"John Adams" Reunion (2008)

Director:

Tom Hooper

Writers (WGA):

Kirk Ellis (written by) &
Michelle Ashford (written by) ...

TV Series:

"John Adams" (2008)

Original Air Date:

30 March 2008 (Season 1, Episode 4)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Plot:

Following the surrender of the British John secures a long sought loan from the Dutch and returns to Paris to oversee the peace treaty...

Plot Keywords:

Cannon | Loan | Reunited With Family | Puppy | Speech

Cast

Paul Giamatti	...	John Adams
Laura Linney	...	Abigail Adams
Stephen Dillane	...	Thomas Jefferson
David Morse	...	George Washington
Tom Hollander	...	King George III
Sarah Polley	...	Nabby Adams
John Dossett	...	Benjamin Rush
Judith Magre	...	Madame Helvétius
Ebon Moss-Bachrach	...	John Quincy Adams
Samuel Barnett	...	Thomas Adams
Andrew Scott	...	Colonel William Smith
Kevin Trainor	...	Charles Adams
Tom Wilkinson	...	Benjamin Franklin
Dominic Borrelli	...	Master of Ceremonies
Bertie Carvel	...	Lord Carmarthen

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

Language:

French | Dutch

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:TV-MA (TV rating)

Trivia:

Following the cost-saving tradition of both Titanic (1997) and Evan Almighty (2007), the ship (dockside scene) was fully detailed only on her starboard side; the port side was left rough.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Abigail traveled to France with her daughter Nabby, not alone as shown here.

Quotes:

King George III: There is an opinion among some people, Mr. Adams, that you are not the most attached of all your countrymen to the manners of France?
John Adams: [laughs] Yes, well, I avow to Your Majesty, that I have no attachment to any country but my own.
King George III: An honest man will never have any other.

Soundtrack:

Sarabande

Reunion in Paris

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

After his illness in Amsterdam, John Adams is gratified when the Dutch lenders inform him about the granting of the credit he had requested on behalf of the United States. He is elated, to say the least, but he is asked to move on back to Paris, where Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, have been active in seeking the French help to further their cause.

At the same time, Abigail Adams gets to join her husband in Paris, where they reconnect after so many years of separation. Abigail has left their growing children behind. Their romance reignites as befitting two persons that love passionately the other. Abigail, though, is none too happy with the ways of their French hosts. She is a practical woman who is sure of herself and does not have the affectations of the people around her. She finds a good friend in Thomas Jefferson, who is now in France, mourning the death of his wife Martha.

No sooner have Abigail settle in Paris when an order comes from America for John to move to England as ambassador to the United States. He is in for an awakening when he is coached in the protocol for his introduction to king George III, a man he despised. Yet, he goes on with the ritual of presenting his credentials to the monarch. We watch him hesitating as he takes the steps that will put him face to face with an former enemy.

After the life in London, John and Abigail return to America. They are met by their children, who by now, are fully grown. It is a happy reunion for the Adams, who go back to the farm and to their quiet life. This sort of retirement is again short lived. He has been tapped to be George Washington's vice president, something that takes him a while to get through his head.

Michelle Ashford collaborated with Kirk Ellis in this chapter. Tom Hopper does wonder in showing the viewers the passionate love of Abigail and John in scenes that gives us a sense of what really must have been the way they felt about one another.

Tom Wilkinson has a marvelous scene when John goes to demand an explanation for his leaving France and sent to England. He finds the great man playing chess with Judith Magre in what could be considered a compromising position that is played with subtlety and it is is a lot of fun to watch. Stephen Dillane's take on Thomas Jefferson is effective. Sarah Polley is seen briefly as Nabby Adams and Tom Hollander is excellent playing king George III.

This fourth installment is a fine example of what this adaptation accomplishes. It is the love of John and Abigail, and the way we see them loving one another, what makes "John Adams" human. Thanks to Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney, these historical figures are given a life of their own.