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Rewind: From Philadelphia to outer space
Get an infusion of patriotism by watching movies that show the American spirit in a range of places, times and situations.
By STEVE PERSALL, Times Film Critic
© St. Petersburg Times
published July 4, 2002
America pledges allegiance to the movies, especially on holidays such as the Fourth of July. Theaters will be packed and video store shelves emptier as movie lovers indulge their inalienable right to entertainment. After today's cookouts and tonight's fireworks, light the fuse on these patriotic selections:
1776: Who knew the founding fathers had such great voices? Broadway's star-spangled smash turned into one of the last of the old-fashioned movie musicals, with feisty John Adams (William Daniels), wise Ben Franklin (Howard Da Silva) and dutiful Thomas Jefferson (Ken Howard) singing and signing the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia.
Apollo 13: Tom Hanks started rivaling Mom's apple pie as an American symbol with this fact-based adventure in outer space. The Apollo 13 lunar landing mission in 1970 was unsuccessful, but few films have portrayed so well the American spirit rising above disaster.
The Patriot: For some reason, the Revolutionary War has always been a tough subject for Hollywood to make entertaining. This is one of the few exceptions, a rousing epic starring Mel Gibson that practically shoves viewers past its historical inaccuracies. Gibson plays a pacifist called to arms when his family is endangered by British forces.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: Frank Capra's films always spoke for the common man, and few actors have played one as uncommonly well as Jimmy Stewart did. This 1939 classic features Stewart as a small-town guy pushed into Congress, where his ideals are challenged by red tape and dark hearts. Only 534 more like him in Washington and we wouldn't have any problems at all.
The Sandlot: Baseball may be losing its luster as America's pastime, but this movie recaptured the red, white and blue allure of the game, especially a Fourth of July picnic scene with Ray Charles singing America the Beautiful while children play ball. Chokes me up every time.
Yankee Doodle Dandy: James Cagney won an Academy Award for playing composer-showman George M. Cohan, whose songs earned him a presidential commendation for lifting the nation's spirits. The movie is so colorful that you forget it's filmed in black and white.
Avalon and America, America: The melting-pot aspects of American culture are celebrated in two films about immigrants finding hope in their new home. Avalon is Barry Levinson's tribute to his Jewish roots, and America, America traces director Elia Kazan's roots in Greece through the eyes of an ice merchant dreaming of life in the United States. Both films are reminders of what we have that others around the world want.
Born on the Fourth of July: Many people in 1972 didn't consider Ron Kovic patriotic after his disruptive protests of Vietnam War policies. Times and perspectives have changed, making Kovic another shining example of free speech. Tom Cruise is superb as Kovic in Oliver Stone's blistering biography.
Independence Day: Pure fantasy wrapped in a U.S. flag. Outer space invaders threaten civilization until a fighter-pilot president (Bill Pullman) leads a counterattack after a rousingly hokey speech to the troops. Paul Revere needs to amend his sentry alert: One if by land, two if by sea and three if by flying saucer.
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