
This is the story of John Fry, starring Jack Lord who played on Hawaii Five-O for several years. John Fry is a fictional character, but his acquaintances and the things that happened during his time, are right out of our history books.
John and his family are part of the Revolutionary War. This is the war that freed America and made us what and who we are today. It's a very moving story and the end will bring tears to your eyes...tears of joy.
If you get a chance to visit Colonial Williamsburg, see this movie. It's short and it's located in the Visitor's Center.
You can also purchase it in VHS or DVD wide screen. I personally had to settle for the VHS, since I don't care for the wide screen borders that cut the screen on the top and bottom. But if you have a wide screen TV it will do fine :-)
The Story of A Patriot
twday-34 February 2006
Having been born and raised in Portsmouth, Va, about 50 miles from Williamsburg, I had many opportunities to view this movie while on school field trips when I was young. It has always been an inspiration and I have made sure my children have seen this movie. After having been in the U.S. Air Force and college and moving around the country, my family and I now live in Williamsburg, VA and enjoy the restored colonial town regularly. The movie is a great way to introduce the thoughts and ideas that were spawning just prior to the revolution and to convey the sacrifices that would have to be made by those who supported breaking with England. The films production is first class and the restored film is even easier to view and hear.
Changing in the mind
Horst_In_Translation15 July 2017
Warning: Spoilers
"Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot" is a 37-minute live action short film from 1957, so this one has its 60th anniversary already this year. Looking at how old it is, it may surprise some that it is in color, but I personally felt that this was the film's biggest strengths as it made the costumes and sceneries look really good and the film look a lot younger than it actually is. The most known people here may be the ones behind the camera as director George Seaton won 2 Oscars in his career and writer Emmet Lavery is also an Oscar nominee. Maybe I am doing the cast injustice, but I am hardly familiar with any of the names, so if at all, then they were certainly bigger stars back then than they are today. The exceptions is perhaps Jack Lord, who plays the title character. All in all, this is not a film that will get you interested in American history, but maybe one that will interest you if you care for the subject beforehand already. I myself did not enjoy the watch too much apart from the visual side. Thumbs-down and I don't recommend checking it out.
"The Best Inspirational Film of All Time!"
freeman-2226 December 2000
I have seen the "Story of a Patriot" over two dozen times dating back to 1958 for the first time at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitors Center. It continues to be an inspiration to me and my family for strength and conviction in the sight of imposing odds. This is a "must see" for all Americans and a lesson for all the World. The only fault I have with "The Story of a Patriot" is that there was never a sequel using Jack Lord and the original cast perhaps during and after the American Revolution. Every time we revisit Colonial Williamsburg, the very first thing we do after getting our tickets is to see "The Story of a Patriot" on one of the big screens. It always gives me chills for the Freedom which our forefathers bestowed upon us at great sacrifice to their own well being. I also have a VHS tape, but now desire a much improved version on DVD. Even so, I will still begin every visit I make to Colonial Williamsburg by watching "The Story of a Patriot" again.
An informational with cinematic potential
deanofrpps6 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
"Williamsburg: Story of a Patriot," an informational, has played since 1957 at the Colonial Williamsburg Visitors Center. Starring Jack Lord, best known as Detective McGarret in the long running police drama Hawaii - 5 - 0, the 34 minutes of the informational takes a daring break from the traditional story line crediting Massachusetts agitators with the move toward independence. There were 13 colonies; all except Conneticut overthrew the British with some measure of violence. "Williamsburg: Story of a Patriot," tells the story of the events from a Virginian perspective from the remonstrations in The Burgess to the Mexican standoff between The Burgess and Governor Dunmore on April 20 1775, missing by only a day the right to the claim of First in Freedom.
New York which sent Lord Tyron packing March 19 1775 after a Parade usually does not voice any dispute to Massachusetts' claim on primacy.
Yet in presenting the perspective of a state other than Massachusetts, "Williamsburg: Story of a Patriot," develops enough story and character that the informational deserves to be called a short motion picture. We're swept into the agitation in the Burgesses for freedom, we listen to the great oratory of Patrick Henry, we feel the tension as the face-down with the Royal Governor becomes inevitable but we're not invited to the front benches in Burgess; we're given the perspective of an onlooker, a colonial boy so convincingly that at the abrupt ending we wonder less about freedom proclaimed than what became of the pair of eyes that guided us to it.
Williamsburg was blessed with director George Seaton and writer Emmet Lavery both of who were former Presidents of the Screen Writers Guild. Emmet Lavery who had served as president of the guild from 1945-1947 had been succeeded by Seaton in 1948-1949.
New York which sent Lord Tyron packing March 19 1775 after a Parade usually does not voice any dispute to Massachusetts' claim on primacy.
Yet in presenting the perspective of a state other than Massachusetts, "Williamsburg: Story of a Patriot," develops enough story and character that the informational deserves to be called a short motion picture. We're swept into the agitation in the Burgesses for freedom, we listen to the great oratory of Patrick Henry, we feel the tension as the face-down with the Royal Governor becomes inevitable but we're not invited to the front benches in Burgess; we're given the perspective of an onlooker, a colonial boy so convincingly that at the abrupt ending we wonder less about freedom proclaimed than what became of the pair of eyes that guided us to it.
Williamsburg was blessed with director George Seaton and writer Emmet Lavery both of who were former Presidents of the Screen Writers Guild. Emmet Lavery who had served as president of the guild from 1945-1947 had been succeeded by Seaton in 1948-1949.
Seen From a Very Close Perspective
acoolmac17 May 2023
I lived in Williamsburg at the time of the filming of The Patriot. I was five years old and my family lived in the restored Carter-Saunders house next to the Governor's Palace. My school-mates and one of my brothers were extras in the film, so my perspective and review are undoubtedly biased to the positive side. I won't, however, recuse myself from writing this.
The Patriot should not be judged and compared to full-length theater films. It has none of the usual attractions--musket or sword battles, major drama between characters. It has one major character development--John Fry's growing transformation into a colonial rebel. It was intended as an introduction to Colonial Williamsburg's history, the reason for Winthrop Rockefeller's dream of restoring the original capital of the thirteen colonies to its earlier glory. Seen in that regard, the film is highly successful.
As a child I watched hundreds of people daily view a thirty-seven minute film and see Williamsburg come to life in 1775. I would play checkers with the projectionists once the film was rolling, always aware that our game needed to be finished within a half hour. So, I watched the film hundreds of times and saw thousands of people from dozens of countries become immersed in colonial history. Quotes from the script still return to me in my septuagenerian decade. That is the mark of a classic. As mentioned, I am aware of my tendency to the positive here, but to this day the camera-work, the opening scene coming through the brush into John Fry's plantation return. Viewed this way, this film is a classic and should be seen by everyone.
The Patriot should not be judged and compared to full-length theater films. It has none of the usual attractions--musket or sword battles, major drama between characters. It has one major character development--John Fry's growing transformation into a colonial rebel. It was intended as an introduction to Colonial Williamsburg's history, the reason for Winthrop Rockefeller's dream of restoring the original capital of the thirteen colonies to its earlier glory. Seen in that regard, the film is highly successful.
As a child I watched hundreds of people daily view a thirty-seven minute film and see Williamsburg come to life in 1775. I would play checkers with the projectionists once the film was rolling, always aware that our game needed to be finished within a half hour. So, I watched the film hundreds of times and saw thousands of people from dozens of countries become immersed in colonial history. Quotes from the script still return to me in my septuagenerian decade. That is the mark of a classic. As mentioned, I am aware of my tendency to the positive here, but to this day the camera-work, the opening scene coming through the brush into John Fry's plantation return. Viewed this way, this film is a classic and should be seen by everyone.
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