Customer Reviews

April Morning [VHS]

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is simply a gem of a movie based on Howard Fast's excellent 1962 novel,( which I still have), of the first day of hostilities between colonists and Britain.

There may have been bigger blockbusters made about the American Revolution (The Patriot, Revolution etc) but to me this under- rated 1988 film is a true classic, capturing the quintessential decency of American colonial village life in Lexington and the developing tensions and conflict on that fateful day of 19th April 1775.

I agree with the 2 previous reviewers that this film is a great teaching tool. It shows many things: the tensions and love in family life, particularly between Moses Cooper ( Tommy Lee Jones) and his son Adam ( Chad Lowe),who is no longer a boy yet not quite a man; romance between Adam and Ruth Simmons ( played by the lovely Susan Blakely); different generations and how they relate to each other; the underlying strong Christian faith of the era,( which still prevails in American life today); the need to perform civic duties; and culture and costumes far removed from our own period etc.

"April Morning" is also effective because it does not glamourise war or demonise the redcoats. In fact both Adam and a young redcoat are both seen, at various stages, to be scared witless by the whiff of 'grapeshot' and of battle. Yet overall, in what is truly a momentous day for Adam personally, (as well as the villagers of Lexington and Concord), we see how the events mature him and this is brilliantly illustrated at the end of the film when he leads his family in prayer for their food and life. This very subtle approach makes it evident that the boy, like colonial America, has gone for ever and has been replaced by a decent man who would,with humility, be worthy of his emerging new leadership role-as would America.

As a non-American I conclude by saying that any American who fails to appreciate this film simply lacks a soul and an understanding of the greatness of American history - a fact which was demonstrated on that dusty Lexington-Concord road 226 years ago- and by the makers of this film who have created another very special "April Morning".

This movie gives an accurate and interesting account of the beginnings of the American Revolution. A boy becomes a man, not by choice but because of events that are not under his control. There is great acting by all. My students will love this movie and will gain a greater understanding of the Lexington and Concord battles. I only wish I could obtain a video of the movie. My copy is so old! This is an action/adventure/drama all rolled into one.

April Morning is a family-friendly video of the first major battle of the American Revolution. The dramatic tension between two generations climaxes with a greater understanding, and a loss. The video is a great addition to a homeschool unit on the Revolution, or a good family night viewing, with discussion of the relationship between father and son. I highly recommend it, and was disappointed that it was out of stock. We watched it on TV the first time, and have not been able to find it since.

This movie offers all of the action and adventure you could ask for in a "war-movie" and also has compassion and a love story. The father and son relationship, Tommy Lee Jones as the father, shows the true feelings of the time period. A great movie to watch for enjoyment and also a great teaching tool.

I saw this a few years ago on T.V. and have wanted a copy of my own. I can't believe a movie this powerful is not on video yet. A must for all young people to see! Masterful telling of our country's revolution.

Yes, the movie is melodramatic and l....o....n....g with the dialogues in the first portion. That's why I don't show the whole thing in the classroom. We start just before the rider shows up with the warnings. I have a typed synopsis of the events leading up to this and explain the tensions of frontier warfare experience, womens' issues vs the male ego, and that this is a MOVIE based on the events. However, the use of reenactors, authentic clothing, and armaments make it somewhat more appealing. Rip Torn's aggression played against the desire to reason things out to prevent war are universal themes that really get the Language Arts teachers smiling with writing prompts for opinion papers. I wish it was rereleased to get the price down. My ancestors were Loyalist Rangers who, along with their Iroquois allies, didn't play "fairly" and had to bug out to Britain and Ontario in 1781. It is interesting to the students how young the British soldier is and his confusion under stress is typical of most newbies throughout history. The disagreement of the British officers at the green to "force" the crown's authority or just march by such a small underarmed group has been documented. If the movie is prepped and guided with thoughtful questioning it usually becomes one of the students' favorites. I find it great fun to have intuitive kids ask if I was technically a "Redcoat" as a Marine in Danang. I smile and respond that I was loyal to my "king" and "country" but, like the young fusilier in the movie, I was often just as concerned.

This film is set in 1775 Colonial Massachusetts. A peddler is stopped and searched, the British troops find a musket, powder, balls and confiscate them and the wagon (Gun Control!). The peddler stops at a local tavern to tell about this. The people have noticed an increase in British troop patrols. We then meet a family and see a portrayal of life in the 18th century as similar to today. There is a meeting among the men, they discuss the relative military strengths of the Colonial militia to the 5,000 British troops in Boston. [In fact the militia had a long military experience in colonial warfare, the British were less experienced.]

A rider gives the alarm: the British are coming to seize the guns and ammunition stored at Concord where the Continental Congress is meeting. The local militia is summoned by the ringing of the church bell. They are drawn up peaceably on the village green as for their regular drill. They did not block the road or threaten the British. The British order them to disperse. A shot rings out, and the battle ends in a rout. Then the troops reform to march to Concord. [Later the British officers claimed they did not order an attack on the villagers, as if to deny any guilt or responsibility for attacking the militia.] This battle of Lexington was just a minor diversion, but gave time for the Minutemen to prepare at Concord for the shot heard around the world.

The British reached Concord, but the guns and ammunition had been moved away. When they began their return to Boston the Minutemen from all the surrounding towns followed and kept up continual fire upon the British. The patriots used their well-tried tactics practiced for generations in forest fighting. After the British retreated to Boston the militia surrounded them and took the hills overlooking the town. The battle of Bunker Hill (Breed's Hill) did not dislodge them. When cannon were brought in the British fleet abandoned Boston. [Mike Wright's book tells how a supply wagon was captured in Lexington.]

The end of the French and Indian War led to new and heavy taxes on the 13 colonies and a ban on some prior rights. The Boston Tea Party was followed by heavy sanctions on Boston (yet none betrayed those "Indians" who committed an illegal act). The taxation worsened. Committees of Correspondence were formed in the colonies to seek a common front. They prepared to defend themselves. The Congress at Concord became a target for the British. So they marched there to capture the leaders. This film presents a dramatic view of those times, as seen by the people. [I think it is better than Mel Gibson's "The Patriot".] John Galvin's book explains this best. The Minutemen were those militia men who were best fitted to muster at a minute's notice, a part of the militia. In 1774 the Massachusetts militia were first to practice the democratic election of officers (a practice that lasted until WW I). The morale of the volunteers was part of their effectiveness.

This is one of the best Revolutionary War movies of all time. I first saw it in 7th grade. I really learned a lot from it.

I watched this movie in Social Studies because we were studing the Aerican Revolution. I liked the way it seemed like it was made in 1776. I thought it was educational and it really taught me alot!!! I thought Adam's fathers best friend acted as a good father to Adam after Adam's father got shot. thats all for now!!!

This is a decent film that deserves to be re-issued on DVD. While not a big budget opus like infamous Mel Gibson's THE PATRIOT, this is a much higher quality film overall. While a bit slow in the beginning with family relationships in Lexington, the film picks up when the British at last appear on the screen! There is a nice shot of the British columm deploying impressively into line to face Captain Parker's company. The only problem here is that the British force at this point consisited of six companies of Light Infantry who jogged into town at a fast clip before forming line opposite the militia. This would have been less impressive to show, plus i guess the available re-enactors could not all be shown in Light Infantry garb. So we get the usual mix of line companies, Grenadiers and Lights all in group together! Colorful, but not accurate!

The confrontation on Lexington Green is made out to be the fault of a renegade Irishman who fires the mysterious first shot of the Revolution. This guy seems like an IRA Fenian several generations ahead of his time! None the less it provides an excuse for how the war began. The British are shown rather impersonally. The officers dry and slightly arrogant. It would have been nice to have expounded more on their circumstances in the beginning of the film. Major Pitcarrin of the Royal Marines for example was universally admired by rebels in Boston for his firm, but fair manner.

The battle scenes are none the less exciting and well done. While the Americans are shown doing their thing from behind cover popping away at the red-coats, the British Lights are also depicted as countering their moves with skirmesher tactics. On the whole this is well done. The fatigue the British column starts to suffer is well portrayed. Again, we should have only Grenadiers and Light Infantry since these were the collected elite companies brought together for this mission. The tri-corned hat men of the line should only be shown coming up with Lord Percy later on. Still, this is a relatively minor detail which most not familier with the British army of the 18th century will not notice (or care about).

The acting is well done overall, Tommy Lee Jones seems way out of place here in a period movie. One keeps expecting him to reveal his under cover cop badge or something! Still, the plot and acting work to create a decent film about the early days of the Revolution. Deffinitely one of your better American Rev War flicks. Should be re-issued on DVD someday.