On june 30th, 2000, columbia pictures released the patriot, a film set. Like the movie itself, theres little in the supplementary materials for the patriot that requires more than one viewing, but theyre interesting while they last. Moving on to the main point, to prove it wrong that not every history movie is truly a part of the real history, i watched the movie called the patriot and in this paper i will compare the story of the patriot with real history to figure out if the movie contains a true story of history or is just a filled with fiction. The movie depicts martin as a family man and hero who singlehandedly defeats countless hostile brits. The patriot explores the facts behind the american revolution through the lens of a feature film. Camden the battle that gabriel and benjamin observe after they have both left to join the war effort. Like many historical films, the patriot involves a mixture of fact and fiction. The film follows the story of benjamin martin, who reluctantly joins the american revolution in order to save his family. The patriot is a movie directed by roland emmerich.
Factchecking the patriots day movie the boston globe. The patriot is a 2000 american epic historical fiction war film directed by roland emmerich, written by robert rodat, and starring mel gibson, chris cooper, heath ledger, and jason isaacs. The film follows the story of benjamin martin, who reluctantly joins the american revolution in order to. It is the modern day trend that were able to handle countless inadequate cartoons and value sexual immorality, yet defeated by real facts. The clothes in this movie are accurate for the time period.
At the beginning of the movie when benjamin is taking the children to aunt charlottes house in charleston, there is a woman on the street that does not move. In factchecking the patriots day movie, we discovered that the film was born from two screenplays, one that revolved around the manhunt boston strong and one based on a 60 minutes episode about the bombing patriots day. In the film a british officer murders a son of benjamin, at which time he gather a small army of farmers and indians and leads them into battle with the british. Here you will find unforgettable moments, scenes and lines from all your favorite films. In the movie, the patriot, the setting took place during the revolutionary war, or the american revolution, in south carolina during the late 1770s.
Benjamin martin is a composite character made up of thomas sumter, daniel morgan, andrew pickens, and francis marion all whom were real people. Heres a rundown of some of the key scenes, and whether they were real or fake. Wonderful movie, bought this movie on 4k blu ray uhd because it is real 4k. Charleston the battle is not shown, but the results serve as a time transition in the movie. Compare the movie the patriot with historical reality. Time unlike the movie, prior to the real life call, katharine hadnt been worried about publishing the papers. And the real life pugliese, after seeing the movie. Principal among the movies gross inaccuracies is the portrayal of british soldiers as evil, bloodthirsty sadists. So interpretations, exaggerations and idealistic scenes are added to the movie to make it more interesting for the audience. The popular film the patriot is loosely based on the exploits of several real life.
The real general whose victory against cornwallis won the war, following the. For instance, in real life, he had over 150 men in his guerrilla band. Marions name is, in fact, splashed all over his home state. Mark wahlberg filmed a scene for patriots day in april 2016. In the movies version of events, the revolution is nearly lost because general george washington and the main patriot army are being pursued by a much larger british army in the north, while cornwallis has destroyed the rebel army in the south. For three hours the patriot 2000 dodged around, skirted about, or completely ignored slavery. Apr 27, 2016 these classics show the real fact not because they intend to, but the lack of modern technology. Mackubin thomas owens is professor of strategy and force planning at the naval war college in newport, ri, and an adjunct fellow of the ashbrook center. However, it would be called a documentary, which most people get fed up of. Unlike benjamin martin in the movie, the real francis marion had been involved in the war nearly since it began. Congress with bipartisan support and signed into law by president george w.
In fact, the patriot turns a blind eye to slavery altogether, a decision that. Jan 26, 2011 truth is the first casualty in hollywoods war, read the headline of the london telegraphs take on the patriot. I will compare the story of the patriot with real history to figure out if the movie contains a true story. Producer dean devlin and the films costume designers examined actual. The movie the patriot is set in the time period of the late 18th century, the time period of the american revolution. In fact, the filmmakers wrote the part of benjamin martin specifically for. Historical accuracy of the mel gibson movie the patriot 2000. Parents need to know that the patriot is a 2000 movie in which mel gibson plays a south carolina farmer who joins the cause of liberty in the. Parents need to know that the patriot is a 2000 movie in which mel gibson plays a south carolina farmer who joins the cause of liberty in the revolutionary war. At the beginning of the movie when benjamin is taking the children to aunt charlottes house in charleston, there is a woman on the street that does not move, and wearing a big hoop dress. Mel gibson plays the character benjamin martin, a farmer, and widower of seven children. In the movie, colonel tavington died at the end of the battle of cowpens.
Principal among the movies gross inaccuracies is the portrayal of british. Some may recall that the 2000 mel gibson movie, the patriot, was loosely based. Filming took place for 101 days from september of 1999 to january of 2000. These classics show the real fact not because they intend to, but the lack of modern technology. Marion was originally the lead character in the script, but because of controversy and to allow for more dramatic storytelling more fiction, martin was introduced. The impact of the american revolutionary war on one family is examined in this film chockfull of battle reenactments and excellent period scenery. By creating this movie, roland emmerich vividly narrates some of the difficulties and harshness the founders of. Francis marion, the real patriot the american conservative. Oct 25, 2012 the movieclips channel is the largest collection of licensed movie clips on the web. Time unlike the movie, prior to the real life call, katharine hadnt been. Like in the post movie, she was in the middle of delivering a toast when she received the telephone call for her decision about publishing the pentagon papers. Historical accuracy of the mel gibson movie the patriot. People usually guestimate that every history movie is a part of a real history but the reality is that.
The websites critical consensus reads, patriots day offers a stirring, solidly crafted tribute to the heroes of a real life american tragedy without straying into exploitative. She is the owner of a plantation that is burned down by the. The patriot was the largest employer in york county the productions headquarters while they were there. Aug 21, 2018 the patriot act is a more than 300page document passed by the u. I justreally hate this movie lol the links for facebook and twitter are below. According to the guardian, however, evidence suggests the swamp fox was a man who actively. Unlike other 4k titles this one was shot in 4k so the transition to 4k was realy. The movie glosses over the reality and portrays the character as a hero when he was much less of one. The art of war featurette purports to be a study of the films elaborate battle logistics, but it offers only a cursory appreciation of sequence planning and stunt work. The first was entertaining but largely fictional and the second was factually accurate but lacked dramatic tension. The patriot, directed by roland emmerich for centropolis. The films narrative, however, avoids the fact that marion was a slave owner and not a particularly nice one and the fact that while marions actions were brave, they certainly werent as noble as they were portrayed as being.
However, it shows that if the entertainment media want to show the real facts, they could. It is rousing and entertaining, and you get your moneys worth, but there isnt an idea in it that will stand up to thoughtful scrutiny. Loosely based upon francis marion the swamp fox, it only touched on marions impact on the revolution in south carolina. Historical accuracy of the patriot the patriot by patrick. The real banastre tarleton lived to grow old until 1833, became a general, and even served in the british parliament. So as i write this, the movie the patriot is on tv, and i always wondered how accurate were the depictions of atrocities committed against the colonists. The persecution of martin by cornwallis army was real and based on francis marion. Aside from those facts, benjamin martin has little in common with his real life counterparts. Heath ledger said researching the american revolutionary war for the film answered his. Historical inacuracies continued historical inaccuracies much of the patriot is not historically accurate. Do you think feature films are a valid way to learn about history. In the movie the british are show burning down a church with people inside of it.
It is the modern day trend that were able to handle countless inadequate cartoons and value sexual immorality, yet defeated by real facts of true events. Benjamin martin is based on a combination of real historical figures. The patriot act is a more than 300page document passed by the u. The popular film the patriot is loosely based on the exploits of several real life historical figures including a british officer, lt. Some may recall that the 2000 mel gibson movie, the patriot, was loosely based on the military career of marionalthough the connection between real history and reel fantasy was loosened to the. Tarleton first made a name for himself in december 1776, when he was part of a patrol that captured former continental southern commander maj.
Although the movie has done reasonably well at the box office, it has been attacked for its historical inaccuracies, particularly as they relate to race relations during the revolution. This is a very violent movie, with many graphic battle scenes, vividly portrayed. The character of benjamin martin is loosely based on the real life soldier. The most serious deficiency of the patriot is its almost complete omission of the loyalists. The patriot is a movie that seems to have been made as historically correct as possible while adding a personal and emotional side behind it. The patriot is a similar film made during the modern day time about a time period in which none of the experienced the real revolution. A veteran of the french and indian war, the hero of the fictional fort wilderness, and widowed. Mel gibson blots his copybook yet again with this account of the american war of. The patriot, 2000 top 10 historically misleading films.
Cast edit mel gibson as captaincolonel benjamin martin. The patriot was loosely based upon the life and times of francis marion, the revolutionary war hero from south carolina, nicknamed the swamp fox. A significant segment of the population of the carolinas. A significant segment of the population of the carolinas and georgia. It sort of encapsulated the work that the continental army had been doing to produce a real army that could stand up to the redcoats from humble and undisciplined beginnings. The most historically inaccurate movies ever readers digest. The movieclips channel is the largest collection of licensed movie clips on the web. Benjamin martin seems to be a man of many morals and principles in the movie but the character he was portrayed as francis marion was a fanatic of indian killing for fun. The recent furor raised by the release of mel gibsons revolutionary war epic, the patriot, gives currency to such questions. Movie analysis of the movie the patriot 853 words 4 pages.
Jun 28, 2000 the patriot is a fable arguing the futility of pacifism, set against the backdrop of the revolutionary war. Sep 05, 2018 some may recall that the 2000 mel gibson movie, the patriot, was loosely based on the military career of marionalthough the connection between real history and reel fantasy was loosened to the. A character commits suicide when his family is killed. Lee wrote that after he and his wife went to see the film, we both came out of the theater fuming. The websites critical consensus reads, patriots day offers a stirring, solidly crafted tribute to the heroes of a real life american tragedy without straying into exploitative action thriller territory. Battles four major battles depicted or alluded to in the patriot. The patriot, like glory, while inaccurate in its historical details, distills the essence of the nobility, sacrifice, and suffering necessary to found and keep such a republic. The patriot is a film whose storyline is based on the war between the british army men and the americans who were backed up by the french soldiers. The films narrative, however, avoids the fact that marion was a slave. By creating this movie, roland emmerich vividly narrates some of the difficulties and harshness the founders of the united states faced.
Scotti challenged the factual accounts of atrocities and stressed the. There were also other details in the film that were not accurately shown. The patriot is a magnificent and compelling revolutionary war epic. The four battles depicted in this movie were taken from five original battles that really happened. Yorktown the battle barely shown during mel gibsons. Yes, the patriot is based upon the real events that occurred in america that was still being ruled by many european countries, in fact that scene was meant to. Yes, graham was hosting a party for a departing employee. It is a revenge story where a father seeks to revenge the cruel murder of his son. The patriot is a 2000 american epic historical fiction war film directed by roland emmerich. The patriot is a fable arguing the futility of pacifism, set against the backdrop of the revolutionary war.
Theres a very loose thread in reality here, but the filmmakers added in plenty of creative freedom from the real facts to essentially turn it into a whole new story. His early war experience was mostly destroying native american homes, burning their crops and generally starving th. Truth is the first casualty in hollywoods war, read the headline of the london telegraphs take on the patriot. She is there to hide the fire hydrant on the street underneath her dress.