"John Adams" Join or Die (2008)

Director:

Tom Hooper

Writers (WGA):

Kirk Ellis (written by)
David McCullough (book)

TV Series:

"John Adams" (2008)

Original Air Date:

7 July 2008 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Plot:

In an emotionally charged trial John Adams defends the British sentries involved in the Boston Massacre...

Plot Keywords:

Advice From Wife | Boston Massacre | Effigy | Sons Of Liberty | Trial

Cast

Paul Giamatti	...	John Adams
Laura Linney	...	Abigail Adams
Danny Huston	...	Samuel Adams
John Bedford Lloyd	...	Richard Palmes
Justin Theroux	...	John Hancock
Ritchie Coster	...	Captain Preston
Guy Henry	...	Jonathan Sewall
Steven Hinkle	...	Young John Quincy Adams
Madeline Taylor	...	Young Nabby Adams
Brennan Brown	...	Robert Treat Paine
Boris McGiver	...	Robert Goddard
Tom Beckett	...	Elbridge Gerry
Bill Buell	...	Justice Lynde
Vincent Renart	...	Andrew Holmes
Melissa Blue	...	First Mourner

Jose L. Penaranda	...	Congressman / Sailor / Townsman
Aaron Angus	...	Sailor / British Sailor / Dead Hero / Militia
Josh Archer	...	Sailor / Frenchman in Mob / Senator
Adrian Black	...	Senator (as Brian Ross Huse)
Mitch Bordeaux	...	Juror
Christopher Clawson	...	Senator (uncredited)
Rhett Coates	...	Wharfman (uncredited)
Matt Cockburn	...	Colonial Militia Man
Tim Colmus	...	Senator
Michael L. Colosimo	...	Artillery Soldier (uncredited)
Thomas Joe Craig	...	Redcoat / bostonian
John E. Daniel	...	British Sailor
Daniel Michael DeLuca	...	Boston Citizen / British Sailor
Kurtis Dement	...	Citizen
Sam Edens	...	Sailor
David Foster	...	Boston aristocrat (uncredited)
Bill Gentry	...	Sons of Liberty (uncredited)
Mariano Gowland	...	Mohawk Indian
Matt Gulbranson	...	Militia Leader (uncredited)
Chris Gulluscio	...	Redcoat
Sean Haggerty	...	Congressman
Alec Stephens III	...	House Servant
Lucky Judd	...	Maryland Delegate
Landon Kerric	...	William Stephens
Sean Kraemer	...	Son of Liberty / Boston Citizen
Kirk Lambert	...	Delegate
Todd A. Langenfeld	...	Red Coat Officer Brown, Bostonian Fireman, Ship Helmsman
Kerry Meushaw	...	New Jersey Delegate
Frank Moran	...	New York Delegate
Jared Morrison	...	Sons of Liberty horseman
Austin Murray	...	Continental Artillery NCO
Sandor Istvan Nagy	...	French Guest
Sam Navarro	...	British Soldier
Fred Ortiz	...	Eastern Indian
Tim Paterson	...	Virginia Delegate
Gavin Peretti	...	Redcoat / Bostonian
Chaz Petteway	...	Young french naval officer
Phillip A. Ranallo	...	Redcoat (uncredited)
Jordan Rozum	...	Citizen / Redcoat
Mark Ruggiero	...	Senator
Tom Patrick Stephens	...	New Jersey Senator (as Tom Stephens)
Patrick Michael Strange	...	British Sailor / Boston Townsman / Upperclass Philadelphian (uncredited)
Stephen Szibler	...	British Sailor / Militia with smallpox (uncredited)
Tom Townsend	...	Redcoat (uncredited)
Robert Tucker Jr.	...	Drunk Citizen
Terry Ward	...	Tavernkeeper (uncredited)
Justin Weiss	...	Apprentice, Militia (uncredited)
John D. Wilkinson	...	Goya Man
Bruce Williamson	...	William Billings
Kyle Windley	...	Minute Man
Nora Bauer	...	Bostonian Townsperson (uncredited)
Tarnee Kendell Hudson	...	George Washington Servant (uncredited)
Sara Jerez	...	French Aristocrate
Aisha Renée Moore	...	President's House Slave Worker (uncredited)
Amanda O'Connor	...	Pro-French supporter (uncredited)
H. Lynn Smith	...	Traveller
Zanny Wade	...	Crying Woman

Certification:

Australia:M

Goofs:

Factual errors: While Johns Adams is in Congress debating independence from Britain (in 1775), his family is shown receiving a crude inoculation against smallpox. Yet it was not until 1796 that Edward Jenner, a doctor in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England, determined that immunity to the pox could be achieved by inoculating people with material from a cowpox lesion.

Boston tea party

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This chapter starts in 1770. The setting is Boston, where John Adams is a lawyer. We watch him as he returns home after being away for some time. His wife Abigail and his children Nabby and John Quincy, have been awaiting for the husband and father that seems to be always away. No sooner has he been in the house, when shots are heard in the distance. John goes to see what was the problem, and finds a horrible scene where people have been shot to death in a square at the hand of British soldiers.

To make matters worse, John Adams, a lawyer, is asked to be the British soldiers' lawyer in a trial where they are considered guilty without having gone to court. He goes against what his peers and the general public consider the soldiers indeed were at fault. Being a fair man, Adams considers all the circumstances in the case, because he believes the men are innocent and proves his point in court. Captain Preston and his men are absolved of any crime because John Adams brings out the truth that vindicates the English soldiers.

A few years after the famous trial, the event that is commonly known as the Boston Tea Party took place. It was a way to protest the taxation that George III imposed on the tea shipments sent to the new world. It was one of the things that helped people like Mr. Adams to make up his mind to try to be freed from a corrupt government that only wanted to profit from the American colonies. Thus it was probably the single event that inspired what would come later in the American Revolution.

This first installment of the series "John Adams", adapted from David McCullough excellent novel, was adapted by Kirk Ellis, and was directed by Tom Hooper. The pivotal role of John Adams presented an excellent opportunity for Paul Giamatti in which to excel. Laura Linney is Abigail Adams, the patient and wise woman who loved John. Danny Huston appears as Sam Adams, John's cousin. Ritchie Coaster has some good moments as Capt. Preston, the man in command of the accused soldiers.

Tak Fujimoto's cinematography captures in vivid detail the atmosphere of that period. The production design is by Gemma Jackson, who had an uncanny knack for making this a winning series about the beginning of the nation. The background music is by Robert Lane.