Revolution 1985

Revolution 1985 This movie is about a poor fur trapper in the colony of New York that gets caught up in the American Revolution. He is a British citizen who was an indentured servant who lost most of his family in an epidemic. He an his teenage son basically live on their boat. He lands in New York harbor to sell his furs.

Basic Facts The American Revolution was from 1775-1783. The colonists wanted independence because they couldn’t get equal treatment from the British government as colonists. All of the colonists were not for the Revolution. 1/3 were Loyalists, 1/3 were Patriots and 1/3 were neutral. The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker’s Hill, 17 June 1775 

Causes The French and Indian War- Colonists were armed and trained to fight for the Crown Colonists were told they could not settle past the Appalachian mountains because the British Army wouldn’t set up forts to protect them from the French and Indians. It was expensive and the British started taxing the colonists.

Money Money Money Money Money Money Navigation Acts-all colonial imports and exports had to be shipped on British ships through British ports. This meant the colonies could only buy and sell British goods even if there were cheaper or superior products from another country. This was especially painful for Molasses and Fur trade. British goods are more expensive Americans make less on their products

Molasses and Writs of Assistance Colonists have been trading with French and Dutch Caribbean islands for their sugar. They needed products from the colonies-flour, lumber, food. The British realized that this trade was continuing despite their laws and began the Writs of Assistance- they could search anyone’s home or business buildings that they suspected of being involved.

Money Money Money Money Money Money To raise money, England imposed the Sugar Act to try to reduce smuggling, the Currency Act to stop the issuance of paper money and the Stamp Act which taxed products bought and sold in the colonies like newspapers, playing cards, and dice, the Townsend Acts, which taxed imported goods like glass, paint, paper, and tea. When the colonists demanded representation in the Houses of Parliament they were denied.

Boston Massacre Tensions were rising and the British had begun to station troops throughout the colonies, but particularly Boston, as it was a big shipping town and a hotbed of rebels who were boycotting and fighting the British acts. On March 5, 1770, a group of soldiers stationed in front of the State House were being harassed by a mob of colonists and opened fire.

Boston Massacre The action turned into a propaganda war, and was a big cause of the Revolution. People began to distrust the British government and support rebellion. The British then double down and pass the Tea Act and the Intolerable Acts, which include the Quartering Act of 1774.

Lexington and Concord Everything comes to a boiling point on April 19, 1775, when the British send troops to commandeer colonial armaments in Concord, Massachusetts. A group of 77 colonists intercept them in Lexington.

Declaration of Independence & Brooklyn England rejected a peace with the colonists, and so they declared independence on July 4, 1776. This leads to the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, which is in our film. The British were forced out of Boston, and moved their troops to New York City in July and August. Washington was waiting with troops. The British offered to accept his surrender and he refused, so they attacked on August 27th. Their superior numbers made Washington decide to retreat, and the British controlled New York City for the rest of the Revolution.

The film… A few interesting points about the film. All films about the Revolution prior to this had been from the perspective of people who were Patriots and/or Founding Fathers. It was not popular, and Al Pacino took a pounding for his accent and performance. The film cost $28 million and grossed less than $350,000. It was shot all in ENGLAND. Al Pacino quit movies for FOUR years. He added the narration in 2007.