List of films about the American Revolution
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (February 2024) |
Below is an incomplete list of films which include events of the American Revolution. This list does not include documentaries or short films.
1910s
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | United States | The Spy | Otis Turner | Drama, war. Based on the 1821 novel The Spy. | |
| 1915 | United States | A Continental Girl | Joseph Adelman | Drama, war. | |
| 1916 | United States | The Heart of a Hero | Emile Chautard | Drama, war. Based on the play Nathan Hale. Nathan Hale | |
| 1917 | United States | Betsy Ross | Travers Vale George Cowl |
Biography, drama, romance. | |
| 1917 | United States | The Spirit of '76 | Frank Montgomery | Drama, history, war. | |
| 1918 | United States | The Beautiful Mrs. Reynolds | Arthur Ashley | Drama, history. |
1920s
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | United States | Cardigan | John W. Noble | Drama. Based on the novel Cardigan. | |
| 1924 | United States | Janice Meredith | E. Mason Hopper E. J. Babille |
Drama, history, romance, war. Based on a novel and the play Janice Meredith. | |
| 1924 | United States | America | D. W. Griffith | Drama, history, war. Based on the novel The Reckoning. | |
| 1929 | United Kingdom | The American Prisoner | Thomas Bentley | Drama. Based on the 1904 novel The American Prisoner. |
1930s
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | United States | Alexander Hamilton | John G. Adolfi | Biography, Drama, history. Based on the 1917 play Hamilton. Alexander Hamilton | |
| 1934 | United States | The Pursuit of Happiness | Alexander Hall | Comedy, romance. Hessian | |
| 1936 | United States | Daniel Boone | David Howard | Biography, family, western. Daniel Boone, Simon Girty | |
| 1939 | United States | Drums Along the Mohawk | John Ford | Drama, romance, war, western. Based on the 1936 novel Drums Along the Mohawk. |
1940s
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | United States | The Howards of Virginia | Frank Lloyd | Drama, history, war. Based on a novel The Tree of Liberty. |
1950s
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | United States | Sangaree | Edward Ludwig | Drama, history. Based on the novel Sangaree. | |
| 1955 | United States | The Scarlet Coat | John Sturges | Adventure, drama, history, romance, war. Benedict Arnold | |
| 1956 | United States | Daniel Boone, Trail Blazer | Albert C. Gannaway Ismael Rodríguez |
Drama, western. Daniel Boone | |
| 1957 | United States | Johnny Tremain | Robert Stevenson | Adventure, family, war. Based on a novel Johnny Tremain. | |
| 1959 | United Kingdom United States |
The Devil's Disciple | Guy Hamilton | Comedy, history, romance, war. Based on the 1897 play The Devil's Disciple. | |
| 1959 | Spain United States |
John Paul Jones | John Farrow | Action, biography, history, romance, war. Based on the story "Nor'wester". John Paul Jones |
1960s
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | France Italy |
La Fayette | Jean Dréville | Biography, drama, history, war. Gilbert du Motier |
1970s
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Italy | Paths of War | Franco e Ciccio sul sentiero di guerra | Aldo Grimaldi | Comedy, western. |
| 1972 | United States | 1776 | Peter H. Hunt | Drama, family, history, musical. Based on the 1969 musical 1776. | |
| 1975 | United States | Valley Forge | Fielder Cook | Drama, war. Based on the 1934 play Valley Forge. | |
| 1976 | United States | Spirit of Seventy Sex | Stu Segall | Adult, comedy, history. |
1980s
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | United Kingdom Norway |
Revolution | Hugh Hudson | Adventure, drama, history, war. | |
| 1989 | United States | A More Perfect Union | Peter N. Johnson | Drama, history. Constitutional Convention |
1990s
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | United States | The Little Patriot | J. Christian Ingvordsen | Family, adventure. | |
| 1996 | France | Beaumarchais | Beaumarchais l'insolent | Édouard Molinaro | Adventure, comedy, history, romance. Based on the play Beaumarchais. Pierre Beaumarchais |
2000s
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | United States Germany |
The Patriot | Roland Emmerich | Action, drama, history, war. | |
| 2003 | United States | The Deserter | Eric Bruno Borgman | Comedy, drama, history, war. | |
| 2009 | United States | All for Liberty | Chris Weatherhead | Drama |
2010s
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | United States | Sybil Ludington | Kim Robinson | Drama, family, history. Sybil Ludington | |
| 2015 | United States | Beyond the Mask | Chad Burns | Action, adventure, drama, romance. | |
| 2016 | United States | The Culper Spy Adventure | James Canale III Michael Tessler Andrew Mastronardi |
History. | |
| 2017 | United States | One Life to Give | Leah Dunaief Michael Tessler Benji Dunaief |
History. |
2020s
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | United States | Hamilton | Thomas Kail | War, Alexander Hamilton. Filming of the 2015 musical | |
| 2023 | United States | The Battle of Camden | Christopher Forbes | War. Battle of Camden | |
| 2023 | United States | The Battle of Hobkirk's Hill | Christopher Forbes | Battle of Hobkirk's Hill |
Fantasy
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | United States | Where Do We Go from Here? | Gregory Ratoff | Fantasy, musical. | |
| 1946 | United States | The Time of Their Lives | Charles Barton | Comedy, family, fantasy. |
Television films
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | United States | First Ladies Diaries: Martha Washington | John J. Desmond | Biography, drama. Martha Washington | |
| 1976 | United States | The Other Side of Victory | Bill Jersey | ||
| 1986 | United States | George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation | William A. Graham | Biography, drama, history. George Washington | |
| 1988 | United States Canada |
April Morning | Delbert Mann | Drama, history, war. Based on the novel April Morning. | |
| 1990 | Canada | Divided Loyalties | Mario Azzopardi | Biography. Joseph Brant, Molly Brant | |
| 1993 | United States | The Broken Chain | Lamont Johnson | Drama, war, action. Joseph Brant | |
| 1994 | Canada | Mary Silliman's War | Stephen Surjik | Drama, history, war. Based on biography The Way of Duty. Mary Silliman | |
| 1995 | United States | Taking Liberty | Stuart Gillard | Drama. Based on an unknown story. | |
| 2000 | United States | The Crossing | Robert Harmon | Biography, drama, history, war. Based on the novel The Crossing. George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, Battle of Trenton | |
| 2003 | United States | Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor | Mikael Salomon | Drama, jistory. Benedict Arnold | |
| 2005 | United States | Felicity: An American Girl Adventure | Nadia Tass | Drama, family. Based on the novels about American Girl. |
TV series
[edit]| Year | Country | Main title (Alternative title) |
Original title (Original script) |
Director | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-1961 | United States | The Swamp Fox | Harry Keller | Adventure, drama, family. Francis Marion, Banastre Tarleton | |
| 1964-1970 | United States | Daniel Boone | Adventure, western. Daniel Boone | ||
| 1970-1971 | United States | The Young Rebels | Harve Bennett | Adventure. | |
| 1974 | United States | Benjamin Franklin | Glenn Jordan | Biography, drama, history. Benjamin Franklin | |
| 1976 | United States | The Adams Chronicles | Drama, history. John Adams | ||
| 1978 | United States | The Bastard | Lee H. Katzin | Drama, history, romance. Based on the 1974 novel The Bastard. | |
| 1979 | United States | The Rebels | Russ Mayberry | Drama, history, war. Based on the 1975 novel The Rebels. | |
| 1979 | United States | The Seekers | Sidney Hayers | Drama, history, war. Based on the 1975 novel The Seekers. | |
| 1982 | East Germany | The great adventure of Kaspar Schmeck | Das große Abenteuer des Kaspar Schmeck | Gunter Friedrich | Adventure, drama, war. Based on a novel Das große Abenteuer des Kaspar Schmeck. Hessian |
| 1984 | United States | George Washington | Buzz Kulik | Biography, drama, history, war. George Washington | |
| 1987 | United Kingdom Canada |
The Devil's Disciple | David Hugh Jones | Comedy, drama, romance. Based on the 1897 play The Devil's Disciple. | |
| 1997 | United States | Liberty! The American Revolution | Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer | Documentary, history, American Revolution | |
| 2002 | United States | Benjamin Franklin | Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer | Documentary, history. Benjamin Franklin | |
| 2002-2003 | United States | Liberty's Kids | Judy Reilly Marsha Goodman Einstein |
Animation, adventure, family, history, war. | |
| 2008 | United States | John Adams | Tom Hooper | Biography, drama, history. Based on the 2001 biography John Adams about John Adams | |
| 2014-2017 | United States | Turn: Washington's Spies | Drama, history, war. Based on the book Washington's Spies. Culper Ring | ||
| 2015 | United States | Sons of Liberty | Kari Skogland | Drama, history. | |
| 2015 | Canada | The Book of Negroes | Clement Virgo | Drama, history, war. Based on the 2007 novel The Book of Negroes. Black Loyalist | |
| 2022 | United States | Benjamin Franklin | Ken Burns | Documentary, biography, history. | |
| 2024 | United States | Franklin | Tim Van Patten | Biography, drama, history. Based on the 2005 book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America. |
See also
[edit]- British Empire in fiction
- Commemoration of the American Revolution
- Founding Fathers of the United States
- Historical drama
- List of television series and miniseries about the American Revolution
- List of plays and musicals about the American Revolution
- List of films about revolution
References
[edit]Further reading
[edit]- Glancy, Mark. "The war of independence in feature films: The Patriot (2000) and the 'special relationship' between Hollywood and Britain." Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television 25.4 (2005): 523-545.
- Harrington. Hugh T. "Top 10 Revolutionary War Movies" Journal of the American Revolution (Jan. 25 2013) online
- Murray, Lawrence L. "Feature Films and the American Revolution: A Bicentennial Reappraisal." Film & History 5.3 (1975): 1-6.
- Rhoden, Nancy L. "Patriots, Villains, and the Quest for Liberty: How American Film has Depicted the American Revolution." Canadian Review of American Studies 37.2 (2007): 205-238.
- Schocket, Andrew M. "The American سكسي
- "Rebooted: Hamilton and Genre in Contemporary Culture." Journal of the Early Republic 37#2 (2017): 263-269.