The Patriot (2000)

Peaceful farmer Benjamin Martin is driven to lead the Colonial Militia during the American Revolution when a sadistic British officer murders his son.

Director:

Roland Emmerich

Writer:

Robert Rodat

Stars:

Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mel Gibson	...	Benjamin Martin
Heath Ledger	...	Gabriel Martin
Joely Richardson	...	Charlotte Selton
Jason Isaacs	...	Col. William Tavington
Chris Cooper	...	Col. Harry Burwell
Tchéky Karyo	...	Jean Villeneuve
Rene Auberjonois	...	Reverend Oliver
Lisa Brenner	...	Anne Howard
Tom Wilkinson	...	Gen. Lord Charles Cornwallis
Donal Logue	...	Dan Scott
Leon Rippy	...	John Billings
Adam Baldwin	...	Capt. Wilkins
Jay Arlen Jones	...	Occam
Joey D. Vieira	...	Peter Howard
Gregory Smith	...	Thomas Martin

Storyline

It is 1776 in colonial South Carolina. Benjamin Martin, a French-Indian war hero who is haunted by his past, now wants nothing more than to live peacefully on his small plantation, and wants no part of a war with the most powerful nation in the world, Great Britain. Meanwhile, his two eldest sons, Gabriel and Thomas, can't wait to enlist in the newly formed "Continental Army." When South Carolina decides to join the rebellion against England, Gabriel immediately signs up to fight...without his father's permission. But when Colonel William Tavington, British dragoon, infamous for his brutal tactics, comes and burns the Martin Plantation to the ground, tragedy strikes. Benjamin quickly finds himself torn between protecting his family, and seeking revenge along with being a part of the birth of a new, young, and ambitious nation.

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Plot Keywords:

american revolution | hero | standoff | father son relationship | george washington character | 

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Taglines:

What would you do if they destroyed your home, threatened your family. Where would you draw the line?

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Genres:

Action | Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong war violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 June 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Patriot

Filming Locations:

Stratford Hall Plantation, Westmoreland County, Virginia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$110,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$22,413,710, 2 July 2000, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$113,330,342

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$215,294,342

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Centropolis Entertainment, Mutual Film Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

165 min 175 min (extended) 142 min (workprint)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's biggest competition on its opening weekend was The Perfect Storm (2000) starring George Clooney, in a role Mel Gibson turned down to film this movie.

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Goofs

When Gabriel goes to the church to recruit volunteers for the militia, Anne Howard gets up and makes a speech about patriotism. We see her wearing a necklace (a pendant on some type of cord - possibly a thin strip of leather). As the townspeople are gathered outside a minute or so later to watch the men leave, we see Anne with a completely bare neck.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[repeated line]
Benjamin Martin: I have long feared that my sins would return to visit me, and the cost is more than I can bear.

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Alternate Versions

In the extended edition, there are additional scenes involving Cornwallis and Tavington. Here, the viewer witnesses Cornwallis scolding Tavington in the presence of other officers -- In the scene, Cornwallis sarcastically remarks that Tavington has earned himself the nickname "The Butcher." This scene is important in that it helps establish and underscore the motive Tavington has for eliminating "The Ghost," Benjamin Martin. Further dialogue between the two is found later in the movie as well.

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Connections

Referenced in Dialing Up 'Cellular' (2004)

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Soundtracks

The British Grenadiers
Traditional

User Reviews

Our forefathers won their independence for this?

Terrifically entertaining, if overlong and often inaccurate historical drama about how a warrior, played by Mel Gibson, avenges the loss of someone dear to him and helps win independence for his country, triumphing over a sneering English foe. Oh sorry, that was "Braveheart." Mel's **other** overlong and often inaccurate historical drama about an avenging warrior/patriot with a sneering Brit nemesis is pure Hollywood cheese. Beautifully filmed cheese, but cheese nonetheless. The inaccuracies are not the problem; the predictable plotting and tacky dialogue are. Did our forefathers struggle for American independence just so that their story could one day be told in the most cliched terms possible?